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2008 Volvo XC90

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Volvo XC90 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 34.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

25 reports with mileage · 4 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

3 reports
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120,000 miles · Jun 3, 2019
EngineUnknown Or OtherFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH FAILED TO RESPOND. THE DRIVER VEERED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ONTO DASH PR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH FAILED TO RESPOND. THE DRIVER VEERED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ONTO DASH PRIOR TO OR AFTER VEHICLE LOST POWER. NOTICED UNDER THE HOOD WAS SMOKING. THE DRIVER GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND CALLED FOR HELP, WITHIN MINUTES THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED DUE TO NO INJURIES BEING REPORTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT AND INSTRUCTED US THERE WAS NOT ANY REASON TO CALL LOCAL POLICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY A LOCAL TOWING COMPANY ON A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HER DAUGHTER GOT HER ALTERNATOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER, VOLVO WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ARE PERFORMING A FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE CAR FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI #11217502

21,000 miles · Nov 11, 2016
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I OWN A 2008 XC90 WITH ONLY 21000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING, WITH MY CHILD IN MY CAR, I RECEIVED A MESSAGE "REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE" AND MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING. I BARELY MADE IT HOME, GOING OVER A SMALL HILL WAS A STRUGGLE. MIND YOU, THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH THAT I WAS GOING TO BE STRANDED ON THE S…

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I OWN A 2008 XC90 WITH ONLY 21000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING, WITH MY CHILD IN MY CAR, I RECEIVED A MESSAGE "REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE" AND MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING. I BARELY MADE IT HOME, GOING OVER A SMALL HILL WAS A STRUGGLE. MIND YOU, THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AND I WAS SCARED TO DEATH THAT I WAS GOING TO BE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MY CHILD. I HAVE READ ON FORUMS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CUSTOMERS AND VOLVO CURRENTLY HAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR ETM AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. WHEN I ENTERED MY VIN ON THE VOLVO SITE NOTHING CAME UP. THIS IS MY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION AND I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT UNTIL THIS GETS RESOLVED QUICKLY.

NHTSA ODI #10925566

900 miles · Jul 6, 2008
Unknown Or OtherCrash

MY 4 YEAR OLD SON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH OUR BRAND NEW VOLVO XC90. I GOT OUT OF CAR TO TAKE A PICTURE (LEAVING THE ENGINE ON FOR AIR CONDITIONING) AND HE SHIFTED THE CAR OUT OF PARK, CRASHING THANK GOODNESS INTO A FENCE THAT SLOWLY STOPPED HIM. KNOWING HE CANNOT REACH THE BREAK I IMMEDIATELY TESTED THE GEAR SHIFT AND FOUND TH…

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MY 4 YEAR OLD SON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH OUR BRAND NEW VOLVO XC90. I GOT OUT OF CAR TO TAKE A PICTURE (LEAVING THE ENGINE ON FOR AIR CONDITIONING) AND HE SHIFTED THE CAR OUT OF PARK, CRASHING THANK GOODNESS INTO A FENCE THAT SLOWLY STOPPED HIM. KNOWING HE CANNOT REACH THE BREAK I IMMEDIATELY TESTED THE GEAR SHIFT AND FOUND THAT IT EASILY SHIFTS OUT OF PARK WITHOUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. WE HAVE RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO HAS ADMITTED "THE CAR'S SHIFTER IS BROKEN". WE ASKED TO CHECK ANOTHER NEW XC90 IT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAPPENED IN ANY OTHER LOCATION. WE ARE HOPING THE DEALER WILL FULLY REPAIR THE CAR OR OFFER US A NEW ONE. I AM NOT SURE I CAN TRUST THIS CAR AGAIN -WE JUST BOUGHT IT THIS MAY. HOW AND WHEN DID IT "BREAK" OR WAS IT DEFECTIVE TO START WITH? SHOULD THIS CAR HAVE EVEN PASSED ITS SAFETY INSPECTION? CAN I GET ACCESS TO THE FACTORY'S SAFETY INSPECTION? ARE THERE OTHER REPORTS OF BRAND NEW XC90S WITH DEFECTIVE GEAR SHIFTS? HAS ANYONE ELSE REPORTED THIS? I'D HAVE NEVER KNOWN IT WAS FAULTY IF THIS ACCIDENT HADN'T HAPPENED. I EXPECTED THIS SAFETY STANDARD, AS OUR OLD VOLVO HAD IT. FORTUNATELY MY SON WAS NOT INJURED, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE'S CHILD MAY BE. PLEASE CHECK OUT THESE CARS. WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM THE DEALER? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10233287

Official recalls

3

10V566000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)

Nov 8, 2010

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.

08V206000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

May 6, 2008

VOLVO IS RECALLING 102 MY 2008 XC90 AND S80 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INCORRECT BOLTS TO THE ENGINE MOUNT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE ALUMINUM BRACKET FOR THE ENGINE MOUNT COULD BREAK DUE TO LACK OF ADEQUATE CLAMPING FORCE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SUB-FRAME, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A REDUCED ENGINE TORQUE OR STALLING OF THE ENGINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS FOR SPECIFIC MARKINGS. IF ANY OF THE BOLTS CONTAIN THE INCORRECT MARKINGS, THE BRACKET AND BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OWNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR THESE VEHICLES.

07V563000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

Dec 12, 2007

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE (CCM) MAY RECEIVE A 'SHUT-DOWN SIGNAL' FROM THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AFTER IGNITION KEY INSERTION. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL FUNCTIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE (INCLUDING THE DEFROSTER) DURING THAT DRIVING CYCLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INOPERATIVE DEFROSTERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE IMPAIRED VISIBILITY WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy: THE ECM SOFTWARE WILL BE UPGRADED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.