2016 Volvo XC90 engine problems
85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2016 Volvo XC90 — 43% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Piston rings inside the engine failed due to a known oil consumption issue with this model vehicle. The engine failed while the car was driving 85 mph and consequently slowed down to 15mph on the highway, leaving the owner of the car stranded alone on the highway. Volvo has a known fix for this…”
filed Jul 17, 2026
“My 2016 Volvo XC90 suddenly lost power while I was driving, requiring me to pull over and have the vehicle towed. This is a documented safety issue associated with a known piston ring defect in 2013-2016 Volvo vehicles equipped with 2.0L and 2.5L engines, which was the subject of a federal class…”
filed Jun 26, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack…Campaign 19V308000 · Apr 17, 2019
Related service bulletins
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…
35526.1.8 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 23, 2026
Engine problems in other XC90 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 XC90 | 1 | 4% |
| 2024 XC90 | 4 | 12% |
| 2023 XC90 | 1 | 3% |
| 2022 XC90 | 6 | 21% |
| 2021 XC90 | 7 | 22% |
| 2020 XC90 | 6 | 21% |
| 2019 XC90 | 9 | 24% |
| 2018 XC90 | 5 | 11% |
| 2017 XC90 | 24 | 32% |
| 2008 XC90 | 6 | 21% |
| 2007 XC90 | 4 | 11% |
| 2006 XC90 | 6 | 11% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Volvo XC90
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.