Most common 2018 Volvo S90 problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo S90 complaints by model year
Best S90 years: 2016, 2021, 2019. Years to avoid: 2018, 1998. Compare all years →
2018 Volvo S90 recalls (2)
Seats
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 XC60 and S90 vehicles. The driver and passenger front seat rail rear flange nuts may not have been installed during assembly.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat rails for missing flange nuts, installing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019.
Electrical system › Software
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Volvo S90:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2018 Volvo S90 owners say
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2018 Volvo S90. The contact stated that the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) had an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. The contact stated the "Volvo on Call Service Required" warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V800000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
At 5pm while driving home, which was 2 hours away, I needed to stop and refuel. At the pump I pushed the fuel door and it would not release to open. After many tries it would not open. I called Volvo On Call and informed them of the problem. The agent relayed that I should go to the back of the car near the fuel door, and with the remote lock and unlock the door which should release the door. It did not work. I tried it again with no success. The agent then informed me that there is no other way to open the door and to go to a Volvo dealership to get repaired. I asked the agent is there a way to open the door from the trunk, for instance like a rope to pull to manually open the door. He said unfortunately no. So, I am no where near a dealership and if I was it would be closed, it is after 5pm on February 17 and its 20 degrees outside and I need fuel to get home. …
Wheels & tires
Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.
There is a great deal of vibration at highway speeds. It has been like this since I purchased the car.
2018 Volvo S90 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged plug-in hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 26 / 33 / 29 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 34 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Volvo S90 a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 S90 rates use caution: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the S90 at the same age. It is one of the S90 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Volvo S90?
The electrical system — 4 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the wheels & tires (3) and brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2018 Volvo S90 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2018 Volvo S90, the most recent from March 20, 2019 (seats). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volvo S90?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2021 and 2019. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2018 and 1998. See the full Volvo S90 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Volvo S90 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 48,000 miles; 75% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.