VOLVO XC40 · model year

2019 VOLVO XC40

40 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports, and 4 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2019VOLVOXC40 carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2019 XC40 is unknown or other with 7 filings, followed by service brakes (5) and engine (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 4 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 28 investigation files overlapping the 2019 XC40. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

40
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

40 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
SERVICE BRAKES5
ENGINE4
AIR BAGS3
SEAT BELTS3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
STRUCTURE:BODY2
POWER TRAIN2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
SEATS1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: AUTOMATIC STEERING1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE1

Recalls (4)

18V55400022/08/2018

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2019 Volvo XC40 vehicles. The brake pedals may not have been correctly riveted, allowing the pedal to move out of position, possibly reducing braking performance.

18V53500015/08/2018

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2019 Volvo XC40 vehicles. The rear seats may not have rear seat back lock strikers, allowing the seat back to move forward during certain hard braking conditions or a crash.

18V80000013/11/2018

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improper

20V14400012/03/2020

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.

Recent Complaints

20250521SERVICE BRAKES

The component that failed was the Brake pedal, it was unresponsive while driving on the freeway, it was hard to push and the vehicle would not come to a complete stop. My safety along with my daughter was put at risk due to nearly colliding into several vehicles due to not being able to stop vehicle. I had to tow the vehicle to the nearest shop where it is currently. During the incident the brake light came on. The shop where the vehicle is currently is stating that it appears to have a faulty Brake Vacuum Pump.

20250502STRUCTURE:BODY

Under Engine Cover came loose and fall during highway driving. It tuned out that 5 bolts that suppose to secure that cover were missing (per repair shop) . Fallen cover broke on few pieces and those pieces could impact breaking and vehicle instability causing incident with injuries and fatalities.

20250502UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Under Engine Cover came loose and fall during highway driving. It tuned out that 5 bolts that suppose to secure that cover were missing (per repair shop) . Fallen cover broke on few pieces and those pieces could impact breaking and vehicle instability causing incident with injuries and fatalities.

20241101POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that the gear shifter knob had detached. The contact stated that the knob was not welded to the lever. The contact became aware that crazy glue had been used to secure the shifter knob. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear; and while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter detached. The contact used the button to start the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and confirmed that the gear shifter knob was glued on. The knob was reglued; however, after going through a car wash, the knob detached again. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would be held for 24 hours to see if the glue would hold the part in place. The dealer informed the contact that the gear shifter might have to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, but no additional assistance

Mileage: 42,000

20240809ENGINE

Diagnostic code failure P0422 Evap system failure had emission testing done recently about two weeks ago . Car was service by Volvo in March 2024 and nonissues . Low mileage on car under 20k This should be recalled as many on online forums are having the same issue . Faulty manufacturing and Volvo should issue recall .

20240809FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Diagnostic code failure P0422 Evap system failure had emission testing done recently about two weeks ago . Car was service by Volvo in March 2024 and nonissues . Low mileage on car under 20k This should be recalled as many on online forums are having the same issue . Faulty manufacturing and Volvo should issue recall .

20240807SUSPENSION

Both front coil springs broke with under 30,000 miles on vehicle. No warning, just a thump thump.. broken springs could have punctured the front tires. Repair costly!

20240506SEAT BELTS

Air bag not functioning related to seatbelt failure. Will not tighten on sudden stops.

20240506AIR BAGS

Air bag not functioning related to seatbelt failure. Will not tighten on sudden stops.

20240321FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I stopped at a gas station and the fuel door would not open. I tried multiple times locking and unlocking the vehicle with the key fob. As I was driving home, I stopped at three other gas stations. All three times, I still could not open the fuel door. This happened when I initially purchased the car in 2019. I reported it to the Volvo dealer while standing at the gas station. I played with the key fob for about 20 minutes until it finally opened. I remember looking up this issue on the [XXX] and it had been reported numerous times. I stopped in at the Volvo dealership near me. When I told them what was happening, they asked if it was a 2024 XC40. So, the problem exists even in the current year's models. The dealership played around with the key fob, then pried the door open, I assume with a screwdriver, and charged me $50. I could have done that when I got home....for free. There is no option to open the fuel door manually, and there is no option to turn off the fuel door lock -

20240104UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My 2019 volvos' xc40 center console has been glitching and blacking out while driving. I rely on this system to navigate and when it blacks out, it does not resume operation till I restart my car. I mentioned this while getting my car serviced and was told I needed to pay a $250 fee to get my system updated and I couldn't complete the update on my own. The update can only be completed by an authorized dealer and there is a charge associated with it. This practice is negligent and unacceptable as the lack of updates results in safety concerns and is not just perk. I contacted customer service and they apologized for the inconvenience. This is not an inconvenience, it is negligent and a safety issue.

20231226CrashSERVICE BRAKES

While entering a parking spot my car suddenly accelerated and crashed into the wall in front of me in spite of my pushing my brakes 100%. The car never went into the automatic braking system before I applied the brakes, the seat belt never engaged and the air bags on the driver's side did not deploy. If I had not braced myself against the steering wheel my chest would have sustained a major injury. I am being treated for pain in my neck, arm and leg as a result of the crash. The sudden unintended acceleration has occurred in prior years of this model and after my model year as well and have been reported to NHTSA. Both my insurance and the manufacturer inspected the car. There were no warning messages or symptoms of a problem before this incident.

20231226CrashFORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

While entering a parking spot my car suddenly accelerated and crashed into the wall in front of me in spite of my pushing my brakes 100%. The car never went into the automatic braking system before I applied the brakes, the seat belt never engaged and the air bags on the driver's side did not deploy. If I had not braced myself against the steering wheel my chest would have sustained a major injury. I am being treated for pain in my neck, arm and leg as a result of the crash. The sudden unintended acceleration has occurred in prior years of this model and after my model year as well and have been reported to NHTSA. Both my insurance and the manufacturer inspected the car. There were no warning messages or symptoms of a problem before this incident.

20231226CrashSEAT BELTS

While entering a parking spot my car suddenly accelerated and crashed into the wall in front of me in spite of my pushing my brakes 100%. The car never went into the automatic braking system before I applied the brakes, the seat belt never engaged and the air bags on the driver's side did not deploy. If I had not braced myself against the steering wheel my chest would have sustained a major injury. I am being treated for pain in my neck, arm and leg as a result of the crash. The sudden unintended acceleration has occurred in prior years of this model and after my model year as well and have been reported to NHTSA. Both my insurance and the manufacturer inspected the car. There were no warning messages or symptoms of a problem before this incident.

20230507FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

I was involved in an accident with my 2019 Volvo xc40. I believe the cause of the accident was due to the emergency braking system that activated when I hit water that accumulated on the road I was traveling. I was accelerating and the braking caused the vehicle to swerve uncontrollably resulting in some minor body damage to the passenger side as contact was made with some roadside objects. Unfortunately the incident caused over $10,000.00 in front end damages, which is covered by my insurance. This emergency braking i. e. forward collision avoidance automatic emergency braking, has the possibility of causing a more severe accident. I believe a software update was instituted, but the Volvo dealership never mentioned this update when I had my car serviced the past 3 years.

20230324SEAT BELTS

Front seat belts came on suddenly while stopped at light. Bruised front passengers neck. No car in front or near in rear.

20230228STEERING

The first incident happened back in Oct 2022. I took the car to local Volvo dealer, Rusnak Pasadena, and they said I needed the secondary battery replaced. They replaced it and the car worked for a few weeks until the alarm regarding the power steering failure came on again while my wife was turning left. I brought the car home carefully since it was a short distance from home. My wife was very scared because she almost had an accident and she doesn’t want to drive it any more….We didn’t drive the car for more than a month. On Jan 5, 2023, I took the car to the Rusnak dealer in Pasadena Ca. and they diagnosed it as: “Internal failure in power steering rack” needed replacement (see attached). They quoted me more than $3,350 to be fixed and they were not sure if warranty of 4 years would cover it. We then took it to JK Volvo Specialists, who I have known for years . They made a special order via Rusnak Volvo for the steering gear unit and it took two weeks to get it â€

20230201AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, while his wife was seated in the passenger’s side front seat using an orthopedic back support, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while not using the back support, the air bag sensor worked as designed. The contact stated that his wife used the back support due to physical issues and had used the lumbar support cushion to ease pain. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who advised that the only way to stop the sensor from being deactivated by the lumbar cushion was deactivating the sensor which was illegal. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.

Mileage: 26,000

20221224SERVICE BRAKES

The vehicle has approximately 16,000 miles on it. It began to shudder in the front end when the brakes were applied at any speed. I contacted the dealer, Parkway Volvo of Wilmington, NC concerning the problem and was told that the vehicle had just gone out of warranty. On December 16, 2022, I took the vehicle to Derhams Alignment and Auto Repair, Wilmington NC to have the problem diagnosed. They found that the discs of the disc brakes on all four wheels were warped. They recommended replacement of these to repair the problem. Following this I took the car to Parkway Volvo on December 19, 2022, for a second opinion. Parkway came back with the same diagnosis and recommended that the discs be turned to straighten out the surface. I had this done at a cost of $420, and it repaired the problem. There is no reason that a vehicle with 16,000 miles should have warped discs unless it is abused, which this one has not been. I believe that the brake discs are made from inferior steel. I have be

20221224SERVICE BRAKES

Earlier today I submitted a complaint, NHTSA Tracking Number 11498747. Would it be possible to send this back to me as I would prefer to modify it? Please do not post it now. Thanks, Craig Wenger wengerca@msn.com 910-471-7653

Compare 2019VOLVOXC40 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2019 VOLVO XC40 have?
The 2019 VOLVO XC40 has 40 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2019 VOLVO XC40?
Yes, the 2019 VOLVO XC40 has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 VOLVO XC40?
The most-complained component for the 2019 VOLVO XC40 is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and ENGINE.
Is the 2019 VOLVO XC40 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.