2004 Volvo XC90: won't start

Filed Jul 20, 2012 · Electrical · 80,000 miles · MD

Starting in 2011 and 3 other occasions vehicle would not start. Starter motor would not turn and system appeared to be dead. Battery was tested to be in good condition. Prior to these events electrical system behaved erratically with radio switching on and off, door locks not operating from remote key fob and windshield wipers erratically turning on and off. Lights and systems seemingly behaving erratically. Airbag warning lights came on. On first occasion system was reset and mechanic changed the starter motor. In hindsight I don't believe it was bad or caused of the problem. On second and third occasions after towing and repeated start attempts the engine started. Note that when attempting starts nothing happened when the key was turned (engine starter would turn or engage. No clicking sound associated with bad battery), on fourth occasion in july 2012 volvo reported that central electronic module was bad and multiple fault codes were present. When informed that this was a seemingly a common problem on 2004/5 xc90 with this model due to leaking grommet they denied this and stated that this was not the case for this vehicle. Module was changed at cost of $1,280.

Filed Dec 1, 2010 · Engine · 134,500 miles · SC

At 65mph on a highway, the vehicle registered a "anti-skid service required" fault message, then an "electrical service required" message. The engine then quit running, the steering became unresponsive and the vehicle immediately started decelerating. The braking was very mushy and the car was difficult to pull over and stop. The car would not start. All the lights and the battery seem to be working fine. The dealership determined the cem (engine control module) was defective and needs replacement.

Filed Sep 10, 2010 · Electrical, Lights · 169,200 miles · AR

My headlights, driving lights, park lights, and turn signals are not working. This began when I started to go somewhere last night. All of these things were working the day before. The tail lights, turn signals, and brake lights are working in the rear. My vehicle is garaged when it is not in use. My radio, cd player, or satellite radio would not operate 2 days ago and started working the next time I started my car. About 2 weeks ago the car wouldn't start. It acted like the security system had been activated as it would crank, but not start. I waited for about an hour and tried it again and it started the first time. I have checked all fuses. I am taking it to the repair shop today to see if they can figure out what is happening. These problems are intermittent and do not repeat often enough to diagnose properly. I can see this being very dangerous if I were driving at night and the headlights went out. I live in a rural area with a large deer population and it is hard enough to avoid them with the headlights working.

Filed Aug 2, 2010 · Electrical · 92,565 miles · AZ

I have been having an issue with my 2004 volvo xc90 which the dealership has not been able to correct for my fourth visit now. The entire electrical system shuts down while driving on the highway. This has been happening and each time I take it in, they are unable to replicate the issue and of course find something else to repair. I have been lucky as not have been in heavy traffic when it happens, but I could imagine it could cause a horrible accident. The last time this happened was about 7/18. I was driving about 70mph on the freeway and the car made a 'thump' and all the lights and gauges turned off momentarily and started back up again. I slowed down to about 60mph and moved to the right side and the exact same thing happened again about 5 min later. Luckily I was close to the exit where my mechanic shop was so I slowed down to exit. All of the lights on the instrument panel turned off, as well as the airconditioning (115 day in phx) and a warning light flashed saying I had a break failure. I was able to limp to the mechanics and left the car running so they could see the engine was on, but nothing else. They did not have the equipment to check the 'code' on a volvo. They were able to re-set it by disconnecting the battery, and the lights worked again. As I pulled out of the mechanics, the car thumped again and I once again lost all power. I limped the car home with plans to drive it early in the morning before it got too hot, to the volvo dealership. In the morning, the car would not start at all. I called a tow truck and had it brought over. The volvo dealership once again could find nothing wrong, but found something to fix and charge me for, the impulse sensor ($250). I finally got the car back on july 29th, 10 days later. This issue has been experienced by many 04/05 xc90 owners as described in this forum,http://www.volvo-forums.com/t23397-xc90-electricalengine-power-failure.htm. I ask that you have volvo fix this issue, before someone dies.

Filed Jun 10, 2010 · Electrical · 45,000 miles · PA

In march 2010, 04 xc90 lost power while driving on highway at about 65mph. Dashboard lights, radio all cut off, car lunged forward, and in 1-2 seconds dashboard lights and radio power on again. Took to volvo dealership, they couldn't duplicate the issue but diagnostics said they needed to replace the steering column module which should fix problem. This didn't fix the problem because car did the same thing (lose power, lunge forward) around same speed 2 months later. Dealer could not duplicate, returned car to me. A week later, june 3, car won't start at all, towed to volvo dealership. This time they say the cem (central electronic module) needs to be replaced and that should solve it. They replaced cem, so far car runs fine. There have been too many complaints about this and volvo is not take ownership of this problem.

Filed Apr 27, 2009 · Airbags, Brakes · 113,825 miles · GA

While driving in heavy traffic on april 25, 2009, my 2004 volvo xc90 began jerking and then there was a sudden loss of power, the instrument panel swooped to the far right and then back to left with no other movement, the radio shut off, the windshield wipers began wiping, and the door locks and windows would not work. Shortly thereafter, the message box displayed "brake failure-stop safely", and then changed to "SRS airbag _service urgent". Once we stopped, the vehicle would not start again. I disconnected the battery in hopes of resetting the computer. Once this was done the car started again. Messages are still displayed. We contacted volvo corporate and have an appointment with a local dealership tomorrow. This is a serious safety issue and it is not the first time I have submitted a complaint for this same type problem. I have been a faithful, repeat volvo customer, and would like to continue to support volvo. My loyalty is slowly fading, especially after reading several complaints of the same nature. Volvo please don't let a death occur before you take action.

Filed Oct 10, 2006 · Airbags, Electrical · 33,000 miles · MN

2004 xc90 has had three computer/electrical problems, perhaps related. Urgent message appears on panel, "SRS needs attention - urgent". Car taken to dealer with message active, dealer unable to diagnose problem, resets system. 3 months later, SRS message reappears, car won't start, no lights or other accessories left on. Battery diagnosed as dead, replaced, SRS message clears with new battery. 3 months later, SRS message reappears, two control modules replaced.

Filed Nov 2, 2005 · Electrical · 24,600 miles · CT

I parked my vehicle in my driveway on the evening of friday, august 12, 2005. I left on vacation the following morning leaving my vehicle in the driveway. I returned from vacation late on the evening of august 21, 2005. The following morning when I went out to leave for work, the vehicle would not start. I called aaa in order to have the car jumped. It would not jump. I then called the volvo dealership and they told me to call the volvo hot line for a tow. The vehicle was towed to the gengras volvo dealership in east hartford, ct on the morning of august 22, 2005 and it remains there at this time. The dealership service department reports that all of the computers are malfunctioning. They report this to be "an act of god" as in the car was struck by lightening. I was advised to report this to my insurance company which I did. An appraiser was dispatched to look at the vehicle and then special engineers from north eastern technical services. Inc in fall river, ma went to the volvo dealership to view the vehicle. They removed two computer modules with permission of the service department and microscopically examined them to determine if any connectors, circuit board or component damage was present. Neither module showed any indicators of damage. At this point the claim has been denied by my insurance company saying that the problem is a warranty problem. Volvo disputes this saying it is "an act of god". The vehicle is less than two years old and has less than 24,000 miles on it. I have not been able to drive the vehicle since august 12, 2005. It does qualify for the lemon law, but more importantly, I found that there have been other reported electrical system failures of this model. I am concerned that this is indeed a problem with this particular model and the volvo is trying to cover it up.

Filed Jul 20, 2005 · Electrical · 10,400 miles · CA

We leased our volvo xc90-t almost exactly 1 year ago to date from south county volvo. Less than 3 months later, the car wouldn't start. They said that my wife must have left a light on; the battery was recharged and we took the car back. 2 months later, the car again would not start; again it was towed-back to the dealership. This time, they said the battery was bad. The third time they said there was bad switch which controls the lights and that was changed. On the fourth occasion, which incidentally occurred excatly one year later on july 7th, 2005, they (again) said we must have left a light on...no one can be that dumb, not even me!. I am fast losing my confidence in volvo!

Filed Sep 13, 2004 · Acceleration, Airbags · NJ

On august, 26, 2004 there was a major malfunction in our volvo xc90 (2004). While driving with 2 small children in car seats and 2 adults on a major highway; suddendly, there was no acceleration in the gas pedal and the stearing wheel did not function. We managed to slowly move to the side of the road from what momentum was left in the car, and avoid an accident. We were obviously very shaken up, and find this car completely unsafe. It has been 3 weeks now getting the run around with the cherry hill, new jersey volvo dealer. They said "there's nothing wrong with the car". The car is unsafe for our family, and presents a danger for others on the road. We are afraid it will stop dead again on a major highway with death or injuries occuring to either ourselves or others. The dealer asked us what we wanted "we finally said, (after they said they'd get us a new SUV and did not) that we want our money back ($3,000 deposit) and we don't want this car they sold us. Today, they made us take this car back and they are refusing our request to refund our money. Also, the car was towed on a flat bed truck in to the dealer on july 13th, 2004 as the car did not start.. "relays were loose in the icm and cem etc.," [we have the service order] on this day, the message on the car said something to the effect "urgent malfunction in SUV air bags..." and we unloaded the family and it was towed to the volvo dealership. And the car's 2 side mirrors work one day and not the next. Tomorrow I take matthew to his first day at pre-school, and I'm half thinking what if something happens to the car when we're driving. It's amazing to me that volvo can let me leave their parking lot with this car this evening, and the aren't taking safety seriously at all. So, at 11:00 pm I am up letting the federal safety agency know what's going on. We are willing to help in anyway we can. Sincerely, the lawrence family.

Filed Dec 4, 2003 · Electrical · CT

Xc90 does not start - the problem persisted for over 4 weeks and dealer could not fix the problem.