VehicleVerdict

2004 Volvo XC90 problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

With 669 complaints filed to NHTSA — about 12.9 times the median XC90 year — the 2004 model ranks #1 of 23 XC90 years for complaint volume. It lands on the years-to-avoid list.

Electrical System leads the complaint categories with 172 reports (26% of the total).

669

NHTSA complaints

6

Recalls

3

Investigations

13

Crash-involved

4

Fires reported

9

Injuries

0

Deaths

NCAP overall

How does 2004 compare to other XC90 years?

See all XC90 years to avoid →

What are the most common 2004 Volvo XC90 problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Electrical System17226%
Transmission14822%
Fuel System7812%
Engine528%
Lighting335%
Airbags315%
Suspension264%
Steering213%
Other203%
Brakes193%
Speed Control173%
Tires & Wheels162%
Body & Structure142%
Visibility & Wipers71%
Seat Belts61%
Latches & Locks41%
Seats30%
Driver Assistance10%
Child Seat10%

Does the 2004 Volvo XC90 have recalls?

6 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

10V566000Electrical SystemNovember 8, 2010 · 416 units

Defect

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

Consequence

AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

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 GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.

09V483000Fuel SystemDecember 18, 2009 · 158,733 units

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 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.

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.

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.

06V155000SteeringMay 5, 2006 · 126,743 units

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.

06V144000Visibility & WipersApril 28, 2006 · 122,431 units

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.

03V434000Tires & WheelsNovember 4, 2003 · 2,586 units

Defect

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS MAY BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AN ERRONEOUS WHEEL SPEED SIGNAL.

Consequence

THIS CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING BRAKE, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND TORQUE DISTRIBUTION CONTROL WHICH RELY ON THIS SIGNAL FOR PROPER OPERATION.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT WHEEL SENSORS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO CARS AT 1-800-458-1552.

03V391000Seat BeltsOctober 10, 2003 · 18,692 units

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.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

ENGINE PASSENGER SIDE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT, FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THE WHEEL WELL. OTHER DRIVERS FLAGGED TO PULL OVER, TURNED OFF IGNITION KEY AND REMOVED TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OFF, CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE FOR FEAR OF EXPLOSION.…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · July 4, 2013 · fire

I AM EXPERIENCING CONTINUING SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH MY VOLVO XC90. THIS VEHICLES ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING AND AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS RESULTS IN UNPREDICTABLE AND ERRATIC VEHICLE HANDLING WHICH CREATES SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES TO THE VEHICLES DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS.…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · December 22, 2005 · crash

2004 VOLVO XC 90 FUEL PUMP LEAK. STRONG ODOR EMITS FROM VEHICLE. SPOKE WITH VOLVO NA HQ, HAS NO DOCUMENTS ON THIS. HOWEVER, OTHER GOV AND VEHICLE REPORTING AGENCIES HAVE DOCUMENTS SUPPORTING EVIDENCE OF COMPLAINTS ON SAME VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME NO RECALL ISSUED. IF RECALL IS ISSUED, CONSUMER IS…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Fuel System · August 10, 2009

WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED (ON THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THE DASHBOARD AND ALL ELECTRICAL SHUTS OFF, THE HAZARDS DO NOT SEEM TO WORK OR THE TURN INDICATORS, ABS DOES NOT WORK SO IT IS A VERY SLOW HEAVY STOP. THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN THIS CAR ONE OTHER TIME IN 2010, AND…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · December 6, 2016

I WAS DRIVING, AND JUST AS IT STARTED TO GET DARK, I NOTICED THAT MY LIGHTS DID NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. I STOPPED AT A PARKING LOT TO CHECK, AND THE LIGHTS WERE IN FACT NOT WORKING. IF I HAD NOT BEEN CLOSE TO HOME, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERILOUS DRIVE HOME; AND, IF IT HAPPENED HALF AN HOUR LATER, I…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Lighting · March 2, 2011

2004 Volvo XC90 — common questions

Is the 2004 Volvo XC90 reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 669 complaints put the 2004 model at #1 of 23 XC90 years. It is one of the XC90 years to avoid.

What are the most common 2004 XC90 problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are electrical system (172 complaints), transmission (148 complaints), fuel system (78 complaints).

Does the 2004 Volvo XC90 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns affecting the 2004 Volvo XC90. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2004 Volvo XC90 under NHTSA investigation?

NHTSA opened 3 investigations into this model year; all are now closed.

Which Volvo XC90 years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the XC90 years to avoid are 2004, 2016, 2005, 2003, 2017. The cleanest record among XC90 years belongs to 2015.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.