Table 1 shows one common power train related problems of the 2018 Volvo XC90.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Power Train problems |
My car completely locked up on the road and came to a screeching stop. This car is known for having the erad completely fail and it could have caused it to have a serious accident. It has also caused my car to plummet in value losing over 30k in just 3 years. Now my repairs cost nearly what it’s worth and aren’t guaranteed to actually fix it. It’s terrible. I’m so upside down n my loan due to this issue that they dealerships refuse to help on. The dealership acknowledges it is a design flaw but yet they won’t help. I have an email stating that it is a design flaw.
On 8/20/2025, my 2018 Volvo Xc90 t8 suffered catastrophic failure of the electric rear axle drive (erad). The vehicle suddenly developed a loud whining noise from the rear and became undriveable. This erad had previously been replaced under warranty at boston Volvo cars. On 10/28/2025, queens Volvo inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failure was caused by improper prior service. Their technician documented that the erad housing was likely not properly torqued, which led to transmission fluid leaking over time, sludge buildup, and internal damage to gears and motor. The failure was sudden, confirmed by an authorized Volvo dealer, and the erad is no longer serviceable. This created a safety risk by causing immediate loss of propulsion and stability. If it had occurred at highway speeds, the risk of crash would have been significant. The failed component remains available for inspection.
Sometimes when the start stop system is activated at a stop and you start back off the vehicle accelerates forward without depressing the accelerator. On 3 occasions it caused me to almost run into things. I reported it to Volvo and they said the system is fine.