Volvo Recalls Every Model Assembled Since the Start of 2019

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Volvo is recalling every vehicle sold in the United States from the 2020 and 2019 model year. It turns out the automaker with the reputation for placing extra emphasis on safety has some bunk safety equipment. During tests late last year, the Federation of Danish Motorists noticed the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system in a Volvo XC60 consistently failed to operate as intended — smacking itself into numerous test dummies and automobiles.

After an internal investigation, Volvo Cars issued a global recall encompassing roughly 736,000 units on March 13th. Since the manufacturer has made the feature standard equipment on all vehicles, every single model produced by the automaker since January 21st, 2019 needs to be recalled.

While that’s clearly a massive oversight on the part of Volvo, it’s hard to get too upset with the brand. Advanced driving aids have a habit of underperforming. Last fall we published a study from AAA that showed emergency braking systems on some modern cars were only slightly more effective than shutting your eyes and hoping a pedestrian jumps out of the way before they’re killed. While our own testing has been less rigorous, this author can attest to countless instances of advanced driving aids misbehaving or simply deactivating in inclement weather.

For Volvo, the good news is that this doesn’t necessarily pose any additional safety risks (unless you’re relying on AEB as your first line of defense). Volvo products still drive like a normal car, just one without the ability to prevent a collision on its own — though we’d argue no car is actually capable of such a feat with any consistency.

The bad news is that this a giant stain on Volvo’s safety record and makes the brand look inept. Remember the fatal incident from 2018 involving an autonomous XC90 owned by Uber? Volvo said the woman that was killed may still be alive had the firm not tampered with the automatic emergency braking system all XC90s come equipped with. Granted, that vehicle was built before the recall but the company placed the onus entirely on Uber, saying it would never allow such a failure within its own safety systems.

The recall covers 121,605 vehicles in the United States. If you purchased any Volvo model from the 2019 or 2020 model year, your vehicle is affected and requires a software update. Volvo plans to issue notices to customers starting in May.

[Image: Volvo]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Thelaine Thelaine on Mar 22, 2020

    My work associate likes them because of the design. He bought one for his wife two years ago. It has been in the shop damn near as often as it has been on the road. The warranty has been honored, but he is done. He is selling it and heading to the Toyota dealer.

    • See 4 previous
    • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Mar 23, 2020

      @jkross22 Yeah but you get the opportunity to test drive latest BMW models for days and often.

  • Johnnyz Johnnyz on Mar 22, 2020

    Long-term liability. No wonder so many automakers are getting out of the cheap car business. They're barely used to ever be recalls, now they go back to and in some cases 5+ years. Takata goes bankrupt and the manufacturer ends up holding the bag for a new expensive bag. Lawsuits liability litigation inflation and bailouts. Welcome to the new millenia.

  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
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