Verdict
2017 Volvo XC90: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2017 Volvo XC90 — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for SUV.
Owners filed 75 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 58% of 2017 SUVs. Unknown Or Other leads the reports (24%). 7 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2017 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
75
Reports to NHTSA, 2017
Safety recalls
7
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Not rated
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
23.5
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
Fewer complaints than 58% of 2017 SUVs
The bar is this car's percentile among 2017 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Unknown Or Other issues lead owner complaints (24% of 75 reports), followed by electrical system (17%).
+ 9 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 75 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11021050, ODI 11680358, ODI 11729350, ODI 11728383, ODI 11718017.
Recalls(7)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Seat BeltsJul 2023 · 23V827000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash.
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. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10259.
Seat BeltsAug 2017 · 17V370000Details +Close −
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017 XC90 vehicles. The Micro Gas Generator (MGG), a subcomponent part used within the right hand side seat belt retractor for the third row seats, may detach after the seatbelt retractor pretensioner is deployed.
Risk: Although, the seat belt will operate as intended in the event of a crash, if the MGG detaches, it may be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the third row passenger's side seatbelt retractor, free of charge. The recall began August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89716.
Seat BeltsFeb 2016 · 16V798000Details +Close −
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages" and number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed, free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89708.
Equipment · 16V690000Details +Close −
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing.
Risk: Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.
Air Bags · 17V104000Details +Close −
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017 XC90, S90, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The bolts that secure the Inflatable Curtain (IC) air bags in place may break, possibly resulting in the IC air bag deploying improperly in the event of a crash. As, such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: If the IC air bags do not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 1, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89714.
Electrical System · 18V800000Details +Close −
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. As a result, the GPS will not provide location information to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.
Risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
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.
Electrical System · 21V273000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.
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. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
1 NHTSA investigation on record
Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.
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. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Crash-test ratings
No NHTSA crash test is on record for this year. Some vehicles and model years were not tested or do not have a published NCAP result.
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XC90 AWD PHEV | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 24 | 27 | 25 |
| XC90 FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 22 | 26 | 24 |
| XC90 AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 22 | 25 | 23 |
| XC90 AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 20 | 25 | 22 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.
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Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2017 Volvo XC90: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2017 Volvo XC90?
Owners filed 75 NHTSA complaints about the 2017 Volvo XC90 — fewer complaints than 58% of comparable 2017 SUVs, so it sits toward the stronger end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2017 Volvo XC90?
The most-reported problem areas are Unknown Or Other (24% of complaints) and electrical system (17%).
How many recalls does the 2017 Volvo XC90 have?
7 recalls have been issued that affect the 2017 Volvo XC90, covering components such as seat belts. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2017 Volvo XC90 get?
The EPA rates the 2017 Volvo XC90 between 22 and 25 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.