Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Volvo XC90 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I am concerned these 2 issues May pose a safety risk. I recently purchased this car from a friend and have had it about a month. I notice the steering is very stiff and difficult to maneuver. I was trying to find out if there were any recalls on this but having no luck. Also, when the car is in gear "drive", when stopped on an incline (even the slightest hill) I notice that when I take my foot off the brake pedal the car rolls backwards! It shouldn't do that. The transmission notice on the dash is saying it needs service but my friend I bought it from said she had it checked twice and was told there is no transmission issue. Is there a recall on power-train/trans parts? The car should not roll backwards when in gear "drive", even if I am stopped on a hill. Even a slight incline and the car rolls back. Not normal. Thank you for any and all help you can offer. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volvo XC90. While driving various speeds, the power steering failed and several warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle stalled. The contact stated that a new alternator was placed in the vehicle two days prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000. The VIN was not available.
After driving 125 miles without incident, we left our 2004 Volvo xc 90 t6 AWD parked for 4 hours before driving again. After less than a half mile at low speed, there was a "thump" from the front of the car, the wipers cycled, the gauges all went blank, some of the windows stopped working, the A/C went out (blower stayed on). The car stayed on, but seemed "stuck" in second gear and the brakes became "spongy," but operable. Turn signals were inoperable and the power steering went out. The indicator light on the gear shift went out and the central locking system stopped functioning. We got out of traffic and into the shade. I checked all fuses and tried to restart the car. It would restart, but within seconds there were multiple "clicks" coming from the area near the fuse box in the passenger compartment followed by the electrical failures described above. …
3 hours into a 3-1/2 hour weekend road trip there was a clunk in the engine compartment. Thinking I hit a pothole, I continued on cautiously. While continuing on these unfamiliar 2 lane windy roads going 43mph (the speed limit was 55) about 2 miles from where the clunk happened my entire dash cluster stopped working. All my dome lights and leg lights came on. The car clunked harder this time. I lost power to the engine, steering was like trying to turn a tank, and the brakes were very spongy. Still traveling on windy roads with large semi trucks behind me and cars passing by in the opposite lane I veered to the right to avoid being rear ended by a semi. Not being able to steer or stop as efficiently as before I coasted into a residents 2-3 man rock landscape traveling at about 5mph. I dented my front license plate and scratched the bumper. …
While driving our Volvo xc-90, the entire electrical system shuts down (dashboard display, lighting, ac, power windows, power door locks, everything electrical etc.). Additionally, for a split second the engine/transmission jerks and/or stalls before resuming. The first time this happened was in 2010 and never occurred again for several years. Then suddenly on a recent trip in August 2014 this happened repeatedly and the electrical system never returned to operation during that trip. In that August 2014 occurrence we were traveling down narrow state highway 1 in big sur, california. Had we lost control of the vehicle during the jerking episodes we could have gone off the narrow road and down the steep cliff side to our deaths. This put our family in a very perilous situation. …
Unsafe front suspension repaired 4 times by Volvo involving district factory technical supervisor and technicians on 3 of four occasions and the vehicle still has serious safety and handling concerns - no one in the family will drive the car. It has also had serious performance related safety issues regarding vehicle electronics virtually shutting the vehicle down in the middle of an interstate. Anti skid problems on multiple occasions. Drivers seat belt anchor was improperly attached and would not have held in an accident. The steering wheel came dangerously loose while driving and the dealership stated that it had never been properly affixed. (I have owned 300 cars in my life and never has a steering wheel come loose)! Tires were abnormally badly and quickly due to significant suspension problems and were not warranty by the manufacture.. …
On certain passenger vehicles, the outer tie rod ball joint can deform at high loads causing a loss of clamping and the nut May loosen, which May eventually lead to a fracture of the outer rod ball joint. The driver May notice the vehicle is diffcult to maneuver increasing the risk of a crash. Wheels: on certain SUV's, the front wheel speed sensors May be defective, causing an erroneous speed signal this can adversely affect a number of vehicle functions, including brake, engine, transmission, and torque distribution control which rely on this signal for proper operation. Seat belts: rear on certain SUV's, the seat belt attachment for the second and third row May not have been fitted properly. In the event of a crash, the seat occupant May not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury. Corrective actions: dealer will inspect and repair free of charge. …
Transmission replaced June 08 front control arms and bushings and coolant reservoir replaced sept. 08 thermostat & housing & temp sensor replaced jan. 08 brake vacuum pump replaced for 2nd time jan. 08 brake vacuum pump replaced sept. 07 gasket, o-ring, hose clamp recall sept. 07 power steering pump and brake vacuum pump installed July 07 steering rack solenoid replaced July 07 - (recall May 3, 08?) new Bridgestone tires May 07 upper engine torques mount replaced March 07 recall wiper arm 156, ball joint 157 oct. 06 brake pad & rotors replaced oct 06 upgrade software a & c July 05 ABS brakes warranty fix May 06 front pads & rear pads & rotors replaced dec. 05 exhaust rubbing on driveline, install kit to hold exhaust off driveline dec. …
There has been problems with steering the driver shafts the fuel pump airbags and wheels making a clicking noise while driving on highway. The gas smell is always inside the car and mechanic has said it's from the fuel pump defect during manufacturer. Along with the other fore-mention defects .Volvo does not want to address issues because age of car. There is a defective sunroof that allows water to leak inside the car during rain fall . There has been a top class action placed against Volvo for this . They wanted to charge me $700 to $800 for this defect and $1200 to $1500 for fuel pump .
The front end tie rod broke suddenly on our 2004 Volvo XC90 bringing the car to a complete halt just after my son had pulled on to the exit ramp after driving 35 miles on a major 6 lane highway in new jersey. We were soooo lucky. Volvo replaced both front end tie rods with what they claim to be a new and improved tie rod. We still question the safety of the car at this point and will not allow our teenagers to drive it on the highway. Volvo USA has been antagonistic with us about taking back the car but our local dealer is willing to trade it for another Volvo.
Related recalls
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.
Steering complaints in other XC90 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2004 Volvo XC90?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the steering of the 2004 Volvo XC90, 4% of the model year's 462 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › tie rod assembly (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Volvo XC90 steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-155 (tie rod assembly, May 5, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Volvo XC90 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.