2021 Volvo XC40 Problems And Complaints

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Rating7.7

Ranked #4 in 

Subcompact SUV
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$33,700 - $41,450
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  • JM

    Joan Maciejewski

    21/06/2023

    Rating:

    (2 Out Of 5 stars)

    ... tops. Volvo has done nothing to right this problem we were faced with. In fact, their answer was,”it’s now working.” We had to have it towed to the dealership and all they did was tell me they drove it for a mile and no warnings came on. No one even looked it over! TOTALLY let down. This was our third Volvo purchase…..never again!!!Read More

    Source: edmunds

  • DR

    Dan R

    13/02/2023

    Rating:

    (2 Out Of 5 stars)

    ... called service back and they said, “We were just going to call you”. Ummm, ok. I have a driving light out in the front. AGAIN, they can’t get me in for a month, and they said they could not tell me whether or not it is covered under warranty until they have it in. I paid $3k for 100k bumper to bumper warranty. This is BS! The tailgate is supposed to open when I swipe my foot underRead More

    Source: edmunds

  • CG

    Connie G.

    04/08/2021

    Rating:

    (2 Out Of 5 stars)

    ... insurance company will pay for this claim. I won't hold my breath that I will receive much of the $675 in labor fees. If Volvo stands behind their product, how can they not even offer a one year glass protection plan where they do repairs for free? This would enable them to evaluate the issue. They have treated me like a crazy person attempting to get something forRead More

    Source: edmunds

2021 Volvo XC40 Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recall and which year?

3

Recalls

0

Investigations

42

Complaints
Overall Safety Rating
Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 7, 2024

The market popularity of Volvo has been one of the primary reasons for the XC40 to be popular amongst maximum SUV lovers. Beginning with a starting price tag of $34,345, the Volvo has a record of selling 26,844 units of XC40 in the market. However, the brand is not alone when it comes to market competition. The XC40 is heavily competed by the BMW X1,  the Mercedes Benz GLA-Class followed by the Audi Q3for pacing up the global market popularity of the brand close to the XC40. 

A significant number of marketers expected Volvo is going to increase its sales figure in the upcoming years because of its iconic XC40, but the car’s reliability issues came under threat when multiple problems were noted about the car’s faulty electrical battery and problematic crash avoidance sensor failure. Apart from these, the car’s faulty braking system is another concern that bothered XC40 owners. Due to all of these problems, Volvo had to face 23 complaints from the respective owners, compelling them to issue 3 recalls that have been registered on the NHTSA website. 

We’ll be reviewing and exploring those problems that questioned XC40’s market popularity in detail below.

Electrical Problems 

  • Electrical Issue with car engine start-up 

XC40 engine denying ignition leading to electrical malfunction is a common problem noted in the 2021 models. The battery symbol on the dashboard indicates the inability of the car to restart. Such electrical issues may prevent the car engine from igniting once the engine is stopped for any reason, causing inconvenience to the driver to restart the engine again. Some users have also reported that the engine start button in the center console unit stops responding at times, making it hard for the driver to start the vehicle.

  • Battery issues leading to auto power shutdown 

Automatic power shutdown is a serious concern that has been reported in some of the XC 40 SUV models while driving through the highway. Such instances may bother the passengers when the car halts for some time at the traffic signal, causing inconvenience in restarting the vehicle. Such electrical malfunctions were found to happen due to high voltage and were addressed over a recall.

Engine Problems

  • Issues with automatic emergency brakes 

Few users have found that the emergency automatic brake sensor stops working whenever engaged. Such issues may fail to engage automatic emergency brakes whenever needed leading to unnecessary accidents. Such issues need to be addressed and must be fixed.

  • Continuous brake issue

Sometimes the brakes in XC40 SUVs usually make a loud clunk noise while grinding, causing damage to the brake pad material. Such issues compromise the car’s braking performance while it's in motion. Such issues are needed to be fixed soon. 

  • Problem with the gear shift 

Users have complained about the gear shift of the XC40 toggles during emergencies and switching the gear to reverse mode turns difficult at times, making it complicated for the driver to back the car when needed. 

Exterior Issues 

  • Windshield damage

Inferior windshield quality can be a serious issue whenever the car windshield is hit by any small object leading to cracks or damage to the windshield. Once the windshield encounters a crack, there can be significant chances of increasing crack marks on the windshield. Such concerns must be addressed and rectified. 

  • Problems with the exterior lighting

Frequent problems with the exterior lighting have been reported about XC40 models. Some users have found the exterior indicator lights may not blink properly even after pressing the turning indicators. After complaining about such issues the dealer fixed it, but it repeats after a while bothering the driver, especially while driving at night on highways with children inside the car. 

Safety Issues

  • Problem with the forward collision avoidance 

Problematic sensors provided in the vehicle may fail to avoid forward collision when the forward collision warning goes dead in 2021 XC40 SUVs. Such instances may fail to detect or sense a crash whenever the car comes close to any object or vehicle moving or standing in front of it. Failure in forward collision avoidance may trigger the chances of a car crash while driving. 

  • Issue with the lane assistance alert 

Lane assistance alert systems often stop responding in the Volvo XC40 SUVs making it tougher for the drivers to detect the lanes. The worst part is, sometimes the cluster and vibrating steering wheel might be too mild to notice the lanes if it's ahead, triggering the risk of crashing the vehicle into any lane if there’s any. Even the seat belt audio alert does not work properly at times. Such issues must be taken care of to avoid unnecessary accidents while driving.

  • Seat belt warning alert stops functioning

Multiple times users have found that the seat belt safety warning alert stops working when the seat belt is no longer attached by the passengers while seated. Such instances may lead to negligence of wearing a seat belt while driving or traveling, triggering chances of car crashes. 

  • Problematic rear view mirrors

Complaint has been registered about faulty rear view mirrors in the XC40 Volvo for getting loose multiple times. Such issues may lead the driver to ignore the vehicle approaching from the back increasing the crashing chances. 

Miscellaneous issues 

  • Wheel blowout leading to rim damage

Wheel puncture is a common problem with maximum Volvo XC40s, causing damage to the tire rim and wheel well. Blown-out tires damaging multiple tire parts can be a costly deal if it happens repeatedly. Such issues need to be addressed and must be taken care of.

2021 Volvo XC40 Recalls

Sr. No

Date 

NHTSA ID

Issues Noticed

Remedy

1

November 12, 2021, 

21V881000

Loose or missing bolts may compromise the structural protection of the vehicle triggering crashing risk 

Dealers are going to replace cross member brackets by installing new bracket bolts free of charge. The recall number for the issue is R10128

September 1, 2021, 

21V682000

Faulty seat belt automatic locking retractors might deactivate early failing the child restraint system from securing properly

The dealers are expected to replace the seat belt assemblies for free of cost. The recall made for the issue was R10111

3

February 24, 2021

21V109000

Fault in Battery Energy Control Module microprocessor might reset leading to the high voltage system to disconnect 

Volvo will be notifying the owners and dealer to install software updates for free. The number for the recall is R10078

Should you prefer buying the 2021 Volvo XC40?

Finding an alternative to Volvo XC40 in the subcompact luxury SUV segment is quite tough on the basis of its market reliability and reputation. As a result of which, the 2021 Volvo XC40 can be a good pick for those who are already aware of the other SUV variants from the Volvo. Though the vehicle’s reliability came under question when its faulty battery power, problematic seat belts and missing bolts caused discomfort to the vehicle owners initially. However, before the problems sustain for a long, the brand instructed the dealers to rectify the problems and get those replaced with newer ones.

This helped the XC40 to regain its lost market glory by encouraging SUV buyers to take interest in the older models of the vehicle that are free from every issue it had earlier. If someone is planning to buy one such model that does not have any problems it had earlier, we would suggest the respective buyer to initiate a purchase at a resale market value suiting their budget.

  • Complaints
  • Recalls
  • Investigations
  • Manufacturer Communications

July 30, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11677385

Components: 110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

NHTSA ID Number:
11677385

Incident Date:
July 30, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
YV4ED3UR4M2

Consumer Location:
HUNTINGTOWN, MD

Summary
1. OBC failure. Stranded unable to charge. Situational could be dangerous. 2. Rt side mirror defaults t...

July 16, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11673958

Components: 074000 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (PWS)

NHTSA ID Number:
11673958

Incident Date:
July 16, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
YV4ED3UR9M2

Consumer Location:
STOCKTON, CA

Summary
I was driving this car on Highway 99 on 7/11/2025. The dashboard flashed the message " Stop safely The ve...

July 3, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11671132

Components: 030000 BRAKES (PWS)

NHTSA ID Number:
11671132

Incident Date:
July 3, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
YV4ED3UR3M2

Consumer Location:
GAITHERSBURG, MD

Summary
On July 1st 2025, while slowly reversing out of my driveway at approximately 34 mph, the vehicle's col...

July 1, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11670489

Components: 284100 BACK OVER PREVENTION

NHTSA ID Number:
11670489

Incident Date:
July 1, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
YV4ED3UR0M2

Consumer Location:
SCANDIA, MN

Summary
The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention scr...

May 30, 2025, NHTSA ID Number: 11663945

Components: 284100 BACK OVER PREVENTION

NHTSA ID Number:
11663945

Incident Date:
May 30, 2025

Vehicle Identification Number:
YV4ED3UR9M2

Consumer Location:
BLOOMINGTON, MN

Summary
After having the rear camera software update to address the safety recall on 05/28, the camera unavail...

76/100Best

Quality & Reliability

Assesses the extent of issues, glitches, and design imperfections encountered by...

85/100Best

Driving Experience

Owners' assessments regarding the vehicle's design, performance, comfort, functi...

76/100Best

Resale

CARHP's projection of depreciation, which estimates the probable decrease in the...

77/100Best

Dealership Experience

Owners' interactions with dealerships associated with this brand, encompassing b...

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