Volvo Hybrid Recall for Software Glitch, but Owners Have More Complaints

Volvo Hybrid Vehicles Recall for Software Glitch, but Owners Have More Complaints

Volvo is recalling about 15,674 of its hybrid vehicles due to a software glitch, but owners of some of these vehicles say the plug-in electric vehicle has a range of other issues and problems.

Topping the list of complaints are electrical issues including malfunctioning infotainment systems. However, other issues reported involve the brakes, air conditioning, battery life and forward collision avoidance, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

It’s never a good sign when owners say their brand new vehicles are spending too much time in the shop for repairs. Unfortunately, that is the case for some who bought a 2022 Volvo EC60 B5 AWD and other Volvo hybrids.

A Mission Viejo owner apparently returned their vehicle to the dealership several times for technical, computer and infotainment issues. Once getting it back, the brakes and forward-collision avoidance feature became problematic, according to the NHTSA.

Another owner of the EC60 noted their battery died after parking the car for a couple of hours

Just four days after buying the EC60, one motorist complained the car required a jump start after a software error caused application downloads or refreshes to continually run and drained the battery. Also, the battery required replacement.

One motorist in the 2022 EC60 told federal regulators the Forward Collision sensors reported the car was traveling too closely to another vehicle, but there were no other vehicles anywhere around them.

Yet another driver says the car’s camera is unpredictable and may shut off while in reverse and in motion.

Recall for Software Issue

Meanwhile, recently, Volvo has addressed one of the issues with a recall for 15,674 plug-in hybrid models including the 2022-2023 Volvo S60, V60, S90L, XC60, and XC90.. These vehicles have the new longer-range plug-in hybrid models because of a software error that may prevent the engine from starting, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There are at least 39 reports from owners of vehicles that failed to start or issued warnings of reduced performance or charging issues.

Drivers would get a notice on their display saying “Propulsion System Service Required.” Next, a second warning would appear with a turtle icon in the cluster and speeds would be limited to about 47 mph. Owners had to take the vehicle to the dealership for the software update issued on Oct. 17, 2022

These vehicles have larger battery packs for extended driving range. However, when the the system requires max cooling of the electrical drive unit, the faulty software in the control module sets the cooling flow to zero. That causes the module controlling the inverter to produce no torque, which in turn tells the combustion engine not to start. A loss of propulsion while moving can also happen, increasing the risk of a crash.

California Lemon Law Attorney James Johnson

California Lemon Law Attorney James Johnson

Did you purchase a 2022 or 2023 Volvo hybrid or another vehicle with a major safety issue? If so, and your vehicle is still under the original factory warranty, you may have a lemon law claim. Also, any vehicle with repeated issues or that is in the shop for 30 days or more may have a cause for legal action.

California Lemon Law Attorney James Johnson will review your case and let you know if it qualifies as a lemon.

Also, we recommend that you obtain an invoice for all repairs and recall visits from the dealership. These documents will support your potential case. Should the vehicle experience repeated issues or become a safety risk, these documents support the Lemon Law Claim. Contact us for a free case review at 1-800-235-6801.

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James Johnson ESQ
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