2008 Volvo XC90 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
44 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Volvo XC90, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 7/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2008 Volvo XC90 has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2008 sits among all XC90 years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 35 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 77,320 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,848 and 116,580 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Fix: 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…
VOLVO IS RECALLING 102 MY 2008 XC90 AND S80 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INCORRECT BOLTS TO THE ENGINE MOUNT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS FOR SPECIFIC MARKINGS. IF ANY OF THE BOLTS CONTAIN THE INCORRECT MARKINGS, THE BRACKET AND BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OWNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND…
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE (CCM) MAY RECEIVE A 'SHUT-DOWN SIGNAL' FROM THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AFTER IGNITION KEY INSERTION. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL FUNCTIONS WILL NOT…
Fix: THE ECM SOFTWARE WILL BE UPGRADED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
Technical service bulletins
215 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2008 Volvo XC90. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Volvo XC90 reliable?
The 2008 Volvo XC90 drew 44 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 7/100, scored against the model's worst year (2004).
What are the most common 2008 Volvo XC90 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Volvo XC90 are electrical (9 complaints), engine (8), and other (7).
At what mileage do 2008 Volvo XC90 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Volvo XC90 problems around 77,320 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,848 and 116,580 miles.
Does the 2008 Volvo XC90 have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Volvo XC90. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.