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2025 Volvo XC40 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.
11
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.
5
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.
1

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Volvo XC40, 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

  • Driver assistance538.5%
  • Electrical323.1%
  • Engine323.1%
  • Fuel system17.7%
  • Steering17.7%

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

Driver assistance

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

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I was pulling out of a parking space, and the car opposite me in the next row was pulling out at the same time. We backed into each other, damaging both cars. The ADAS failed to activate the rear camera, automatic emergency braking, parking collision warning, and rear cross traffic warning. There were no injuries, so we didn't call the police; we exchanged insurance info. The other driver was also driving a Volvo, and the ADAS also failed in his car. The first thing we said to each other was, "What happened to all the Volvo safety alerts!" I called Volvo to report the incident, and we set up an appointment for an inspection. A few days later, the ADAS failed again when I was backing out of a space. A car drove behind my car as I was backing out and my car banged into the side of the other car. I could not believe that every warning system failed again and I reported it to Volvo. They conducted the inspection and reported no issues with the car. I requested a copy of the inspection, and they said they can't send it since it's proprietary information. I disputed that argument since it is my car and my safety at risk. The same day, I was notified of the urgent 2026 Volvo recall due to a rear-view camera failure that could cause a collision. This is the second recall, a 2025 recall for the same issue.

NHTSA ID 11732047 · filed Apr 18, 2026

Despite multiple repair attempts by Volvo Cars Sugar Land — including software reloads, module reprogramming, and the completion of Recall R10333 — the vehicle continues to experience failures that directly compromise my safety and the safety of my wife. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle. My XC40 has undergone five documented repair visits, including: • Electrical system failures • Infotainment instability • Parking sensor and camera malfunctions • Multiple software reloads and module reprogramming • Recall R10333 “Total Upgrade” On March 11th, while driving at approximately 60 mph on the highway, the IHU screen froze, went completely black, and all audible safety indicators inside the cabin were lost, including: • Turn signal click • Hazard flasher sound • Parking sensor tones • Multimedia audio This condition lasted for nearly 10 minutes, during which I had no ability to safely signal lane changes or rely on audible warnings. I was forced to continue driving until I could safely pull over. After parking, shutting the vehicle off, and waiting several minutes, the IHU restored itself. This incident occurred five days after the most recent repair attempt and represents a serious safety hazard and a complete loss of trust in the vehicle’s reliability.

NHTSA ID 11724948 · filed Mar 17, 2026

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

Electrical

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

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Despite multiple repair attempts by Volvo Cars Sugar Land — including software reloads, module reprogramming, and the completion of Recall R10333 — the vehicle continues to experience failures that directly compromise my safety and the safety of my wife. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle. My XC40 has undergone five documented repair visits, including: • Electrical system failures • Infotainment instability • Parking sensor and camera malfunctions • Multiple software reloads and module reprogramming • Recall R10333 “Total Upgrade” On March 11th, while driving at approximately 60 mph on the highway, the IHU screen froze, went completely black, and all audible safety indicators inside the cabin were lost, including: • Turn signal click • Hazard flasher sound • Parking sensor tones • Multimedia audio This condition lasted for nearly 10 minutes, during which I had no ability to safely signal lane changes or rely on audible warnings. I was forced to continue driving until I could safely pull over. After parking, shutting the vehicle off, and waiting several minutes, the IHU restored itself. This incident occurred five days after the most recent repair attempt and represents a serious safety hazard and a complete loss of trust in the vehicle’s reliability.

NHTSA ID 11724948 · filed Mar 17, 2026

My car randomly has a battery charging fault. An alert stating “stop safely 12V battery critical charging fault” will just pop up while driving and then put the vehicle in turtle mode. This is an intermittent fault and is likely a false indication. This could cause an accident because it causes the car to slow down. This could happen on a highway.

NHTSA ID 11713785 · filed Jan 27, 2026

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.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I live in [XXX], where summer temperatures are extremely high. This week, afternoon temperatures have been reaching nearly 100°F (38°C). My vehicle is a mild-hybrid Volvo XC40, and there is no option to permanently disable the automatic start-stop function (or at least every time I start the car). This week, while driving home from work at around 4:00 PM, I stopped at a traffic light and the engine shut off automatically. As a result, the air conditioning immediately reduced its cooling performance, making the cabin noticeably less comfortable in the extreme heat. I instinctively pressed the accelerator to turn the engine back on and I nearly collided with the vehicle in front of me. In my opinion, this creates a genuine safety concern. Volvo should provide drivers with the ability to disable the automatic start-stop feature through a software setting. While the system is intended to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy, drivers should be able to decide when those benefits are appropriate and when safety, comfort, or local driving conditions make continuous engine operation the better choice. A permanent on/off setting would allow owners to use the feature when desired while avoiding situations where the automatic engine shutdown negatively impacts driving safety or cabin comfort. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11753925 · filed Jul 31, 2026

Mild hybrid vehicle that was purchased 4/20/2026. Volvo service states incident on 06/10/2026 was caused by vehicle running overnight in enclosed garage. Volvo also states that cause was due to item inserted into drivers seatbelt buckle. No warnings posted regarding this would cause the vehicle to turn on once car was parked and driver door shut and run continuously throughout the night in an enclosed garage. Volvo claims every time the driver door is opened, it shuts the engine off. This is not true! And this situation proves that. Vehicle still currently at dealers to be repaired so unsure if components are available for inspection. Components damaged are: Midvoltage battery, midvoltage Converter module, starter generator module, 12v battery. The vehicle became extremely hot and would have caught on fire had our smoke/co detector not gone off. CO was detected in house and garage. Volvo refusing to take any accountability for this situation and refusing to provide me the documentation for the findings of my vehicle.

NHTSA ID 11751346 · filed Jul 19, 2026

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

Mild hybrid vehicle that was purchased 4/20/2026. Volvo service states incident on 06/10/2026 was caused by vehicle running overnight in enclosed garage. Volvo also states that cause was due to item inserted into drivers seatbelt buckle. No warnings posted regarding this would cause the vehicle to turn on once car was parked and driver door shut and run continuously throughout the night in an enclosed garage. Volvo claims every time the driver door is opened, it shuts the engine off. This is not true! And this situation proves that. Vehicle still currently at dealers to be repaired so unsure if components are available for inspection. Components damaged are: Midvoltage battery, midvoltage Converter module, starter generator module, 12v battery. The vehicle became extremely hot and would have caught on fire had our smoke/co detector not gone off. CO was detected in house and garage. Volvo refusing to take any accountability for this situation and refusing to provide me the documentation for the findings of my vehicle.

NHTSA ID 11751346 · filed Jul 19, 2026

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

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The car starts vibrations on at 70 mph through 80 mph. I have brought it to the dealer who stated they felt it and declared that it is normal for severe vibrations to occur at only these speeds. Volvo refused to acknowledge or treat the issue. This issue has been reported and Volvo issued a Technical Journal 36752.2.0 which directs the technicians to acknowledge the vibrations but will provide no solution. This is a safety issue if your car vibrates at highway speed. How has Volvo been allowed to sell these cars without warnings?

NHTSA ID 11736610 · filed May 8, 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 .