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Volvo XC90Model year report

2008 Volvo XC90 Problems

Compared with other Volvo XC90 years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

0/100 0.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
29filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
52,000miles, 25 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.2L 6-cyl FWD · 14 city / 20 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Volvo XC90 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 29 consumer complaints for the 2008 Volvo XC90. The part named most often is electrical system, with 8 complaints (28% of the total), followed by engine (6) and seat belts (4). 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 48% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 52,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 214 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the navigational system(global positioning system) and 69 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 6 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 8 Volvo XC90 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 0 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Seats (1), Steering (1), Body and structure (1), Tires (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “2008 Volvo XC90 v8 has been towed 3x in the past month. The battery has completely and inconsistently drained. They checked relay switches, fuses, alternator, starter, battery connections, etc. 3x in the shop! So fed up. Car is now in shop and I've read that Volvo is in a class action lawsuit for battery drain from sirius radio even if you do not have the subscription. They are charging me $135 to diagnose at Volvo right now. It hasn't been diagnosed as that is the problem yet, but the service manager is inclined to think that's what it is. Clearly they are aware of the problem. …”

NHTSA complaint #11242605, filed 2019-08, 188,000 miles

Engine: “I was driving down the highway and my vehicle completely shut down and the steering locked. I was able to put on the emergency signals and the big rigs behind me blew their horns. They were getting closer to me because I was decelerating at a rate that would have resulted in a colission. Fortunately I was able to coast into an emergency lane while they went whipping past me. The Volvo service manager stated that he had heard of a similar situation before. In an email to me he stated that the pressure sensor was giving a faults reading, of excessive fuel pressure. …”

NHTSA complaint #11112482, filed 2018-07, 91,000 miles

Seat belts: “Advised by service department that seat belts were replaced because locking mechanism tended to hang-up. However we did not qualify because we didn't request replacement within the warranty period. Vehicle has regularly been maintained by Volvo dealer and they were in the know if the belts were being recalled. We were not told.”

NHTSA complaint #10536242, filed 2013-08, 66,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Loud clunking noises coming from front end of vehicle, vehicle diagnosed by a licensed mechanic to be drive axles warn out, with relatively low low miles I contacted Volvo dealer and would do nothing but charge for replacements and further diagnosis. Premature failure of drive axles can create an unstable driving incident. Which is why I am filing this complaint . It seems that all these parts are on backorder everywhere which makes me think there must be a serious issue with this.”

NHTSA complaint #10731685, filed 2015-07, 52,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

48% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 24,542 and 91,000 miles.

12%0–1016%10–2520%25–5016%50–7516%75–10016%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 52,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’084’10’124’144’16’194’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Volvo XC90. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
XC90 · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5——4 · 17.9% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Volvo XC90 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
XC90 AWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic142016$5,150
XC90 AWD4.4L 8-cyl6-speed automatic131915$5,500
XC90 FWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic142016$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Volvo XC90 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 214 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 214 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volvo XC90

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025294,5002526Too new to compareToo new
20243718,7503524Too new to compareToo new
20234117,000652579 · MoreToo new
20223111,200452550 · TypicalRising
20214021,000652561 · TypicalRising
20203425,000752548 · TypicalRising
20194250,000652423 · FewerRising
20185216,718352542 · TypicalRising
20178120,000752479 · MoreRising
201619720,0008524100 · MoreRising
20131147,4760—19—Not enough data
20111994,0001—18—Falling
20101297,5003—18—Not enough data
2009776,0001—17—Not enough data
20082952,0003—160 · FewerFalling
20073875,0002—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20065385,0003—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200522385,7556—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200446286,0006—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20039374,6505—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Volvo XC90 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Volvo XC90 have?

NHTSA recorded 29 consumer complaints for the 2008 Volvo XC90 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Volvo XC90 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 8 complaints (28% of the total), followed by engine with 6.

Has the 2008 Volvo XC90 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Volvo XC90 get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Volvo XC90 (XC90 FWD, 3.2L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 20 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Volvo XC90 reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 52,000 miles and the middle half falls between 24,542 and 91,000 miles; 48% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.