2006 Volvo XC90 recalls and problems

The 2006 Volvo XC90 has 3 recalls and 53 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

2006 Volvo Xc90
Photo: 2006 Volvo Xc90 by Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2006 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 22 XC90 model years — 6th most.

3recalls
53complaints
4crashes
4fires
3injuries
85,000median 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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3 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> .

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.

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

2006: 3 complaints20062007: 9 complaints92008: 2 complaints20082009: 2 complaints2010: 6 complaints20102011: 3 complaints2012: 3 complaints20122013: 1 complaints2014: 2 complaints20142015: 4 complaints2016: 5 complaints20162018: 1 complaints2020: 2 complaints20202021: 3 complaints2022: 3 complaints20222023: 1 complaints2024: 1 complaints20242025: 1 complaints2026: 1 complaints20261

2006 vs. other Volvo XC90 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2006. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2006 Volvo XC90 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2006 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 2006 Volvo XC90?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (16), tires (8), engine (6). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.