Most common 2017 Volvo XC90 problems
Share of the 80 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 →
2017 Volvo XC90 recalls (7)
Seat belts › Critical fasteners
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2015-2024 XC90 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the second-row seat belt buckle anchorage bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024.
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.
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.
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.
Seat belts
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017 XC90 vehicles. The Micro Gas Generator (MGG), a subcomponent part used within the right hand side seat belt retractor for the third row seats, may detach after the seatbelt retractor pretensioner is deployed.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the third row passenger's side seatbelt retractor, free of charge. The recall began August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
Air bags › Side/window
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017 XC90, S90, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The bolts that secure the Inflatable Curtain (IC) air bags in place may break, possibly resulting in the IC air bag deploying improperly in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 1, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed, free of charge. The recall began January 2017.
Show 1 more recall
Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during…
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2017 Volvo XC90:
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 2017 Volvo XC90 owners say
Engine & cooling all 25 →
The contact owned a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, a white-colored smoke began to emit from the vehicle's engine compartment. The "Coolant Low" warning message soon appeared on the instrument panel as the contact pulled over into a parking lot and exited the vehicle with her three children. As the smoke grew rampantly, the vehicle quickly caught fire. A fellow motorist attempted to extinguish the fire but to no avail. The authorities quickly arrived at the scene and the fire department extinguished the fire. While the incident all mentally shook the contact and her 3 children; no medical treatment was rendered. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession for an insurance inspection. The vehicle was destroyed by the fire. …
The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an unknown speed, she noticed smoke from the engine compartment. The vehicle spontaneously caught fire. The coolant warning light was illuminated a minute prior to the failure. There were no reported injuries or air bag deployments. The fire department was on the scene. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. A police report was filed. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Electrical system
To whom it may concern. Our 2017 XC90 unexpectedly, spantaneously, and catastrophically caught fire under the hood and was a total loss 5 minutes after parking it on April 19, 2026. There were no leaks or other signs of mechanical issues. The vehicle had all regular maintenance completed at the Byers Volvo Service Department in Columbus, OH. It had no open recalls. It was always parked overnight in a garage. The Fire Inspector noted a possible vehicle manufacturing defect as the cause of the fire, however the vehicle was too heavily damaged to be definitive. We do have video of the entire incident as the Volvo was parked on Federal Government Property at the time. We are happy to share any and all information if this helps future vehicles to be safer. It should be noted that there is an active recall for the 2016 XC90 for a coolant hose leak that can cause a fire. …
The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the window power switch was enabled; however, the window switch failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the rear-view camera, the door switch, and the air conditioner failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact became aware of water on the front passenger's side floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Brakes
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while her son-in-law was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firmly depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the vacuum hose had detached and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
On thanksgiving day i drove to train station in the morning, and had no issue. After work i got in the car started to drive, i was going 25-35 miles per hour in the maplewood township, and i wanted to slow down just in case i dont see any kid or person at dark. I almost had no brake! I was so scared and i pushed th brake pedal so hard, i was very dangerous for the society at this moment. I just wish i was not on the highway going higher speed, or there were no people around! I really cannot trust this car anymore, i could have hit something!!!
2017 Volvo XC90 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged plug-in hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 24 / 27 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 26 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 22 / 25 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 25 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Volvo XC90 a good car?
Based on 80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 XC90 rates avoid: 2.7× 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 2017 Volvo XC90?
The engine & cooling — 25 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (19) and brakes (8).
How many recalls does the 2017 Volvo XC90 have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2017 Volvo XC90, the most recent from December 7, 2023 (critical fasteners). 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 2017 Volvo XC90 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 20,000 miles; 71% 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.