2016 Volvo XC90 engine problems
89 of the 198 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Volvo XC90 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 111 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 89 reports a crash · 8 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2015: 2 · 2016: 9 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 14 · 2023: 14 · 2024: 15 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 9
Half of the 34 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 3,000 and 79,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
198 complaints in all about the 2016 Volvo XC90, 9 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Volvo XC90 engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Following recall service by dealership against NHTSA recall 19v308 the vehicle caught fire. The vehicle was picked up from the dealership and driven directly home, ~16 miles. At mile ~2 burning rubber was smelled while driving on the highway. At mile ~10 some smoke was seen when stopped at a traffic light.
Very loud squealing noise started from engine bay while stopped at a light accompanied by a yellow check engine light. Noise would disappear under acceleration but return again off throttle.
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. It took more than two years of inconvenient, back and forth trips to the glen cove Volvo dealer to find out the real problem.
We own a 2016 Volvo Xc90. Purchased used in july 2018. In october 2018, we had to replace the engine. There has since been a safety recall for a part that can leak that we believe was the cause of engine failure. The engine started chugging while we were on the interstate. A turtle icon came on the screen.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo Xc90. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19v308000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 19V308000 CriticalApr 17, 2019 · 34,006 vehicles
- Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2016 XC90 vehicles. Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak.
111 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P05EB P0171
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Volvo XC90 names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Volvo XC90
Source: the same files- electrical problems 57 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Volvo XC90?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 89 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (45% of everything owners filed about it), and 111 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Volvo XC90?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 19V308000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Volvo XC90?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 20,000 miles; half of them between 3,000 and 79,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.