There are 27 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2004 Volvo XC90in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAVE A VOLVO XC90 2004. I WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY I HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE CAR. I STOP THE CAR AND CALL MY ROAD SERVICE PROVIDER TO SEND ME A TOW TRUCK. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE AUTO CENTER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED, THEY CALL ME TO GIVE ME BAD NEWS THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION SHAFT, SOMETHING COMING OUT APART AND THAT WILL BE EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO VOLVO DEALER TO GET IT FIX . I WAS IN SHOCK. I DIDN'T EXPECTED THIS SO SOON MY VOLVO CAR IT HAS 87,000 MILES AND I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION PROBLEM . THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, ITS TOO SOON TO GIVE ME THIS HEADACHE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER SOON TO HELP OTHERS I WILL REALLY APPRECIATED IF I HAVE A ANSWER SOON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN, THE CAR MADE A KNOCKING NOISE AND DRIVER CONSOLE/DASH STOPPED WORKING. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND ALL GAUGES WENT TO "ZERO." I NO LONGER HAD TURN SIGNALS EITHER. I FEARED FOR OUR LIVES. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH, AND HAVE FOUND THAT OTHERS HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE WITH 2004 XC90S. *TR
2004 VOLVO XC-90. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH CRANKCASE VENT *TGW THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND A OPINION AND WAS INFORMED THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING LAMPS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WERE FAULTY AND BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90 T6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND STALL. THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRONICS SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE DIES AS IF ITS IN NEUTRAL. TOOK TO VOLVO SERVICE AND THEY SAID A CAN SOFTWARE UPGRADE WOULD SOLVE IT, THIS DID NOT SOLVE IT, IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE LEFT THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITHIN A FEW MILES, ENGINE SHUT DOWN, POWER WENT OUT, WHEN RESTARTED THE SRS AIRBAG ERROR CODE CAME ON AS WELL AS THE ABS BREAK FAILURE MESSAGE. I SEE YOU GUYS HAVE COMPLETED AN INVESTIGATION (PE10025) ON THIS BUT WHAT THE HECK IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO MY WIFE AND NEWBORN!!!! THE CAR GOES FROM 70 TO 10MPH ON THE FREEWAY, HOW IS THIS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ISSUE WITH TOYOTAS EXCESSIVE ACCELERATION PROBLEM, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE BEFORE YOU GUYS TAKE THIS SERIOUS! *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT THUMPING NOISE AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAILED AND SHUTDOWN IN A SECOND. THE POWER WAS LOST AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT. LUCKILY I WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I HAD PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WAS VERY SCARY, AS I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN THE NIGHT AND I COULD HAVE VERY WELL BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY LIFE AND OTHERS. THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED THE CAR TO LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SPEED AND THE CAR CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE HALT. THERE WAS A MESSAGE OF BREAK FAILURE FOR A SECOND BEFORE THE CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. REQUEST YOU TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS CONCERN AS IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE RESEARCHED OVER THE INTERNET AND I READ THAT MOST OF THE OWNERS OF 2004/2005 XC90 ARE FACING SIMILAR ISSUES, WHICH IS VERY SCARY. KINDLY HELP US AND HELP SAVE LIVES. THANKING YOU. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT RESUMED OPERATION CAUTIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
EARLY CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2004. LAST YEAR, AT APPROX 35,000 MILES, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET ($5000). TODAY I WAS TOLD BY OUR VOLVO SERVICE CENTER THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND WE NEEDED A NEW ONE. ($12,500) THIS CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GENTLY DRIVEN, HAS EXTREMELY LOW MILEAGE YET HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT IT'S ENGINE IS A LEMON. *TR
SIX OCCURRENCES STARTING WHEN VEHICLE (PURCHASED NEW) WAS APPROX "7 YEARS OLD AT MILEAGE 70K": WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE DIES WITHOUT WARNING. HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER 3 TIMES, HAD IGNITION ASSEMBLY AND COLUMN REPLACED AFTER 2ND OR 3RD EPISODE AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALER STATES COMPUTER CHECK DID NOT REVEAL ANY CODE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE ENGINE DIES, LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES, HAVE TO GLIDE TO EDGE OF STREET, PUT HAZARD BLINKERS ON, ONCE HAD TO JOLT THE CAR INTO PARK TO STOP IT. CAR RESTARTS VERY SHORTLY AFTER POWER WAS LOST. SO FAR HAPPENS AT "NEIGHBORHOOD" SPEEDS <=35 MPH. *TR
AT 65MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE REGISTERED A "ANTI-SKID SERVICE REQUIRED" FAULT MESSAGE, THEN AN "ELECTRICAL SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE. THE ENGINE THEN QUIT RUNNING, THE STEERING BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED DECELERATING. THE BRAKING WAS VERY MUSHY AND THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO PULL OVER AND STOP. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. ALL THE LIGHTS AND THE BATTERY SEEM TO BE WORKING FINE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CEM (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, ALL ELECTRICAL INDICATORS ON DASHBOARD INCLUDING THE TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN. AFTER STOPPING I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN GAS TANK AND TAILGATE WHERE THE BATTERY IS LOCATED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT. NOW THIS HAS HAPPEN 7 MORE TIMES. I AM A SINGLE PARENT WITH MINOR CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE. PLEASE ASSIST. SOMEONE INFORM ME THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE WITH THE CENTRAL ELECTRICAL MODULE. I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE USED AND IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VEHICLE WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL ON THE CENTRAL ELECTRICAL MODULE? PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE THERE ARE FATALITIES. *TR
A RUBBING NOISE BEGAN IN LATE SEPTEMBER. I HAD AN INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC AT THE DEALERSHIP ON SEPTEMBER 23RD. THEY TOLD ME THE FRONT BEARINGS AND THE LOWER ENGINE MOUNT PAD SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE NEXT DAY, WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED. THE CAR WAS TOWED AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM. THEIR DIAGNOSTIC SPECIALIST WAS UNABLE TO DETECT SUCH A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THE DAY BEFORE IT HAPPENED. WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. VOLVO ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT ONLY PAID FOR HALF OF THE PARTS AND LABOR. I STILL HAD TO COME OUT OF POCKET $3000+.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE AND AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE RESULTS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
WE JUST PURCHASED A 2004 VOLVO XC90 T6 ON JUNE 2, 2010 FROM A PRIVATE SELLER WHO ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND HAVE IT MAINTAINED FULLY AT RICKENBAUGH VOLVO IN DENVER. WE ARE FIRST TIME OWNERS OF A VOLVO VEHICLE. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 76,783 MILES ON IT. AFTER JUST OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR 4 WEEKS AND ADDING JUST 400 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND WHILE DRIVING TO THE RICKENBAUGH VOLVO SERVICE STATION, A MESSAGE CAME UP WITH 'URGENT TRANSMISSION SERVICE REQUIRED'. WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE CAR NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION WITH RADIATOR, OIL COOLER AND OIL COOLER LINES IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,800.00. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHOCKED AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE HOME BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS EXPENSE AFTER JUST SAVING MONEY FOR A YEAR TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE 4 WEEKS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY SERVICED AT RICKENBAUGH AND A 75,000 MILE SERVICE WAS DONE ON MAY, 2010. WE WENT AND SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR PROBLEMS WITH 2004 VOLVO XC90 AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES/PROBLEMS. PLEASE CALL ME AT [XXX] . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
PURCHASED AN '04 VOLVO XC90 T6 ON MAY 1ST FROM A PRIVATE SELLER. DID RESEARCH ON THE VEHICLE THROUGH MSN RELIABILITY, VOLVO, ETC. ONLY ISSUE HIGHLIGHTED WAS ENGINE CONCERNS, NOT TRANSMISSION. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON JUNE 6TH THAT I FOUND NUMEROUS CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT AT AROUND 60K MILES. MINE WENT OUT AT APPROX. 57K MILES. I'VE CONTACTED VOLVO AND ASKED ABOUT RECALLS, ETC. AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD'VE DRIVEN MY CAR, OR HAD IT TOWED 40+ MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED TO THEN HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP SO THAT I MIGHT GET A REIMBURSED. ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT" MESSAGE ON THE DASH I RECEIVED A "COOLANT LOW STOP ENGINE." I'VE TAKEN MY VOLVO TO A CERTIFIED VOLVO REPAIR SERVICE WHERE THE COST IS GOING TO BE $5,335. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AFTER GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR JUST WOUND. *TR
FAILED TRANSMISSION; SUDDEN/UNANTICIPATED LOSS OF ACCELERATION; AT DEALERSHIP FOR COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT INCLUDING REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF RADIATOR AND FUEL LINES. *TR
ENGINE FAILURE. SYMPTOMS STARTED WITH STARTING DIFFICULTY. REPLACEMENT OF RPM AND CAM SENSORS FOLLOWED. SYMPTOMS CONTINUED WITH TROUBLE SHOOTING LEADING TO DISCOVERY OF DAMAGE TO FLYWHEEL AND BELL HOUSING. CRANKSHAFT OUT OF SPEC FOR FRONT TO BACK MOVEMENT. DEALER RECOMMENDATION TO REPLACE ENGINE. DEALER BELIEVES MOST LIKELY CAUSE RELATED TO THRUST BEARING FAILURE. ENGINE AND CAR ALWAYS MAINTAINED TO MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SCHEDULES. CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. ALTHOUGH NO CLAIM OF OWNER FAILURE, VOLVO REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND PRODUCT OR ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH MAJOR PRODUCT FAILURE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AND NOTICE A WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH. IT STATED URGENT TRANSMISSION NEEDS SERVICE. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND NEEDED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR AMONG OTHER THINGS. *KB
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
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