Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 462 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Volvo XC90, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 107 | 23% |
| Electrical system | 84 | 18% |
| Fuel system | 37 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 28 | 6% |
| Suspension | 13 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | 3% |
| Structure | 10 | 2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 6 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Instrument panel shuts down while driving on street. I believe it is the central electronic module that fails. It has happened numerous times and it is unsafe to drive without a speedometer, tachometer, odometer fuel gau
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Unsure of what the issue is with the vehicle but smells like gas in my garage and I found a recall I was never notified about I moved from Washington to Las Vegas and never received any info regarding the fuel pump recal
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Few days ago I came home, parked the car inside the garage and went inside. An hour later I went to the garage for something and noticed a very strong gasoline odor coming from the car. It is not coming from the reservoi
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The rear right door cannot be open from inside the car. It opens fine from outside. I am aware there is a child safety lock, but in this case the problem is somewhere else. Regardless of the child safety lock position, t
NHTSA complaint: Structure
Unknown..but water accumulated under the passenger seat under the amp and electrical components after a storm or rainy day.and its a lot of water when I brake i can hear a water fall..and water rushing and moving along t
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2004 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, his wife noticed an abnormally strong gasoline odor. The contact's wife was able to continue driving the vehicle; however, the fail
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2004 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after his wife started the vehicle, she smelled the odor of gasoline. The contact had been advised by his wife that the vehicle was taking longer to start up an
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
On May 26, 2022, I was stuck in traffic for four hours, and the car's CEM (central electronic module) overheated causing the dashboard to shut down three times, meaning I lost all instrument readings. After each time th
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2004 Volvo XC90. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES,THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT CAN DEFORM AT HIGH LOADS CAUSING A LOSS OF THE CLAMPING FORCE AND THE NUT MAY LOOSEN, WHICH MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT.
Risk: THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OUTER BALL JOINT TIE RODS WITH IMPROVED OUTER BALL JOINT TIE RODS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 23, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Risk: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A N
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2005 S80, MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 XC90 VEHICLES SOLD IN OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLIN
Risk: IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE WIPER ARM IS ACTIVATED IN EXTREME WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WITHOUT LIFTING THE WIPER ARMS AND CLEANING THE WINDSHIELD PRIOR TO MOVING, THE WIPER ARM MIGHT SLIP ON ITS DRIVESHAFT, RESULTING IN AN INABILITY TO MOVE THE WIPERS FROM THE PARK POSITION.
Risk: INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER ARMS AND RETAINING NUTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO CARS AT 1-800-458-1552.
| Reliability raw | 61 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 66 | good |
| Maintenance | 64 | average |
| Depreciation | 53 | average |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 32 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 462 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 107 of them (23%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 61/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 66/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2004 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 59/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.