RoadVitals

2017 Volvo XC90

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
75
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
7
Latest Dec 7, 2023
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
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.
10
9 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 75 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2017 Volvo XC90, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and driver assistance categories. 7 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 698 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

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

Safety recalls

7 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Dec 7, 2023
2,911 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2015-2024 XC90 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly.
The risk: An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the second-row seat belt buckle anchorage bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10259.
Volvo Car USA, LLCManufacturer number R10259View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Apr 21, 2021
162 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2016-2020 XC90 Excellence vehicles. Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible.
The risk: The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will update the rear seat control display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.
Volvo Car USA, LLCManufacturer number R10093View on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Nov 13, 2018
17,548 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. As a result, the GPS will not provide location information to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.
The risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
The remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
Volvo Car USA LLCManufacturer number R39917View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the window power switch was enabled; however, the window switch failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the rear-view camera, the door switch, and the air conditioner failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact became aware of water on the front passenger’s side floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ID
11756005
Incident
Aug 3, 2026
Mileage
94,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Jul 11, 2026

Spark plugs, fuel injectors, cylinders and cylinder walls, pistons, oxygen sensor. Our safety was put at risk because the vehicles "reduced performance" was triggered and it affected the acceleration of the vehicle. The Volvo dealership was able to reproduce the issue because of the engine misfires.The only alert we received was the day prior our engine needed a liter of oil. We topped off the oil and that alert went away. The day we had the reduced performance we were alerted of that at the time on the highway. It's a little turtle icon. We were not able to accelerate efficiently and it was definitely unsafe to be driving but we had to get home.

NHTSA ID
11749713
Incident
Jul 4, 2026
Brakes
Filed Jun 4, 2026

The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while her son-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firmly depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the vacuum hose had detached and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

NHTSA ID
11742110
Incident
Jun 2, 2026
Mileage
85,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 27, 2026
Fire reported

To whom it may concern. Our 2017 XC90 unexpectedly, spantaneously, and catastrophically caught fire under the hood and was a total loss 5 minutes after parking it on April 19, 2026. There were no leaks or other signs of mechanical issues. The vehicle had all regular maintenance completed at the Byers Volvo Service Department in Columbus, OH. It had no open recalls. It was always parked overnight in a garage. The Fire Inspector noted a possible vehicle manufacturing defect as the cause of the fire, however the vehicle was too heavily damaged to be definitive. We do have video of the entire incident as the Volvo was parked on Federal Government Property at the time. We are happy to share any and all information if this helps future vehicles to be safer. It should be noted that there is an active recall for the 2016 XC90 for a coolant hose leak that can cause a fire. Given that the 2017 XC90 is of the same design. Upon checking the internet and Reddit, it appears that our situation is not unique and there are other instances and reports of similar fires.

NHTSA ID
11734076
Incident
Apr 19, 2026
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 6, 2026

VCM and Rearview camera glitching not working, can cause crashes. Everything was checked for voltage and works properly. It seems like it is a system infotainment issue for 2017 Volvo xc90

NHTSA ID
11729350
Incident
Mar 16, 2026
Electrical
Filed Apr 2, 2026

The rear door on the driver side will not open. The child lock will not deactivate. No accident. I took my son to school and when I returned to open the door for my [XXX] old the door would not open. No warnings. A regular maintenance appeared days later. I do not understand why this is not being recalled based on online research showing the same thing happening with other Volvos. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11728812
Incident
Mar 18, 2026
Filed Mar 31, 2026

ON CALL SERVICE/ VCM MODULE STOPPED WORKING PREVIOUS RECALLS ON THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES

NHTSA ID
11728383
Incident
Mar 10, 2026
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the rear passenger’s side door suddenly unlocked and opened. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, and the door was forcefully closed. The failure had occurred more than once while diving at various speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while there was a passenger seated in the rear passenger’s side seat. The door was only securely closed by force. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer had not inspected or diagnosed the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID
11728212
Incident
Mar 31, 2025
Mileage
130,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

33031.6.0

This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment - If remote control key is not detected by the car and shows message in DIM "Car key not found" or if functions such as lock/unlock are not working, please follow advice for detecting key

34521.11.1

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp

36496.10.0

POWER TRAIN

This is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. If the sound corresponds to attached sound file, change front drive shafts to the below part numbers.

35503.4.0

STRUCTURE:BODY

This is a Technical Journal: Panoramic sunroof, sealing strip has a gap

35526.1.8

ENGINE

This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure
 Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.

37809.1.1

This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval.
 Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volvo XC90 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2025272058.9
2024343061.2
2023396055.7
2022294155.3
2021326167.9
2020297172.3
2019386174.0
2018473166.2
2017Viewing757171.9
20161968164.1
2015010
2014400
2013110034.3
2012300
2011191045.9
2010123039.1
2009710
2008293050.0
2007382052.2
2006533054.3
20052236454.2
20044626354.9
2003935047.0

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.