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2003 Volvo Xc90 Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

149 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.37 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical10V566000

Equipment:Electrical:Navigational System(Global Positioning System)

OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

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

Critical09V483000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

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 & full details

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 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.

Serious06V155000

Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly

THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious06V144000

Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer

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

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious03V391000

Seat Belts:Rear/Other

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, raises the risk of INJURY.

Remedy & full details

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.

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

Complaint volume

149 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

3Crashes
3Fires
10Injuries
0Deaths

Across 149 complaints. Severity Index 0.37.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train · Automatic T…39 · 26%Electrical System13 · 9%Power Train7 · 5%Suspension5 · 3%Air Bags4 · 3%Equipment4 · 3%Fuel/Propulsion System4 · 3%Parking Brake3
  1. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 39 reports
  2. Electrical System — 13 reports
  3. Power Train — 7 reports
  4. Suspension — 5 reports
  5. Air Bags — 4 reports
  6. Equipment — 4 reports
  7. Fuel/Propulsion System — 4 reports
  8. Parking Brake — 3 reports
  9. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 3 reports
  10. Structure — 3 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2003 · 2004 (6) · 2005 (6) · 2006 (3) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (3) · 2009 (1) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (1) · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2016 (8) · 2017 (7) · 2018 (3) · 2019 (6) · 2020 (7) · 2021 (6) · 2022 (4) · 2023 (6) · 2024 (3) · 2025 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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