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2018 Volvo V90 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2018 Volvo V90 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated November 2, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 10owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 14%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about Volvo V90 year on file: 10 complaints, against an average of 3 for the other 3 model years.
Every Volvo V90 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2018 Volvo V90?
The components named most often in the 10 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2018 Volvo V90 been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Electrical System: Software 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.
Is the 2018 Volvo V90 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAThere is a risk that the 15amp fuse could blow which will prevent the low pressure fuel pump from operating
Risk: There is a risk that the 15amp fuse could blow which will prevent the low pressure fuel pump operating.
Fix: Replace the 15A fuse with a 20A fuse which can withstand this peak.
UK DVSASoftware issue means that automatic emergency brake system may not engage
Risk: The Automatic Emergency Brake System a function of the IntelliSafe system may not always engage increasing the risk of a collision
Fix: Affected vehicles must have new software downloaded
UK DVSAThe engine's plastic inlet manifold may melt and deform
Risk: The engines plastic inlet manifold may melt and deform
Fix: Update vehicles with improved soot reducing software cleaning of TMAP and EMAP. Fit additional hoses where necessary.
UK DVSAPossible software issue in the vehicle connectivity module (vcm)
Risk: There may be a software issue in the Vehicle Connectivity Module.
Fix: Upgrade software in the Vehicle Connectivity Module.
EU Safety GateThe nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are above the regulatory limits.Excessive NOx emissions pose a risk to the environment.
Measures: Type of economic operator to whom the measure(s) were ordered: Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateDue to an excessive build-up of carbon deposits in the intake system, the plastic engine intake manifold may melt and deform.As a result, a localized engine bay fire may occur.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateA software problem has been detected in the communication module of the emergency call system.As a consequence, incorrect location information might be sent to the emergency services in the event of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2018 Volvo V90 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2018, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2018 Volvo V90 owners report?
10 of the 10 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Rear light malfunction alert. Intermittent. Seems to happen when humidity is high.
During the rainy season, moisture found its way inside the right passenger real tail light, causing a “brake malfunction” error on the dash and deactivating the passenger rear brake light. After the moisture dries, the light comes back on but is intermittent. The light continues to malfunction during rainfall. This is a huge safety concern as there is no way to reset the system to turn on the brake light, unless the moisture dries.
Automatic tailgate door, which was open for loading, randomly came down and struck me in the head. Door did not retract on contact but continued downward. No one was in vehicle. Neither keyfob or button were touched. I'm on blood thinners, this was a dangerous head injury. Could be extremely dangerous for children. This is second time this happened, but previously the door didnt hit me, I jumped back. This time, I was leaning in to load items. Again, I was just placing items in back. I was alone. Purse was in cart. There was no way any button on car or fob was pushed to close door. It closed…
When it rains, I receive a warning that the rear position lights are failed. The left tail light stops working and I'm without a signal and brake lamp. This issue resolved its self when it's had time to dry, usually within two to three days.
A medium rain caused water to enter the rear taillights and short out, causing malfunctions for both sides. The forums and Facebooks are littered with these post. It’s not off but when. It’s a poor design and safety hazard that is costing to repair.
Rear Position Light Malfunction on my 2018 Volvo V90 CC. The winter finally came yesterday and it rained the whole night. After I started the car in the following morning and drove for around 2 minutes, the warning popped up. I found out the rear position light of the whole left side doesn’t work, included the position light on the tailgate. But so far, every light works well except the position light. I tried to restarted the car, the warning didn’t pop up and the left position light worked for a while like 1 minute, then the warning came out again and the position light was back to off. So…
1. When my tailgate is open on multiple (more than 8?9? 10 times out of nowhere it will start to come down without my prompting It has hit me on my shoulder multiple times and I jump out of the way while it continues to shut. Most recently, it came down quick and hit my head. Luckily I got out of the way. Yet it wasn't fast enough because this time the tailgate hit it hard giving me a headache and then bothered my neck later. I have gone to Volvo and they say nothing is wrong with it. They say that is the feature of swinging you foot under the bumper and I know that. I didn't do that though. I…
In the past two years, my car has had 3 wheel sensors fail. When a wheel sensor fails while driving, things can get dangerous. When this happens, the following systems immediately fail in a chain reaction of events: ABS system, ESC Control, tire pressure monitoring, and loss of power. It’s dangerous when it happens on the road because the brakes are not working and the accelerator won’t accelerate. I have to pull off the road immediately to get out of the way of traffic. This is the 3rd time it’s happened and I’ve only driven the car 9k miles since I bought it. That’s a very high fail rate for…
I was hit head on mostly drivers side. Car totaled. I went by ambulance to hospital. Air bags did not deploy. Contacted Vovlo. They seem indifferent
SENSUS NAVIGATION MAP GETS OVERPLAYED WITH A BLANK "WINDOW" EFFECTIVELY COVERING THE MAP, THE SYSTEM FREEZES SO NO NAVIGATION OR SENSUS RELATED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO THE DRIVER. THE RECOVERY PROCESS SEEMS TO BE, STOP CAR, OPEN/CLOSE DOORS, WAIT 5-20 MINUTES, OPEN/CLOSE DOORS, RESTART CAR AND HOPEFULLY MOVE ON. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO DEALER 8+ TIMES FOR VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. VOLVO NORTH AMERICA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AT LEAST THE LAST 3 ATTEMPTS. VOLVO NA, COMPLETELY NON-RESPONSIVE. PROBLEM USED TO BE INFREQUENT, NOW IT IS MUCH MORE REGULAR. THE CAR DID NOT GO 24 HOURS AFTER THE SYSTEM…
2018 Volvo V90: questions owners ask
Is the 2018 Volvo V90 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo V90; the most common categories were exterior lighting (4, 40%), electrical system (3, 30%), structure (3, 30%). There is 1 safety recall. 1 complaint mentions a crash, 3 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Volvo V90?
Across 10 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are exterior lighting (40% of complaints), electrical system (30% of complaints), structure (30% of complaints), service brakes (20% of complaints), air bags (10% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2018 Volvo V90 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2018 Volvo V90; the most recent (campaign 18V800000, 2018-11-13) concerns Electrical System: Software. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own V90
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved November 2, 2026. Model year 2018 only; combines NHTSA's entries for V90 CC, V90 T5, V90 T6 and V90CC. How these reports are made.
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