FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2012 Volvo XC90 AWD
The 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD has no open NHTSA safety recalls on file, 3 owner complaints, and gets about 18 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2012 Volvo XC90 AWD at a glance
- Engine
- 6-cyl 3.2L
- Cylinders
- 6
- Displacement
- 3.2 L
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Body
- Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 11, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
No safety recalls on file with NHTSA for this year and model. That's a good sign.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 11, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
3 filed- 1
STEERING
ON MORNING OF 2/15/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY XC90 (2012, BASE, AUTO TRANSMISSION) ON A CITY STREET WHEN I REALIZED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWING LEFT AND RIGHT BETWEEN THE 2 LANES. I PRESSED HARD O
- 1
POWER TRAIN
THERE APPEARS TO BE AN INTERMITENT DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS WET. WHEN WET THE VEHICLE LOCK UP AND NOT EASILY GO INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE. THIS OCCASIONALLY OCCURS AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH OR WHEN THE VEHICLE I
- 1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BACK UP CAMERA AND GPS SYSTEM WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES WHERE THE TECHN
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 11, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- —
- Frontal
- —
- Side
- —
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 11, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 18 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 16 / 22
- Est. fuel / yr
- $3,450
- CO₂ / mi
- 494 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 11, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
-
Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
Are there any recalls on the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD? +
No open NHTSA safety recalls are on file for the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD. Recalls can be issued at any time, so confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD get? +
The EPA rates the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD at 18 mpg combined (16 city / 22 highway), about $3,450 a year in fuel.
What do owners complain about on the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD? +
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Volvo XC90 AWD. The most-reported area is steering.
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