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2020 Volvo S90

Plug-in hybrid Gas

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

Safety Signal

68 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical 4

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 3

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 30 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2020 Volvo S90 is sold in the U.S. as a plug-in hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the S90 AWD PHEV, is EPA-rated at 30 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 3 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance.

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.	28	31	30 (40 MPGe blended)	21 mi electric	50	3 h	$2,750
S90 AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	31	25	—	—	—	$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41945, 41493.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

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

316 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

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 one configuration rather than every trim (seen: Ocean Race). 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 (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Electrical System

R10312

7,483 vehicles 85% reported repaired built Jun 3, 2019 – May 17, 2021

Problem Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020-2021 S90, 2020-2022 S60, V60, XC60, XC90, and 2022 V90 plug-in hybrid vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module when the battery is fully charged and the vehicle is parked. Risk A short circuit in a high-voltage battery increases the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the high-voltage battery module as necessary. In addition, dealers will update the software to monitor the battery. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 28, 2025. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10312.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V179000 reported Mar 24, 2025 Volvo Car USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

R10289

291 vehicles 86% reported repaired

Problem Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020 S60, V60, S90I, XC60 and XC90 hybrid vehicles. The pushrod screw joint, connecting to the brake pedal to the hydraulic brake unit, may be loose. Risk A loose brake pedal can result in a loss of braking function, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will tighten the brake pedal pushrod screw joint, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10289.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V788000 reported Oct 23, 2024 Volvo Car USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

R10100

85,550 vehicles 98% reported repaired

Problem Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail. Risk Failure of the low-pressure fuel pump can cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V414000 reported Jun 2, 2021 Volvo Car USA, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Forward Collision Avoidance

R29998

121,605 vehicles 100% reported repaired

Problem 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 If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V144000 reported Mar 12, 2020 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 2020 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 2020 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

3complaints filed

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

16 per 10,000 built · Volvo reported 1,876 S90 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Forward Collision Avoidance 2

Service Brakes 1

Wheels 1

Suspension 1

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.

While driving on a rainy day my forward collision warning (FCW) system cam on signifying and impending collision via the "Red Warning Vehicle Crash" in the heads-up display. The car started to automatically break as well. There were no other vehicles in my land or close to me at the time. It was purely heavy rain.

Forward Collision Avoidance May 26, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11740086

Brakes, Wheels, and possibly suspension. - Car shudders under braking, impacts stopping ability. All tires vibrate while driving. Wheels are warped/damaged. - Vehicle went to the dealer. Replaced all four rotors, repaired all for rims. - I have reached out to the manufacturer for support. They declined to get involved.

Service Brakes Dec 7, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11442995

On 8/22 while driving on a city road in extreme rainy conditions the vehicle in front of me drove through standing water, which created significant spray. As a result the City Safety feature of my Volvo S90 engaged in an extreme fashion.

Forward Collision Avoidance Aug 23, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11480704

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.

Reported by Volvo itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, as claimed, not verified — about 53 per 100,000 built. Every S90 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

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 394

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-07-28

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 384 service bulletins, 6 others, 4 service campaigns

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Unknown Or Other, Engine, Visibility/Wiper.

36863.4.0 Service bulletin
2026-07-28 · Electrical System
This is a Technical Journal: DIM Message and DTC IEM P0C0500. 1. Erase the DTC 2. Test drive the vehicle in electrical mode and accelerate until the vehicle reaches a minimum of 30 km/h (19 mph). 3. Perform a new VIDA readout If the DTC IEM P0C0500 does not return, do not replace any parts. Release the car to customer.
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

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.

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 this page D 4 3 30 mpg 2019 C 4 3 29 mpg 2018 B 2 16 29 mpg 2017 C 4 8 27 mpg 2016 B 2 0 27 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 S90

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 Volvo S90 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2020 Volvo S90, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 25V179000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 Volvo S90?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2020 Volvo S90 yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (68/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Volvo S90?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Volvo S90, the best EPA combined figure is 30 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 2020 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 2020 Volvo S90?

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volvo S90, most often about forward collision avoidance, service brakes, wheels. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 Volvo S90?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Volvo S90 is 7 out of 10. 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, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Volvo S90?

The manufacturer has filed 394 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Volvo S90, most often covering electrical system, equipment, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-07-28. 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.

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	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	4	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	3	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	394	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	12 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

2020 Volvo S90

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (4)

Electrical System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Fuel System, Gasoline

Forward Collision Avoidance

NHTSA defect investigations

Whether any of this applies to one specific S90

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2020 Volvo S90

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

S90 by model year

Common questions about the 2020 S90

Does the 2020 Volvo S90 have any recalls?

How safe is the 2020 Volvo S90?

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Volvo S90?

What are the dimensions of the 2020 Volvo S90?

What do owners complain about on the 2020 Volvo S90?

How clean is the 2020 Volvo S90?

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Volvo S90?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method