2025 Volvo XC90

My 2025 Volvo XC90 (VIN: [XXX], approximately 50,000 miles) unexpectedly entered limp mode while driving on the freeway during the first snowfall of the year. The vehicle suddenly lost normal driving capability, forcing us to pull onto the shoulder, where we were stranded in hazardous winter driving conditions. This created a serious risk of being struck by passing vehicles. The vehicle has a history of recurring electrical failures involving airbags, windshield wipers, turn signals, infotainment, and HVAC controls. These failures often temporarily disappear after restarting the vehicle or rebooting the infotainment system, only to return later. I have repeatedly reported these electrical problems to Ken Garff Volvo in Salt Lake City. The dealership performed software upgrades on [XXX], [XXX], and [XXX] (part #31483292), but the failures continue. The dealer stated the updates would correct the problems. I cannot confirm whether the dealership reproduced the limp-mode failure or identified its cause. The vehicle has been inspected and serviced by an authorized Volvo dealer. I am unaware of any separate inspection by Volvo corporate engineers, police, or insurance representatives. There was no warning messages displayed immediately before the limp-mode incident. Other recurring warning messages, including airbag and wiper errors, have appeared during the vehicle's history. I requested complete repair and diagnostic records, but the dealership declined to provide them, stating Volvo corporate would request whatever information it needed directly. The vehicle is available for inspection with arrangements for safe transportation. I believe this unexpected loss of driving capability presents a serious collision risk. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11775801

Incident

Jan 26, 2026

My 2025 Volvo XC90 (VIN: [XXX], approximately 50,000 miles) has recurring electrical failures affecting the infotainment system, HVAC/defroster, airbags, windshield wipers, and turn signals. On [XXX], while driving, the infotainment-based HVAC controls suddenly stopped functioning, disabling windshield defrosting. The windshield rapidly fogged, severely obstructing my visibility. I nearly drove off the road, and the lane correction system helped prevent an accident. After pulling over and rebooting the infotainment system, the HVAC and defroster resumed working. During the first snowfall of the season, the vehicle also unexpectedly entered limp mode on the freeway, forcing us onto the shoulder and leaving us stranded. These failures recur unpredictably. Airbag and wiper warnings disappear after the vehicle is shut off for several hours. Infotainment and turn signal failures temporarily resolve after rebooting the infotainment system. I reported these issues repeatedly to Ken Garff Volvo in Salt Lake City. The dealer performed software upgrades on [XXX], [XXX], and [XXX] (part #31483292), but the failures continue. The dealer stated the updates would fix the issues. I do not know whether they reproduced each malfunction. The vehicle has been serviced by an authorized Volvo dealer. I am requesting a Volvo corporate safety investigation. I am unaware of any police, insurance, or separate manufacturer engineering inspection. Recurring warning messages and electronic failures preceded the November 4 incident, although I do not recall a specific warning immediately before the defroster failed. The vehicle is available for inspection with safe transportation arrangements. These unresolved failures create a serious risk of collision or injury. Dealer declined to provide full repair and diagnostic records, stating Volvo corporate would request them directly. Only software upgrade part numbers and module lists were provided. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11775800

Incident

Nov 4, 2026

On October 31, 2026, while driving my 2025 Volvo XC90 on a highway at approximately 50 mph, the vehicle's Forward Collision Warning system suddenly activated without any apparent reason. A red collision warning appeared on the instrument panel, accompanied by an audible warning signal. Immediately afterward, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system applied the brakes extremely forcefully, causing the vehicle to abruptly reduce its speed by approximately 15–20 mph. The highway ahead was completely clear. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, or other visible hazards in front of my vehicle. I was driving manually, and neither Adaptive Cruise Control nor Pilot Assist was engaged. Another vehicle was traveling behind me. This sudden and unexpected braking created a serious risk of a rear-end collision. After the abrupt deceleration, the vehicle automatically released the brakes, and normal driving resumed. This was not an isolated incident. The vehicle had previously experienced similar unexpected automatic braking events at lower speeds. However, this was the first occurrence at highway speed. The vehicle currently has approximately 12,800 miles. The cause of the malfunction has not yet been determined, and the vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealership for this latest incident. The vehicle previously required an extended dealership repair for an airbag system warning caused by an improperly connected electrical connector beneath a seat. That separate safety-related issue was reportedly repaired, but the vehicle remained at the dealership for more than a week. I am seriously concerned that the automatic emergency braking and collision warning systems may activate without an actual collision threat, potentially causing a dangerous traffic accident. I request that NHTSA investigate these recurring unintended braking incidents and the potential safety defect.

NHTSA ID

11774913

Incident

Oct 31, 2026

I was in an accident going about 35mph. I slammed into a vehicle that turned in front of me. His vehicle was totaled with all of his airbags deployed. My issue is NOT with my airbags. My issue is that the seatbelt pretensioner system (which is designed to prevent whiplash) the emergency braking system and the hazard lights ALL did not active during, and/or after the crash. My vehicle is equipped with the safety features and collision avoidance that consists of seatbelt pretension, auto hazard lights and auto braking in the event of or to prevent a collision. Ironically, a few months before my accident, the seatbelt compression system erroneously activated during a right hand turn in my neighborhood that I make multiple times a day. Volvo the manufacturer had been contacted and did a diagnostic on it.

NHTSA ID

11765680

Incident

May 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH from a stop, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 40 MPH while entering an access road and turning right. The contact was able to continue driving to the residence. The vehicle was taken to be repaired on several occasions for Google software issues. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer contacted manufacturer and reported that there was no fault found with the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 20,551.

NHTSA ID

11765214

Incident

Jul 20, 2026

Mileage

20,551 mi

The contact owns a 2025 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the safety alert audible sounds failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the alerts failed to provide an audible alert. The contact turned off the vehicle and started and the system independently reset. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an unknown software update was performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The failure became persistent. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera screen seized. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a still image. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.

NHTSA ID

11753962

Incident

Jul 9, 2024

Mileage

4,500 mi

Component/system: The gear selector system failed, triggering a “Gear Selector Service Required” warning. The vehicle is a plug-in hybrid and remains available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: During the first incident, the vehicle became disabled while being driven, losing the ability to shift gears. This created a risk of being stranded in traffic and loss of vehicle control/mobility on the road. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. The dealer diagnosed a rotary encoder signal failure (DTC: TACM U200902) on the first occurrence and performed a full software update. The same warning recurred a second time; the dealer then replaced the gear selector assembly and start/brake switch module, citing liquid contamination as the cause and charging the owner approximately $1,800 as a customer-pay repair. The same warning recurred a third time only 9 days after that hardware replacement. Inspected by manufacturer: A case was opened with the manufacturer’s corporate customer care team, and the dealer opened an internal technical helpdesk (TIE) case with the manufacturer’s engineering support. However, manufacturer corporate stated it does not have access to the detailed technical findings, which are held by the dealership. Warning signs prior to failure: The “Gear Selector Service Required” message appeared as the first and only warning sign before each of the three incidents, with no other symptoms noted beforehand. Summary: This is the third occurrence of the same gear selector fault within approximately 8 months, despite one software repair and one paid hardware repair. The recurrence 9 days after replacing the allegedly contaminated components raises doubt about whether contamination was the true root cause. No comprehensive engineering root-cause analysis has been completed.

NHTSA ID

11749143

Incident

Jun 19, 2025

I was parallel parked. I put the vehicle in reverse to pull out. When I’d gone a few feet in reverse I baked and the brakes were HARD and failed to stop the car immediately. I nearly hit the car behind me. He/she honked at me, that’s how close I was. It happened three times. I think in all three incidents I was going in reverse. I had the dealership look at the vehicle but they could not replicate the issue. So they claim that it is safe to drive!

NHTSA ID

11742823

Incident

May 14, 2026