So why hasn't anyone addressed all the problems the XC90 has been having?

"LJ909" (lj909)
05/13/2016 at 13:06 • Filed to: None

A week or two ago it was brought to my attention by another poster on here that the new XC90 ( even though it has been doing well or so I’ve heard) was having a multitude of problems. So I decided to look into it on the XC90 owners forums. here’s what I’ve found:

One owner who has the top end Inscription trim has had his in the shop for over 14 days with serious electrical issues that has been causing certain safety systems to not work

Another owner has been having the same problem and is close to giving the car up because of the time it takes for Volvo to fix the problem. Apparently you have to submit a claim and wait for them to respond so they can fix your vehicle.

Another has had his in the shop for 20 days with electrical issues but was fixed and is fine for now

Another owner had this to say about leaking water in the cabin: I have pretty much forgotten about these issues because my car has now been into the dealer twice for water leaking into the rear cabin and soaking the rear 1/3rd of the headliner, which also left streaks and moisture around the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , which I’m sure are damaged. This has occurred to others on the forum, and one was actually diagnosed as a faulty sunroof drain, however Volvo corporate has neglected to communicate with dealerships regarding this issue, and so my dealership is in the dark and doesn’t have a clue.

Apparently it all boils down to mostly electrical system failures that render saftey systems inoperative. People being able to operate the car without the key and various trim pieces being not fitted or made well. Volvo hasn’t commented on any of these problems nor have I seen any of the Automotive news outlets reporting on them. So what gives? With whats been going on would any of you still consider an XC90?

DISCUSSION (35)

Future next gen S2000 owner > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:12

New model teething problems.

Party-vi > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:12

Look you don’t just bounce back from Ford ownership unscathed.

Wacko > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:14

Because things like this for Volvo and Tesla are quirks.

Things like this for GM, ford....are major problems.

Scotchead > Party-vi
05/13/2016 at 13:14

Aren't they owned by the Chinese now? That could explain a bit

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:15

Because they like the looks of it, as opposed to say the Cherokee launch.

functionoverfashion > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:15

I would do what I would with nearly any other car, which is not to buy the first model year of a new design... give it a few years and they’ll have it much better sorted.

That said, my wife really wants one of these and I’m on board... but not immediately for that reason.

LJ909 > Wacko
05/13/2016 at 13:16

Pretty much this. XC90 or Volvo fanboys will dismiss this as early production model problems or some other bullshit. With Tesla its either ignored or glossed over. With the Big 3 its angry mob and pitch forks.

EL_ULY > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:16

I work at a Volvo dealership. 100% brand new car bugs is normal with all brands. All random issues have a solution. Most are just software updates or just tiny little $3 clips and such. Trust me, we get info from Volvo all the time. None of this “Volvo hasn’t commented on the issue” BS

Party-vi > Scotchead
05/13/2016 at 13:17

the Chinese sign checks - they don’t build electrical systems.

LJ909 > functionoverfashion
05/13/2016 at 13:17

Well you better do your research. Because while its great its nothing major, these things are annoyances especially when it looks like the average shop time for these things is 2 weeks.

LJ909 > Party-vi
05/13/2016 at 13:18

They could have fooled me...

EL_ULY > Scotchead
05/13/2016 at 13:20

china provides the money yes, but this vehicle is 100% new and 100% Volvo of Sweden

functionoverfashion > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:21

Oh yeah, we’re not about to leap into anything here. We have no car payments and never have. The price tag on these, we’d have a payment for a little while anyway. We looked at a Tesla but decided that we’d actually have to also keep her current car as a backup. We’re 2 hours from a Tesla service center. At least there’s a Volvo dealer close to us and also close to where she works, owned by the same family.

Clemsie McKenzie > Wacko
05/13/2016 at 13:22

While it is a double standard that can be frustrating, I think there is some sense behind it. When you’re buying something different, quirky like a Tesla, a Volvo, or even a Jag, it’s pretty much part of the bill to get a few issues along the way. It’s a trade off. Nothing else can offer you what your XC90 can, and so some issue can be tolerable I guess.

On the other end, if you get a beige appliance and you get shitty issues, well, you’ll just end up crossed with yourself for not buying a Toyota.

So it kinda makes a little sense to me. Just like if you buy one of those “why buy a brand new Corolla when you could get a used Ferrari F1 car for the same price?” things, yeah, you’re trading off a bit of security there.

Although as Tesla and Volvo are aiming at becoming mainstream manufacturers, I guess when they are, stuff like that won’t be forgiven anymore.

There you go. My very long two cents. I’m bored at work.

It's a "Porch-uh" > functionoverfashion
05/13/2016 at 13:24

I was about to post the same thing. I never buy the first year of a new model. This happens to every manufacturer. First year (or two) is working out the bugs.

We had the old one (2011) and loved it, but my wife got tired of driving “such a big car.” This was after I tried to talk her into a V70 or XC70. We eventually traded it for a BMW 325iT.

EL_ULY > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:25

My dealer also has Lotus, Aston Martin, and Mercedes-Benz. All models from all the brands randomly also have some odd issues that could take time. Especially new cars where we are figuring these thing out for the first time as well. People just assume these random issues will happen to ALL the cars ALL the time and looses trust.

“ oh no, don’t buy a Mercedes E class. I have a friend who bought one and was at the dealer for a week with a problem..... so yeah...... don’t buy a Mercedes-Benz because they suck! ”

Kinja'd!!!

MUSASHI66 > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:27

Are you basing this on 4 owners with issues, or is this so prevalent that most of the cars have it?

LJ909 > functionoverfashion
05/13/2016 at 13:31

Damn where do you live to be 2 hours from Tesla? Im near most of them, one of them is even in one of the local malls.

shop-teacher > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:31

Never buy the first year of a new model from any manufacturer. They always have issues.

LJ909 > MUSASHI66
05/13/2016 at 13:32

Of course not. This was just 4 examples. There’s way more to the point that some forum sites have a special section already just for this new gen of XC90 owner problems.

functionoverfashion > It's a "Porch-uh"
05/13/2016 at 13:34

Funny you should mention it, I really want to wait for the V90, as opposed to the XC90. But then, we both have really only ever had manual transmission cars so this would be a bit... soul-crushing for us. We’ll see...

By the way I currently drive a 325iT, it’s a 2003 5-speed. It’s a great size for just about everything I do, which includes hauling 2 kids and a dog nearly every day, plus skis in winter, bikes in summer.

MUSASHI66 > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:35

Got ya. I guess I am not shocked - first generation car on a new platform with a new (super complex) engine...

LJ909 > MUSASHI66
05/13/2016 at 13:38

True. But you would think they would have these kinds of things ironed out. The interior is immaculate. Why wasn’t that kind of care taken to the electrical systems?

MUSASHI66 > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:42

First year model. I think virtually all cars have this issue on new models/platforms. The old “don’t buy a first year model” isn’t a saying for no reason.

functionoverfashion > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:43

Middle of New Hampshire >> Boston. It’s not like we’re afraid it would constantly have issues... it’s more that even routine stuff would be a logistical problem. I heard they were coming up to NH to pick up cars from the few that live up here, but I think that will come to a halt soon if it hasn’t already. Where we are, even a BMW dealer is over an hour away.

LJ909 > functionoverfashion
05/13/2016 at 13:52

Wow then yea that would be an unnecessary inconvenience. I’m in Southern California so that explains a lot.

Ash78, voting early and often > MUSASHI66
05/13/2016 at 13:56

I've seen it work both ways — some manufacturers are so itching to make a big splash, I swear they lose money for a couple years to help their reputation. That's the angle Volvo should have taken here, but I doubt they did.

Ash78, voting early and often > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 13:57

So you mean I have to wait ANOTHER year...to wait 10 more years to buy one?

It's a "Porch-uh" > functionoverfashion
05/13/2016 at 14:12

Not sure how the new XC90's transmission compares, but I swapped my Tahoe (used to have a race car to tow) for a 2012 A4 Avant with the ZF 8-speed. Using the paddles is nice when you want to fire through the gears, and for me (in SoCal traffic) having the automatic for daily driving is nice. If I want to have some more fun, I always have the M5 to bring out.

DipodomysDeserti > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 16:33

Forums are a terrible way to tell if a mass produced car is having issues.

LJ909 > DipodomysDeserti
05/13/2016 at 16:36

How if no one has been paying attention that its going on? Whats better than having actual owners with pictures tell you about problems they are having then having maybe a biased automotive outlet or reporter gloss over the facts?

DipodomysDeserti > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 16:45

Because all cars have issues, especially when new, and especially when European. My dad’s M235i had a bunch of electrical issues when he first got it, and so did a handful of other guys. Me and a bunch of other people have had issues with front end noises and crunches coming from our Abarths. It was such a problem that FIAT issued a new part which dealers were to install. Most people still had problems even with the new part. Did anyone write stories about these issues? No, because with mass produced, new vehicles that is the norm. You people with your Tesla/Volvo/Mazda Jalopnik conspiracy theories sound like absolute morons.

DipodomysDeserti > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 16:46

Two weeks doesn’t seem too bad for such an issue. My dad had to wait almost a month to get his M235i fixed with only 13k miles on the clock because of electrical issues.

jkm7680 > LJ909
05/13/2016 at 17:18

Because people are biased as hell. That’s why.

RordFaptor > LJ909
05/26/2016 at 17:16

Volvo used to put their development money into things like simple safety features. For this round, they put all the money into the exterior design of the vehicle and found they don’t have enough money to do what Volvo was known for.

BMW has the dealer service/repair department pipeline down to a science; they’ve had a lot of practice. Volvo’s gonna eventually get there after these new and more complex cars keep getting taken in for repair.