Volvo S90 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 56 consumer complaints across the 4 model years of the Volvo S90 (1997–2018) that have at least 5 complaints. 1998 has the most, with 25. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (11 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All S90 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 16 | 47,389 | 2 | 474 | — | Stable |
| 2017 | 8 | 11,000 | 4 | 542 | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 25 | 69,594 | 0 | 127 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 7 | 135,912 | 0 | 125 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes11 22%
- Other or unknown10 20%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)6 12%
- Vehicle speed control6 12%
- Electrical system5 10%
- Transmission and drivetrain4 8.0%
- Body and structure4 8.0%
- Equipment4 8.0%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2017: “I have had an unresolved issue with a persistent vibration throughout the vehicle while at 50mph or higher. This seems to be a universal issue with volvos post 2017 across models. I have attached a copy of my emails and non-responses from Volvo dealer reps who have claimed it is normal behavior. I took the vehicle to another dealer with whom I test drove the car after their failure to identify the issue and the same response. …”
NHTSA complaint #11397167, filed 2021-02, 40,000 miles2018: “I purchased a Volvo S90 2018 from ecar one . On july 6 2019. I was told by the saleman virgil . That there was a recall on the dashboard and all I have to do was call Volvo dealership and they would fix for free. When I called Volvo after my purchase they said no recall on this vehicle. 0709”
NHTSA complaint #11232055, filed 2019-07, 47,778 miles1998: “While backing into my garage on 2/6/2010, my 1998 Volvo S90 suddenly accelerated. I realized that the car was speeding and I applied the brake. Unfortunately, the car was going so fast that it crashed into a wooden platform in my garage. The platform and my car were severely damaged. The platform has been repaired; but my car was totaled (>$5000.00 in damages). I have contacted my local Volvo dealer and Volvo customer car and notified them of the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10319904, filed 2010-03, 212,994 milesOther Volvo models
1,531 complaintsVolvo S60
1,263 complaintsVolvo S80
953 complaintsVolvo V70
922 complaintsVolvo XC60
654 complaintsVolvo S70
584 complaintsVolvo 850
566 complaintsVolvo S40
491 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology