Volvo EX90 Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Volvo EX90 options? We analyzed 2 model years (2025–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Volvo EX90 has 71 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls across model years 2025–2026. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
- Make
- Volvo
- Model
- EX90
- Model years analyzed
- 2025–2026 (2 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 71
- Safety recall campaigns
- 3
- Crash-related complaints
- 2
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2025 (67 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Average
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
AverageThe VOLVO EX90 has 71 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. 2 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 71 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 3 federal recall campaigns
- 2 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
3 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2025–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 71 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
71 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
While driving the car on a state road (45 mph) the car suddenly notified me of an "electrical fault", a light that looks like a turtle came on, and the vehicle lost power and couldn't go any faster than 5 mph. Another vehicle almost rear-ended me around a blind curve because I was moving significantly slower than normal traffic. I pulled into a parking lot, shutdown and restarted the car and everything seemed fine. It happened again a few minutes later so we started to head back home. But the real issue happened a minute or so after the second fault - the fault cleared itself and all of a sudden the vehicle's speed shot up to over 60 mph with very little throttle response or control from me. I slowed the car down using the brakes and continued home. The fault happened again, and cleared itself again in the same manner but this time while I was turning causing me to almost hit a curb while trying to turn. The car is dangerous. These should be taken off the road permanently.
the vehicle exhibits a persistent defect in which the doors lock and unlock without driver command. Specific effects I have experienced: The vehicle has locked itself while I was exiting, locking me out with the key in my possession. On multiple occasions this has occurred with my child inside the vehicle, with my dogs inside the vehicle, and with personal belongings inside the vehicle, with no ability to unlock it. These incidents have occurred in extreme heat conditions, where the interior of a closed vehicle can reach lethal temperatures within minutes. Volvo telephone support instructed me to call a locksmith. In the referenced conditions this response is not a remedy. It is an unacceptable exposure of a child and animals to serious injury or death. The vehicle has also unlocked itself spontaneously while I was nowhere near it, leaving it and its contents unsecured. Repair history: The vehicle has been presented to an authorized Volvo dealership on 3 occasions for this concern. The dealership's lead engineer performed multiple system resets, none of which resolved the condition. He advised that the vehicle may need to be "put to sleep," that the condition is likely not repairable, and that seat and seat-belt occupancy sensors are the suspected source of the uncommanded locking and unlocking. He further advised that he would document the file in support of a manufacturer repurchase, and that I should move to the 2026 model year, in which he stated these faults have been addressed.
I was parked in a parking lot and when I released my foot from the break, the car accelerated on its own and crashed into the car in front of me. The automatic emergency braking did not deploy. It was most recently a safety risk and put others in the parking lot, particularly the driver in front me, in danger. I have reported this issue to Volvo and they instructed me to get the body of the car repaired and then the dealer will inspect it. I filed an insurance claim with my insurance company and the car is going to be repaired. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.
While parked, unoccupied, and locked on a nearly level asphalt residential driveway, the vehicle began moving on its own and traveled approximately 15 feet down the driveway before coming to rest. The movement began several hours after anyone had last operated the vehicle. Conditions were dry at onset with no ice or snow beneath the tires. No driver was present and no input was given. The driveway terminates at a public street. The event was captured in its entirety on a residential exterior security camera. Eleven video files exist and are available for inspection on request. The vehicle itself is also available for inspection. Safety risk: an infant and two dogs are present in the household, and the vehicle traveled toward a public roadway with no occupant able to brake or steer. Had a person or child been in the path, or had the vehicle reached the street, the outcome could have been a serious injury or collision. The failure has not been reproduced or confirmed by any dealer or service center. The event was reported to the manufacturer's customer care in writing in March 2026 and escalated in April 2026. No diagnostic inspection was offered at that time and no response was received for approximately three months. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized dealer in July 2026, and the manufacturer dispatched a field specialist. No root cause has been provided to the owner in writing. Whether the manufacturer identified a cause is UNKNOWN. Prior warning symptoms: beginning within weeks of delivery in December 2025, the vehicle displayed recurring fault messages including headlight fault, system communication fault, emergency call system fault, charging fault, and park assistance fault, on separate and unrelated occasions over several months, documented with date-stamped photographs. Separately, in May 2026 the vehicle suffered a total failure and would not start, with blank displays and non-functioning turn signals, resolved only by a factory reset.
I am submitting this complaint because I believe my Volvo electric vehicle has a serious and recurring safety-related defect that has not been permanently repaired despite multiple repair attempts. Since purchasing the vehicle new, it has repeatedly failed to operate as intended, left me stranded multiple times, and continues to display warning messages while driving. I purchased the vehicle new on November 20, 2025, for approximately $85,000 with zero miles. The first failure occurred on December 4, 2025, at approximately 578 miles when the vehicle stopped charging. Volvo attempted repairs, but the same charging defect returned. The vehicle required additional repairs on January 21, 2026 (1,304 miles), early March 2026 (2,846 miles), and April 27, 2026 (3,810 miles). Despite multiple repairs and component replacements, the same issue continued. By the fourth repair, the vehicle had been out of service approximately 80 days. Volvo later approved a manufacturer repurchase; however, while waiting for the repurchase process, the vehicle developed additional failures where it would completely lose power and become inoperable. The vehicle required towing on multiple occasions, leaving me stranded and without transportation. During a later repair visit, Volvo kept the vehicle for approximately 39 days and stated they could not duplicate the problem and that the vehicle was operating as designed. The day after receiving the vehicle back, the same failure occurred again. The vehicle has now required seven repair attempts. Even after the latest repair, I continue to receive dashboard warnings while driving instructing me to stop the vehicle. Due to the repeated failures, loss of vehicle operation, and unresolved warnings, I have lost confidence in the safety and reliability of this vehicle and have changed my driving habits to avoid being stranded. I believe these recurring failures represent a potential safety defect that warrants investigation by NHTSA.
This vehicle locks itself even with a fully charged key tag inside it. The driver is not able to open the car by lifting any of the door handles. It has occurred 3 separate times. It will only open with a key card. Should the driver not have a key card outside of the vehicle, it must be towed to the dealership for service. The dealer has been advised of the problem, although the service department is unable to identify why or how this occurs. This has happened at various times of the day, including late at night, and we reside in a rural area with very limited alternate transportation. No warning messages appear prior to the problem.
Read 14 more owner reports
The person left behind detection system is faulty.
I purchased a 2025 EX90 on XXX. Immediately upon purchase, nearly every time my [XXX] daughter was riding in the middle seat using the integrated booster, the car would alert me that someone was sitting in the other two seats on either side of her. There were also occasions when only one seat alarm would go off. I checked her positioning to confirm that there was nothing on those seats. I took it into the dealership the following Monday. They did a software update, which they stated would resolve the issue. I picked up the car on the evening of XXX. For the next couple of days, it appeared that the issue had been resolved; however, it returned within a couple of days. Additionally, there were two instances, after receiving the car back from being repaired the first time, in which my daughter was riding with me, and her seatbelt failed to engage during rapid deceleration. I was driving on a main arterial street near our home, traveling approximately 35-40 mph. I was using single-pedal mode (EV) and took my foot off the gas pedal to prevent a crash. The car stopped very quickly, and she was thrown forward, nearly missing hitting her head on the back of the passenger seat. Subsequently, while driving the same minor child in a dealership loaner XC90, we experienced a routine quick stop at a very slow speed, and she immediately noted that the XC90 seatbelt was properly tightened. This side-by-side comparison confirms that the EX90's occupant restraint system failed to deploy during a near-crash event. I returned the vehicle on XXX, and the card has been there since. On XXX, Volvo Corporate Engineering reviewed the data and confirmed a diagnosis of faulty radar sensors in the second row. Because the EX90's computer-controlled safety belts rely on these second-row sensors to work properly, this diagnosis from Volvo proves the safety systems in my daughter's row were actively broken during our near-miss collision event. The vehicle is unsafe. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When in reverse, the infotainment system allows a user to swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification window which overlays the backup camera, and upon closing the notification window, the backup camera is dismissed and is no longer visible.
DESCRIPTION OF DEFECT: I am reporting a recurring incident of unintended acceleration in my Volvo EX90. On multiple occasions, immediately upon shifting the vehicle into Drive — before I touched the accelerator pedal — the vehicle accelerated forward on its own without any input from me. This has happened more than once and is not an isolated event. The acceleration occurs at the moment of gear engagement, before I have made any contact with the accelerator pedal. I took the vehicle to my Volvo dealership on 2/12/26. The dealer was unable to reproduce the issue or identify a cause. This defect poses a serious and immediate safety risk, particularly in parking lots, driveways, and congested traffic, where unexpected acceleration could result in a collision, property damage, or injury to pedestrians or other drivers. I am requesting that NHTSA open a formal investigation into this issue.
The contact owns a 2025 Volvo EX90. The contact stated that while exiting a parking lot, the contact selected drive(D); however, the vehicle reversed instead and crashed into a pole. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated that when the vehicle was being towed, the tow truck driver selected reverse(R) to reverse, and the rearview camera failed to display an image. The vehicle sustained damages to the rear bumper, and the pole was damaged. Volvo Roadside Assistance was contacted, and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle remained with the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 700.
I have a 2025 Volvo EX 90 in the US and I had the manufacturers tow hitch attached. The Error: Max trailer weight is 4,850lbs or 2,200kg, but tow ball weight is mistakenly listed as 220lbs instead of 485lbs or 220kg. Tow ball should be 10% of the trailer weight in the US. 4,850lbs or 2,200kg with 485lbs or 220kg tow ball limit would make sense. The proof: the Volvo accessories catalog has it listed correctly for the 2” ball kit: Member kit 70.8 lbs (32.1 kg) Max. towing capacity: 4850 lbs (2200 kg) Towball diameter: 2" Class III Max. ball pressure: 485 lbs (220 kg) This is a safety issue because if someone tows a 4850lb trailer with less than 5% of the weight on the hitch, they could have severe trailer sway. It appears to me to be a clear error in the digital owners manual tow ball weight limit. The hitch itself lists 5000lbs trailer limit and 500lbs tongue weight on the limit sticker.
The One Pedal Drive function (regenerative braking) intermittently deactivates without warning after startup. This issue has occurred multiple times under normal driving conditions. When the accelerator is released, expected deceleration does not occur, resulting in reduced braking response. No warning indicates that the system has disengaged, and it appears to deactivate without any driver input. This unexpected change in braking behavior creates a safety risk by increasing stopping distance and requiring immediate corrective driver action to maintain control of the vehicle.
Multiple times I have gotten a "Park assistance fault - book a service" message while driving and the parking sensors stop working. The issue temporarily resolves itself only to reoccurring several days later. Took to service and they replaced the car computer and said they could to replicate the issue after replacing the computer. Now a week later and the issue has re-occurred twice again.
Built-in navigation application has on multiple occasions stopped working and stating "searching for GPS". This causes a distraction and increases the chance of a crash because I now have to try to figure out what is going on while I was relying on the navigation to understand where I was going.
My wife was driving at about 40 MPH when the instrument panel displayed a warning "System Failure" and the digital speedometer stopped working and showed the current speed as two dashes instead of a number (ie "--" instead of "40"). After about 5-10 seconds the warning went away and the digital speedometer appeared to start displaying the correct speed again.
The first issue occurred on 4/16/26. Car stopped mid-drive on a public road. No error or warning, just a jerk noise and stopped. This was around 7 in the evening and I am fortunate it was a not so busy road. Gives me nightmares thinking if me or my kids were driving on a freeway. Got towed to a dealership and the root cause was identified as the coolant being completely drained off because of a manufacturing defect with the radiator having a pin sized hole causing coolant to leak off. What was worse is that there was a known software bug, TJ 37300 that suppressed the low coolant message. I can't believe Volvo has released the car with a known safety issue. Got the car back on 5/11/26 and it was towed back on 5/16/26 for a similar issue. Awaiting root cause and resolution. Will report a separate case for that
The vehicle has experienced repeated intermittent electrical-system-related failures since the start of the lease, which have remained unresolved despite eight months of formal engagement with Volvo and multiple service and software-related repair attempts by Volvo. Most recently, on May 15, 2026, while operating the vehicle in approximately 90°F Arizona temperatures, the vehicle displayed a “Limited Performance / Electrical System Temporarily Limited” warning message. Shortly afterward, the driver was temporarily unable to re-enter the vehicle, despite the exterior door handles deploying normally. Vehicle access was restored only after several minutes. The side view mirrors would not open. Driving for two minutes did not resolve this. After ten minutes of remaining parked the mirrors reconnected. This latest incident follows prior issues including: •Loss of charging capability during a long distance trip (which forced us to drive 50MPH on a 75MPH highway, putting our car and other drivers at risk.) •Multiple incidents involving loss of instrument displays while driving •Intermittent vehicle access and lock-related issues •Unexpected seatbelt tensioning while the vehicle was in motion Volvo previously indicated that software updates and related service efforts should address the issues. However, after the updates the vehicle continues to exhibit intermittent electrical-system-related problems affecting reliability and normal operation.
Under certain driving conditions, particularly when the sun is at a low or mid-angle (morning or late afternoon), direct sunlight entering through the windshield reflects off multiple interior surfaces and creates a significant glare effect within the driver’s field of view. The reflections originate from several interior components, including metallic or semi-polished trim surfaces on the dashboard and steering wheel, as well as the glossy plastic housing surrounding the Bowers & Wilkins center tweeter located on the dashboard. When sunlight strikes these surfaces at specific angles, the reflected light is directed back toward the driver’s eyes and onto the windshield area, producing intermittent bright glare spots. Safety Impact: This glare can cause temporary visual distraction and reduced forward visibility. In some cases, the reflected light is intense enough to momentarily obscure portions of the road view or draw the driver’s attention away from driving. The issue is angle-dependent and not constant, but it is repeatable under common sun positions and clear weather conditions. Assessment of Cause: The condition appears to be related to interior material selection and surface finishes that include reflective or semi-gloss components positioned within the driver’s forward field of view. The combination of windshield angle, dashboard geometry, and placement of polished trim elements contributes to a direct reflection path toward the driver. The Bowers & Wilkins center tweeter housing, in particular, appears to be constructed of a highly reflective plastic surface that amplifies this effect when exposed to direct sunlight. Similarly, metallic trim elements on the dashboard and steering wheel may lack sufficient matte finishing or anti-glare treatment to prevent specular reflection.
My Volvo Ex90 was promised to have LIDAR capability. I found out that Volvo broke their relationship with the company that was promised to supply this capability to our vehicle and I would like compensation. Do you know who I would contact?
Showing 20 of 71 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
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Before you buy, check the exact Volvo EX90
These pages show model-year patterns across 2 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Volvo EX90, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Volvo EX90 has 71 complaints on record across 2 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Volvo EX90 has 3 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 2 of the Volvo EX90's 71 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Volvo EX90 vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Volvo EX90 vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Volvo EX90 has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Volvo EX90 reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Volvo EX90 reliable?
Average. The Volvo EX90 has 71 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Volvo EX90 years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2025 (67 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Volvo EX90 problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (34 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (19 complaints); FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (13 complaints).
Does the Volvo EX90 have recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Volvo EX90. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.