Volvo Xc90 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 610 NHTSA complaints, the Volvo Xc90 years to avoid are 2016 and 2017 — the worst logged up to 4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by steering failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 29 | 16 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2009 | 7 | 4 | 1 | N/A |
| 2010 | 12 | 6 | 3 | N/A |
| 2011 | 19 | 11 | 1 | BEST |
| 2012 | 3 | 2 | 0 | N/A |
| 2013 | 11 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2016 | 196 | 118 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 75 | 39 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 47 | 24 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2019 | 38 | 18 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 28 | 12 | 7 | SOLID |
| 2021 | 18 | 10 | 6 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 28 | 11 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2023 | 39 | 14 | 6 | CAUTION |
| 2024 | 30 | 12 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2025 | 26 | 8 | 2 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Volvo Xc90. Full methodology.
Common Volvo Xc90 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Volvo Xc90 are steering. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Power steering fluid leak with whining noise
· Volvo Xc90 2011Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 2 steering complaints across 2011.
Why these years stand out
2016 Volvo Xc90: 196 owner complaints on federal record, 118 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Volvo Xc90.
2017 Volvo Xc90: 75 owner complaints on federal record, 39 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Volvo Xc90.
Know what to pay for the right Volvo Xc90 — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
FAQ
What years of the Volvo Xc90 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Volvo Xc90 years to avoid are 2016 and 2017 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by steering issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Volvo Xc90?
The 2011 Volvo Xc90 shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Volvo Xc90 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Volvo Xc90's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Volvo Xc90 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Volvo Xc90 reliable?
The Volvo Xc90's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 610 NHTSA owner complaints, 2016 and 2017 rate "avoid", while 2011 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Volvo Xc90?
The most-reported problem area for the Volvo Xc90 is steering. Confirmed failures include power steering fluid leak with whining noise. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Volvo Xc90 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Volvo Xc90, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.