Used car guide · 1997–2026

Volvo V90 common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Volvo V90, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 43,434 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

43,434MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
18,184on the UK register
2021best 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).

2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201619981997

What usually goes wrong with a Volvo V90?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Volvo V90 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 V90 MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Brake pads

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2018, 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.

  • Sidelights

    up to 7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Diesel

  • Sidelights

    up to 8.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 5.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2019 and 2020.

    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 2.2× 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 V90 MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2021 Volvo V90 did best (89% passed first time, 2 points above all 2021 cars) and the 2020 did worst (85%, 2 points below 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% +11,064
202189%87% +22,517
202085%87% -25,610
201984%85% -112,028
201885%83% +211,862
201782%80% +28,649
201679%77% +21,313
199869%65% +4128 (small sample)
199768%65% +3263 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Volvo V90

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

  1. Any recent work on the sidelights? (Flagged at MOT 7.8× as often on the Volvo V90 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 5.7× as often on the Volvo V90 as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the Volvo V90 as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volvo V90?

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