2004 volvo xc90 sudden engine stall with lose of headlights: I was traveling on the interstate at night with the cruise set at 75 MPH when suddenly it was like someone turned the ignition key to off for about 3 seconds, and then turned the key back on without restarting the engine. With all the warning lamps illuminated, and the engine at a stall I pulled into the emergency lane, and stopped. I then shifted to park and attempted to start the vehicle, where it took several attempts to start. The headlights did not stop working while pulling over, and when I stopped I switched the lights off before I restarted the engine. The first thing at mind was a fuel pump that was starting to act up. After restarting I revved the engine up a few quick times (to clear the engines throat). I then got back on the interstate accelerating to 75 MPH , but doing so manually this time(no cruise control). About 10 min had passed when suddenly the engine started losing power as I was having to press the accelerator harder to maintain speed. While still coasting at 65 MPH or so I placed the transmission into neutral, and attempted to restart the engine, when I turned the key to the start position I lost all the lights, I quickly released the key to the on position, and the lights remained off. I quickly pulled to the emergency lane and used the force to avoid the guardrail and the ditch. All the warning light were illuminated, and the engine was at a stall. I then turned the ignition key off and then back on, and that restored the headlights. It took 5-8 attempts to restart the engine, and again I'm thinking fuel pump acting up. Each time I attempted to restart the engine it would spit and sputter like if the fuel pump were only delivering half the pressure needed for the fuel injectors. After the engine restarted I made it home, and the problem has not arisen since,
2004 Volvo XC90 transmission complaints
Page 2 of 6: complaints 11 to 40 of 145, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Car moved to right when applying brakes. Car clunks when making turns. Car very noisy when going over bumps/ potholes.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo xc90. While driving 65 MPH, the engine rpms decreased as if the brake pedal were depressed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not provided. The failure mileage was 135,000....updated 01/27/16 *bf
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo xc90. While driving at any speed, the vehicle jerked and lost power. The contact also heard water running on the right passenger side door and underneath the dashboard. The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,00. The VIN was not provided.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo xc90. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stopped independently. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the tie rod needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
As I was taking my kids home the truck went into limp mode even though it was still in drive leaving me and my two kids stranded in the middle of the highway my daughter and I had to actually push the vehicle off the road to safety. Now I find out that it needs a new transmission which we aren't able to locate.
While on the interstate at 60mph, experienced temporarily loss of power, the ip displays and an abnormal 'jerking' in the transmission/drivetrain. The SRS airbag and brake failure error messages appeared in the ip error display. The wipers momentarily came on. Lights dimmed. Power failure was only for a split-second (at 60mph) before returning to normal. After normal power was restored, error messages continued to be shown in the ip error display. The brake failure message instructed me to pull over and bring the vehicle to a safe stop. Upon bringing the vehicle to a safe stop and turning off ignition, I heard excessive electrical clicking under the dash (like relays clicking). All ip displays were non-responsive (dark). I locked the car (alarm armed) and later returned with a tow-truck. Upon return to the car, I was unable to unlock it or disarm the alarm. Car was unresponsive. Alarm was armed (unable to be disarmed) and the engine bypass feature of the alarm prevented me from starting the car. Could only gain entry into the car from the driver's side door with physical key. Car was placed in neutral and loaded onto a flatbed truck for tow back to volvo dealership. Temperature at time of failure was 110f.
While driving, car stopped accelerating and urgent transmission required light came on. Took it to dealership today and was told a new transmission is needed; total cost $6800. I know this year and model vehicle has had several issues with transmission. When I called volvo, they said nothing could be done.
While driving 70 MPH on I-5 we heard a loud thump in the engine compartment and we suddenly went to about 25 MPH all of our electronic systems shut down, there was an extremely loud grinding sound for approx. 2-3 seconds. Now I think my transmission is damaged and the electronics system shuts down pretty frequently. I am totally disappointed to read that this has happened to numerous other families. Thank god no one has died from this.....this is very irresponsible and negligent from a reputable auto company. Is it going to take someone or family to get seriously injured or die before they acknowledge this very serious issue. Its time for someone to be accountable for this.
After several hours of driving in the georgia / north carolina mountains with the wife and 2 kids in the back, the air-conditioner and radio on with the 2004 xc90, the car started experiencing weird behavior. Shortly after crossing the georgia border into the mountains of north carolina there was a loud noise under the hood of the car and the vehicle jerked violently. The car immediately lost all electrical power (no dashboard, hazard lights, blinkers, windows and door locks, sunroof, etc.). The drive train also seemed stuck in a high gear and would not downshift which made normal driving close to impossible especially on mountain roads. About 15 minutes later, the car made the violent noise again under the hood again and jerked violently again. Luckily there was an autozone immediately after the second incident and I had them read the engine codes which was only showing a 'dstc failure' (dashboard was non-functional). I decided to replace the battery with a new one in hopes that the failure was because of a weak battery tricking the computer to go into survival mode. Upon restarting the car, power was restored to the cabin (AC, radio, and dash were all working again) and there was now a 'SRS airbag service urgent' message which I couldn't clear from the dash, nor could the tool from autozone detect or clear via the plug to the computer port. There were no engine codes in the autozone computer after the battery change but we still had the SRS warning light / message on the dash. The next day, we had the same issue above driving home from our destination. We were hoping that new battery would solve the issue, but I now believe it's the cem. Car is going to the dealer tomorrow to investigate since of course it happened on memorial day weekend and nothing was open other than some stores.
At 65 MPH wipers went on by themselves then followed by split second power failure,meaning dashboard light out,hazard lights could not be turned on,windows would not open,A/C out,in the message screen at that moment antilock brake failure was displayed before everything went out,driving another 20 miles till next exit at the dusk,after pulling over and restart ( to reset) SRS failure in the message screen. Car checked by volvo dealer and statement from them:fault in cem is shutting down network and causing dim to black out. Replacement will run about $1500,this car had automatic transmission failure at 91822 miles and ignition failure recently,and many many other costly problems.
The transmission is slipping. Engine revs and the transmission won't upshift...eventual gear change cause the vehicle to lurch forward a bit, with a loud thud heard. The vehicle also fails to move off from a stop on occasion...with the engine revving for a while before moving forward. Display message in the cluster: "transmission service urgent"...goes off and on for days at a time.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo xc90. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the transmission failed. The vehicle stopped accelerating and the speed dropped to zero. The contact pulled to the side of the road to restart the vehicle and the vehicle accelerated but would not exceed beyond second gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis where they informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Add to the very long list one more xc90 t6 owner with an automatic transmission failure. Transmission began slipping while driving. Repair estimate was $5800. This is the gm-sourced transmission issue that volvo appears to be ignoring. Rest assured I will be participating in any class action suits that I can find until volvo issues a recall or monetary compensation.
We are owners of a 2004 volvo xc90 t6 awd and have experienced a transmission failure that will cost $6500 to replace. Upon further investigation, we have found that there are literally thousands of complaints regarding these transmissions failing yet volvo has failed to step up and address the problem. In our case, my wife was driving the car, in traffic, when the car slipped out of gear and started slowing down! Luckily she was able to get off on the shoulder before trailing traffic caught up to her, but imagine what may have happened if she wasn't able to get out of the way! Volvo knows this is a problem and should do something so that 1) no serious injuries come from this failure, and 2) to compensate the volvo owners out there that have had to shell out thousands of dollars in repair costs for this problem. Please investigate this issue!!
I was driving on the parkway and notice a warning light on the dash. It stated urgent transmission needs service. I've taken it to the dealer and needed to replace transmission and radiator among other things.
There appears to be a problem with the xc90 volvo transmission in all years. The message error code given is "transmission service required". The dealers claims it just has to update the car software to correct the problem. However, if you check the internet for problems reported on this same issue, you will find it is not just an isolated problem which need to be investigated.
Transmission failed with no warning. Fluid is in great shape, bad transmission.
In the winter of 2011 while driving my car in heavy rush hour traffic in the chicago area the transmission failed suddenly and lost all power which was very dangerous and concerning. I was barley able to get to the side of the road without power and without endangering the other vehicles around me. The repairs required that my transmission be rebuilt, drive train gears replaced, and my radiator replaced which took four weeks and cost $7,000. The transmission failed because coolant from the radiator leaked into the transmission fluid. My vehicle was maintained per the manufactures requirement including a transmission fluid change less than a year earlier. It is obvious from a simple google search that this is a common problem due to defective parts and manufacturing. Even more obvious because volvo will only warranty a replacement transmission if the radiator and other transmission parts are replaced. I also had to replace both rear wheel bearings earlier (about $400 each) only to find out that this also is a common problem suspected to be due to over tightening of straps during shipment. Contacted volvo on 10/31/11 and they refused any responsibility for the repairs even though it is well document that there are manufacturing defects with several vehicles and this is not an isolated incident. I was told since it is not a recall they will not address it.
I purchased this vehicle thinking it would be a life long vehicle considering I had already purchased a reliable volvo car in the past, the urgent service transmission appeared and I took it to a local transmission shop (being that there is no local dealership) as soon as the message appeared the transmission started to skip constantly causing a hazard, and then confirmed that the transmission needs to be replaced. I have done extensive research on the internet and I came to find that many of your xc90 transmissions fail and I would like to know how volvo north america stands behind their vehicles in these situations. I would like to continue being a volvo owner but being that I will be forced to spend thousands on a defect from volvo it will make me think twice. I hope somebody can help me with this.
My recently bought 2004 volvo xc90 t6 transmission failed while I was driving on a major highway during rush hour. It took the entire length of the light to cross the intersection and several near-misses by other cars. Volvo refuses any responsibility for the faulty transmission and after further research, I found that the transmission was replaced at 50,093 miles in 2008 while under warranty by a previous owner.
The transmission on my 2004 volvo xc90 went out while I was driving with my children in the car. This is a well known defect in this car yet volvo has refused to recall these vehicles and repair them. They have quoted us $7700 to repair and replace transmission and other parts damaged by the failed transmission. Does someone have to be killed before something is done? These cars need to be recalled and volvo needs to take responsibility for putting in defective transmissions. A simple web search will reveal thousands of posts from owners with the exact same issue with these faulty transmissions.
I have a 2004 volvo xc90 with 78,000 miles on it and the transmission needs to be replaced. This is ridiculous for such a nice car. I don't have $5,000 to replace a transmission. Volvo needs to step up to the plate.
Transmission failure, loss of power and power steering. Updated 07/28/11
I own a 2004 volvo xc90 tc. The mileage on the vehicle is 54,000 approximately. As of 7/26 the transmission has failed, the cost to repair is 5,200 usd. There is a known problem with this year, make, and model of transmissions. Volvo will not cover the cost of repairs nor have they issued a recall for this widely known problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo xc90. The contact stated the transmission was replaced on 1/27/2007, because the seals failed in the drive train. The contact stated the failure recurred and when the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, they stated the transmission failed again. The contact stated the transmission was first replaced under warranty, but the manufacturer stated the recent failure was not a manufacturers defect. The contact feels it is a manufacturers defect because the time frame of both failures which were identical. The current mileage on the vehicle was 80,000.
Moving about 70mph in cruise we felt a severe jerk followed by near instantaneous hard acceleration. The jerk/thud action so extreme it was almost like the volvo tried to reverse gear by itself. It's strange how an 'event' can conjure up common thoughts. After the uncontrolled hard acceleration, I had thoughts of that state patrol officer driving the lexus in california who was killed along with his family when he couldn't control the bizarre behavior of the car. Turns out it was the same thoughts my brother had. 'as we pulled over and call for help our volvo did something bizarre again. We thought the rear wheel going backward at this time, almost at the same time most all the power in the volvo went dead. O gauges incl. Speedometer, the tack, the gas, the battery, all out. Othe windows stuck in the up position. Ono taillights, no brake lights, no directional. Othe transmission stuck in a gear - either 4 or 5th. 'while waiting for help at the auto zone, I searched what this issue might be. I found a volvo forum that shows many people that had similar, dramatic issues with same year same model volvo. 'after re-connecting the battery, the power came back on oabout hour later the volvo repeated a very dramatic thump-jerk and the power started to go out. The tack and speedometer started dropping - dash lights dimmed and all of sudden the power came back - lights back and gauges popped back up. Oonly to be followed by another thump about one minute later and this time the power failure was similar to above (not sure about taillights as I was moving on the highway and not about to get out and check.) oon our next trip even at the reduced speeds - 5 or 6 times he volvo did some bizarre jerk maneuver with 3 of the times followed by power failure. 'we talked about options and we agreed that selling this vehicle to someone and possibly putting another family at risk. It is not the right thing to do and not a christian thing to do.
Transmission failure on 2004 volvo xc90 t6 awd. Driving on rural road when transmission locked in 3rd gear. Vehicle would not slow down utlizing down shifting on hilly roads. The vehicle on has approx 60k miles. Losing the transmission really hinders the performance and control of the vehicle.
2004 volvo xc90 t6 "transmission service urgent" error message appears. Car jumps when changing gear and sometimes has no power when pushing the gas. Car has 72k+ miles.
2nd transmission failure on my 2004 volvo xc90 t6 aamco is quoting me at $4000 to rebuild or $5500 to replace, would be second replacement for this vehicle.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2004 Volvo XC90?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history