RoadVitals

2018 Volvo S90 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Jul 31, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
10
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo S90, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Electrical422.2%
  • Interior & seats316.7%
  • Brakes211.1%
  • Driver assistance211.1%
  • Other / unspecified211.1%
  • Tires & wheels15.6%
  • Body & structure15.6%
  • Engine15.6%
  • Fuel system15.6%
  • Airbags15.6%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. This has also damaged my speaker in my passenger door. I have paid over two thousand dollars.Trying to get this a c fixed with no results before finding out about the recalls. I have since found out.This leakage can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying in an accident. I have reached out to volvo directly they are denying any responsibility. I not only can not afford what could end up being over 5,000 dollars if not more to repair the AC the speaker and potentially the airbag as I am disabled. Although volvo is refusing to do the right thing, even though they know this is a problem. I have asked them what changes were made between 2016 to 2018 in the production of my vehicle. They are not responding.

NHTSA ID 11754063 · filed Jul 31, 2026

At 5pm while driving home, which was 2 hours away, I needed to stop and refuel. At the pump I pushed the fuel door and it would not release to open. After many tries it would not open. I called Volvo On Call and informed them of the problem. The agent relayed that I should go to the back of the car near the fuel door, and with the remote lock and unlock the door which should release the door. It did not work. I tried it again with no success. The agent then informed me that there is no other way to open the door and to go to a Volvo dealership to get repaired. I asked the agent is there a way to open the door from the trunk, for instance like a rope to pull to manually open the door. He said unfortunately no. So, I am no where near a dealership and if I was it would be closed, it is after 5pm on February 17 and its 20 degrees outside and I need fuel to get home. I get in my car and search the internet on a possible way to open the door and I see that this is a big problem with Volvo that has affected many families and individuals that, as I, have been put in a compromised possibly dangerous position. While at the gas station I fortunately saw a tow truck and asked the driver if I could borrow a screw driver to try to pry open the door to which I was successful. A simple pull cord in the trunk, as some vehicles have, would have solved this issue without putting anyone in a precarious situation. I took my car to a mechanic and he replaced the fuel door lock solenoid.

NHTSA ID 11643791 · filed Feb 19, 2025

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Rear right door lock failed, stuck closed. Extremely unsafe if someone was sitting in the back and unable to leave vehicle. It has been confirmed by others. It has been inspected by an independent mechanic. There has been zero warning lights to indicate the issue

NHTSA ID 11647854 · filed Mar 12, 2025

The rear door will not open from the inside or the outside. Apparently this is a door lock actuator issue experinced by many volvo owners. It is extremely dangerous not to be able to open a rear door in the case of an accident or other incident where you need to enter or exit the car. Dealer confirms that there is an issue with these. No warning message appears when inoperable.

NHTSA ID 11573556 · filed Feb 23, 2024

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo S90. The contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, the steering wheel would violently shake without warning. The contact has had two sets of brake rotors replaced on the vehicle due to the failure. Since owning the vehicle, the contact stated that the failure would occur approximately every 8,000-10,000 miles. After the third failure, the contact was informed that the repair for the rotors would not be covered under warranty. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and filed a claim; the contact was called back and was informed that the claim was denied. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ID 11469647 · filed Jun 16, 2022

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THERE IS A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND WHEN BREAKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES, THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 10,100. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT TOLD US WHAT IS THE ISSUE BUT THE NOISE REMAINS. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I DRIVE WITH MY KIDS AND THEIR FRIENDS IN THE CAR AND WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BREAKS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THEY HAVE TOLD US NOTHING. WE HAVE MANY AUDIOS WITH THE NOISE, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP RMCHOOSES TO IGNORE BUT THE NOISE PERSISTS AFTER EACH REPAIR. WE ARE AFRAID THEY ARE HIDING THE REAL ISSUE AND IT MAY BE DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID 11210221 · filed May 27, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ISSUE 1 – VOLVO ON CALL / VCM "SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE: My vehicle has displayed a persistent "Volvo On Call Service Required" error message in the Driver Information Module (DIM) for over one year. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 36916.1.0 (NHTSA ID: MC-10253788), issued April 2024 • Fault code: VCM-U105000 (Vehicle Communication Module) • TSB explicitly covers 2018 S90 vehicles • The TSB states the required software packages are free of charge I contacted Volvo Cars USA at [XXX] , who acknowledged the issue and arranged a complimentary diagnostic and fix with the Manasquan dealer. But, the dealer would not perform the diagnostic at no charge, leaving me unable to confirm the fault code or proceed with the TSB-specified remedy without paying out of pocket. I have had this unresolved warning message for over one year now. The dealer told me that if I did not pay for the repair my car could lose power and stop suddenly. ISSUE 2 – PARK ASSIST SYSTEM FALSE ALERTS: My Park Assist System sensors generate false proximity warnings for objects more than 20 feet away — far beyond the system's normal detection range. Cleaning the sensors did not resolve the issue. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 31558.8.0 (NHTSA ID: 10161789), issued April 2019 • Root cause: Water ingress into park assist sensors and connectors due to a defective splice in the cable harness • Volvo introduced a harness splice correction in production starting June 2018 — meaning vehicles built before that correction may contain the defective harness • TSB covers 2016–2019 Volvo vehicles A malfunctioning park assist system is a direct safety concern — drivers rely on accurate proximity alerts when maneuvering, and persistent false alerts undermine confidence in the system and may cause drivers to disregard genuine warnings. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11735364 · filed May 3, 2026

Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.

NHTSA ID 11429514 · filed Aug 17, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

There is a great deal of vibration at highway speeds. It has been like this since I purchased the car.

NHTSA ID 11717421 · filed Feb 11, 2026

Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.

NHTSA ID 11429514 · filed Aug 17, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

255/35 R20 Bleb in sidewall with air leak through tread adjacent. No unusual trauma to tire.

NHTSA ID 11551417 · filed Oct 23, 2023

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

2018 VOLVO S-90. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A PRODUCT FLAW. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLES FLOOR MAT HAD UNSNAPPED AND BECOME WEDGED UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. *JS

NHTSA ID 11354712 · filed Sep 15, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLVO S90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GUNTHER VOLVO CARS COCONUT CREEK, 4300 SR 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 590-3760) MORE THAN TWICE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TO BE TEST DRIVEN, BUT THERE WAS NO PERMANENT REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND HAD NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID 11084567 · filed Apr 11, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLVO S90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GUNTHER VOLVO CARS COCONUT CREEK, 4300 SR 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 590-3760) MORE THAN TWICE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TO BE TEST DRIVEN, BUT THERE WAS NO PERMANENT REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND HAD NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID 11084567 · filed Apr 11, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. This has also damaged my speaker in my passenger door. I have paid over two thousand dollars.Trying to get this a c fixed with no results before finding out about the recalls. I have since found out.This leakage can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying in an accident. I have reached out to volvo directly they are denying any responsibility. I not only can not afford what could end up being over 5,000 dollars if not more to repair the AC the speaker and potentially the airbag as I am disabled. Although volvo is refusing to do the right thing, even though they know this is a problem. I have asked them what changes were made between 2016 to 2018 in the production of my vehicle. They are not responding.

NHTSA ID 11754063 · filed Jul 31, 2026

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .