NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Volvo XC90. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced high oil consumption. After adding oil to the engine, the message "Oil Level Low" was display within three weeks. Additionally, while operating the vehicle the message "low engine function" had displayed and the vehicle would not properly accelerate and was jerking. The contact also discovered puddles of water inside the rear trunk of the vehicle with electrical wires and components submerged in the water. The vehicle had experienced various electrical failures with the back-up camera malfunctioning. In addition, there was mold inside the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were contacted regarding the failures. The failure mileage was 75,000. The VIN was not included.
Previous issues with brakes, suspension, leaking sunroof, electrical and gauges. Vehicle became disabled due to defect with coolant system, smoke from engine compartment, towed to Monterery Volvo (dealership/service center identified issues with coolant leak present turbo & cooling Plastic pipe. Cruise control-Vacuum Pump: Found vacuum pump leaking oil. Estimated repair $5,414.38
My 2016 Volvo XC90's engine has suffered from high oil consumption that has required excessive servicing and additions of motor oil. These issues began several years ago when the XC90's low oil warning message appeared. The local Volvo dealership said my XC90 had an oil leak and it would cost over $10,000 to determine the source of the leak. So the Volvo dealership suggested that I regularly put 2 quarts of oil in the engine every couple hundred miles, which I have done. Despite the Volvo dealership's speculative guess, no oil leakage was ever seen and there was never any oil pooling under the vehicle. Then on Sunday, June 25, 2023, out of nowhere a "reduced engine performance" message popped up. The XC90 swerved, almost causing a wreck, while greatly decreasing speed in traffic on the interstate. I was barely able to get to the next exit where the engine died. Our car had to be towed over 30 miles to the nearest Volvo dealership. The engine was leaking oil throughout the engine compartment, including fully coating the spark plugs. Additionally, the motor mount is broken in multiple places causing the engine to shake wildly. Now I am told the engine is destroyed and will cost $20,000-$24,000 to replace. Volvo knows about the defective pistons and piston rings in the 2016 XC90 engines, as illustrated by Technical Journal 31216.6.0, but has never issued a recall. The local Volvo service dept. never checked, much less replaced the defective pistons and piston rings, even though it knew or should have known the defect could require the engine to be replaced. In speaking with Volvo customer service, I was advised that Volvo service technicians are not required to follow the service solutions found in the technical journal. Volvo's failure to recall the defective engines has now exposed my family, including my baby, to unnecessary danger, but also exposed us to grossly excessive costs/expenses due to known defects. A recall should be required for all 2016 XC90 engines.
for last 2 years, my 2016 xc90 has kept request to add oil every 1 or 2 month. In May, 2023, my car speed suddenly reduced the speed to 25 miles and the turtle sign popped up. It was very dangerous when I drove it on the highway, it was almost get hit by the car after me. After I sent to dealer, I was told that the the cylinder of the engine did not work. The engine light has been on and off many times. I sent my car to the dealer regularly for the maintenance
This Volvo was bought in Worcester, Massachusetts. We used to live in USA before moving to our home country The Netherlands. Taking the Volvo with us. For many months the car consumes extreme amounts of oil. Indicating low oil every time. We need to refill every 1200-2000 km. We notified our Volvo dealer over and over again when having scheduled maintenance. No thorough inspection was done. We felt unsafe when traveling long distances, afraid the engine would break down or insecure about the oil consumption and what was causing it. We had an independent Volvo specialist inspect the car and he knew there is a design flaw in the cylinder pistons. The full problem was described by Volvo in technical journal [XXX]. Due to the fact that the Volvo dealer did not take the problem seriously, we had been driving with this problem way too long causing extreme cylinder defects resulting in having to replace the entire engine with a new one. We feel this matter should have been addressed better by Volvo and we request compensation for the costs made. We also don’t understand why Volvo didn’t recall this batch of cars that were designed with too small cylinder pistons for the capacity of the engine causing heavy oil consumption. We look forward to your reaction. As we live in The Netherlands, kindly e-mail. The Volvo importer of The Netherlands was also contacted, but they redirected us to you as the car was bought in the USA. We have a full repair report that can be shared upon request. Also the faulty engine is still with the Volvo specialist as proof of the described problems. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My XC90 had the oil consumption issue that I started reporting at 50K miles and Volvo finally performed a piston ring replacement at 80K miles under a service action. Fuel injectors were also replaced by the Dealer. On our first long distance trip from Tallahassee to Atlanta, the car lost all power and stopped on I-75, almost killing us. It had to be towed and the dealer says that the engine was flooded by fuel due to fuel pump module failure causing fuel injectors to stay activated and engine needs to be replaced. I believe that the issue was caused by the repair not being done correctly or the time it took Volvo to take responsibility for the oil consumption issue and subsequent repair.
Vehicle caught fire after exiting freeway. Warning light turned on to check oil, immediately followed by smoke and flames from engine bay. Driver exited vehicle, call 911, fire was dispatched and extinguished fire. Vehicle suffered extensive fire/smoke damage and is a total loss.
The indicators do not work randomly and we have had near miss accidents. The bulbs are in good working order. The stalk functions correctly. The computer after several seconds flashes up a message that the system has failed. Clearly the system is not safe as it’s designed. If Volvo are using a computer system to operate the lights it should be sufficiently reliable and fault tolerant to maintain safe operation of the vehicle.
Rear doors will fail to latch shut in cold weather. Repeated closings of the door (slammed or gentle) fails to latch shut for up to 10 minutes or more. On last occasion door appeared to be shut, but while driving door came open (almost hitting 2 children waiting for school bus). TSB exists for this problem but some claim problem to persist after repair. Do not feel safe driving the car anymore for fear of a repeat incident of door coming open, especially while moving at speed with passengers in the back.
Hi, I had a 2016 XC90 which has serious safety problems. The sunroof has a factory defect, leaking water into the car and causing failures in electronic systems and airbags. Many other owners have sued Volvo and won their cases. Additionally, the issue has been certified by the court, and there are technical bulletins published by Volvo addressing the problem. Yes. The water leak can damage entire electronic systems, such as airbags, the start-stop system, braking system, and lidar system. Once water enters any of these systems, it can lead to accidents and fires due to short circuits, posing a deadly risk. This issue can cause accidents or fires. No, but Volvo has published a bulletin, and there have been many court cases filed against Volvo since 2016. No, the vehicle has not been inspected. It's causing numerous random errors on the dashboard. This issue occurred approximately two weeks after I purchased the vehicle. link for class action [XXX] .) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle exhibits excessive oil consumption due to defective oil control rings, as highlighted by Quality Bulletin P10186. Additionally, the sunroof leaks, as noted in Technical Journal 31272 and TJ 35503.3.0, and there are further issues with the windshield wiper/turn signal system, the parking brake system, and the steering wheel module. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The excessive oil consumption and related engine issues can lead to engine damage and potential failure while driving, posing a serious safety risk. The sunroof leakage could impair visibility and cause electrical failures. The persistent dashboard warning messages and system malfunctions further distract and endanger the driver and others on the road. Yes, the problem has been reproduced and confirmed by various dealers and independent service centers, as indicated by numerous customer cases, court rulings, and a class-action lawsuit. Yes, the vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer and documented in various technical journals and bulletins. There is no specific mention of inspection by police or insurance representatives. Yes, there were several warning lamps and messages, including the low oil light, Check Engine light, and messages related to the parking brake and windshield wiper/turn signal system. Symptoms such as slow acceleration, loss of power, higher tailpipe emissions, and a foul odor from the exhaust were also observed. These issues appeared shortly after acquiring the vehicle and persisted despite multiple repair attempts. The incident is primarily caused by engineering flaws and faulty materials, particularly the defective oil control rings leading to excessive oil consumption. Despite engine replacements, the problem persisted, indicating a fundamental design flaw. The sunroof leakage and other system malfunctions further suggest widespread safety and durability issues in the vehicle, rendering it unsafe to operate.
Our car has shut down in the middle of traffic due to the oil going from full to empty in a few hundred miles. Oil change was recently done with synthetic oil and only had driven a few hundred miles when it went to empty. I had to buy a quart of oil at the gas station. I need to put an extra quart of oil every few hundred miles due to excessive oil consumption.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that both oil and coolant would frequently be added to the engine as both the check engine and oil warning lights would appear on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on multiple occasions where the crank shaft seal and fuel injectors were replaced; however, the failure persisted. One day while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate upon depression of the accelerator pedal as the turtle warning light appeared on the instrument panel which indicated that there was reduced engine performance. The contact managed to drive the vehicle to Herb Chambers Volvo Cars of Norwood(1120 Providence Hwy #1, Norwood, MA 02062) where they were informed that contact that the fourth engine chamber had burned out which lead to engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
The door locks FREEZE SHUT in the winter. You CANNOT open the affected door(s). This is a widespread, serious safety issue and Volvo has done nothing about it. A passenger could die if unable to exit the vehicle. Note that both of my rear passenger door LOCKS - not just the door seals, the LOCKS - have done this repeatedly during my ownership. The vehicle is kept out of the elements in a garage.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated the vehicle was leaking and consuming engine oil. The contact checked and became aware that there was no oil in the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed an oil consumption test and determined that the piston rings and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
My vehicle’s SOS, On Call safety functions no longer work. In addition my navigation system no longer works properly. In the event of an accident These key safety features would not be able to alert emergency services or locate my position. This is a direct result in a flawed vehicle modem that uses the 3G network not supported by cellular carriers. Volvo has a solution that would cost me $850 to remedy this safety design flaw. Volvo should fix this key safety issue as it puts my family at risk if we are involved in an accident
When temperatures drop below freezing, the rear door latches will not latch closed. Our children have to hang onto the doors to keep them from swinging open on corners while they also try not to fall out of the vehicle. Dealer says this is a common problem on this model, and is known to Volvo. They’ve attempted to regrease, and advised that the technical service bulletin provided by Volvo does not fix the issue (attempting to reseal window above latch to keep from water intrusion/freezing).
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that water was entering the vehicle through the sunroof. There was an abnormal odor of mold inside the vehicle. The carpet was not wet. There was an abnormal swishing sound detected inside the vehicle. After it rained, the contact noticed that the passenger side front floorboard had an accumulation of water a quarter inch deep. The contact noticed the water was leaking on the airbag from the exterior A-pillar. The contact moved the headliner, and the rubber boot was intact. The call/SOS warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who informed about diagnostic testing and scheduled an appointment. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that she became aware the engine oil level was lower than needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
Engine coolant line leaking from a faulty coolant pipe. Which can potentially cause fire.
Backup camera not activating when in reverse sporadically. My recorded video of this happening: [XXX] Issue has been brought to the Volvo dealership service department. Remedy from the Volvo service has been to update software but it has not corrected the issue. Multiple of owners have encountered the same issue which is widely documented online. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving in the rain, water was entering into the vehicle from the sunroof onto the rearview mirror and the control display. Additionally, the contact also noticed that water was coming from the speakers. The contact called the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called an independent mechanic who stated that tracks on the sunroof seal needed to be repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
Warning to add a quart of oil. Dealer investigated and found loss of compression in 2/4 cylinders. Dealer indicates that a ring and piston job will have to be done for all cylinders. Dealer also indicated they were aware of such problems with the rings wearing improperly. Therefore car burns oil. We are currently awaiting the extended warranty company to agree to pay for the repairs. The car has < 50000 miles and has received all recommended service at the dealer. I understand this is a problem with these cars. As failure of the cylinders could cause an accident, why is there no recall and if Volvo knew of the problem why did they not warn us.
Main Cooling system hose burst while driving down the road. Volvo Dealer said extremely rare for this to occur. Car overheated, all warning lights appeared and coolant exploded under hood all while driving.Had to have repaired $1000. Also a water leak inside 3rd row & leaks from rear view mirror area. Caused electrical damage to main system computer module, had to have replaced $2000+. All work done at volvo dealer. No frame damage,no missing parts, dealer stated unknown reason. Same thing is now happening a 2nd time and warranty will not cover water damage. Have spoken with others experiencing the same problem with roof leak. No alarms came on prior to combustion/main hose top engine area before break. Happend immediately, unexpectedly
Driving on the far left lane of the freeway and the engine needs coolant light came on. I started to change lanes, and by the time I got all the way to the right the car said turn off engine. The car started to smoke and I had to stop on the freeway in the right shoulder. Called a tow truck they picked up the car. and towed it to a local shop. This car had just been in for regular maitance at Rusnak Pasadena Volvo dealership. The car was taken to Bertone Motorsport and they discovered a coolant hose failure. They replaced the hose and bleed the cooling system.
Engine oil consumption issue. Engine is consuming a quart of oil every 1,500 miles.
Driving at highway speed and a sudden loss of power. Vehicle has a history oil consumption. Seems that engine has a major defect. Waiting on a second estimate, seems a known catastrophic issue with pistons issue causing major engine work or possible replacement.
SRS Airbag Service Urgent Drive to workshop light has come on twice. I was told by dealership it is a faulty wire harness where the airbags could possibly deploy if I was in an accident. Volvo does have a recall for the exact issue yet my VIN does not fall in this recall.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH with his four children sitting in the rear of the vehicle, the parking brake engaged independently and the vehicle stopped abruptly. The contact stated that the seat belts engaged to the point of choking himself and the passengers. Additionally, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle resumed normal driving independently and he was able to drive to his residence. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would stall while driving. The message "Loss of Power" was displayed. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts; however, the vehicle would occasionally start only when jumpstarted. The contact stated that the vehicle would often times be restarted within an hour. The dealer was notified and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Oil consumption issue every 1500 miles engine requires top off oil 1 qt other wise piston rings can ignite damage engine result in loss of power.
Same issue as complaint #11416043. Leak in sunroof has caused several electrical issues with the car. I had noticed occasional drips from the rear view mirror but had no idea that water was pooling under the spare tire in the trunk where several electrical components are located. When I originally brought it to the dealer (when I noticed the occasional drips) they said I needed to replace a major part of the sunroof which would have cost around $2,000. They did not mention that the water could/would reach the under carriage (not sure if that is the correct term) and could cause major electrical issues. I've since noticed that many others with this vehicle have had issues with the sunroof. I also had multiple times when my battery had to be replaced in the rear of the car when it should have been fine (was relatively new) which looking back could have been a result of the sunroof leak.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, there was a rattling sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the front air strut needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 65,000.
The engine was losing almost a quart of oil every thousand miles. It did not always notify me when it was low on oil. No one's safety was put at risk. I ended up refilling a total of 3 quarts before taking it to the dealer. The dealer said that the front crankshaft seal was leaking, and the oil was dripping down it and onto the side and bottom of the oil pan.
There is an open recall for certain 2016 XC 90s related to cracks in the coolant pipes. My vin doesn’t have a recall attached but in the last 2.5 years I have owned the vehicle I have had to change this part 2 times. I feel my vin/vehicle should be part of the recall. My local dealer is not willing to assist nor Volvo Customer Service.
First, the rear passenger side door latch failed at 57k miles, allegedly due to water intrusion. They replaced with a revised part - p/n 32310869. Now at 63k miles, the driver side rear door latch failed in the same way. This compromises safety because it renders the rear seats completely inaccessible. I could not get my children out of the back seat through traditional means. The problem has been confirmed by a dealership and is well documented online. There was no warning or indication when the part had failed. The passenger door stopped working "regularly" (intermittently would not open) a few days before it failed entirely. The driver rear door gave no advanced notice.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon start of her vehicle, the parking brake message and a yellow flashing brake light appeared on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where they informed her that a wire connected to the parking brake was detached and need to be replaced. The contact was given an estimate for the repair and the wire was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance; the manufacturer referred her to NHTSA to file a complaint. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
SRS warning light and was told that is is due to a faulty misassembled wiring in the seat harness. Possibility of the airbags not deploying correctly in case of a crash. The dealer has confirmed that it is the seat harness that needs to be replaced. Due to the Month/Year of the vehicle it does not fall under the original recall which was only for vehicles that were manufactured between Jan/May 2015.
While driving the vehicle the "SRS Airbag" warning light comes on, I took the vehicle to the dealership which indicated the "seat harness" would need to be replaced. The seat harness has a integrated chip to alert the airbags to work properly. Volvo has had previously recalls for this issue on 2016 XC 90 vehicles but my VIN isn't included in the recall, I feel they need to expand the recall knowing their are several vehicles having this exact issue. Air bags are federally regulated and this is a safety related issue.
My car has begun to burn excessive oil. I am having to use 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. This is in addition to getting a routine oil change. Took vehicle to Volvo dealership for an oil consumption test, cost around $550, and had to drive 1245 miles and then bring car back. Brought car back and dealership confirmed car is using/burning excessive oil. Issue is with the o rings and gaskets needing to be replaced. Employee at dealership said this is known issue with the 2016 model burning excessive oil. Many threads online relating/reporting the same issue about oil consumption and believe a recall is warranted to fix this know issue with Volvo. Mileage is around 89k.
In freezing weather conditions the rear door latches become inoperable. They close fully, but do not latch. My wife was backing out of the driveway this morning an a door opened next to my son. This is UNACCEPTABLE and Volvo has not responded in an acceptable manner. I was told to bring it in for service.... it has only 3 functioning doors at the moment!
Rear doors stop opening from outside and interior
I purchased my vehicle used in February 2021. On the morning of December 14, 2021 we got a low coolant warning, please pull over safely message on the way to work. We just so happened to be near a gas station and was able to put half a container of 50/50 coolant and continue driving. On our return home we got the same message but noticed a major leak once we made it home. We had Volvo tow the vehicle to Northpoint Volvo in Alpharetta, GA and it appears to be having the exact same issue as what was previously preparing under recall 19V-308. I tried reporting this to the dealer and Volvo Customer Service but both tell me the recall was fixed in 2019 for my vehicle. If the issue is "fixed" how can I be facing the EXACT same issue just two years later.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the rear door latches and locks were frozen and no longer opened or closed as designed. The contact stated he no longer attempts to open the door out of concern that the door will no longer be able to be closed properly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that water had entered the rear door locking mechanism. The door locks had not been repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Door lock unable to open. Door is unlocked and the outside and inside fail to open the door. Door lock actuator is jammed
The door lock actuators were poorly designed, allowing water intrusion. This causes the actuator to rust and freeze up making it impossible to unlock the door and open it from the inside or outside. There was no warning about this, it just stopped working one day. If someone had been in the backseat when it stopped working they would have had to crawl across to the other side to get out. What if there had been an accident and you could not get your child or baby out the nearest door quickly. We have been waiting nearly three weeks now for the replacement part, a part we were told by Volvo has been redesigned so this should not happen again. A part we (our insurance) has to cover. What about the other locks on the car, are they going to fail and lock us in the car? Why is Volvo not replacing these actuators.
I just recently bought this car. And there was a vibration and a pull to the right so I brought it back to the dealer which is echo Park of Tampa. I said they needed to do the alignment and balance and they did that and it still is doing all the same things and the shaking is progressively becoming quickly I experienced this exact same thing in my Mazda that also had Continentals on it. And brought it back to the dealer four times in 9 months and they put brand new set of Continentals on every time and the same shaking would quickly reoccur. And shortly after I traded that Mazda in the tires were recalled. Experiencing the same exact symptoms with my Volvo with these Continental tires these are eco technology cross contact 235 55 R19 (105v) There's no specific incident nor a specific tire. This is every time (all tires) you get in the car from every mile per hour from the second you start moving to 70 or 80 and the shaking is getting progressively worse. I will be contacting Continental cuz I'm not sure if these are even added on the recall list but they need to be. It's scary driving especially since i nearly died in an auto accident because of a tire blow out.
Rear Door lock failed with the first symptom of not being able to open the door. Once door was opened the door failed to close/latch. I think this is a safety concern because it would be impossible to get at the rear seat occupant in the event of a crash/heath issue. Then once the door finally opened it failed to latch which made it dangerous to drive the car at all because the door would fling open.
We just purchased this 2016 Volvo XC90 last week from an out of town dealer and it suddenly sprung a major coolant leak this morning while driving and isn’t safely drivable without fire hazard as it’s getting so hot. This model was part of recall on coolant hoses, but is listed as having 0 pending recalls on the nhtsa website.
Every 1500 miles or less, engine looses oil. Adding a quart of oil each week once it passes the 1500 trip mile. Also SRS warning light has come on, was told it was the seat harness that has a airbag module in which the airbag possibly won’t deploy in an accident. Dealer indicated it is not covered nor will the manufacturer repair it. These two issues can cause the engine to get on fire and the airbags not deploy in an accident which I believe are safety related.
WHEN DRIVING MY VOLVO AFTER IT HAS RAINED AND I BEGIN TO BREAK, WHILE ON A ROAD WITH A MINIMAL DECLINE, RAIN WATER POURS INTO THE CABIN. I WAS TOLD BY VOLVO SERVICE TECHNICIANS THE WATER IS NOT ABLE TO CHANNEL THROUGH THE SUNROOF CHANNELS CORRECTLY DUE TO CORROSION OR CLOGGING IN THE DRAINAGE TUBES/SUNROOF TRAY ASSEMBLY. THE WATER POURS INTO THE CABIN NEAR THE INTELLISAFE/REARVIEW MIRROR AREA. THIS EVENT CREATES A DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER ESPECIALLY IF BREAKING WHILE ON A RIGHT HAND CURVE AS THE WATER POURS OUT TOWARDS THE DRIVERS FIELD OF VISION. FOR FEAR OF WATER DAMAGING ANY ELECTRICAL SAFETY COMPONENTS, OR THE INTEGRITY OF THE INTERIOR MATERIALS I PULL OVER TO DRY THESE COMPONENTS. THIS EVENT OCCURS WHEN EVER IT RAINS.