YearToAvoid

2012 Volvo XC90 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

7/100

#15 most-complained of 16 XC90 years

The 2012 Volvo XC90 has 3 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 7 out of 100 — #15 highest of 16 XC90 model years. The most reported problem area is electrical system (1 complaints, 33% of the total).

Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16 city / 22.5 hwy

Top 2012 Volvo XC90 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other2 (67%)
  2. Electrical System1 (33%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (33%)
  4. Steering1 (33%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain1 (33%)
2012 Volvo XC90 complaints: complaints filed per month3May 2016Oct 2016Mar 2020
6 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to Mar 2020; peak May 2016 (3).

2012 Volvo XC90 recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2012 Volvo XC90 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
22.5 MPG
Combined
18.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,500
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other XC90 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best2012317
2011Good3319118
2012No verdict73018.5
2013Good2711018.5
2014No verdict134018.5

All Volvo XC90 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Volvo XC90 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Volvo XC90 ranks #15 of 16 among XC90 model years (Complaint Index 7/100). It has 3 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Volvo XC90?
The most reported problem areas are electrical system (1 complaints), collision avoidance & cameras (1 complaints), and steering (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 51,500 miles.
Does the 2012 Volvo XC90 have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2012 Volvo XC90 in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Volvo XC90?
EPA rates the 2012 Volvo XC90 at 18.5 MPG combined (16 city / 22.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.