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2020 Volvo XC90 problems

The most common problem on the 2020 Volvo XC90 is electrical system. Its complaint count is close to a typical XC90 model year.

Fewer complaintsAmong the best years of this model
Year score
72/100
Owner complaints
35
Recalls
7
Service bulletins
249
Worst area
Electrical
Fuel economy
21-27mpg

The worst 2020 Volvo XC90 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Electrical
    11
  • Engine
    7
  • Brakes
    5
  • Acceleration
    4
  • Body
    3
  • Fuel system
    3
  • Transmission
    3
  • Airbags
    2
  • Driver assistance
    2
  • Locks
    2
  • Wheels
    2
  • Steering
    1
  • Suspension
    1
  • Visibility
    1

Recalls 7

Electrical system: propulsion system: traction batteryReported March 24, 2025 · 7,483 vehicles affected
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

Seat belts: critical fastenersReported December 7, 2023 · 2,911 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.

Recall number 23V827000 · Recall details

SteeringReported January 5, 2023 · 74 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2022 V60CC, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. During steering gear assembly, double screws may have been assembled on top of each other, which can cause a screw to fall into the gearbox housing.
Risk
A screw inside the gearbox housing can cause the steering wheel to lock up and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1‑800‑458‑1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10213.

Recall number 23V001000 · Recall details

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipReported September 15, 2021 · 9 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 S90L, 2020-2021 XC60, and XC90 vehicles. An improperly welded rotor and shaft may separate within the integrated brake system.
Risk
Separation of the rotor and shaft may cause a reduction in braking assistance and a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the hydraulic unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1‑888‑458‑1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10120.

Recall number 21V716000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pumpReported June 2, 2021 · 85,550 vehicles affected
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

Electrical system: softwareReported April 21, 2021 · 162 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.

Recall number 21V273000 · Recall details

Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency brakingReported March 12, 2020 · 121,605 vehicles affected
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 7 recalls for the 2020 Volvo XC90

Defect investigations

Pedestrian alert soundsOpened January 27, 2023, closed August 7, 2023

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 XC90 249

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 249 bulletins for the 2020 Volvo XC90

2020 Volvo XC90 fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.0L 4‑cyl Plug-in hybridAWD262827
2.0L 4‑cylFWD213025
2.0L 4‑cylAWD18-2026-2721-23

What 2020 Volvo XC90 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Brakes · FL

My husband was at a red light turn right and the breaks were not working.

Filed Oct 14, 2026 · Electrical · AZ

My 2020 Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid is covered by Recall 25V‑179 (Volvo R10312) for high-voltage battery cell modules that may short circuit and catch fire when fully charged and parked. On June 3, 2025, Volvo Cars Arrowhead performed the recall inspection and software update (Invoice 239958) and recorded “battery cell check ok no faults.” The vehicle was returned to us as remedied. On December 17, 2025, the same dealer serviced the vehicle (Invoice 244765) without flagging any open recall issue. On May 4, 2026, the high-voltage battery cell module failed and the system indicated "hybrid system failure." It was towed to the dealer, which diagnosed a failed cell module. Before it was towed, we drove and charged the vehicle at our home for about a week, with our children in the house. That is the exact scenario the recall warns about. The vehicle has been at the dealer for more than five months waiting for a replacement module, with no expected delivery date. On October 14, 2026, the dealer told us in writing that Volvo Cars USA had approved a software update as the “permanent fix,” that the failed cell module will remain in the vehicle, and that the vehicle can be used as designed. They are returning it to us on October 16, 2026. The remedy Volvo filed with the federal safety agency for this recall says dealers will inspect and replace the high-voltage battery module as necessary, AND update the software to monitor the battery. Our module has been confirmed as failed, yet Volvo is leaving it in place and relying on software alone. The earlier inspection-and-software remedy on this same vehicle did not prevent the failure. I am asking the federal safety agency to review: Whether leaving a confirmed-failed cell module in place, with only a software update, is an authorized remedy under 25V‑179. Whether the June 2025 inspection method reliably identifies defective modules. Whether other owners are being given the same software-only “remedy” because of a parts shortage.

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Electrical · CA

My 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid is subject to Volvo safety recall R10312 (the federal safety agency 25V‑179) for a potential internal short circuit in the LG high-voltage battery module that can cause a thermal event and fire. On June 11, 2026, AutoNation Volvo Cars San Jose inspected my vehicle (82,680 miles) and determined that the high-voltage battery module must be replaced. As of October 2026, approximately four months later, the replacement battery has still not arrived due to a parts backlog, and the dealer cannot provide a completion date. Volvo's recall remedy cannot be completed because replacement battery modules are unavailable. I am driving a vehicle with a known fire-risk battery defect with no timeline for the remedy. I request that the federal safety agency investigate the adequacy and timeliness of Volvo's recall remedy, including parts availability and interim measures (such as loaner vehicles) for affected owners.

Filed Sep 18, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · NY

2020 Volvo XC90 suffered a sudden catastrophic engine blowout, blinding exhaust smoke, and dropped to a 10 mph limp mode on the highway with zero prior dashboard warning lights or oil alerts. the vehicle lacks a manual dipstick, making the me entirely dependent on a digital safety warning system that failed. [XXX] Volvo has failed to give me any documents/ photos or proof of cost of repair for almost 60 days INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 13, 2026 · Airbags, Visibility · DC

The sunroof repeatedly leaks. when a rainstorm comes it is literally a waterfall through the from mirror unit, threatening the electric in the console, making the steering wheel wet and slippery, and creating dangerous visibility problems. This is clearly a very dangerous design problem, and my internet search suggests it's well known and affects almost everyone from this model year. the danger level while the water is leaking is 10/10

Filed Aug 20, 2026 · Wheels · TX

my vehicle has experienced a potentially catastrophic steering failure while driving, Volvo's authorized service attempts have not corrected it, and I no longer consider the vehicle safe.

Filed Jul 22, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · AZ

My 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid has been out of service for 78+ days due to a hybrid battery defect covered under an active manufacturer warranty (Claim Type XXX, valid through XXX). The vehicle was towed to Volvo Cars Arrowhead (Glendale, AZ) on XXX after a hybrid battery failure. The dealer confirmed in writing on XXX that multiple hybrid components require replacement and that parts are on extended backorder, and that Volvo Cars USA had authorized a rental vehicle because a loaner could not be offered "for an indefinite period of time." On approximately XXX, my service advisor advised me by phone that more than 700 vehicles nationally are waiting on the same backordered part and that the repair has no estimated completion date. I sent a formal written demand to Volvo Car USA ([XXX]) on XXX requesting repair by a firm date, a replacement vehicle, or repurchase. Volvo did not respond within the stated 14-day deadline or at any point thereafter. The defect appears related to the federal safety agency's existing recall action on 2020–2022 Volvo plug-in hybrid vehicles for high-voltage battery thermal runaway risk. I am filing this complaint to add to the federal record on this recall and to document Volvo's failure to repair an affected vehicle within a reasonable time or provide any remedy despite formal demand. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 10, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · CT

This is my daughters vehicle. She was driving home from work with my [XXX] and [XXX] grandchildren in the car. The car suddenly wouldn't drive at a safe speed and was chugging along. She almost got into an accident because she couldn't go faster than about 12 mph. She as finally able to pull over in a safe location and called AAA. My son in law met her and picked her and the children up. The vehicle was towed to VOLVO in Buffalo NY. The diagnosis was a known leak in the sunroof that causes the drains to become blocked. Water then runs down and burned out the ECR module that is located beneath the drivers side foot well. Volvo is aware of the problem and is currently checking all vehicles for the blocked drains. They were given a 5000.00 estimate for repairs. Today VOLVO refused to repair it at their expense. There should be a full recall on this issue. I am a Fire/Explosion Investigator who has investigated numerous car fires related to Control modules catching fire. This could have caused a fire and trapped my grandchildren in the rear seat. The dealership reported 2 other vehicles in for the same issue. Please review and respond to me- [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 11, 2026 · KS

The rear a/c evaporator coil has failed, leaking UV dyed green oil into the main battery pan. The a/c vents in the car in the driver and middle rows are now blowing hot air. This is a very commonly known problem with Volvo SPA XC90s from 2016-2021. It’s incredibly expensive to repair($3500 +). There should be a recall to replace/repair this problem in these relatively new and expensive cars.

Filed Apr 30, 2026 · Engine · MI · fire

I was driving when a turtle popped up on my dashboard I pulled over to Google what that meant and popped the hood cause I seen a little smoke within 3 sec the car busted in flames I ran back and grab my daughter out the back seat we were almost locked in due to the car melting the wire and flames started coming inside the car

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2020 Volvo XC90 before you buy

Compare the 2020 Volvo XC90

XC90 vs Acura MDXXC90 vs BMW X5XC90 vs Audi Q7XC90 vs Lexus RXXC90 vs Mercedes-Benz GLE 350XC90 vs Cadillac XT5

Other model years

2003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Questions about the 2020 Volvo XC90

Is the 2020 Volvo XC90 reliable?

Owners have filed 35 complaints about the 2020 Volvo XC90, close to a typical XC90 model year.

What is the 2020 Volvo XC90 year score?

The 2020 Volvo XC90 scores 72 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volvo XC90: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2020 Volvo XC90?

Electrical system, with 11 complaints. Next is engine (7).

How many recalls does the 2020 Volvo XC90 have?

7 recalls, covering electrical system, seat belts and steering.

Was there a recall on the 2020 Volvo XC90 electrical?

Yes, 2 recalls: 25V179000, 21V273000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Volvo XC90 have the most electrical problems?

The Volvo XC90 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2004 (158 complaints), 2016 (56 complaints) and 2005 (51 complaints).

Is there a class action lawsuit over the Volvo XC90?

Yes. New class action says Volvo's Google-based infotainment screens freeze and take climate and rearview camera with them (November 9, 2026).

What gas mileage does the 2020 Volvo XC90 get?

Official estimates for the 2020 Volvo XC90 range from 21 to 27 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid, AWD) gets 26 city and 28 highway.

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