2019 Volvo XC40 problems & reliability
30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Volvo XC40, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2019 Volvo XC40 vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 4 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown OR Other | 7 | 23% |
| Engine | 5 | 17% |
| Service Brakes | 5 | 17% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 13% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 10% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 10% |
| Structure | 3 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 7% |
| Power Train | 2 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 16 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The driver side liftgate strut broke; the liftgate raised normally and when reached the fully opened position it immediately started to close very rapidly, this could have easily hit someone quite hard in the head. The Liftgate was then stuck in a halfway opened position and was unable to close fully. I was able to…”
Structure · filed May 18, 2026
“The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while at a stop sign or a stop light, the engine revved loudly, and the vehicle suddenly lunged forward out of control. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The…”
Engine · filed Feb 26, 2026
“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…”
Service Brakes · filed May 21, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
303 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2019 Volvo XC40. The 10 most recent:
This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment - If remote control key is not detected by the car and shows message in DIM "Car key not found" or if functions such as lock/unlock are not working, please follow…
33031.6.0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 23, 2026
This is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. If the sound corresponds to attached sound file, change front drive shafts to the below part numbers.
36496.10.0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 7, 2026
This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
34521.11.1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 7, 2026
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
This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior…
37809.1.1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2026
This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
34521.10.0 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 21, 2026
This is a TJ If detected during Pre-delivery inspection or if customer complaints of chipped/cracked/distorted screen/glass within 6 months in service we request more information, follow advise under "Service".
28874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2026
This is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test. If the result is not ok (air leak), it is ok to replace the headlamp
34521 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 20, 2025
This is a TJ If detected during Pre-delivery inspection or if customer complaints of chipped/cracked/distorted screen/glass within 6 months in service we request more information, follow advise under "Service".
28874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2025
This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.
19245 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2019 Volvo XC40 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2019 Volvo XC40?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.