2004 Volvo XC90 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2004 XC90 most often report transmission problems, especially on the T6, where cars lose drive, slip, or show an urgent transmission service message, and electrical faults in which the dash, lights, and accessories cut out while the car is being driven. Fuel odors from a cracked fuel pump housing are also reported often, typically noticed while parked or after refueling. Reports span a wide mileage range, with many appearing between roughly 60,000 and 150,000 miles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Dash and electrical power cutting out while driving

   • 146 complaints (32%)
   • median 94,750 mi at 7.7 yrs old (138 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2025

   Complaints describe the instrument panel, warning lights, turn signals, radio, wipers, and door locks cutting out, sometimes with the car stalling or losing power. Owners say the car often restarts and behaves normally afterward, and that dealers were sometimes unable to reproduce the fault; in some cases the central electronic module was identified as the cause. Reported across a wide range, commonly between about 70,000 and 150,000 miles, often at highway speed.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the central electronic module or battery has been replaced, and have the charging system and battery checked. Note any stored codes during a pre-purchase scan.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is in regards to my Volvo 2004 XC90. While driving my Volvo starts jerking and then all of the electrical systems go out - all the interior dash light go off, signal lights, and hazards will not work. I get a message about brake failure and then srs airbag service. Once you stop the car and restart it functions normally with just the srs message remaining.”

   NHTSA complaint #10402491, filed 2011-05, 74,000 miles

   “While driving on the highway with my two small children, the car made a knocking noise and driver console/dash stopped working. The lights went out, and all gauges went to zero. I no longer had turn signals either. I feared for our lives. I have done research, and have found that others have this same issue with 2004 xc90s.”

   NHTSA complaint #10483503, filed 2012-11, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission failure or slipping, often with service message

   • 128 complaints (28%)
   • median 76,875 mi at 6.0 yrs old (124 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,450 (median of 30 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2020

   Owners describe the car suddenly stopping to propel itself, as if it slipped into neutral, or the transmission slipping, failing to shift, or showing an urgent transmission service message. Several report complete transmission replacement, sometimes more than once and sometimes at mileage under 100,000; some say a dealer covered part of the cost while others were quoted several thousand dollars. Some mention the radiator and related parts being replaced at the same time. Reports cluster from about 50,000 to 110,000 miles, with several transmissions replaced under warranty well before that.

   What to check: Ask for transmission service and replacement records and whether the message has appeared before. Test drive from cold, check for slipping, delayed engagement, or hard shifts, and confirm reverse works.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle has already had the transmission replaced at least once by previous owner. It went out again on us at about 70,000 miles. Had transmission replaced with new high class Volvo parts transmission. Now the engine is 3 times louder than before and we're in some serious money for our car. We're very disappointed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10342141, filed 2010-07, 70,000 miles

   “My 2004 Volvo XC90 t6 has had several ridiculous issues that I have never experienced in any of the german vehicles I have owned over the past 20 years. I have been fearful of this car of late mainly because I read several complaints about the reliability of the transmission on this vehicle. Well my fears became reality on friday night while my wife and 22 month son were coming home from the market. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10236786, filed 2008-08, 80,512 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Fuel smell from cracked fuel pump housing

   • 71 complaints (15%)
   • median 96,266 mi at 9.1 yrs old (59 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2024

   Owners report a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin or around the rear passenger side, often while parked or after refueling; shops typically find a cracked fuel pump housing or seal and replace the pump. Some owners note the car takes longer to start, and several say their vehicle was not covered by the fuel pump recall. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 145,000 miles, sometimes recurring after a pump replacement.

   Recall 09V483000

   What to check: Smell for fuel around the rear passenger side and inside the cabin after a cold start and after refueling. Ask whether the fuel pump was replaced and check whether the vehicle was included in the fuel pump recall.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Smelled gasoline, took it to a shop, they found fuel pump cracked, replaced fuel pump. Then we found out the was a recall in southern states for this problem specifically. We live in the new england area and was told it would not be considered under the recall. I feel completely wronged in this situation. The recall was specific to heat cycling. No were in the us is this more apparent than new england.”

   NHTSA complaint #10662428, filed 2014-12, 109,581 miles

   “While the car was parked in the garage there was an overwhelming smell of gasoline. I took the car to my mechanic. They observed a fuel leak coming from fuel pump housing. A new fuel pump was installed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10203720, filed 2007-09, 56,252 miles
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Headlight and daytime running light failures

   • 20 complaints (4%)
   • median 103,682 mi at 7.7 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2016

   Complaints describe bulb failure messages, headlights or daytime running lights that stop working, and replacement bulbs that fail again; some owners report both headlights going out at once. In some cases replacing the headlamp cartridge did not resolve the warning. Generally reported from about 80,000 miles upward, with some at lower mileage.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check that both headlights, high beams and daytime running lights work, and ask whether the headlamp units or wiring have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I switched from headlights on to daylight driving lights on. I received a bulb failure for the daylight driving lights. I switched back to headlights. I received a bulb failure for the hids. I have verified that the fuses are good, and that there are now no working headlights on the car. Had this happened at night it could have been bad, very bad. Thank god it happened during a sunny day and that the teen driver wasn't behind the wheel.”

   NHTSA complaint #10722541, filed 2015-05, 84,380 miles

   “While driving my 2004 Volvo xc-90 at night I experienced a momentary loss of control, followed by the headlights pausing and then going from high beams to low. The instrument cluster lost some of it's displays and the door locks became inoperative. The data display warned me of an urgent srs failure . I was at low speed a block from home so I crept home and the next day sent the car to triad Volvo by roll-back wrecker. Problem was failure of central electronic module. I called Volvo corporate and they seemed disinterested.”

   NHTSA complaint #10241888, filed 2008-09, 60,000 miles
5. 5
   Suspension

   Rear wheel bearing and hub failures

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe rear wheel bearing or hub failure, sometimes repeatedly on the same car, with one owner reporting a wheel partly separating at highway speed. Dealers replaced the bearings, and one owner was told the failure is common on these vehicles. Reported from roughly 10,000 to 84,000 miles, frequently recurring within tens of thousands of miles.

   Recall 03V434000

   What to check: Listen for humming or growling from the rear at speed and feel for play by rocking the wheel. Ask for records of previous bearing or hub replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2004 Volvo XC90 with roughly 40,000 miles. I just had the rear wheel bearing replaced for the second time. The first time was at roughly 10,000 miles. I am very concerned that they have failed twice. I understand that if the condition of the bearings is bad enough, the wheel can fall off. I feel Volvo should extend the warranty on this beyond 4 years or 50,000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10168668, filed 2006-09, 40,000 miles

   “I have now experienced the failure of the second rear wheel bearing on my 2004 Volvo xc-90 awd, with the second failure resulting in the partial separation of the wheel from the vehicle at highway speeds. There is a defect in the design of the wheel bearing, and these bearings should be replaced in the field before ther is a fatality or serious injury. Although Volvo has replaced both bearings under warranty, a brief internet search indicates this is a very common failure on this model. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10206023, filed 2007-10, 56,015 miles

Buying note. A 2004 XC90 is worth a careful pre-purchase inspection: transmission service history and a proper test drive matter most, along with a battery and charging system check and a look for fuel odors at the rear. Ask for records of prior repairs, since several of the reported problems recur.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.