Is the 2016 Volvo XC90 a bad year?
197 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 88, 8.8× a quiet XC90 year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 8.8× the complaints of a quiet XC90 year, spread over 3k–79k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2016 XC90 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 20,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 88 (45%) | 3k–79k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 56 (28%) | 5k–26k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 23 (12%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 14 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 13 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 11 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 10 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 20,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 197 complaints: 5 mention a crash · 10 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 8 say the car was towed.
13 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Aug 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I bought a brand new 2016, 1st generation Volvo XC90 T6 on 10/13/2015. This car was sold to me with an engine defect from the manufacturer.
I purchased a 2016 XC90 in JULY15. Shortly after the purchase, I started to notice issues with the brakes and various other issues.
The car was driving about 35 MPH when this happen. Engine started to have multiple miss fire. Took it to a professional shop and cylinder 1, 2 and 3 have a wet spark plug.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 20,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2016 Volvo XC90: 8
The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly. An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash.
Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible. The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.
Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak. If the coolant leak goes unnoticed, coolant may accumulate in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and catch fire when the vehicle is stationary, increasing the risk of injury.
On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing. Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
The sunroofs on the affected vehicles have a switch on the overhead console that may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from being unintentionally pressed. When pressed, the sunroof may fully close. If the switch is unintentionally pressed and the sunroof panel closes, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.
The third row seating side curtain air bags may not fully inflate. Underinflated air bags may not fully protect third row occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The affected vehicles have front seats whose wiring harness for the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) may have been routed incorrectly. If the wiring harness is routed incorrectly, the wiring may be damaged, disabling the front seat side impact air bag, and increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front seat…
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Volvo: 588
Repair instructions Volvo sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2016 Volvo XC90. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration
T8 P0EA773 Auxiliary Cooling System Performance. install component 32139082
ERAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) Bearing Noise
Volvo Chassis Diagnostic Trouble Code ( DTC ) P05EB, Diagnostic And Repair Information US14+OBD15 And US14+OBD16 (Commonly Model Years 2016 And 2017)
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Pedestrian alert sounds
Neighbouring years
2017 XC90: 82 complaints, keep it.
Every Volvo XC90 year
2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · All XC90 years side by side
Other Volvo models: Volvo C70 · Volvo S40 · Volvo S60 · Volvo S70 · Volvo S80 · Volvo V70 · Volvo V70XC · Volvo XC40 · Volvo XC60 · Volvo XC70. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2016 Volvo XC90 a bad year?
197 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 88, 8.8× a quiet XC90 year. At 20,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 8.8× the complaints of a quiet XC90 year, spread over 3k–79k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volvo XC90?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (88), electrical system (56), body structure (23), brakes (14), fuel system (13). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 3k–79k miles.
How many recalls does the 2016 Volvo XC90 have?
8 recall campaigns list this model year: Seat belts (NHTSA 23V-827), Electrical system (NHTSA 21V-273), Engine and cooling (NHTSA 19V-308), Seat belts (NHTSA 16V-798) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.