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A few problems with my S90

16K views 35 replies 17 participants last post by  Paul2660 
#1 ·
I am one of the few new owners of a Volvo S90 in the US. I like the car a lot. After having it for a month, I have a few problems and the dealer cannot fix all of them.

1. The navigation system was lost. I did a trip from Virginia to Florida without problems. In trying to drive to Connecticut, the nav system kept showing me circling the area around my house in Virginia, even though I was in Pennsylvania at the time. I tried doing the reset to factory defaults via the menus and then the system had me in Manhatten in New York City. I continued my drive to Connecticut and took it to a dealer for repair. After 3 hours of installing updates they got the nav system to know where it was. But there are still issues.

2. After the updates, the tech had problems with the voice controls and trying to find locations such as "search gas stations" had no results. The dealer scheduled me to come back the next week. In the meantime, I tried other searches. I found the state had not been set for the voice controls and I set the state to Connecticut. The car could then find gas stations. But when I tried to search Home Depot, the car gives me a list of stores all saying they are in Hartford or New Haven Connecticut with no distances. I select the first line and then it shows me an address in Plainville which was actually the closest store. It did the same for Lowes. When I took it back to the dealer, I gave them pictures of the screens. They were able to duplicate it on my car and 2 other S90s in their lot. Volvo does not have a fix.

3. The HUD will occasionally restart at the top of the display. I have to go in and adjust the HUD back to a viewable position. The dealer acknowledged the problem and said Volvo was aware of it, but again no fix.

4. On the drive to Florida, many highways are concrete and the have white and black lines for the lane markings with the light colored pavement. The lane detection does not work on these roads. Volvo does not have a fix.

5. Volvo on call app is useless. My first night at a hotel with my car parked at outside, the app notified me that my car doors were unlocked at 3:16 am. I threw on clothes and ran out of the hotel to check on my car. It was sitting there, all locked up. I checked the app on my phone while next to the car, and it still said the doors were unlocked. I tried locking the doors through the app and it would not complete the command. I verified the car was secure and went back to bed. I have tried using the app several more times and the app does not work. It will display the location ok and show the dashboard but the lock/unlock and remote start rarely works. When the 6 months free trial is over, I will not be renewing the service.

Hopefully Volvo will have software updates in the future.
 
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#2 ·
I assume the S90 shares most if not all software with the new XC90. You might want to check that forum for similar problems as well as potential solutions.

wrt/ #5, yeah, that's a common refrain from a lot of people. Since you get some functionality from it I surmise its setup properly. Again, check the XC90 forum.
 
#3 ·
I am one of the few new owners of a Volvo S90 in the US. I like the car a lot. After having it for a month, I have a few problems and the dealer cannot fix all of them.

Hopefully Volvo will have software updates in the future.
They undoubtedly will issue such periodic updates, as they have in the past. The problem is that the updates rarely address the endemic problems that owners continue to experience with the navigation and infotainment systems. I realize it is little comfort, but the problems you have experienced (with exception of the drifting HUD) are common to not just the SPA models but also the Sensus-equipped 2015.5+ pre-SPA models. VCC has thus far shown little interest in and/or ability to address these myriad issues. It simply does not seem to be a priority for them. Long-time Volvo drivers have learned to simply enjoy the amenities that their vehicles provide and not let their quirky and admittedly annoying electronic shortcomings negate the overall ownership experience. Those who can't or won't do so eventually move on to other marques.
 
#4 ·
Based on my experience with another make 2017 model infotainment system, I would not tolerate what I am reading from owners about the Volvo Sensus system.
-Richard
 
#7 ·
MikeSS, thanks for the info.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the info MikeSS. For my buying choice, I had a 2004 Volvo S60 that was a great car. I also had a 2004 Audi A6 that was good too. In looking for a new car, I looked at the 2017 Audi A6 and 2017 Mercedes E300. I decided against the Audi A6 as the car was not getting updated until 2018 and the recent dieselgate issues. The Mercedes E300 was nice and was in consideration. I tried the Volvo S90 and pricewise, it beat the Mercedes by $17,000 in getting similar features. I purchased the Volvo based on my great experience with my 2004 S60. I am hoping that Volvo will get my issues fixed so that I do not regret my decision.

In regards to the Volvo On Call app, I sent in a complaint via the Volvo web site detailing my problems with the app and asking why anyone would purchase the plan at the end of the 6 free months. They acknowledged problems with the app and added another year of free subscription. Hoping for a fix for the app as well.
 
#9 · (Edited)
MikeSS thank you very very much for the detailed report.
From another perspective, my 2017 Porsche C4S has an entirely new Infotainment system named Porsche Connect and Porsche Connect Plus, it is now standard on the 911 including Apple CarPlay. There is also an App for the now standard vehicle monitoring and you can subscribe to Security monitoring and recovery services.
It has two levels of Voice Control, Porsches' and Siri, the screen responds to all Apple touch and swipe gestures and the steering wheel has multifunction buttons to also communicate with the system as well as being heated.
I have spent hours with the system since having the car delivered in April learning and testing the technology.
I ordered the car without ever having seen or driven the new model.
I have only found one 'bug' I would like Porsche to fix/change in all that time.
On-line reports of problems are usually of a lack of understanding of the technology or a lack of ability to adjust.
In any event, there is clearly a difference in the performance of Volvo tech vs Porsche.
Again thanks for info!-Richard
 
#11 · (Edited)
component failure is as bad as software bugs, sometimes even worse. Quality control is critical for reliablity. Things like cold soldered pins, broken battery connector, leaking sunroof seal, bad battery cell, twisted drain hose, squeaky brake rotors and pads, rattling air suspension, flawed electric module in T8, etc, are just some horrible examples.

We all hope it becomes past. But quality control is all what we still have to relie on in future.

Sent from my SD4930UR using Tapatalk
 
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#12 ·
All the complaints about new Japanese cars are done in Japanese. Not too many people read Japanese. The Volvo is being exposed to German and English speaking audiences. The Germans are total car people and English is everywhere. We are simply witnessing a much more visible pipeline of information with a brand new Volvo, where a brand new Toyota's issues remain under the radar, so to speak.
LOL. This is a new one. Toyotas are now apparently as unreliable as Volvos, but all the Americans and Europeans buying them can't get the truth out because they don't speak Japanese!
 
#14 ·
FWIW, in my years of Volvo ownership (850 Turbo, S70 GLT, S80 T6 -- three of them) I have found Volvo to be pretty customer friendly/centric when problems have arisen. Although I never had any truly serious problems with our Volvos I did need to seek factory assistance a couple of times with the 850 Turbo and Volvo certainly did their best to address issues and I didn't perceive any negative attitude coming from anyone I dealt with. This is quite the opposite of Audi (I have a /15 A6 3.0T which had some teething problems -- although resolved I found the attitude of dealer service department and their indications of what VAG's position was regarding warranty work on clearly defective brake components far less than customer friendly -- in fact this is my first Audi in 30 years and will be the last). As for the Japanese cars I have owned -- Nissan Maximas , Acura TLs and one Acura NSX, I can't say enough good. Any defects were promptly and efficiently resolved and the attitude of the dealers was the most customer friendly/centric I have experienced -- none of that "there is nothing wrong with your car, sir" or "this is a normal condition" when clearly there was something wrong. My experience is that Nissan and Acura "owned" the problems and efficiently resolved the situation. That is what I call a pleasant ownership experience that builds brand loyalty. I feel similar about Volvo -- they give a damn whereas the vibe I've gotten from Audi and BMW was quite the opposite. Ergo, my dollars will not be headed in VAG's or BMW's direction in the future. Face it, you see the sales guys infrequently. Service is a different story and your point of contact with the dealer is primarily with the service department over your years of ownership. IMHO the car might be dynamically great but if factory support is poor or the service department is lousy, that is the end of the relationship.

I hope the 90 series cars do well but I fear that the price point may hurt Volvo. Anyone who can afford 66.5K for a fully loaded S90 T6 Inscription can certainly afford an A6/5 Series/E Class Mercedes and many in that demographic want a German badge for their money.

Best,
Jeff
 
#15 ·
The latest Consumer Reports has listing of Customer Satisfaction, while not enthusiast oriented the figures are based on Data Collection rather than enthusiasm.
Porsche is second and Volvo way down the list. Mirrors my experience exactly and what I perceive.
I've been giving a lot of thought about whether I want to learn another new Infotainment (Sensus) or continue with Porsche Connect which I have spent a lot ot time learning over the last few months, has only one 'bug' I have found and works extremely well for me. Leaning towards another AWD Porsche of some sort just because of the attitude and problems i perceive with Volvo.
My wife will be the primary driver and if she picks another Volvo over driving some sort of Porsche than so be it. I will have to learn Sensus and deal with Volvo.- Richard
 
#16 ·
New Navigation Problem Found

The Nav system refuses to route down a road that is listed as "Carpool Only" in their system. I-66 inside of the I-495 Beltway in Washington DC is HOV (Carpool) only during rush hours and open to all traffic all other times. I was trying to navigate to National Airport and the Nav system kept trying to route me off to city streets and complaining every time I ignored it that I was on a Carpool road.

I don't know if people experience that on other roads that the nav systems says are Carpool / HOV lanes.

I will keep my Garmin in the car just in case.
 
#17 ·
The Nav system refuses to route down a road that is listed as "Carpool Only" in their system. I-66 inside of the I-495 Beltway in Washington DC is HOV (Carpool) only during rush hours and open to all traffic all other times. I was trying to navigate to National Airport and the Nav system kept trying to route me off to city streets and complaining every time I ignored it that I was on a Carpool road.

I don't know if people experience that on other roads that the nav systems says are Carpool / HOV lanes.

I will keep my Garmin in the car just in case.
Unless you have another person riding with you in the car, the Nav system will neither use roads that have only HOV/Carpool lanes nor tell you to use Carpool lanes in mixed-lane highways.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I have a three week old S90 that has been great except for a few software glitches.

I finally talked to Volvo today about the problems and am convinced that they are putting a lot of effort into fixing our software issues. They strongly recommend taking the car into the dealer so it can be scanned to see if there any new service advisories that would apply. It was gratifying to hear them being interested in my experiences rather than acting like this was the first time they were hearing any problems. They freely admit that there are shortcomings that are being diligently addressed.

I have an appointment for Friday at the dealer and hope things will move forward smoothly from there. I'll keep ya' all posted.
 
#21 ·
I have a three week old S90 that has been great except for a few software glitches.

I finally talked to Volvo today about the problems and am convinced that they are putting a lot of effort into fixing our software issues. They strongly recommend taking the car into the dealer so it can be scanned to see if there any new service advisories that would apply. It was gratifying to hear them being interested in my experiences rather than acting like this was the first time they were hearing any problems. They freely admit that there are shortcomings that are being diligently addressed.

I have an appointment for Friday at the dealer and hope things will move forward smoothly from there. I'll keep ya' all posted.
LaFontaine? If so, hope you got it from Stacy...
 
#23 ·
Another problem with my S90

Message on display: "Tire pressure system Service Required". Checked all the tires and they have 42 lbs in each.
I tried to do the Schedule Service on the center console. It told me I need to select a dealer at the My Volvo web site. I could not find a US My Volvo site. I went back to the Volvo ID email and clicked the link it in. It tried to send me to www.volvocars.com/us/myvolvo . I get PAGE NOT FOUND.

Called the dealer. I have an appointment for Monday and will bring my list of unsolved problems and the new ones.
 
#24 ·
I have to ask: Are you happy with the car overall in spite of these problems you're having?
 
#25 ·
Overall I like the S90 but fear the future with it.

When I was looking at it originally, I checked the reviews and test drove the S90 when it was available at the dealership. My 2004 Volvo S60 was great, very few problems over the 11 years I had it. Driving the S90 is great, I like the ride and performance of the 4 cyl sipercharged/turbocharged engine. But the reason I got the loaded S90 AWD T6 Inscription vs the Audi A6 or Mercedes E300 was all the extra electronic features that the car had. I knew I would have a learning curve to get the voice commands correct and working the center console while driving. But after 2 multi state road trips and 4500 miles, I am disappointed that features that were highlighted in the sales advertising have problems.

Navigation systems have been around a long time. My old Garmin GPS has voice commands and lifetime map updates I liked the Volvo because it also had free updates (that was an item I looked for vs the other brands). I just wish the 2017 Volvo nav system could work as well as my old Garmin and my older TomTom.

In my road trip from DC to Florida (my first long trip with the car), I loved the adaptive cruise control and pilot assist on my way down. The Nav system seemed OK and I was learning the different systems in the car. Then when I got to Florida (where I will be retiring to this year), the system could not read the lane markings on several roads (light colored concrete roads with white and black lines) so the Pilot Assist did not work all the time. But overall I was happy with the ride and handling of the car.

Then my next trip from D.C. to Connecticut, the Nav system stopped working entirely from the start. I took it to the dealer to get the Nav system working again. They fixed the system so it knew where it was but then I was trying voice commands searching for locations (POI) and found more problems with the Nav system.

Now the Tire pressure system is giving me error messages. With only 2 months and 4500 miles on it, I am wondering what else is going to break next. Hopefully the electronic systems in the car will get fixes in the near future. I don't want a car that needs to go to the dealership for service every month.
 
#26 ·
HUD random display problem: Method found to make it repeatable.

I found a repeated way to cause the HUD display to reset to the top of the display. This had been happening randomly as I would start the car. I had previously asked the dealer service about it and they said Volvo was aware of the problem and working on identifying the cause.

I have now found a sequence that make the problem repeat.
1. Lock the car when near the car using the key fob or door knob touch spot.
2. From a distance, use the key fob to unlock / lock / unlock the car (such as when you are trying to find your car in a parking lot)
3. Get in and start the car and the HUD display is at the top of the screen.

I will be taking my car to the dealer in 3 days and will pass this information to them to pass to Volvo.
 
#28 ·
It's hard to get some of these kinds of problems resolved prior to launch because the beta test pool is very limited. As long as Volvo fixes these problems for MY16 and MY17 owners, I'm okay with it.

TY for all the feedback and detailed posts russ.
 
#29 ·
Software problem especially those rushed out ones takes time to find out root cause and fix. As long as they don't introduce new bugs with updates it will be good enough. Things like recent battery drain regression on XC90 caused a lot of trouble for owners and dealerships.

Sent from my SD4930UR using Tapatalk
 
#30 ·
5. Volvo on call app is useless. My first night at a hotel with my car parked at outside, the app notified me that my car doors were unlocked at 3:16 am. I threw on clothes and ran out of the hotel to check on my car. It was sitting there, all locked up. I checked the app on my phone while next to the car, and it still said the doors were unlocked. I tried locking the doors through the app and it would not complete the command. I verified the car was secure and went back to bed. I have tried using the app several more times and the app does not work. It will display the location ok and show the dashboard but the lock/unlock and remote start rarely works. When the 6 months free trial is over, I will not be renewing the service.
It was a glitch with their servers, I believe. Experienced about same problems with wife's 2016 XC60, VOC app didn't work right on our phones. I never update apps automatically, so I knew at least mine was a previously working version. The bug was resolved a few weeks later, all is stable now.
 
#31 ·
I've got my paperwork from the dealer addressing the HUD, nav problems and other buggy stuff related to software. Would be happy to cross-reference with the OP if he has his last service paperwork handy. I bet there are updated software packages available. Just got my S90 back from the dealer today, dropped it off last Friday, and everything seems to be working well.

The nav can probably be temporarily fixed with a battery pull. Take the positive cable off the terminal on the trunk-mounted battery, wait a few minutes, put it back on. But a software update is probably in order.

I'll try your HUD sequence and see if I can get mine to act up. Since I just got it back from service this afternoon I haven't had enough chances for it to act up yet.
 
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