2003 Volvo XC90 recalls and problems

The 2003 Volvo XC90 has 5 recalls and 93 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.

Pictured: a 2004 model; the 2003 may differ in details. Photo: 2004 Volvo Xc90 by Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2003 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 22 XC90 model years — 4th most.

5recalls

93complaints

2crashes

2fires

6injuries

74,650median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

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5 recalls

Equipment

Nov 8, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V566000 · 416 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Risk: An overheated battery could lead to a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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 garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.

Volvo safety recall no. R231.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Fuel System

Dec 18, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V483000 · 158,733 vehicles

Problem: 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 exposed to certain environmental conditions (hot climate and temperature cycling) over time and in combination with varying fuel quality, the fuel pump can develop cracks in the fuel pump flange.

Original NHTSA wording

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 EXPOSED TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (HOT CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CYCLING) OVER TIME AND IN COMBINATION WITH VARYING FUEL QUALITY, THE FUEL PUMP CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE.

Risk: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo safety recall no. R220.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Steering

May 5, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V155000 · 126,743 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: The driver May notice that the vehicle is difficult to maneuver increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo recall no. R157.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Visibility

Apr 28, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V144000 · 122,431 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: Inoperative wipers under inclement weather conditions could cause a crash due to impaired visibility.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo recall no. R156.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administrationvolvo recall no. R156.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Seat Belts

Oct 10, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V391000 · 18,692 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the seat belt attachment(s) for the second and third row seat(s) May not have been fitted properly.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant May not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo recall no. 127.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2003 vs. other Volvo XC90 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Volvo XC90 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Volvo XC90, the latest from Nov 8, 2010 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Volvo XC90?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (49), electrical system (18), fuel system (10). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.