2020 Volvo XC40
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Volvo › XC40 › 2020
These records cover every 2020 Volvo XC40. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2020 Volvo XC40. Newest first.
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29998.
Owner complaints
12 complaints1 involved a crash2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system · Engine · Power train
The cooling system cracked, malfunctioned and caused a domino effect of multiple repair issues costing at least $5,200. My car is currently at a Volvo dealer. My Safety: The possibility of the hot engine and hot wires could have resulted in a fire. This problem HAS been reproduced and confirmed by…
The cooling system cracked, malfunctioned and caused a domino effect of multiple repair issues costing at least $5,200. My car is currently at a Volvo dealer. My Safety: The possibility of the hot engine and hot wires could have resulted in a fire. This problem HAS been reproduced and confirmed by a Volvo dealer. The vehicle overheating was witnessed by the Fire Department and local police.. As far as sufficient Warning Lights or dashboard indications, the ONLY messages I received were 1} About 5 p.m. EST Battery indicator (at which point I pulled over immediately into Batteries Plus who said the battery wasn't fully charged- so they charged it and the light went off and they did not mention or report any other problems; About 9 p.m., 2 blocks from home, the "High Temperature" indicator went "ON" and so I pulled over into my driveway immediately. At 3 a.m. the car security alarm sounded and the hood was smoking at all angles so the Fire Department arrived in 5 minutes and disconnected the battery and stabilized the car within an hour and a half. The car was towed first thing in the morning. I am shocked that a 2020 Volvo would do this to me.
- Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
The rear backup camera display system failed, resulting in a completely blank or black center infotainment screen when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. Yes, the vehicle and its Sensus infotainment system software logs are available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of…
The rear backup camera display system failed, resulting in a completely blank or black center infotainment screen when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. Yes, the vehicle and its Sensus infotainment system software logs are available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of pedestrians were put at immediate risk because the sudden failure of the rearview camera created a severe blind spot directly behind the vehicle. This loss of visibility prevents the driver from seeing small children, pedestrians, or obstacles while backing up. Furthermore, this software malfunction causes the vehicle to become non-compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 111, which legally requires operational rearview image displays to prevent backover accidents. I’m not even sure if the dealership could replicate the issue. All they could tell me is that reinstalling the software is the first step to figuring out the issue. So I paid the fee which ended up being around 230 something dollars. Mind you I stated that it was affecting my backup camera. Yes, it was inspected by the manufacturer's authorized dealership service department. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives as no crash has occurred yet. No, there were no warning lights, error messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. The backup camera screen simply went completely black without warning when the car was placed in reverse. The issue first appeared around this year of January
- Engine · Power train · Service brakes
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR ODI#11708898. I am providing additional documentation to this ODI case. I had to create a new complaint since there appears to be no way on-line to add this information. Gunther Volvo has not provided ANY status updates of my vehicle which has been in their…
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR ODI#11708898. I am providing additional documentation to this ODI case. I had to create a new complaint since there appears to be no way on-line to add this information. Gunther Volvo has not provided ANY status updates of my vehicle which has been in their possession since Sunday, January 4, 2026. The Director of Customer Experience, Nyam Smith had not responded to my email sent on 1/4/2026. Volvo Customer Care had assigned a case # for towing and for the safety incident but both the dealership and Volvo Customer Care have been unresponsive. I did not receive responses to my texts to the dealership asking for any updates, and Nyam Smith said in an email that I needed to get any updates from Volvo Customer Care. I called them to get an update but Pablo had no update and said he had to call the dealer! The Service Tech I had talked to on 1/5 about the car left me a voice mail at 5:05 PM on 1/5 stating that the foreman has been in contact with Volvo Engineering and that they had a few questions -- how many times had this issue occurred, how did I get the car to stop running and they requested a photo of the shoes I was wearing. I sent that photo that evening but I never received any response from numerous texts asking for a status. They have not provided a courtesy loaner for the past 15 days so I have had to incur incidental rental charges. 1/9/26, I spoke to Jocelyn at Volvo - she was unable to give any updates but she sent me a form (one of the questions asked where the vehicle was!) -- I emailed the completed form that same day but received no acknowledgement from them until 1/15. They sent me a form authorizing an investigation of my car. I have not received any further communication from Volvo Cust. Care or the dealer. They are withholding diagnostic. data (BCM/ECU logs following the unintended surge event on 1/4/26. I am calling the dealer 1/19 to speak with Vasil Blagoev, Service Mgr. for a status
- Engine · Power train · Service brakes
On 01/04/2026, while operating a gas-powered 2024 Volvo XC40, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) event while stationary at a red light. With the service brake fully depressed, the internal combustion engine began to surge and rev uncontrollably, making loud…
On 01/04/2026, while operating a gas-powered 2024 Volvo XC40, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) event while stationary at a red light. With the service brake fully depressed, the internal combustion engine began to surge and rev uncontrollably, making loud noises. The engine torque increased in direct response to increased brake pressure, eventually overcoming the braking system and forcing the vehicle forward into the 3-way intersection. Technical Details: Brake-Throttle Override (BTO) Failure: The vehicle’s safety logic failed to prioritize the brake signal over the uncommanded throttle increase. Shifter Interlock Malfunction: During the surge, the electronic gear selector was unresponsive, preventing shifting into Neutral (N) to disconnect power. Shifting capability only returned once the vehicle was brought to a forced stop. Prior Symptoms: Intermittent "idle flaring" and surging were noted 48 hours prior to the failure. Safety Risk: The vehicle moved into traffic against my intent and physical input, posing a high risk of collision. The car was towed by Volvo Road Assistance on 1/4/26 to the Volvo dealership later that evening. This incident mimics the "Powertrain Control System" defects currently documented in NHTSA Campaign 25V392 and the Becker v. Volvo class action, suggesting the software defect extends to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) models. The car is currently at the Volvo Dealership for diagnostics. The service intake person has not provided an update on whether they have been able to duplicate the issue. I do not know what diagnostics have been performed on the car at this point. There were no warning signs or messages prior to the failure. Some minor surging had been noticed a couple of days before, but this latest incident was catastrophic and a safety risk. I felt trapped in my car.
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting · Visibility/wiper
During night rainstorm, front and rear wipers, turn signals and high beams all failed. This was the result of a design defect that allows water from panoramic moonroof to drain into the floor where it compromises electrical connections and modules. In addition to potentially catastrophic safety…
During night rainstorm, front and rear wipers, turn signals and high beams all failed. This was the result of a design defect that allows water from panoramic moonroof to drain into the floor where it compromises electrical connections and modules. In addition to potentially catastrophic safety component (wipers, high beams and turn signals) failures, the water damage compromised the seat belts, as well, which also required repairs. Insurance adjuster confided that this is a frequent, common problem. Repairs took 10 days and cost $8700! Both the insurance adjuster and the dealer stated that there is no maintenance procedure an owner can do to avoid this problem.
- Electrical system › Software
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer and the infotainment system screen turned blank. The vehicle then lost motive power. The electronic stability program (ESP) warning light was illuminated. The contact's…
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer and the infotainment system screen turned blank. The vehicle then lost motive power. The electronic stability program (ESP) warning light was illuminated. The contact's wife veered to the side of the road, and the contact arrived at the scene. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to the software control module and SRS air bags malfunction, which caused the vehicle to believe it was involved in a crash and to shut off automatically. The dealer determined there were no signs of a crash and performed a software update; however, the failure recurred while his wife was driving. The message "12V Battery Low Charge" was displayed. The contact's wife pulled into a parking lot and was able to restart the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,453.
- Air bags
Air Bags did not deploy when car hit another vehicle that failed to stop and DUI. Volvo was traveling at 35MPH and vehicle hit was traveling 35+. Vehicle is available for inspection at this time. Driver experiencing bodily injuries (neck, shoulders, back, ribs, and legs, etc. as well as affects…
Air Bags did not deploy when car hit another vehicle that failed to stop and DUI. Volvo was traveling at 35MPH and vehicle hit was traveling 35+. Vehicle is available for inspection at this time. Driver experiencing bodily injuries (neck, shoulders, back, ribs, and legs, etc. as well as affects of a concussion. I am not sure who to contact to inspect the vehicle. Please call me at 951-973-3035 or email me with who can help me with this. No warning prior to failure.
- Electrical system
The electrical system on my car apparently failed, which rendered the car unable to start and drive. Park Place Volvo claims that there is water, that penetrated the seals, from underneath the car. Although there were no visible signs of water, Volvo claims that the rain caused this issue. Volvo has refused to honor a warranty for the alleged defective seals, and sent my car to its collision center.
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Vehicle suddenly puts on the brakes, for no reason. Has happened 3 times, 2 in parking lots and 1 while driving down the road, suddenly swerved for no reason. Could cause injuries to driver and passenger.
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Forward collision avoidance › Warnings · Lane departure › Assist
Almost once a month my car with think there is something in front of it and activate the emergency brakes. It causes huge strain to the brakes and almost makes me crash and puts the people in front of me and behind me at risk. I've turned the setting to a lower sensitivity to try to avoid this but…
Almost once a month my car with think there is something in front of it and activate the emergency brakes. It causes huge strain to the brakes and almost makes me crash and puts the people in front of me and behind me at risk. I've turned the setting to a lower sensitivity to try to avoid this but it doesn't matter. The car does the worst on turns as well and thinks cars in the opposite lanes while turning are in your lane and will cause the system to react. On small roads the car will try to move your car to correct in the lane but it's too small and runs the risk of going off the road or go into oncoming traffic. Most of the time I just have to turn this setting off entirely since it's more dangerous than helpful.
- Service brakes
My XC40 has 24, 500 miles on it, and it has already had three sets of brake rotors replaced. The dealership reported "warped rotors" on my front brake rotors in the summer of 2021 at 15,000 miles and replaced them. Now at 24,500 miles, both the front and rear rotors were again "warped" and replaced by the dealership noting that the "rotors had pad transfer marks".
- Seat belts · Unknown or other
Issue1: a few weeks ago while my wife had stopped at a traffic light and without any provocation, her seatbelt went into crash mode, tightening significantly and locking. this was to the point that she felt being suffocated from pressure on her abdomen and chest. fortunately, the car was not in…
Issue1: a few weeks ago while my wife had stopped at a traffic light and without any provocation, her seatbelt went into crash mode, tightening significantly and locking. this was to the point that she felt being suffocated from pressure on her abdomen and chest. fortunately, the car was not in motion, otherwise, the seatbelt tightening and lock could lead to an accident. the lock released after 30 seconds and she could open the seat belt. she had chest pain for a few days after this incident. issue 2: three days ago when my wife was removing groceries from the trunk of the car, and while the engine was off, suddenly the trunk door released itself and hit her on the head with full force. this door IS supposed to close only when a switch inside the trunk IS triggered or when the key IS used to close the trunk door. neither was engaged at the time as she still had items to remove from the trunk. she has serious neck pain and nausea for a couple of days. the above incidents appear to be caused by some sort of computer malfunction. we are concerned about repetition of these incidents which have the potential to cause serious injury and harm for which we hold volvo responsible. issues 2 and 3 are of particular concern. seatbelt lock-up and severe tightening during drive can cause accident. the trunk door releasing itself suddenly can break someone's neck or cause head injury to us or grocery store staff who help us load groceries. inaction will definitely constitute negligence.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11009818This is a Technical Journal: White patch defect in paint when removed rapgard. Expose vehicle to outside daylight for 48hrs.
- 11009815This is a Technical Journal: Apple CarPlay Not OK - iPhone with USB-C, SENSUS. The 56 kO resistor ensures safe and appropriate power delivery.
- 11009811This is a Technical Journal: Software Upgrade / Download Guide. If one control unit is upgraded and not all, it may result in various problems.
- 11009803This is a Technical Journal: Outer rear view mirror intermittently not folding. May required replacing terminals.
- 11009511This is a Technical Journal: Alleged issues with Intellisafe functionality. Inform the customer of the functions and limitations
- 11009496This is a Technical Journal: Difficulty clearing SODx DTCs. put the car in usage mode "Driving" and continue the erasing process
- 11007932This is a Technical Journal: Improved 12V battery test in VIDA. Improved 12V battery test in VIDA
- 11007925Information about valid Software partnumbers to order and download Software for "PDS" Pre-Delivery Service
- 11006576This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 11006564This is a Technical Journal: SENSUS - IHU Software Improvement (Voice Control). software is available in VIDA beginning 2024 week 21.
- 11006562This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 11006557This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 11006554This is a Technical Journal: Improved 12V battery test in VIDA. Improved 12V battery test in VIDA
- 10254406This is a Technical Journal: Check Engine Light in DIM (BCM2 P25A268 / U003700). Download software.
- 10253792This is a Technical Journal: Upper front suspension creaking/knocking noise. replace upper bearing.
- 10253788This is a Technical Journal: VCM Backup Battery Replacement with VCM-U105000. Replace the VCM Backup Battery and download the relevant Software.
- 10252722This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 10252682This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 10251606This is a Technical Journal: SPA/CMA - 12V Battery Testing / Maintenance Guide. After capturing a NEW VIDA readout, conduct the steps in VIDA.
- 10251328CBR - Driveline Noise, Suspension Ride Height Too High, Suspension Will Not Exhaust - Chassis Built 2016w01 And Newer.
- 10251147This is a Technical Journal: VIDA Main battery diagnostic - Prompted to charge battery a second time. Use had held tester.
- 10249465This is a Technical Journal: WPC, none or unstable charging. recalibrate the WPC by performing a WPC reload.
- 10249396Creaking noise from right engine pad
- 10249393OHC replaced too often due to CEM U134187,download software prior replacement
- 10249385WPC (Wireless Phone Charger) charging information
- 10249367Upper front suspension creaking/knocking noise
- 10249366Volvo Cars App Remote climate or ERS, not possible
- 10249361No bass function (High Performance Audio)
- 10249344P5(SPA)/P6(CMA) Software Download Guide
- 10249191This is a Technical Journal: 12V Battery Testing Method
- 10248799Alleged issues with Intellisafe functionality.
- 10248798Updated Chassis Range.
- 10241670No internet connection and intermittent.
- 10241661Complimentary upgrade c00009 description.
- 10241655Driver support systems
- 10241651Rubber cushion
- 10241649Electrical rear axis drive
- 10241648Body, cab and interior.
- 10241647New Information.
- 10241641Mobile data services, general
Every Volvo XC40 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.