2021 VOLVO XC90 Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020-2021 S90, 2020-2022 S60, V60, XC60, XC90, and 2022 V90 plug-in hybrid vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within...
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.
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2022 V60CC, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. During steering gear assembly, double screws may have been assembled on top of each other, which can caus...
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 S90L, 2020-2021 XC60, and XC90 vehicles. An improperly welded rotor and shaft may separate within the integrated brake system.
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 XC40, XC 40 Recharge, V60CC, V90, V90CC, XC90, and 2021-2022 V60, XC60, S60 vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivat...
Volvo Cars USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 Volvo V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. The Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) control unit may not ...
The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond unless the brake pedal had been released for 2-3 seconds. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and releasing the brake pedal to rev...
Mileage: 78,500
The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond unless the brake pedal had been released for 2-3 seconds. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and releasing the brake pedal to rev...
Mileage: 78,500
The vehicle’s Start/Stop system began displaying warning messages and malfunctioning prior to the expiration of the factory warranty. The issue first appeared before 50,000 miles and reappeared at 49,997 miles, when a warning was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized d...
The vehicle’s Start/Stop system began displaying warning messages and malfunctioning prior to the expiration of the factory warranty. The issue first appeared before 50,000 miles and reappeared at 49,997 miles, when a warning was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized d...
The vehicle’s Start/Stop system began displaying warning messages and malfunctioning prior to the expiration of the factory warranty. The issue first appeared before 50,000 miles and reappeared at 49,997 miles, when a warning was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized d...
Title: Possible Defect – Uneven Airbag Deployment Description: On July 20, 2025, around 5:30 PM, i was driving a 2021 Volvo XC90 on a main road when another vehicle suddenly entered from the right side without stopping at a stop sign. I was unable to avoid a collision and my vehicle T-boned the o...
I plugged my usb to usb-c charging cable into my iphone 20 seconds after starting the vehicle. I proceeded to exit my driveway when the infotainment screen went completely blank and the same thing to the driver's display 10 seconds later. I drove to the end of my street to a stop light where the c...
I plugged my usb to usb-c charging cable into my iphone 20 seconds after starting the vehicle. I proceeded to exit my driveway when the infotainment screen went completely blank and the same thing to the driver's display 10 seconds later. I drove to the end of my street to a stop light where the c...
I plugged my usb to usb-c charging cable into my iphone 20 seconds after starting the vehicle. I proceeded to exit my driveway when the infotainment screen went completely blank and the same thing to the driver's display 10 seconds later. I drove to the end of my street to a stop light where the c...
The brakes did not work when the automatic emergency braking turned on. When I pressed the brakes all the way down, the brakes didn’t respond because it was still in automatic mode. I was able to swerve into the next lane to not hit the vehicle in front of me. The automatic emergency braking also ...
The brakes did not work when the automatic emergency braking turned on. When I pressed the brakes all the way down, the brakes didn’t respond because it was still in automatic mode. I was able to swerve into the next lane to not hit the vehicle in front of me. The automatic emergency braking also ...
The brakes did not work when the automatic emergency braking turned on. When I pressed the brakes all the way down, the brakes didn’t respond because it was still in automatic mode. I was able to swerve into the next lane to not hit the vehicle in front of me. The automatic emergency braking also ...
Vehicle steer violently on pilot assist and powertrain disabled, not allowing us to steer the wheel on a highway. (Last year) We were lucky no other cars were nearby, needed a reboot for the wheels to work again. Dealership isn’t sure what happened. Now we have a hybrid system failure which a lot...
Vehicle steer violently on pilot assist and powertrain disabled, not allowing us to steer the wheel on a highway. (Last year) We were lucky no other cars were nearby, needed a reboot for the wheels to work again. Dealership isn’t sure what happened. Now we have a hybrid system failure which a lot...
Heat does not work in Hybrid Vehicle. Prevents windshield from being able to be defrosted in winter. Should be covered under warranty, however when I took it to the dealer they report that multiple Volvo have this problem and there is a part shortage. Because of this problem, the vehicle is un...
The infotainment system has locked up and has shut completely off while driving. When it shuts down (screen goes black) or glitches, the car actually loses power. Luckily it powered right back on but it was scary and could happen again and be much worse. The screen/ infotainment system has had this ...
The infotainment system has locked up and has shut completely off while driving. When it shuts down (screen goes black) or glitches, the car actually loses power. Luckily it powered right back on but it was scary and could happen again and be much worse. The screen/ infotainment system has had this ...
The infotainment system has locked up and has shut completely off while driving. When it shuts down (screen goes black) or glitches, the car actually loses power. Luckily it powered right back on but it was scary and could happen again and be much worse. The screen/ infotainment system has had this ...
The harness can be loosened by lightly pulling on it without use of the harness release button. The harness is not holding the child in place and the car seat is therefore unsafe for use.
On two separate occasions, while driving car on highway at high speed, the car has gone into a special shutdown mode, where a turtle icon lights up on the dash and the car begins to shut itself down rapidly, limiting maximum speed of vehicle to 35mph. There is no warning or advanced alert. Suddenl...
On two separate occasions, while driving car on highway at high speed, the car has gone into a special shutdown mode, where a turtle icon lights up on the dash and the car begins to shut itself down rapidly, limiting maximum speed of vehicle to 35mph. There is no warning or advanced alert. Suddenl...
Vehicle is lurching on slow acceleration in Hybrid Mode. For example, lurching occurs when pulling away from a stop sign, pulling out into traffic, pulling into a parking spot. Issue started beginning of January 2023. In February Fields Volvo Service diagnosed issue as a software problem (Code IEM-P...
I brought a 2021 XC90 Volvo on 8/18/2022 with 12861 miles on it. The attached photo will show the current mile on the vehicle is 17421, so you can see I have only put 4560 miles on the vehicle. This vehicle was only brought 3 months ago. It's very concerning that I was driving down interstate 530 on...
Took my car in because one of my backseat seatbelts no longer retracted properly and Was so loose that I couldn’t possibly buckle my daughter in safely in her car seat. I had noticed the seatbelt on the other side was also starting to retract more slowly. When the service center did the test they ...
My Xc90 is shuttering at interstate speeds as well as below. When I purchased, they had to machine the rotors and said they balanced the front tires. It did not help much. The brakes shake less. I'm sure the entire rotors are warped. All this with 12k miles on the vehicle.
With 2700 miles my XC90 has the Emission Control System light is on. The engine noise is considerably louder than normal (being a hybrid the SUV is pretty quiet) and it is not using the electric option.
Check engine light illuminated at 11,000 miles. Diagnostics showed a software update was needed but the software update did not fix the problem. Volvo corporate said the IEM module needed to be replaced. The IEM module controls the rear axle / propulsion and this is a serious safety issue because su...
Check engine light illuminated at 11,000 miles. Diagnostics showed a software update was needed but the software update did not fix the problem. Volvo corporate said the IEM module needed to be replaced. The IEM module controls the rear axle / propulsion and this is a serious safety issue because su...
ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT LEAST. 3 TIMES. RESULTING IN ABRUPT STOP IN MOVEING TRAFFIC! DEALER IN NO HURRY TO REPAIR SUGGESTING BRING BACK WHEN THEY ARE ABLE! AM NOTIFYING VOLVO, DEALER , THEY WILL ASSUME ALL LIABILITY FOR INJURY OR DEATH FOR THIS DEFECT AND...
Mileage: 2,000
ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT LEAST. 3 TIMES. RESULTING IN ABRUPT STOP IN MOVEING TRAFFIC! DEALER IN NO HURRY TO REPAIR SUGGESTING BRING BACK WHEN THEY ARE ABLE! AM NOTIFYING VOLVO, DEALER , THEY WILL ASSUME ALL LIABILITY FOR INJURY OR DEATH FOR THIS DEFECT AND...
Mileage: 2,000
*WITH THE BOWERS & WILKINS SOUND SYSTEM* TWICE WITHIN 1400 MILES, THERE WAS A LOUD "POP" SOUND FROM THE SPEAKERS FOLLOWED BY NO SOUND FROM ANY PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE POP SOUNDED LIKE A WINDOW OR THE SUNROOF SHATTERED. ALL SOUND WAS LOST: SENSUS FEEDBACK, TURN SIGNALS, PARKING SENSORS, PHONE, ET...
Mileage: 700
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY APPEARED VERY BLURRY AND DISTORTED CAUSING A VISIBILITY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BU...
Mileage: 200