CSR
Check a VIN

Look up

About

Volvo · NHTSA safety record

2020 Volvo XC40

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 12 safety complaints about the 2020 Volvo XC40 with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering forward collision avoidance.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 4 complaints, 33% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2020 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

12 complaints on file

12

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

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 4 · 33%
ENGINE 3 · 25%
POWER TRAIN 3 · 25%
SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 25%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 17%
AIR BAGS 1 · 8%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 · 8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 8%
LANE DEPARTURE 1 · 8%
SEAT BELTS 1 · 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 8%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 · 8%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 12.

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 2022 at 5.

8 6 4 2
20 22 23 24 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2020 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 has not crash tested the 2020 Volvo XC40. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

20V144000 · March 12, 2020

The defect
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.
The risk
If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The 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. Volvo's number for this recall is R29998.

Volvo Car USA LLC · up to 121,605 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.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured · 500 miles

ISSUE1: A FEW WEEKS AGO WHILE MY WIFE HAD STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WITHOUT ANY PROVOCATION, HER SEATBELT WENT INTO CRASH MODE, TIGHTENING SIGNIFICANTLY AND LOCKING. THIS WAS TO THE POINT THAT SHE FELT BEING SUFFOCATED FROM PRESSURE ON HER ABDOMEN AND CHEST. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION, OTHERWISE, THE SEATBELT TIGHTENING AND LOCK COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THE LOCK RELEASED AFTER 30 SECONDS AND SHE COULD OPEN THE SEAT BELT. SHE HAD CHEST PAIN FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER THIS INCIDENT. ISSUE 2: THREE DAYS AGO WHEN MY WIFE WAS REMOVING GROCERIES FROM THE TRUNK OF THE CAR, AND WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF, SUDDENLY THE TRUNK DOOR RELEASED ITSELF AND HIT HER ON THE HEAD WITH FULL FORCE.

NHTSA complaint 11299328, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The cooling system cracked, malfunctioned and caused a domino effect of multiple repair issues costing at least $5,200. My car is currently at a Volvo dealer. My Safety: The possibility of the hot engine and hot wires could have resulted in a fire. This problem HAS been reproduced and confirmed by a Volvo dealer. The vehicle overheating was witnessed by the Fire Department and local police.. As far as sufficient Warning Lights or dashboard indications, the ONLY messages I received were 1} About 5 p.m. EST Battery indicator (at which point I pulled over immediately into Batteries Plus who said the battery wasn't fully charged- so they charged it and the light went off and they did not

NHTSA complaint 11757999, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The rear backup camera display system failed, resulting in a completely blank or black center infotainment screen when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. Yes, the vehicle and its Sensus infotainment system software logs are available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of pedestrians were put at immediate risk because the sudden failure of the rearview camera created a severe blind spot directly behind the vehicle. This loss of visibility prevents the driver from seeing small children, pedestrians, or obstacles while backing up. Furthermore, this software malfunction causes the vehicle to become non-compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 111, which

NHTSA complaint 11739661, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
On 01/04/2026, while operating a gas-powered 2024 Volvo XC40, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) event while stationary at a red light. With the service brake fully depressed, the internal combustion engine began to surge and rev uncontrollably, making loud noises. The engine torque increased in direct response to increased brake pressure, eventually overcoming the braking system and forcing the vehicle forward into the 3-way intersection. Technical Details: Brake-Throttle Override (BTO) Failure: The vehicle’s safety logic failed to prioritize the brake signal over the uncommanded throttle increase. Shifter Interlock Malfunction: During the surge,

NHTSA complaint 11708898, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
During night rainstorm, front and rear wipers, turn signals and high beams all failed. This was the result of a design defect that allows water from panoramic moonroof to drain into the floor where it compromises electrical connections and modules. In addition to potentially catastrophic safety component (wipers, high beams and turn signals) failures, the water damage compromised the seat belts, as well, which also required repairs. Insurance adjuster confided that this is a frequent, common problem. Repairs took 10 days and cost $8700! Both the insurance adjuster and the dealer stated that there is no maintenance procedure an owner can do to avoid this problem.

NHTSA complaint 11581906. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

30,453 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer and the infotainment system screen turned blank. The vehicle then lost motive power. The electronic stability program (ESP) warning light was illuminated. The contact's wife veered to the side of the road, and the contact arrived at the scene. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the software control module and SRS air bags malfunction, which caused the vehicle to believe it was involved in a crash and to shut off automatically. The dealer determined there were no signs of

NHTSA complaint 11513931, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electrical system on my car apparently failed, which rendered the car unable to start and drive. Park Place Volvo claims that there is water, that penetrated the seals, from underneath the car. Although there were no visible signs of water, Volvo claims that the rain caused this issue. Volvo has refused to honor a warranty for the alleged defective seals, and sent my car to its collision center.

NHTSA complaint 11481319. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volvo XC40

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 11 2 —
2024 28 4 —
2023 46 4 —
2022 37 3 —
2021 52 5 —
2019 30 4 —

Other 2020 Volvo models

XC90 32 XC60 22 S60 11 V60 8

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Volvo on this site — 71 vehicles.

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.

Where these numbers come from

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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst