2017 Volvo XC90

The rear door on the driver side will not open. The child lock will not deactivate. No accident. I took my son to school and when I returned to open the door for my [XXX] old the door would not open. No warnings. A regular maintenance appeared days later. I do not understand why this is not being recalled based on online research showing the same thing happening with other Volvos. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

VCM and Rearview camera glitching not working, can cause crashes. Everything was checked for voltage and works properly. It seems like it is a system infotainment issue for 2017 Volvo xc90

The vehicle experienced a major electrical system malfunction involving multiple critical components. The issue began with the Volvo On Call system light remaining illuminated continuously, which suggested a possible communication or battery-related fault. Shortly after, additional systems failed, including the turn signal system, windshield wipers, and high beam headlights. These components are currently non-functional and can be made available for inspection upon request. The failure significantly impacted vehicle safety. The loss of turn signals made it impossible to properly indicate lane changes or turns to other drivers, increasing the risk of collisions. The failure of the windshield wipers created a serious hazard in adverse weather conditions, reducing visibility. Additionally, the loss of high beam headlights limited nighttime driving visibility. While daytime running lights and hazard lights remain functional, they are not sufficient substitutes for the failed systems. The problem has been consistent and reproducible. Each time the vehicle is operated, the same warning messages appear, including “Turn Indicator System Malfunction” and “Wiper Failure – Service Required,” and the affected systems do not respond. At this time, the issue has not yet been formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but diagnostics codes (including communication-related fault codes) have been observed. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, or insurance representatives. However, based on the symptoms, the issue appears to involve a failure in the vehicle’s central electronic or communication control systems. Prior to the complete failure, warning signs were present. The Volvo On Call light remained on persistently, indicating a potential underlying electrical or module communication issue. This warning appeared before the loss of the turn signals, wipers, and high beams, suggesting a progressive system failure.

ON CALL SERVICE/ VCM MODULE STOPPED WORKING PREVIOUS RECALLS ON THESE TYPES OF VEHICLES

The failure involves the instrument cluster (driver information display) on my 2017 Volvo XC90. This component is responsible for displaying speed, warning indicators, and all critical driving information. The failed component remains installed and is available for inspection. The issue began while driving on public roads. The display intermittently showed distorted, “barcode-like” patterns that would appear suddenly, disappear, and then return. The condition progressively worsened over time. The failure is now consistent and reproducible. When starting the vehicle, the cluster may appear normal for a few seconds before becoming severely distorted or completely unreadable. Now it is nonfunctional from the moment of ignition. This creates a significant safety hazard because I cannot view speed, warning lights, gear position, or any system alerts. The initial failures occurred while the vehicle was in motion, which increased the risk at the time of occurrence. The vehicle is not safely operable in this condition. The vehicle has approximately 24,000 miles, has never been in an accident, and has been properly maintained. There were no external factors that could explain the failure. The only prior symptoms were the intermittent display distortions described above. An authorized Volvo retailer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the instrument cluster as failed, recommending replacement. No repair has been completed. Volvo Car USA declined goodwill assistance despite the extremely low mileage and safety‑critical nature of the failure. I am aware of similar instrument cluster failures reported by other 2016–2017 Volvo XC90 owners, suggesting this may be part of a broader pattern.

The rear door latch/lock actuators on my 2017 Volvo XC90 fail to latch in cold temperatures, making the vehicle undrivable and unsafe. The doors may appear closed but are not secure, creating a serious risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road; I rely on this vehicle daily to transport my children. The issue has worsened over multiple winters, and on one occasion the doors remained frozen for about four hours, preventing safe travel to work and school. A local independent garage has confirmed this is a known issue affecting XC90 models in cold-weather climates and identified the likely cause as failing or frozen actuators. This can be confirmed online with a simple google issue that it is a sever and prevalent safety issue. Especially with children riding int he back seats. The vehicle has been run with remote start and for extended periods in attempts to resolve the issue, and temporary measures like sprays or lubricants have not helped. The car had to run for 4 hours to be operable and it was only 10 degrees out. The problem has no warning lamps or messages and occurs only in cold weather. The system is available for inspection upon request.

Vehicle: 2017 Volvo XC-90 Component: Door latch / door lock mechanism Both passenger-side door latches failed within approximately three weeks of each other due to internal corrosion/rust, as confirmed by Volvo diagnostics. The affected doors cannot be opened from inside or outside, including by key fob or interior door controls. This condition presents a serious safety risk, including potential occupant entrapment in the event of an accident, fire, or emergency evacuation. The vehicle has been well maintained, garage kept, and has not been exposed to flooding. Volvo Cars USA and an authorized dealership acknowledged the failures; however, Volvo declined assistance. The dealership offered partial labor coverage while the owner paid for parts to restore vehicle safety. Because this involves a critical safety component and occurred on multiple doors in close succession, I believe this represents a design or material defect, not normal wear, and warrants formal investigation.

The contact owned a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after driving 35 miles at 70 MPH on I-95 South in South Carolina, the contact started smelling an abnormally gasoline odor inside the vehicle entering through the AC vents. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact and her husband continued driving, believing that the odor was coming from the outside because the air recirculation switch was set to recirculate the air inside the vehicle. The contact stated that after driving an additional 5 miles, the gasoline odor grew stronger, and the contact suggested to her husband to pull over so that they could exit the vehicle. The contact stated that her husband pulled over and they both exited with a child. The contact stated that while running away from the vehicle she could see flames underneath the vehicle coming from the engine before the vehicle exploded and was engulfed in flames. The contact and her husband ran away from the vehicle and there was grayish white smoke coming from the vehicle. The Fire Department arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact stated that Fire Department and Police Department filed incident reports, but the contact had not yet received the documents. The contact stated that the entire front of the vehicle including the engine compartment had melted down to the wheels. The contact sustained soreness to the neck and left shoulder, as well as a headache from the fuel odor. The contact, her child, and her husband were emotionally distressed from the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was deemed a total loss. The Insurance Provider and a claims adjuster was notified of the fire and the contact was informed that further investigation was needed to determine the cause of the fire. The dealer nor the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

On thanksgiving day i drove to train station in the morning, and had no issue. After work i got in the car started to drive, i was going 25-35 miles per hour in the maplewood township, and i wanted to slow down just in case i dont see any kid or person at dark. I almost had no brake! I was so scared and i pushed th brake pedal so hard, i was very dangerous for the society at this moment. I just wish i was not on the highway going higher speed, or there were no people around! I really cannot trust this car anymore, i could have hit something!!!

As I was driving, the coolant low warning came on. Luckily I was able to pull over safely at a nearby gas station. I found that the coolant expansion tank was empty. The coolant was leaking from the plastic connector on the bleeder hose and was pooling on the top of the engine. There is a recall on 2016 vehicles for this (Volvo campaign R29936) and looks like many are having same issue on 2017 models also. My problem was exactly as described, the part broke, coolant squirts out all over hot engine parts, system coolant level rapidly depletes. Fortunately, this happened in place that allowed safe stopping.

On November 5, 2025, while driving my 2017 Volvo XC90, I experienced a sudden and dangerous loss of braking assist. When I pressed the brake pedal, I heard a loud hissing noise coming from under the dashboard, and the car would not stop. The brake would not work and the vehicle would not slow or stop unless I stood up and used my full body weight to press it. A licensed mechanic inspected the vehicle and confirmed this is consistent with loss of vacuum pressure from the brake booster/failure of the vacuum brake booster, the component that provides power assist to the braking system. The booster, brake pump, hose from booster to pump and brake pedal clip were replaced, with an estimated cost of $2,858. The mechanic also advised that this failure is not uncommon in Volvo XC90 models. After the incident, I researched similar complaints and found numerous reports on NHTSA and [XXX] describing **identical symptoms—hard brake pedal and hissing sound due to vacuum booster failure—**in the 2016–2019 XC90. For example, one owner reported “hard pedal, no assist, hissing sound behind dash” [XXX] , Volvo XC90 2017 Brakes section, accessed Nov 2025). No warning lights or error messages appeared before or during the event. The problem occurred suddenly and without prior symptoms. This defect posed a serious safety risk to me, my passengers, and other drivers, as it severely reduced braking ability and required excessive force to stop the vehicle. Under other conditions, this issue could easily have resulted in a crash. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Vehicle is a 2017 model year of the Volvo XC90 and has the same safety issue in the Quality Bulletin for Recall R29936: Coolant Bleeder Hose (Engine Side), which is for the same make and model but for the 2016 model year. The vehicle has a plastic coolant bleeder hose that can crack and create a coolant leak that drips above the catalytic converter. The coolant accumulates in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and poses a fire risk in the engine compartment area. The leak can also be small enough to cause coolant to evaporate and off gas into the cabin through the AC, exposing fumes to cabin occupants. The corrective action is to replace the engine side coolant bleeder hose, though this recall did not extend to 2017 model years, in which this same part was used. The same recall R29936 will need to be extended to other model years after 2016 in which the same component or design of component was used.

While on the highway, the system reported that engine coolant was low and to pull over safely. I pulled into a parking lot and within a couple of minutes the engine burst into flames. The local fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The car is totaled.

The A/C evaporator core in my 2017 Volvo XC90 failed prematurely, cracking and leaking refrigerant. This is a well-known problem among XC90 owners from model years 2016–2020. Repair costs are USD$5k+ because the entire dashboard must be removed to replace the evaporator. This is not normal wear and tear. Volvo has issued multiple Technical Journals (e.g. TJ 35912.1.0 -- attached -- and later revisions) instructing dealers to install an additional resistor in the evaporator temperature sensor harness when replacing the evaporator. This proves Volvo knows there is a design defect causing evaporator cracking and failure. However, Volvo corporate has declined to assist with repairs for my vehicle. Driving without A/C in high summer heat presents a serious risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, particularly during long commutes (I drive over an hour each way daily). The HVAC system is also critical for defogging and defrosting the windshield. Loss of refrigerant and evaporator performance can impair defroster operation, creating visibility hazards. The combination of extreme cabin heat and impaired defrosting creates an unreasonable risk to safety, not merely an inconvenience. In addition, right now it costs me just a few hundred dollars to refill my AC system every summer. This is what I've been doing for several summers now. But the Volvo quote to fix this factory defect was over $6k. So that means myself and thousands of others are all incentivized to just fill up R134A and have it leak out, harming the environment in the process. Volvo's refusal to recall and fix this issue is causing this economic incentive. It should be on them to fix their failure, not us. I asked Volvo corporate to goodwill this repair but they declined to do this (see attached).

ERAD (Electronic Rear Axle Drive) clutch failure. Upon depressing accelerator pedal, when in drive modes that rely more on ERAD (Hybrid/Pure modes), the clutch occasionally does not engage correctly, resulting in no power for a full 1-2 seconds, then power kicking in, in full. Not being consistent means not having a good way to anticipate when the problem will arise in order to compensate for it. The hazard came when attempting to cross traffic (to take a left into a commercial driveway), the delay happened, then before the ability to fully "cancel the attempt" (by releasing the accelerator and pressing the brake while still in the turn lane), the power kicked in and sent the vehicle into traffic. The delay-then-subsequent full-power meant that the gap was suddenly significantly smaller when pulling into the oncoming lanes, and attempting to correct for a delay in power meant the possibility of then not having the accelerator down, which could have left me in in the lane of oncoming traffic for much longer than necessary due to human reaction times in addition to vehicle "reaction times" to inputs. This is apparently a relatively common issue on Volvos of this generation, with multiple "ERAD versions" to account for transmission clutch failures within these units, as well as other failures.

The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the low coolant level warning light was illuminated. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir; however, approximately one week later, the warning light was again illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the small coolant hose was leaking. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

I am reporting multiple critical component failures on my 2017 Volvo XC90, which I believe represent potential design or manufacturing defects related to vehicle safety and reliability. At approximately 93,000 miles, my Volvo XC90 experienced a battery failure, thermostat failure, which did not resolve the vehicle's engine issues. Subsequently, the dealership diagnosed a failed Engine Control Module (ECM), requiring complete replacement at a cost of over $5,000. The ECM is a critical motherboard component responsible for engine control and vehicle safety operations. Its failure risks sudden engine malfunction, stalling, or loss of power while driving, which could cause unsafe conditions. I am concerned that multiple major component failures, especially in a premium brand vehicle under 100,000 miles and less than 10 years old, represent a systemic reliability issue. These failures occurred despite regular maintenance and responsible usage. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate whether similar cases exist for 2016–2018 Volvo XC90 models involving premature ECM or engine cooling, electrical, short circuit system failures. I am available to provide service records and additional documentation as needed.

I am reporting a safety defect related to the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) in my 2017 Volvo XC90. The VCM is critical for emergency communications, including automatic crash notification and location sharing with emergency responders. This function is vital for occupant safety in the event of an accident. My VCM was serviced at an authorized Volvo dealer in Natick, MA in December 2024 due to intermittent connectivity issues. Despite this recent service, the VCM completely failed in mid-April 2025. When the module fails, the vehicle loses the ability to automatically contact emergency services and transmit its location after a crash, significantly increasing the risk of delayed or absent emergency response. I am aware that Volvo previously issued Safety Recall R39917 for 2017–2019 XC90s regarding VCM software errors that could prevent GPS location from being sent to emergency personnel. Volvo has refused to cover the repair, even though the failure directly impacts a safety-critical system that was already subject to a recall. This failure compromises the car’s core safety promise and leaves occupants at risk in emergencies. I urge NHTSA to investigate ongoing VCM failures in these vehicles, as the repairs have not resolved all safety concerns. Volvo should be required to address these failures to ensure driver and passenger safety.

The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the rear passenger’s side door suddenly unlocked and opened. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, and the door was forcefully closed. The failure had occurred more than once while diving at various speeds. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while there was a passenger seated in the rear passenger’s side seat. The door was only securely closed by force. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer had not inspected or diagnosed the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after a rainstorm, there was water leaking from the rearview mirror, which leaked into the vehicle, causing the electrical system to fail. There was an abnormal sound of water swishing around inside the vehicle. The on-call warning and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cracked sunroof cassette leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.