2016 Volvo XC90 electrical system problems

Related recalls

• Recall 21V273000Apr 21, 2021162 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

  Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2016-2020 XC90 Excellence vehicles. Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible.

  Risk: The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will update the rear seat control display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.

What owners say

1. Filed Aug 26, 2025ILAirbagsElectrical System

   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.

   NHTSA complaint #11683113 · source
2. Filed Apr 11, 2025168,000 miMOBody & StructureElectrical System

   The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that water had been leaking into the vehicle on rainy days. The contact stated that the water intrusion was causing several warning lights to illuminate and unknown vehicle safety equipment failures. The contact stated that the front and rear carpets and the spare tire were saturated with water. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was determined that water was leaking into the vehicle, but the…

   NHTSA complaint #11654041 · source
3. Filed Aug 5, 2024AKElectrical SystemEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   The hybrid motor periodical will hesitate when accelerating from a stop, specifically it'll start accelerating then lose power for up to a couple of seconds before regaining power. This poses a safety risk if you start pulling out into traffic and suddenly and unpredictably lose power while there's oncoming vehicles. The problem just occurred for the first time about a week ago and coincidentally just a few days after taking the car in for its annual service, since then it…

   NHTSA complaint #11606575 · source
4. Filed Mar 22, 2024TNAirbagsElectrical SystemSteering

   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,…

   NHTSA complaint #11578825 · source
5. Filed Mar 22, 2024TNElectrical SystemLightingVisibility & Wipers

   The car has a factory fault with the Windshield Wiper or Turn Signal contact switch, which is causing the inability to use the left/right signal and the wipers. The entire part is factory faulty, rendering the vehicle unable to operate safely. This affects visibility during wet conditions because the wipers cannot be activated due to the malfunctioning switch, which can lead to serious accidents. Additionally, malfunctioning left/right turning signals can also cause serious…

   NHTSA complaint #11578824 · source
6. Filed Feb 8, 2024FLAirbagsElectrical SystemSteering

   When driving slowly to enter a parking garage, the steering wheel on the car started to feel stiff, and as I completed the turn, there was a loud snapping sound. The dashboard showed an urgent fault saying “SRS Airbag Urgent - Drive To Workshop”. I drove it to the Volvo dealer. The steering wheel was having problems turning left. When the dealer attempted to move the car, it was then unable to turn left at all. So, the steering wheel completely failed.

   NHTSA complaint #11570841 · source
7. Filed Jan 11, 2024NJElectrical System

   When driving and stop in a traffic light, for example, the Volvo ignition going off and I have to re-start it. The problem is rooted probably in the fuse associated with Volvo's stop/start motor. I found that other models have had the same problem, like the recall#R39574 and the reference safety campaign #15V555000.If the fuse blows in traffic, it could increase the risk of an accident, especially a rear-end collision.

   NHTSA complaint #11564816 · source
8. Filed Dec 30, 2023WAElectrical System

   On a travel trip to Seattle, we stopped at few stop, and when my sons tried to exit the rear doors, both would not open. Neither from the inside or outside. Nothing worked. Upon searching, this is a very common issue with the 2016+ models. When inquiring with volvo, it will cost anywhere from 1000-2000 per door to fix the "locking" mechanism which they say can corrode. Ridiculous. This is a major safety issue if passengers can't exit. I've never had a car which a door can't…

   NHTSA complaint #11562773 · source
9. Filed Nov 11, 2023TXElectrical System

   The DIM (driver/driving instrument module), also known as the dashboard, on my vehicle suddenly stopped showing anything (speed, gas or battery charge level, etc.) recently, although there is still power (I could see the background lighting in the dark) and the vehicle can still be driven. This is certainly a severe safety issue. I had my vehicle checked at a Volvo Dealership shop; their diagnosis concluded that the entire DIM needs to be replaced; software update alone…

   NHTSA complaint #11554655 · source
10. Filed Sep 18, 2023VADriver Assistance & Safety TechElectrical System

    It came to my attention this summer that my 2016 Volvo XC90 has an extensive sunroof drainage problem that has resulted in major leaks in the interior of the car and that has destroyed the electrical system which impacts everything (airbags, speed control, back up camera, object alert warnings, etc. It was impossible to have knowledge of this problem until it was too late (like cancer). Many dashboard lights came on, the car was acting funning, back-up camera did not work,…

    NHTSA complaint #11545283 · source
11. Filed Sep 17, 2023SCElectrical SystemEngine

    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…

    NHTSA complaint #11545025 · source
12. Filed Aug 2, 2023MDFireElectrical SystemEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

    I own a 2016 XC90 that was regularly serviced by the Volvo dealer we bought the car from. My son and I were in my car on 08/02/2023 and we were at a stop light and something smelt a little off so my son put his window down to get fresh air. Then, we accelerated when the light turned green. Within 100 yds of accelerating my check engine light when on and simultaneously I lost acceleration. It was clear that something was wrong. I told my son we needed to unbuckle our seat…

    NHTSA complaint #11536157 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology