Most common 2003 Volvo XC90 problems
Share of the 93 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo XC90 complaints by model year
Best XC90 years: 2010, 2013, 2011. Years to avoid: 2016, 2025, 2023, 2017, 2024. Compare all years →
2003 Volvo XC90 recalls (5)
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.
Remedy: Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 s80, model year 2001-2004 v70, s60, xc70 and model year 2003-2005 xc90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of alabama, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new Mexico, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump installed in the vehicle, and if necessary replace the fuel pump with a part of a modified design. This service will be performed free of charge.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
On certain passenger vehicles,the outer tie rod ball joint can deform at high loads causing a loss of the clamping force and the nut May loosen, which May eventually lead to a fatigue fracture of the outer tie rod ball joint.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the outer ball joint tie rods with improved outer ball joint tie rods free of charge. The recall began on June 23, 2006. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
On certain vehicles, if the wiper arm is activated in extreme winter weather conditions and without lifting the wiper arms and cleaning the windshield prior to moving, the wiper arm might slip on its driveshaft, resulting in an inability to move the wipers from the park position.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiper arms and retaining nuts. The recall began on September 5, 2006. Owners May contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain sport utility vehicles, the seat belt attachment(s) for the second and third row seat(s) May not have been fitted properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the second and/or third row seat belt attachments. Owner notification began on December 8, 2003. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
What 2003 Volvo XC90 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 49 →
Transmission failed without warning. Here's the story, my XC90 was dealer serviced a week ago (pm), took on a short road trip over weekend, fortunately made it home before it broke down. Went to work upon returning from trip and while I was parking the transmission failed to engage in any gear. Very unsafe! No warning lights illuminated and there was no 'limp mode.' the rpms rose as if it were in neutral. Could hear a metallic rattling noise coming from transmission. Had to have it towed from work to aamco. Aamco stated the damage was inside of transmission and they would need to remove and tear down to see what issue is, but more than likely it was a complete failure. I just bought this car in November and luckily bought an aftermarket warranty that 'should' cover everything. …
When this vehicle was purchased it started within 4 days to have problems with the transmission, after the transmission the transfer case began to have problems, so the vehicle was placed in the shop before the thirty days tags could expire and both parts were rebuilt by an outside company which was added to the original price tag of the vehicle. Then a year later the vehicle was placed in the shop for the turbo's had gone out on the vehicle on April 11, 2015 until current date. They are now saying the vehicle has a blown head gasket and it is still in the shop.
Electrical system
Driving the XC90 and suddenly there is a huge thump and clicking from the dashboard. All the dials around the spedometer stop working.. If we keep driving there are more thumps and we quickly lose engine power - it is extremely scary when it happens.. All the lights come on (inside the car), dashboard goes dead etc etc. It is extremely dangerous .. It happened to use a number of times with 3 children in the car. It has occurred when we were driving on the highway, 2-3 times, it has occurred on short trips - it happens at seemingly random times, usually after driving for over 30 minutes, but then yesterday it happened on a trip just down to the park, not 5 minutes down the road.. On this occasion the car had been sitting in the sun for a while (maybe heat related?). It has happened in hot weather, cold weather .. We are in constant fear when driving the car. …
We had traveled about 200 miles in the morning with no problems with the car. We started out after lunch, went about 200 yards, and smelled a faint burning smell we thought was outside the car. After about another 200 yards, we were at a toll booth entering the through way, and the brakes did not respond properly; there was no warning light. We pulled over immediately, and there was smoke under the dashboard. We got out. Within five minutes the car was totally engulfed in flames, despite attempts to put it out with fire extinguishers. Car was destroyed despite fire truck trying to put out flames. Thank god no one was hurt.
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Volvo XC90. While driving at approximately 55 MPH, fuel fumes emitted into the vehicle. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that fuel was all over the exhaust pipe and the bottom of the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump was crack and leaking fuel. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN number was not included in NHTSA campaign: 09V483000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that fuel fumes emitted in and around the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that there was a leak in the fuel pump. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not associated with NHTSA campaign number: 09V483000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 141,000.
2003 Volvo XC90 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 2.9L 6-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Volvo XC90 a good car?
Based on 93 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 XC90 rates avoid: 2.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the XC90 at the same age. It is one of the XC90 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 2003 Volvo XC90?
The transmission & drivetrain — 49 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the electrical system (18) and fuel & propulsion system (10).
How many recalls does the 2003 Volvo XC90 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2003 Volvo XC90, the most recent from November 8, 2010 (navigational system(global positioning system)). 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 XC90?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2013 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2016, 2025, 2023, 2017 and 2024. See the full Volvo XC90 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Volvo XC90 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 25% 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.