Table 1 shows one common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2017 Volvo XC90.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems |
2017 Volvo Xc90 t8 plug-in hybrid, approximately 81,000 miles, experienced intermittent hesitation/loss of propulsion when accelerating. When acceleration is requested, the vehicle can hesitate before power is delivered, creating a serious safety concern when entering, merging into, or crossing traffic because expected acceleration is not immediately available. Diagnostic testing identified faults in the iem/erad system, including p286d00, clutch a engagement time performance/too slow, and p0a1b62, drive motor a control module, algorithm based failure. The vehicle is currently being evaluated by an authorized Volvo dealer. I was advised that the high-voltage battery cells appear to be functioning properly and that the dealer is consulting Volvo technical support regarding the loss-of-acceleration condition. Volvo has issued technical journal guidance addressing erad clutch dtcs, including p286d00, on this generation of Xc90. I am concerned that delayed or failed engagement of the erad clutch can cause an unexpected delay or loss of propulsion during acceleration. I am also aware of another NHTSA complaint involving a 2017 Volvo Xc90 erad clutch failure, NHTSA complaint no. 11673211, describing a delay in propulsion followed by sudden power delivery. I am requesting that NHTSA review this condition as a potential safety defect involving erad clutch engagement and intermittent loss or delay of propulsion in Volvo Xc90 t8 vehicles.
Spark plugs, fuel injectors, cylinders and cylinder walls, pistons, oxygen sensor. Our safety was put at risk because the vehicles "reduced performance" was triggered and it affected the acceleration of the vehicle. The Volvo dealership was able to reproduce the issue because of the engine misfires. The only alert we received was the day prior our engine needed a liter of oil. We topped off the oil and that alert went away. The day we had the reduced performance we were alerted of that at the time on the highway. It's a little turtle icon. We were not able to accelerate efficiently and it was definitely unsafe to be driving but we had to get home.
"Volvo on call service required" message shows up on the dash suddenly every 3-5 minutes, and the black message box itself is close to, and bigger than, the speedometer reading. It makes it difficult to monitor and maintain speed without distraction. At the same time, every 3-5 minutes, top of the center screen completely flashes with "message stored to car status app" to draw driver attention and causes a major distraction while driving.
On 2018-09-17, the vehicle, a 2017 Volvo Xc90 t8 hybrid, reported an error stating "reduced performance" within the instrument gauge. The vehicle continued to drive, without the hybrid system, only working on the gas engine. The vehicle was driven approximately 3 miles after the error message appeared. The next day, 2018-09-18, the vehicle was started, with the same error. After driving less than a quarter of a mile, the vehicle abruptly halted in the middle of an intersection, and then limited the vehicle speed to 17 miles per hour. The vehicle was returned to it's origin, unable to exceed the 17 mph restriction, and a tow truck was called in. The vehicle was at the nearest Volvo dealer for repairs for 20 days undergoing repairs. As of 2018-10-15, the vehicle has begin to exhibit a similar problem as was originally reported with 2 months of vehicle purchase in September, 2017, and what led to a multi-day repair in early September, 2018, prior to this incident occurring in mid September, 2018.
On 7 different occasions, the vehicle automatically and aggressively braked on its own. The collision avoidance system sensed that I was about to get into an accident even though there was absolutely nothing in front of me. The collision avoidance system is defective on this model. It was a miracle that I didn't get rear ended as the 7 instances all happened on highways. Many other people have had the same problem. Volvo has agreed to repurchase my vehicle. This is a major safety problem that needs to be fixed before someone gets killed.