NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,542 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Volvo XC90 electrical problems

electrical problem

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2006 Volvo XC90 Owner Comments

problem #13

Aug 052021

XC90

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Awakened to lights flashing, horn going off, wipers running on a vehicle that was parked with keys removed. The cem underneath driver's side dash had gotten wet from rain water leaking into it and subsequently shorted out requiring $2350 replacement via dealer. This IS A Huge problem.... however, and wait for it. IT IS NOT DUE TO THE SUNROOF.... I know this with absolute certainty because I have 3 2006-2010 xc90's and NONE HAVE SUNROOFS but all 3 had to have CEM reprogrammed. I can't understand why NOTHING has been done about this... it's absurd.

- Naples, FL, USA

problem #12

Oct 132021

XC90

  • miles
the drivers side electric seat controls are causing unsafe driving conditions. i drive with the seat all the way back and down. I have the memory sets all for that position. Problem is when I get back in the car it will be back up and forward al the way. So i will set it back down. Well while ia m driving it will automatically start raising back up and forward. As you can imagine this gets very uncomfortable and feels like i am getting choked to death. I will set it back and it will keep doing that. I will hear clicking and then it will start moving. sometimes. i will have to hold my finger on the down button to keep it from moving on me while im driving, sometimes it will still move all the way up while i am holding the button down. and then it will get all the way forward and the buttons will not work for me for a while. Im stuck in the forward up position choking and cant do anything about it. Eventually they will start working again nut its a very impossible position to be left in. I don't know why it is doing this. I feel like I have a Christine car(from the movie). I haven't taken it anywhere and not sure where to go. I feel like the dealer would try to hide the problem.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #11

Apr 062020

XC90

  • miles
Water leaking from an unknown place gathering in passenger side floor ! causing many electrical problems! vehicle was in idol and cut off will not restart leaving my young daughter and I stranded! while investigating and removing carpet came to realize they were 30 gallons of water under carpet!! looking into it more online noticed many many many others have expressed this same problem! why is not an important issue to Volvo to want to fix this problem"? why wasn't this problem issued for recall???" does son have to die of physically harmed for their to be a recall for this ongoing problem

- Big Stone Gap, VA, USA

problem #10

Oct 012017

XC90 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Volvo XC90. While driving various speeds, the vehicle would pull to the right. The vehicle was taken to crippen Volvo (8300 w. saginaw hwy, lansing, mi), but the failure could not be duplicated. Approximately one month later, while driving 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly pulled hard to the right and the driver nearly lost control of the steering. After stopping the vehicle, it was discovered that the front passenger side tie rod ball joint failed and the wheels were not properly positioned. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer and the tie rod was damaged. The contact indicated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 06V155000 (steering) although the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. Also, on several occasions, the vehicle could not be immediately started. While driving various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly shut off and caused the power steering and power brakes to become inoperable. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 130,000.

- Henderson, MI, USA

problem #9

May 102016

XC90

  • 111,000 miles
Fire started in rear near battery compartment. Within seconds, it exploded.

- Oviedo, FL, USA

problem #8

Oct 272012

XC90

  • 100,000 miles
Owned car 2nd hand for 2 years now. The past 2 weeks my turning signal, drivers side mirrors, interior lights, display counsel flashes on and off. Especially when I use turning signal. Being told ECM box water gets into system. Volvo does not support their product. So disappointed. I was ready to buy a new XC60. Not a chance.

- Bolton, FL, USA

problem #7

Jul 112011

XC90 5-cyl

  • 95,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I drove home from work and messages started to appear warning me of the engine not working properly, low beams not working. Drove it home. Turned it off & wipers would not stop. We unhooked the battery cable using the manual. Took it to have battery tested, bad cell. Replaced battery & wipers quit working, air bag light warning came on. Took to mechanic to have wiper motor tested, it was fine. Took to Volvo, they wanted to replace wiper motor, told them that was not the only problem. Took to different Volvo and they diagnosed, after three hours, the cem was corroded due to a crack in the box that houses it. Wanted $3500 for the repair. I left without it and started to research it. Found out Volvo acknowledged a fault in the seal in a traffic safety report. Contacted Volvo about the repair, started discussions about a good will repair, three weeks later I received a call stating they would not cover any part of it. The Volvo looses power and could be unsafe at any time. There are many discussions of this on different Volvo. I don't understand how Volvo says it is a fault of the part and then refuses to replace it. I am driving it at this time, while I figure out a more economical route.

- Grayson, KY, USA

problem #6

Jul 032011

XC90

  • 43,000 miles
Driving in heavy rain, cruise control fails, car gets stuck in 5th gear, lighting failure, car says in drive when in park, anti-skid service light comes on, check engine light comes on. Had to be towed back to the dealer when they test drove it. Very dangerous situation, two kids in the car and bought the car for its safety rating. Will cost $2500 to repair.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #5

Apr 172011

XC90

  • 52,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the headlights had malfunctioned and would not illuminate. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised her that the comfort electronic module (cem) would need to be replaced. In addition, the vehicle stalled several times without warning. After the diagnosis, the technician advised that the cem also was the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #4

Sep 302010

XC90

  • 85,000 miles
Anti-skid error keeps coming up on my 2006 8 cyl Volvo XC90. Dealer unsure how to diagnose. I am concerned my anti lock braking and 4 wheel drive will not work. Is this a known defect in Volvo XC90's of that year?

- South Orange, NJ, USA

problem #3

Mar 142010

XC90

  • 40,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2006 Volvo XC90 headlamp failure. Wa.state Volvo rep. Denies intermittent headlamp failure exists. This is a huge safety issue. The Volvo headlights just fail when the vehicle is being driven! I and many others approx.93,487 owner's of this vehicle have spent thousands of dollars having Volvo service dealer's unable to correct the serious problem. This should be a priority safety recall and Volvo should immediately send out a service bulletin to all dealerships. Apparently Volvo does know this problem exists and has purposely chosen to not correct the problem or to acknowledge the serious safety issue. Volvo owner's are at risk of serious injury or death. While driving the Volvo the headlamps flicker and fail. The driver usually a mother with children in the car is suddenly plunged into darkness at any given speed and at night. Please help all of us mothers who believe we made the best decision to provide" safety first" for our family's. this needs to be a priority safety recall. Having the headlights fail while driving is putting innocent lives in grave danger.

- Black Diamond , WA, USA

problem #2

Sep 152010

XC90

  • 40,000 miles
Intermittent lighting failure in the Volvo XC90 2006 model. The headlamps just fail. Volvos are supposed to be safe. My family and I could have been seriously injured or worse. I have spent thousands of dollars to fix the issue and I still have the problem. I can not drive at dusk or at night because of this.

- Black Diamond Wa 98010, WA, USA

problem #1

Mar 252006

XC90 8-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50 miles
I bought a 2006 Volvo XC90 ocean race (limited edition) SUV on 3/21/06. The morning of 3/25/06, my car would not start. Volvo roadside assistance jump started the vehicle, which I then drove back to the dealership. The battery tested fine, and the vehicle was returned to me. On 4/27/06, again the car would not start. Vehicle was returned to me on 4/29, no-charge invoice says "replace engine management and starter relays. Rechecked numerous times, O.K." car again failed to start 5/3/06. It is now 5/9 and 'special' Volvo field tech seem clueless as to the problem. They claim to have checked "everything thoroughly", and now say they want to put 20 -40 miles on my new vehicle, attempting to "recreate the dead battery scenario". sounds mighty desperate and illogical, considering the car intermittently and unpredictably failed to start only after 10-24 hours of being parked. I feel that all that $ I spent has provided me with little more than various loaner cars, trips to and from the dealership, major inconveniences, headaches, and a growing uneasiness with Volvo's reliability and service techs.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

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