While driving on a rainy day my forward collision warning (FCW) system cam on signifying and impending collision via the "Red Warning Vehicle Crash" in the heads-up display. The car started to automatically break as well. There were no other vehicles in my land or close to me at the time. It was purely heavy rain. This is not the first occurrence of the FCW system engaging automatically. The same situation occurs during heavy rains or if water splashes from the other land in front of the car. The situation seems similar to the Hyundai recall just issued by NHSTA Luckily I have avoided being rear ended as no one has been close to me or they have been able to react to the sudden unexpected deceleration of my vehicle without my intervention or desire to do so. I ask the federal safety agency to broaden its investigation into other vehicles as this seems to be an issue across vehicle platforms and manufacturers.
The worst 2020 Volvo S90 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Driver assistance2
- Brakes1
- Suspension1
- Wheels1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Driver assistance2
- Brakes1
- Suspension1
- Wheels1
Recalls 3
Electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery
- What is wrong
- Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020-2021 S90, 2020-2022 S60, V60, XC60, XC90, and 2022 V90 plug-in hybrid vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module when the battery is fully charged and the vehicle is parked.
- Risk
- A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the high-voltage battery module as necessary. In addition, dealers will update the software to monitor the battery. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 28, 2025. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1‑800‑458‑1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10312.
Recall number 25V179000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail.
- Risk
- Failure of the low-pressure fuel pump can cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1‑888‑458‑1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.
Recall number 21V414000 · Recall details
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 20V144000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2020 Volvo S90
Defect investigations
Pedestrian alert sounds
the federal safety agency 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 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, the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency regarding the subject matter of the petition.
DP22005
Technical service bulletins for the 2020 Volvo S90 217
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This is a Technical Journal text only no attachments : Improved 12V battery test in VIDA. The 12V battery...
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment
- This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens
- This is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test
- This is a TJ text only
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 jpg and 1 mp4 file -- If there is a strange chafing or creaking...
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus TJI-516730-1_1_0 Headliner, squeak/rattle noise If a squeaking...
- This is a TJ
- This is a Technical Journal
What 2020 Volvo S90 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
On 8/22 while driving on a city road in extreme rainy conditions the vehicle in front of me drove through standing water, which created significant spray. As a result the City Safety feature of my Volvo S90 engaged in an extreme fashion. Without any risk of an impending collision the City Safety feature determined the water spray to be an obstacle and fully engaged the brakes (ABS event) to avoid the impending collision including engaging seat-belt pre-tensioning. I was lucky as the drive behind me was paying attention and swerved to avoid rear ending my abruptly stopping vehicle without any intervention from me as the driver. I believe that the issue was caused due to the City Safety system incorrectly detecting the water spray as an impeding crash. This seems to be a system calibration that could have been addressed during development. I wanted to notify the federal safety agency of this situation so you can be aware and monitor the impact of these driver assist features on overall road safety.
- Brakes, Wheels, and possibly suspension. - Car shudders under braking, impacts stopping ability. All tires vibrate while driving. Wheels are warped/damaged. - Vehicle went to the dealer. Replaced all four rotors, repaired all for rims. - I have reached out to the manufacturer for support. They declined to get involved. - No messages or warnings
Compare the 2020 Volvo S90
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Questions about the 2020 Volvo S90
Is the 2020 Volvo S90 reliable?
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2020 Volvo S90, close to a typical S90 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Volvo S90?
Driver assistance and stability, with 2 complaints. Next is brakes (1).
How many recalls does the 2020 Volvo S90 have?
3 recalls, covering electrical system, fuel system, gasoline and forward collision avoidance.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Volvo S90 driver assistance?
Yes, 1 recall: 20V144000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Is there a class action lawsuit over the Volvo S90?
Yes. New class action says Volvo's Google-based infotainment screens freeze and take climate and rearview camera with them (November 9, 2026).
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