The Used Car Index

2003 Volvo XC90 problems

NHTSA lists 93 complaints for the 2003 Volvo XC90, 2 of them mention a crash and 2 mention a fire. 4 complaints mention an injury, with 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as VOLVO XC90.

At a glance

Complaints
93
With crash
2
With fire
2
With injury (complaints)
4
Injuries
6
Deaths
0
Recalls
5
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
158,733
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
239

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
POWER TRAIN4952.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1819.4%
SUSPENSION99.7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING77.5%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE66.5%
STRUCTURE66.5%
EQUIPMENT55.4%
TIRES55.4%
AIR BAGS44.3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM44.3%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION39
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGENGINE4
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEDELIVERY3
SUSPENSIONFRONT3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMIGNITION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWIRING2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCOOLING SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGEXHAUST SYSTEM2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESDOORS2
STRUCTUREBODY2

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

5 recalls.

10V566000

Date: 2010-11-08. Systems: EQUIPMENT.

Defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT. (excerpt)

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. (excerpt)

Remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMI (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

09V483000

Date: 2009-12-18. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2005 S80, MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 XC90 VEHICLES SOLD IN OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA AND THE U.S. TERRITORIES. WHEN EXPOSE (excerpt)

Consequence: IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. (excerpt)

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

06V155000

Date: 2006-05-05. Systems: STEERING.

Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES,THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT CAN DEFORM AT HIGH LOADS CAUSING A LOSS OF THE CLAMPING FORCE AND THE NUT MAY LOOSEN, WHICH MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT.

Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OUTER BALL JOINT TIE RODS WITH IMPROVED OUTER BALL JOINT TIE RODS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 23, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

06V144000

Date: 2006-04-28. Systems: VISIBILITY.

Defect: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE WIPER ARM IS ACTIVATED IN EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WITHOUT LIFTING THE WIPER ARMS AND CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO MOVING, THE WIPER ARM MIGHT SLIP ON ITS DRIVESHAFT, RESULTING IN AN INABILITY TO MOVE THE WIPERS FROM THE PARK POSITION.

Consequence: INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER ARMS AND RETAINING NUTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO CARS AT 1-800-458-1552.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

03V391000

Date: 2003-10-10. Systems: SEAT BELTS.

Defect: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT(S) FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD ROW SEAT(S) MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FITTED PROPERLY.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPAIR THE SECOND AND/OR THIRD ROW SEAT BELT ATTACHMENTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

239 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT113
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM67
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER13
STRUCTURE12
WHEELS11
POWER TRAIN10

11032678

Date: 2026-04-23. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure
 Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.

11032671

Date: 2026-04-07. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval.
 Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" sec

11027173

Date: 2025-12-06. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.

11020437

Date: 2025-04-10. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a remote session:
 a ?Connect a suitable battery maintainer/charger and verify that the battery voltage indicated in VIDA is between 12.5V and 14.9V.
 a ?Connect to the vehicle over a wired connection using a

11016002

Date: 2025-02-21. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibil

11015994

Date: 2025-02-13. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibil

11014112

Date: 2025-01-16. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.

This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a remote session:
 a ?Connect a suitable battery maintainer/charger and verify that the battery voltage indicated in VIDA is between 12.5V and 14.9V.
 a ?Connect to the vehicle over a wired connection using a

11014113

Date: 2025-01-16. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This is a Technical Journal: Vehicle/Connectivity report checklist. To provide timely and high-quality feedback to the appropriate department or factory

11007925

Date: 2024-08-14. Type: Other. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Information about valid Software partnumbers to order and download Software for "PDS" Pre-Delivery Service

10249191

Date: 2024-01-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This is a Technical Journal: 12V Battery Testing Method

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
XC9093

Same model, other years

All model years | All Volvo models

Other Volvo models, 2003

Sources

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