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2018 Volvo S90

Plug-in hybrid Gas

Midsize Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 16

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Volvo S90 is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the S90 AWD PHEV, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 16 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Volvo S90 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Volvo S90 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Range	kWh/100mi	Charge (240V)	Annual fuel*
S90 AWD PHEV	Plug-in hybrid	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo + 34 and 65 kW 3-phase Sync.	26	33	29 (41 MPGe blended)	21 mi electric	45	3 h	$2,850
S90 FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	24	34	27	—	—	—	$3,050
S90 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	23	32	26	—	—	—	$3,150
S90 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	31	25	—	—	—	$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39381, 38788, 38790, 38789.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
S90 AWD PHEV	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay Elite
S90 FWD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
S90 AWD	3–5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
S90 AWD	3–5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

250 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	2WD/4WD
Transmission	Automatic

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Inscription, Momentum). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	195.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.4 in
Height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	115.7 in
Track, front	64.2 in
Track, rear	64.2 in
Curb weight	3,878–4,588 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: 4-door Sedan T5 AWD, 4-door Sedan T5 FWD, 4-door Sedan T6 AWD, 4-door Sedan T8 Eawd PHEV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Seats

R19931

2,297 vehicles 96% reported repaired built Oct 12, 2017 – Jan 15, 2019

Problem Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 XC60 and S90 vehicles. The driver and passenger front seat rail rear flange nuts may not have been installed during assembly. Risk If the nuts are missing, in the event of a crash, the front seat structure and position may be affected, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat rails for missing flange nuts, installing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R19931.

NHTSA campaign 19V220000 reported Mar 20, 2019 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Electrical System

R39917

17,548 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Mar 24, 2016 – Nov 1, 2018

Problem Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. As a result, the GPS will not provide location information to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency. Risk If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury. Fix Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V800000 reported Nov 13, 2018 Volvo Car USA LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific S90

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volvo publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volvo’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Volvo S90, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

16complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

12 per 10,000 built · Volvo reported 12,800 S90 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Unspecified 4

Electrical System 4

Latches/Locks/Linkages 3

Service Brakes 2

Wheels 2

Tires 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts. My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet.

Air Bags Jul 31, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11754063

ISSUE 1 – VOLVO ON CALL / VCM "SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE: My vehicle has displayed a persistent "Volvo On Call Service Required" error message in the Driver Information Module (DIM) for over one year.

Forward Collision Avoidance May 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11735364

There is a great deal of vibration at highway speeds. It has been like this since I purchased the car

Wheels Feb 11, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11717421

Rear right door lock failed, stuck closed. Extremely unsafe if someone was sitting in the back and unable to leave vehicle. It has been confirmed by others. It has been inspected by an independent mechanic. There has been zero warning lights to indicate the issue

Latches/Locks/Linkages Mar 12, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11647854

At 5pm while driving home, which was 2 hours away, I needed to stop and refuel. At the pump I pushed the fuel door and it would not release to open. After many tries it would not open. I called Volvo On Call and informed them of the problem.

Electrical System Feb 19, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11643791

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo S90. The contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, the steering wheel would violently shake without warning. The contact has had two sets of brake rotors replaced on the vehicle due to the failure.

Service Brakes at 47,000 miles Jun 16, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11469647

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 664

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-05-23

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 654 service bulletins, 6 others, 4 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

33031.6.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-23 · Unknown Or Other
This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment - If remote control key is not detected by the car and shows message in DIM "Car key not found" or if functions such as lock/unlock are not working, please follow advice for detecting key
36496.10.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-07 · Power Train
This is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. If the sound corresponds to attached sound file, change front drive shafts to the below part numbers.
36376.6.0 Service bulletin
2026-05-07 · Unknown Or Other
This is a Technical Journal: Text only no attachments - Before replacing a cell module, make sure the latest BECM software is downloaded. This is important for utilizing the VIDA method described here and receiving the correct cell balancing diagnostics after the replacement.
34521.11.1 Service bulletin
2026-05-07 · Exterior Lighting
This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
35526.1.8 Service bulletin
2026-04-23 · Engine
This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.
37809.1.1 Service bulletin
2026-04-07 · Unknown Or Other
This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval. Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section
34521.10.0 Service bulletin
2026-03-21 · Exterior Lighting
This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
34295.9.0 Service bulletin
2026-03-10 · Electrical System
This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 attachments 1 PDF and 1 PNG - High Voltage Battery repairs. Always repair the battery according to the methods in VIDA. This TJ is a guide to the kinds of repairs that can be done instead of a complete HV battery replacement. Parts, methods, and tools are now available to repair almost all faults within the High Voltage Battery.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.1%

failed emissions

427 initial inspections of 414 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 S90	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.1%	3.0%	426
Failed the safety inspection	0.70%	1.9%	427
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0%	0.22%	427
Miles driven a year	10,313	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	85,303	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

S90 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 0 28 mpg 2025 C 4 0 29 mpg 2024 A 2 3 25 mpg 2023 B 3 3 30 mpg 2022 B 3 2 30 mpg 2021 C 2 0 30 mpg 2020 D 4 3 30 mpg 2019 C 4 3 29 mpg 2018 this page B 2 16 29 mpg 2017 C 4 8 27 mpg 2016 B 2 0 27 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 S90

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Volvo S90 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volvo S90. The most serious on file is 19V220000, covering Seats. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Volvo S90?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2018 Volvo S90 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (87/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Volvo S90?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Volvo S90, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions). Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Volvo S90?

Transport Canada measured it at 195.3 in long, 74.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 115.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,878–4,588 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Volvo S90?

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo S90, most often about unspecified, electrical system, latches/locks/linkages. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Volvo S90?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Volvo S90 runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Volvo S90?

The manufacturer has filed 664 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Volvo S90, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-05-23. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Volvo S90 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Volvo S90 failed the emissions check on 2.1% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.70% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	16	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	664	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	11 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API