2023 VOLVO XC90 Back Over Prevention Problems

We lease this car from Volvo and are the first and only owners of the vehicle. No history of collision or accidents. The vehicle has a rear backup camera. The camera system also allows the option to select a 360-degree, top down "birds-eye" view of the entire vehicle. The backup camera turns on automatically when the car is shifted into reverse and originally provided a normal view directly behind the vehicle that extended at least a car length or more. At some point, we noticed that the rear backup camera view changed and was angled sharply down to the ground, including a partial view of our rear license plate and back bumper. The view now extends less than 7 feet behind the vehicle, angled down from the height of the camera (40-inches) so we can only see inches above the ground just a few feet behind the car. We can no longer see approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or any obstacles. The service technicians suggested this change in camera angle resulted from a routine system software update that was automatically downloaded to the vehicle. I don't know exactly when that occurred. On June 27, 2025 we received a safety recall notice from Volvo - Recall R10320 - warning us that the rear-view camera image may not show during the start of a backing event. We installed the recommended "Over the Air" software update, but that did not resolve our problem. I took the car to a local Volvo dealership on 9/26/25. They tried software upgrades and reboots, confirmed that the camera hardware was operating correctly, and told me that they could not fix it. They suggested I file a complaint with Volvo. I did that on 10/3/25. The only response to my claim was to "contact your dealer to make an appointment," which I told them I had already done. I have followed up twice since and Volvo has not responded further to this complaint ID #: 251002-000556. The incident date provided below is approximate. I don't recall when exactly the camera view changed.

Backup camera stopped working during reverse event. Recall did not fix the issue.

The vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-282 for a rearview camera failure that increases the risk of a crash. First Repair Attempt (August 15, 2025): A Volvo dealership performed the prescribed software update but failed to fix the safety defect. The vehicle was returned to me in the same unsafe condition. Second Repair Attempt (August 20, 2025): The dealership identified the root cause as a failed front parking sensor. They refused to cover the repair, classifying it as "physical damage" despite providing no evidence of an external impact. Manufacturer Refusal (August 22, 2025): Volvo Car USA formally denied my request to have the safety recall completed, improperly claiming the issue was due to "outside influence." They have refused to honor the recall and their new vehicle warranty. The manufacturer and its dealer have failed to remedy this acknowledged safety defect, leaving me with an unsafe vehicle. The dealership returned the vehicle to my home against my wishes while I was at work.

**CURRENT RECAL FIX DID NOT FIX MY ISSUE** Often when starting vehicle after hours of parking and entering reverse to back out of parking spot, camera will show "camera temporarily unavailable" and is not usable for a time (30seconds up to several minutes). We have software version 3.5.24 in-which the recall should have already been fixed as per the letter we received. The issue is not resolved and persists.

I purchased this vehicle new in October of 2023. From Day 1 I have had issues where the backup camera would display an image and then turn off while backing up. I brought the car in multiple times for this before the recall was issued and then again when the recall was issued. The recall work has been completed and oddly the issue went away for a few days and then returned. I have since brought it back in and they performed a full software restore at the dealer. The problem with the camera has not been rectified. I added to the complaint emergency breaking because this car also has a habit of emergency braking when pulling into or out of parking spaces with no obstacles near. This issue, hasn't really been investigated much as it is much more intermittent and difficult to duplicate.

To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a complaint against Volvo Car USA for unresolved defects in my 2023 Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge, purchased in Indiana. The vehicle’s control systems—infotainment, climate control, navigation, backup camera, and reverse braking—are defective, impairing its use, value, and safety, despite maintenance and updates. Study and searches on owner forums and social media discovered that those issues are widespread among the 2023 model year of Volvo XC-90 T8. Issues: Backup camera often shows “unavailable” when reversing, posing safety risks. -Volvo did a software recall in May, 2025. The issue seemed largely resolved. Automatic reverse braking (ARB) falsely triggers, causing abrupt stops. No permanent adjustment exists. -The issue persists even after multiple software updates including the recall mentioned above. The false ARB activations made drivers and passengers traumatized and panicked for "hitting or being hit by other vehicles or objects. Infotainment and climate control system lags (5+ minutes to respond), displays errors, and is unreliable. That became a bigger problem during inclement weather that driver and passengers may suffer injury from the extreme cold or hot conditions for a long period of time. This is even more dangerous when there are elderlies, pregnant women, or children in the vehicle. This issue was not resolved even after multiple software updates. Further research indicated the issue was not only from software but also from hardware (including but not limited to the CPU chips, RAM, etc. LTE connection is unstable 50% of the time, affecting navigation or emergency assistance. Volvo uses safety and emergency assistance as one of the selling points for its vehicles. However, the instability of its LTE connection makes the "SOS call" unreliable or not functional when customers are in danger. Even after multiple visits of Volvo dealer and contact of Volvo customer care, there is no solution.

Rear view camera sometimes does not display on the infotainment screen even though the car is in Reverse. The display message is “Camera is temporarily unavailable”. I have yet to receive a recall notice. This issues makes backing up very dangerous!

The automatic reverse braking feature is far too sensitive and causes headache-inducing, jarring, sudden extreme braking without any warning. It’s so aggressive that I believed I actually struck something each time. There’s no way to release the locked brakes unless you put it in park and then in drive. Extreme safety concern! This occurs when backing into or out of the garage using the mirrors, backing up to a 6 inch parking curb, or any bushes/brush that is near the bumper. It is wildly inaccurate and is not useful for people who actually use their mirrors to park.

The automatic reverse braking feature is far too sensitive and causes headache-inducing, jarring, sudden extreme braking without any warning. It’s so aggressive that I believed I actually struck something each time. There’s no way to release the locked brakes unless you put it in park and then in drive. Extreme safety concern! This occurs when backing into or out of the garage using the mirrors, backing up to a 6 inch parking curb, or any bushes/brush that is near the bumper. It is wildly inaccurate and is not useful for people who actually use their mirrors to park.

I've owned several vehicles in my life. The Volvo XC 90 advanced "safety features" have caused more near accidents in the first 10 months of owning this vehicle than anything I have ever experienced. The collission prevention and auto-braking features cannot be disabled on this car and they are defective and extremely dangerous. On sevreal occasions (four in the last two weeks alone) the auto-braking has engage when performing simple task and common suburban style shopping center parking lots. Backing into spots (which is proven to be safer -- my employer used to require it) the auto braking SLAMS onthe brakes and tightens the seatbelts. I am not exagerrating I've almost had a heart attack it's so jarring. Once I performed a u-turn (was perfectly legal) but due to something in the road had to back up to do a three point turn -- the auto braking engaged. I was stuck without the ability to move quickly and was almost hit. In short, many false positives from this sytem that cause MORE HARM than good. It has prevented zero accidents and has caused me to almost get into an accident or scared the living you know what out of me and my passengers all but too many times. In adidtion to these issues, the infortainment system (Android based) has hung on sevreal ocassions. In those instances I cannot control the air conditioning, defroster, etc. Lastly, the last, the lane departure feature is similarly flawed to the auto braking features. Correcting or warning when there is nothing. These features that are supposed to help are in fact making my driving experience more dangerous. It has happened so many times, I'm considering involing an attorney. I have warned friends and family of the dangers of Volvo's flawed technology platform and "advanced safety features." I also shared thsi feedback withthe dealer who offered a simple "wipe and restore" of the infortainment system. At the core, the system is broken and flawed.

Multiple times when driving the car, all sounds that the car makes will simply stop working. This includes things like the safety features and warning sounds, the turn signals, the radio, any map directions, etc. We have researched online for a solution and found others with similar problems, and we have reported the issue to the dealer on 3 different occasions - they took it into service and told us they did updates to the software, but none of their changes have prevented this from happening again. It is random. Other times, the screens will simply lock up, but the audio still works. Eventually, the system will reset. Sometimes all it takes is turning the car off and back on again, other times we've had to leave it to sit overnight before it is working again. This is clearly a safety issue and also a ridiculous thing to have happen to a car that costs over $70,000.

Multiple times when driving the car, all sounds that the car makes will simply stop working. This includes things like the safety features and warning sounds, the turn signals, the radio, any map directions, etc. We have researched online for a solution and found others with similar problems, and we have reported the issue to the dealer on 3 different occasions - they took it into service and told us they did updates to the software, but none of their changes have prevented this from happening again. It is random. Other times, the screens will simply lock up, but the audio still works. Eventually, the system will reset. Sometimes all it takes is turning the car off and back on again, other times we've had to leave it to sit overnight before it is working again. This is clearly a safety issue and also a ridiculous thing to have happen to a car that costs over $70,000.

My name is [XXX] . My wife [XXX] has been corresponding with Volvo Car Financial, as well as Volvo, regarding our Volvo XC90 lease. This Volvo has been the biggest disappointment of any car we've ever leased or purchased out of the new cars and trucks we have purchased every 2-3 years for the past 40 years. We have contacted Volvo several times about the issues we are having and taken it in three times to have the problem resolved. I live in a rural area with backroads, and they say the mapping system called City View does not work well on backroads, so they are not able to replicate the problem when it is taken in for them to look at. I have been in constant communications with our saleslady Sara, she is WONDERFUL and has been most helpful. She also has documentation of everything, and a few videos. She did see when I came to pick the car up three weeks ago, that it doesn’t understand a lot of our commands. The car jerks the steering wheel from me into oncoming traffic, off the road, then tells me it avoided a collision when it almost caused a collision. Hey Google, does not understand either of us, the slight chance it does, it does not do what we have requested. I do have a video showing different things that the car does. It seems to have a mind of its own, I do not feel safe driving this car any longer. It is going to cause us to have an accident. I Purchased the car because I thought Volvo was the safest vehicle there was to buy or lease. Now my feelings have changed I am afraid to even drive the car to the point I am having to borrow my mother’s older vehicle. The back hatch doesn’t always open, you must assist it with your hand. It came down and hit my head in food lion parking lot and two men came running over to check on me. I met a tractor last week and the steering just went crazy, it was all over the road, and I was having to really fight it. My husband says he feels as if he has driven a tractor trailer all day when INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI

The rearview camera on the Volvo continually freezes, is delayed to start or blacks out. Since I have had the car for the last year there have been multiple times a week where reverse is selected and the rearview camera loads, then when I start backing the camera image freezes two to three times before jumping and resuming normal operation. I've also experienced where the camera image is displayed, then the screen temporarily blacks out for a second and then the image is displayed again. This happen most notably when the car is unlocked and then immediately shifted into reverse. I've brought this into show the repair shop but they state it is normal behavior or they can't replicate the issue (even though I've provided them a video of the issue happening). After a year it's getting very dangerous as backing into tight spaces, a delay or black out can cause me to hit something or someone thinking I'm further away then I really am. When the car is in a deep sleep (not driven for a few days), then the camera can take upwards of 15+ seconds to load after turning on the car and selecting reverse.

The rearview camera on the Volvo continually freezes, is delayed to start or blacks out. Since I have had the car for the last year there have been multiple times a week where reverse is selected and the rearview camera loads, then when I start backing the camera image freezes two to three times before jumping and resuming normal operation. I've also experienced where the camera image is displayed, then the screen temporarily blacks out for a second and then the image is displayed again. This happen most notably when the car is unlocked and then immediately shifted into reverse. I've brought this into show the repair shop but they state it is normal behavior or they can't replicate the issue (even though I've provided them a video of the issue happening). After a year it's getting very dangerous as backing into tight spaces, a delay or black out can cause me to hit something or someone thinking I'm further away then I really am. When the car is in a deep sleep (not driven for a few days), then the camera can take upwards of 15+ seconds to load after turning on the car and selecting reverse.