2018 Volvo S90 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (3) · Wheels (2) · Tires:tread/Belt (1)
Safety recalls (2)
Seats 2019-03-20 · campaign 19V220000 · 2,297 vehicles
Defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 XC60 and S90 vehicles. The driver and passenger front seat rail rear flange nuts may not have been installed during assembly.
Risk: If the nuts are missing, in the event of a crash, the front seat structure and position may be affected, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat rails for missing flange nuts, installing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R19931.
Electrical System:software 2018-11-13 · campaign 18V800000 · 17,548 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Fix: 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.
Service bulletins (465)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-05-23 · 33031.6.0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a technical journal: text plus 1 .jpg attachment - if remote control key is not detected by the car and shows message in dim "car key not found" or if functions such as lock/unlock are not working, please follow advice for detecting key
Power Train 2026-05-07 · 36496.10.0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a technical journal: intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. if the sound corresponds to attached sound file, change front drive shafts to the below part numbers.
Exterior Lighting 2026-05-07 · 34521.11.1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a technical journal: headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. if the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
Engine 2026-04-23 · 35526.1.8 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a technical journal: text plus 2 pdfs and 1 .png oil consumption test. perform the test. follow service procedure description and service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.
Unknown Or Other 2026-04-07 · 37809.1.1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a tj text only - the purpose of this tj is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. this tj will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval. current items under prior approval are listed in the "service" sec
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-13 · 35842 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is a technical journal: text plus 1 jpg and 1 mp4 file -- if there is a strange chafing or creaking noise when turning the steering wheel, follow the advice under service.
Showing the 6 most recent of 465 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-07-31 · Electrical System“volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of ac. they have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.my car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. i have had the ac hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. this has also damaged my s…”
2026-05-03 · Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings“issue 1 – volvo on call / vcm "service required" message: my vehicle has displayed a persistent "volvo on call service required" error message in the driver information module (dim) for over one year. this is directly covered by: • volvo technical journal tj 36916.1.0 (nhtsa id: mc-10253788), issued april 2024 • fault code: vcm-u105000 (vehic…”
2026-02-11 · Wheels“there is a great deal of vibration at highway speeds. it has been like this since i purchased the car. …”
2025-10-10 · Unknown Or Other“the ac system releases refrigerant into the cabin due to volvo improperly engineering the climate control and allowing the evaporator core to freeze and crack. they acknowledge the issue and have released a resister cable to prevent the evaporator core from cracking. i have tested the air in the cabin, and the voc level is at a dangerous level du…”
2025-03-12 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:doors:lock“rear right door lock failed, stuck closed. extremely unsafe if someone was sitting in the back and unable to leave vehicle. it has been confirmed by others. it has been inspected by an independent mechanic. there has been zero warning lights to indicate the issue …”
2025-02-19 · Electrical System“at 5pm while driving home, which was 2 hours away, i needed to stop and refuel. at the pump i pushed the fuel door and it would not release to open. after many tries it would not open. i called volvo on call and informed them of the problem. the agent relayed that i should go to the back of the car near the fuel door, and with the remote lock a…”
2024-02-23 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:doors:latch“the rear door will not open from the inside or the outside. apparently this is a door lock actuator issue experinced by many volvo owners. it is extremely dangerous not to be able to open a rear door in the case of an accident or other incident where you need to enter or exit the car. dealer confirms that there is an issue with these. no warning me…”
2023-10-23 · Tires:tread/Belt“255/35 r20 bleb in sidewall with air leak through tread adjacent. no unusual trauma to tire.…”
2022-10-24 · Unknown Or Other“water get inside the car in the back on the floor mat behind driver seat. was not aware of this problem at all.…”
2022-06-16 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:rotor · 47,000 mi“the contact owns a 2018 volvo s90. the contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, the steering wheel would violently shake without warning. the contact has had two sets of brake rotors replaced on the vehicle due to the failure. since owning the vehicle, the contact stated that the failure would occur approximately every 8,000-10,0…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.