10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$5,000
Average Mileage:
107,600 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace engine (2 reports)
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problem #2

Nov 012018

XC90 V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 119,518 miles

DO NOT BUY A VOLVO XC90!! Our family has only ever driven Volvo's since the early 1970's. We purchased (drove off the lot again!) two new fully loaded, top of the line, 2005 Volvo XC90 V8's - both vehicles have had complete and total ENGINE FAILURE due to a Volvo engine defect and Volvo has been and is clearly aware that nearly all 2005 XC90 V8's have had!

My silver XC90 V8 only had 49,000 miles on it when the engine seized and completely failed and I had to FIGHT Volvo to replace the engine at their expense (which they eventually did because the car was only a few years old and had less than 50k miles on it thankfully- though I had to pay $1500 out of pocket and was never reimbursed to have it towed from my rural mountain location in CO to the closest Volvo dealership in Denver). Rickenbaugh Volvo in Denver initially tried to blame me for it though the car had been maintained to Volvo requirements and standards since I drove it off the lot and had all paperwork to back it up.

Now, my dark grey 2005 Volvo XC90 V8 has become my teenage daughter's car and has only 119k miles on it (has always been impeccably serviced and maintained) and was told today by my local Volvo specialist/mechanic due to the horrific noise coming from the engine compartment that the engine on THIS car has now failed and needs to be replaced due to the exact same defective engine issue my first XC90 V8 had! Both of these top of the line cars we drove off the lot brand new to the tune of approx $60,000 each!

I called and spoke to Rickenbaugh Volvo in Denver earlier today when I was informed of needing to replace this engine too. Rickenbaugh had been the service provider of this car 100% until a few years ago and was told over the phone by Dwight in the Rickenbaugh Service Dept I would be looking at $15k-$16k for a new engine from them (absolutely ludicrous!). My local Volvo specialist/private mechanic can replace it with a new non-faulty Volvo engine for about $5k. Dwight was rude and very short with me, cutting me off before I had the chance to share with him my history with their dealership. Shame on him. I found this to be incredibly unprofessional customer service and completely UNACCEPTABLE. Due to the treatment I received today from Rickenbaugh, their dealership just lost my and my family's business forever - I will also tell everyone I know in CO (I've lived in CO since 1988) not to do business with their dealership. Period. A shame on their part as there are MANY Volvo owners here in the Aspen area and they are the closest dealership to this rural mountain area.

My family (my parents, my brother, myself) have only ever driven Volvo's since the early 1970's. When my father was stationed in Germany in the 80's, Volvo in Sweden sent our entire family on a cruise to Sweden to the Volvo manufacturing plant to pick up our 4th new Volvo in 1988. We were treated like kings and queens for the day with a tour of the plant, etc. Our family has since purchased four more top of the line, brand new Volvos.

DO NOT BUY A VOLVO XC90 - VOLVO DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THIS "LUXURY" PRODUCT!!! I, nor any of my family members, will EVER purchase another Volvo again because of Volvo's lack of response and responsibility to this clear and specific issue that is a proven 100% Volvo defect. This known fact of engine failure in the XC90 V8 should be warrantied by Volvo for the life of the car since it is due to a well-known Volvo defect.

I highly suggest finding a different European luxury SUV to spend your high dollars on - DO NOT buy a Volvo! I will be uploading a video of the horrific engine noise both here and to YouTube this evening when I have chance so anyone looking to identify the similar noise and with their vehicle and the outcome can be informed.

Such a shame - and loss of an entire family of loyal Volvo purchasers - on Volvo's part...

- Kat P., Basalt, CO, US

problem #1

Feb 102011

XC90 AWD V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,640 miles

this is a horrible sistuation we are in, my husband was driving on 25 mph when the engine just stopped working, no noise no knocking nothing, and it is horrible since where ever we took it they told us it was an engine lock up so the whole engine needed to be replaced!! but we didnt get it teared open yet, this totally sucks since it costs 8,000 dollars to replace it with an old engine and 17,000 to replace it with a new engine, and the stupid service we brought doesnt even cover it!! we are soo hurt and shocked that volvo made an engine or got a vechile that is not even realiable, volvo should help out , this is a grave diappointment that such a nice car died on us please beware DO NOT BUY volvo xc90 v8 thanks!!

- mzaidi, Willowbrook, IL, US