Used car guide · 1997–2024

Volvo S90 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Volvo S90, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 22,495 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

22,495MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
7,729on the UK register
2018best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20242023202220212020201920182017201619981997

What usually goes wrong with a Volvo S90?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Volvo S90 in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Volvo S90 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 3.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Brake pads

    up to 1.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

Volvo S90 MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2018 Volvo S90 did best (88% passed first time, 5 points above all 2018 cars) and the 2020 did worst (89%, 2 points above all 2020 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202290%89% +1277 (small sample)
202191%87% +4459 (small sample)
202089%87% +22,958
201988%85% +36,243
201888%83% +57,404
201785%80% +54,129
201682%77% +5851
199770%65% +5174 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Volvo S90

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 3.6× as often on the Volvo S90 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 3.5× as often on the Volvo S90 as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the brake pads? (Flagged at MOT 1.9× as often on the Volvo S90 as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volvo S90?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score