Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Volvo XC90 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When cranking it stalls and cuts off and after doing it around 10 times it finally cranks then I have to hurry to put in drive to get the motor going in order to keep her crunk and couple weeks ago because this problem she stalled out and I hit a hole in the road and busted the oil pan so she has been parked every since cause I had my daughter in the car and that wasn't a pretty sight since the hit made her nervous now can't get her to get in the car so I need my car fixed and I see it has several recalls and all and it was on a county street once I got it crunk back up it smoked badly till I turned it off and it took four hours for me to get it out the road
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, a fuel odor emitted from the rear of the vehicle as the vehicle lost power and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also mentioned that fuel was leaking from the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that after the vehicle was restarted, the fuel odor recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo XC90. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle emitted an abnormal noise and stalled. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wire cem needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the vehicle jerked and stalled while driving. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump injector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000.
The bearing for the counter balance shaft has failed on my vehicle, causing over $3,000 in repairs needed. Volvo has admitted that this is a known issue with older 2005 XC90's with the v8, but are not willing to cover my repairs costs. I feel there should be a recall. If this bearing fails while driving the engine could seize causing an accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo XC90. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and it was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
I've had to change my fuel injection pump and catalytic convert twice on one year.
Safety complaint 'second occurrence same vehicle - sudden vehicle disabled ' 2005 Volvo XC90 v8 ' February 2011 153,000 miles. Daughter with learner permit driving down busy urban road and vehicle suddenly stopped without warning in the right of way. Vehicle had to be pushed to side of road second counterbalance shaft bearing failure. This failure occurred on the replaced engine from the prior occurrence ' see complaint number 10392958. This engine had 77,000 miles at time of failure. The timing chain had not broken and the balancer shaft, idler gear could be replaced and engine repaired after the engine had to be removed - $3,000 repair. Volvo would not cover any cost even though a product bulletin was put out. Vehicle always serviced by Volvo dealer and no mention ever made of potential for failure or the bulletin. …
Out of the blue a well-maintained and well cared for 2005 Volvo XC90 v8 SUV developed a severe engine knocking/banging sound (all service records completed at required time periods). Actually sounded like ball bearings rolling around inside the engine compartment. 58,000 miles on the vehicle. Engine was shut down immediately and vehicle flatbedded to the service dealer. Upon inspection, the counterbalance bearing and shaft failed. If engine had not been shut down there was a very real possibility of the bearing seizing and the shaft hits the inside of the engine block breaking the timing chain bending all the valves(I.e. Catastrophic engine failure)! As the manufacturer, Volvo should bear the full monetary responsibility when it come to this repair. A serious design flaw in their engine is the cause of this failure. …
The balancer bearing and shaft on the 2005 Volvo XC90 SUV is defective in the first 6000 vehicles manufactured for that model year. The balancer shaft bearing can go bad at any time without warning, causing catastrophic engine damage. If this happens on a highway while traveling at a high rate of speed, the results could be deadly. Volvo north America is aware of this and does nothing to address this serious, potentially deadly situation. We have been working to get Volvo of north America to recognize this issue and they have doing nothing to date except point to maintenance, which has no impact on the problem. There is no maintenance procedure to insure this does not happen and Volvo will not pay for damages. The remedy in most cases is an engine replacement which costs about $15,000 , and as mentioned, Volvo will not pay for it. …
Engine complaints in other XC90 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2005 Volvo XC90?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2005 Volvo XC90, 31% of the model year's 223 complaints. The component named most often is engine (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Volvo XC90 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2005 Volvo XC90, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Volvo XC90 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.