There are 6 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2011 Volvo XC90in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The catillatic converter exploded as we started the vehicle .was a very loud explosion..no fire but lots of smoke.
The contact owns a 2011 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the check engine warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
THE PROBLEM IS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V579000 MY CAR STALLED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS TRANSMISSION WENT INTO PROTECTION MODE. IT STARTED FINE AGAIN WITH NO ISSUES AND SINCE THEN RUNNING FINE AND I PUT CLOSE TO 800 MILES. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE XC90 IN THE LIST OF CARS AFFECTED FOR MODEL YEAR 2011. DEALER SIMPLY SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ($ 6681) AND VOLVO DENIED ANY HELP. I CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING UPGRADING SOFTWARE ON THE MODULES AND THEY SUGGESTED IT WOULD COST FEW HUNDRES TO DO IT.
EVERY TIME I DO NOT TURN MY CAR ON FOR 2 OR MORE CONSECUTIVE DAYS MY CAR BATTERY DIES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 7 TIMES IN THE COURSE OF MY 2 YEAR LEASE. EACH TIME IT IS TOWED AND SENT TO VOLVO FOR SERVICE THEY REPORT THAT THEY HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. ONE TIME THEY CLAIMED IT WAS MY BLUE TOOTH DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE NEXT TIME IT WAS SIRIUS RADIO DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE LOST GOES ON AND ON. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION AS MY VAR BATTERY DIES EVERY TIME IT IS LEFT UNATTENDED. WITHOUT FAIL! *TR
I FIRST EXPERIENCED THE DELAY IN RE-ACCELERATION ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP @ A STOP SIGN, I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO TAKE A TURN AND THE CAR HESITATED AT A VERY SLOW PACE TO TAKE OFF. I CHALKED IT UP AS THE CAR BEING COLD EARLY IN THE MORNING. IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY UNTIL ONE DAY IT HAPPENED AS I WAS STOPPED AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT. WHEN THE INTERSECTION WAS CLEARED OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM A REASONABLE DISTANCE I PRESSED THE GAS TO GO AND THE CAR LITERALLY DRAGGED IN SLOW MOTION INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE ACCELERATION WAS SO SLOW THAT IT ALLOWED TIME FOR THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO REACH ME. WITH THE FRONT OF MY CAR IN THE INTERSECTION AND THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC COMING DIRECTLY AT ME AT FULL SPEED I HAD TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL TO JUMP KICK THE CAR INTO SPEED TO GET ACROSS THE INTERSECTION SAFELY. AFTER THAT NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE I CALLED MY DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET ME IN THE NEXT DAY, GAVE ME A LOANER VEHICLE AND KEPT MY CAR OVERNIGHT. I GOT A CALL FROM MY SERVICE ADVISOR THE NEXT AFTERNOON STATING THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY WILL RESET THE CARS COMPUTER TO SEE IF THAT HELPS. WELL IT DIDN'T. I NOW DON'T DRIVE THE CAR UNLESS I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. IT'S STILL HAPPENING AND I DON'T FEEL COMPLETELY SAFE WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. OUR DAUGHTER WILL BE GETTING HER LICENSE SOON AND WE THOUGHT OUT OF OUR TWO CARS THAT THE VOLVO XC90 WILL BE THE SAFEST FOR HER TO DRIVE. NOW I DON'T SEE IT AS EVEN BEING AN OPTION FOR HER. I'VE BEEN ONLINE RESEARCHING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BY OTHER 2011 VOLVO XC90 OWNERS AND DIDN'T FIND MUCH OF ANYTHING. PERHAPS THERE WERE JUST A FEW BAD APPLES OUT OF THE BUNCH AND I JUST HAPPENED TO GET ONE OF THEM. MY 2011 WAS PURCHASED NEW OFF THE SHOWROOM'S FLOOR JUNE 2011 WITH 550 MILES AT DELIVERY. I NOW HAVE A LITTLE OVER 4000 MILES. *KB
SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED OUR 2011 VOLVO XC90 BRAND NEW WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A LAGS IN ACCELERATION. WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR WOULD ROLL VERY SLOWLY UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY FLOORED. WE WAITED UNTIL OUR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS DUE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE CIRCUMSTANCE. THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD UPDATE THE CAR'S COMPUTER WHICH SEEMED TO WORK BRIEFLY, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE LAGGING BEGAN AGAIN. IT EVENTUALLY BECAME MORE AND MORE COMMON AND NOW IT IS HAPPENING MANY TIMES A WEEK. AFTER OBSERVING THESE LAGS IN ACCELERATION WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS OCCURS WHENEVER YOU STOP TO MAKE A TURN. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH FOR SOME TIME NOW AND REPORTS ARE JUST NOW STARTING TO APPEAR. IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026