Most common 2019 Volvo XC90 problems
Share of the 42 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 →
2019 Volvo XC90 recalls (6)
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.
Steering
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2022 V60CC, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. During steering gear assembly, double screws may have been assembled on top of each other, which can cause a screw to fall into the gearbox housing.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.
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.
Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
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 2019 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 2019 Volvo XC90 owners say
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2019 VOLVO XC90. The contact stated that while her foot was on the brake pedal and while talking with a friend outside her vehicle, she had decided to place the vehicle into park. After approximately 8-10 minutes, the vehicle independently accelerated forward without warning and crashed into her friend's garage door. The air bags deployed immediately upon impact. An automatic safety feature on the vehicle detected the crash and automatically notified the police; a police report was filed. The contact sustained bruising to her left arm and leg and the passenger sustained bruising to her stomach. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed a dealer where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon returning to the vehicle, she noticed that her sunglasses case and tennis can located in the interior of the vehicle had been chewed. The contact stated that upon looking further, she noticed that the third row seats leather coating had been chewed. However, the contact had not transported pets on the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that rodents were entering the interior of the vehicle through a hole they had created on the rubber seal between the dashboard and the engine compartment. The dealer informed the contact that the rodents were attracted by the soy-based wires coating. The manufacturer was notified of the failure of the failure and informed the contact that she would need to pay a repair fee as the vehicle would not be repaired under warranty. …
Engine & cooling
The contact owned a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-52 MPH, there smoke coming from the front passenger's side wheel well of the vehicle. The contact stated that an off-duty Police Officer witnessed the failure and activated the Emergency Lights, allowing the contact to safely pull off the highway The contact immediately pulled over and stopped the vehicle. The grandson seated in the front passenger's seat immediately exited the vehicle and the contact was able to unbuckle and removed the [redacted] from the second-row middle seat. The contact stated that moments later there were explosions, and there was black smoke and flames engulfing the vehicle. The vehicle was destroyed. There were no injuries sustained; however, all three occupants of the vehicle experienced emotional trauma from the vehicle catching on fire. …
The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lurched forward while switching back and forth between electric and gasoline mode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure recurred while driving three years later. Additionally, the turtle warning light was illuminated with the message "Engine System Reduced Performance". The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Brakes
The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking space, the contact depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle failed to stop. The contact pumped the brake pedal and then depressed the brake pedal to the floor for the vehicle to come to a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to be diagnosed and it was determined that the brake master cylinder and the brake booster had failed internally, causing a vacuum leak. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder and brake booster needed to be replaced, the brake lines needed to be bled, and the brake control module needed to be calibrated. The vehicle was scheduled to be repair but had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,800.
While driving, the brakes completely failed without any warning. There were no signs, alerts, or symptoms prior to the failure. The braking ability was suddenly and entirely lost, creating an extremely dangerous situation. Upon inspection, it was determined that the brake booster had failed. This component failure directly caused the complete loss of braking power. Because this occurred without warning or prior indication and such an unexpected failure not only poses a significant safety risk to the driver and passengers but endangers everyone on the road, and it represents a severe safety hazard. A sudden brake booster failure can easily lead to loss of vehicle control, accidents, injury, or even fatalities. Immediate action is required to address this serious issue that threatens public safety.
2019 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 | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 Volvo XC90 a good car?
Based on 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 XC90 rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the XC90 at the same age. 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 2019 Volvo XC90?
The electrical system — 11 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (11) and brakes (6).
How many recalls does the 2019 Volvo XC90 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2019 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 2019 Volvo XC90 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 45% 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.