Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 19 safety complaints
about the 2011 Volvo XC90 with the US government. Of those, 1 mentions a fire, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the steering.
The most complained-about system is the electrical system,
named in 5 complaints, 26% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 94,000 miles,
the median across the 13
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers September 2011 to February 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
19 complaints on file
19
Complaints
0
Describe a crash
1
Mention fire
2
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 5 · 26%
5 26%
ENGINE 5 · 26%
5 26%
POWER TRAIN 3 · 16%
3 16%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 · 11%
2 11%
SEAT BELTS 2 · 11%
2 11%
SERVICE BRAKES 2 · 11%
2 11%
STEERING 2 · 11%
2 11%
AIR BAGS 1 · 5%
1 5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 5%
1 5%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 · 5%
1 5%
SEATS 1 · 5%
1 5%
STRUCTURE 1 · 5%
1 5%
048
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 19.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2017 at 3.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2011 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2011 Volvo XC90, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal crash
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal, driver
Not rated
Not rated
Frontal, passenger
Not rated
Not rated
Side crash
Not rated
Not rated
Side barrier
Not rated
Not rated
Side pole
Not rated
Not rated
Rollover
Chance of rollover
17.9%
19.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Recall campaigns
1 on file
STEERING
11V286000 · May 18, 2011
The defect
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 XC90 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 29, 2010, THROUGH AUGUST 16, 2010. THE POWER STEERING FLUID MAY LEAK FROM THE OIL PIPE CONNECTION AT THE STEERING GEAR VALVE HOUSING.
The risk
THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OIL PIPES ON THE POWER STEERING RACK FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. · up to 350 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
ENGINE
2 injured
The catillatic converter exploded as we started the vehicle .was a very loud explosion..no fire but lots of smoke.
NHTSA complaint 11716016. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
fire · 94,000 miles
94,000 MILES 2011 VOLVO XC90 PURCHASED 4 MONTHS AGO. VEHICLE WAS PARKED STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WATER INTRUDED THE FRONT PASSENGER CABIN AND DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH A SUNROOF DRAINAGEDEFECT IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF VOLVO XC90. SIX INCHES OF WATER POOLED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR AND PERMEATED THE DASH CAUSING THE CEM TO SHORT AND START AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH THICK SMOKE FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE AND THE CAR ALARM BEGAN TO GO OFF. THE ELECTRICAL FIRE BEGAN IN THE DRIVER COMPARTMENT HOUSING THE CEM. THE CEM WIRES WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AWAY. MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS EFFECTED AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT PLUS …
NHTSA complaint 11413129, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
128,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the check engine warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
NHTSA complaint 11453927. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electrical, Brake lights suddenly stopped working on both sides at once. I checked the fuse only to be told a relay may be the issue. The location of said relay is vague and not serviceable by owner. Risk of rear end collision. Of following traffic
NHTSA complaint 11452346. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
127,200 miles
DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT FULLY RETRACT AFTER EVERY RELEASE. IT WILL BE LOOSE UNTIL YOU GUIDE IT UP TO THE HOLE. IT IS KIND OF OKAY FOR NOW BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS ISSUE COULD GET WORSE. I AM ALSO ALMOST CERTAIN THIS IS SIMILAR TO RECALL #R10029 THAT AFFECTS OUR 2011 XC60. THE PART MUST BE WORN. IT STILL RETRACTS AROUND PEOPLE BUT IF IT GETS WORSE, IT COULD BE FATAL DOWN THE LINE IF IT DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY WITH A SMALLER DRIVER. PASSENGER BELT IS FINE. RIGID AND FIRM AS PICTURES SHOW UNLIKE THE DRIVER SIDE.
NHTSA complaint 11383598. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
THE BUILT-IN CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE MIDDLE CRACKED AFTER THE FIRST TIME I OPENED IT SO I CAN'T PUT IT BACK DOWN AND DON'T KNOW IF IT AFFECTS THE CHILD AIRBAG. I ASKED VOLVO ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $500 JUST TO SIMPLY LOOK AT IT BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO FIX IT OR IF COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THIS ISN'T SAFE AND I NOW HAVE A CHILD SEAT I CAN'T USE AND A SEAT I CAN'T PUT DOWN. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST OF COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN ABOUT THIS AND AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN AKA SONS. MY VIN IS: [XXX] AND IT'S A 2011 VOLVO XC90. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA complaint 11311027. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed May 18, 2011.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst