1998 Volvo S90 problems & reliability
25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Volvo S90. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 32% |
| Visibility | 5 | 20% |
| Equipment | 4 | 16% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 16% |
| Power Train | 3 | 12% |
| Structure | 2 | 8% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Michelin tires - pilot sport a/s sport plus- 205/55/zr16. Tire side walls are separating - this problem is know as chunking. Tires are unsafe and need to be replaced. *tr”
Tires · filed Nov 19, 2014
“S10 appropriate handling- letter from regarding volvo problems *tgw the consumer stated the engine would race in an erratic manner for no particular reason as high as 5,000 rpm's. Using the brake had no effect. The consumer stated he had to shift the vehicle in park to stop the vehicle. The consumer has since traded…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Oct 27, 2010
“While backing into my garage on 2/6/2010, my 1998 volvo s90 suddenly accelerated. I realized that the car was speeding and I applied the brake. Unfortunately, the car was going so fast that it crashed into a wooden platform in my garage. The platform and my car were severely damaged. The platform has been repaired…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Mar 15, 2010
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
Preliminary Evaluation PE99040 · opened Jun 7, 1999 · closed Oct 27, 1999
Technical service bulletins
132 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Volvo S90. The 10 most recent:
Complimentary upgrade c00009 description.
C00009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2023
Rubber cushion
TJ3656330 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2023
The Deutronic DBL-1200 is an advanced battery maintainer/charger with the flexibility to be updated as products and repair methods evolve.
Special Tools Bu · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 12, 2022
ICUP/Google Built-In Diagnostic Operations
Service Manager · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 6, 2022
VIDA QR Scanner Mobile App
356EN01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 9, 2022
Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS)
Service Manager · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 3, 2022
Volvo?s Warranty Department tracks Retailer warranty spending by utilizing the Warranty Retailer Counseling Process (WRCP). The WRCP is used to gauge individual retailer performance on objective measures over time. By…
SMB00-288-2021-0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 19, 2021
Mandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians to properly diagnose and repair Volvo cars. They are used in development of Volvo labor operations and repair methods, and…
ST-001-2020-09-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2020
Battery Charger/maintainer requirement
Service Manager · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2020
Service Manager Bulletin: Vehicle Type and Platform Information
SMB00-013-2020-0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1998 Volvo S90 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1998 Volvo S90?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.