Modern cars trying to be too clever and multiple electrical problems!!!

[muddy42]

I have owned a 2016 volvo XC90 for 3 years now. However since I have owned it, it has had:
-starter switch broke and had to be towed to garage to be replaced
-central steering wheel module failed and had to be replaced
-something to do with the airbag software needing updating
-volvo 'on call' problem where it calls the emergency services, even though I never knew this existed nor do I have a working subscription! Apparently there is a backup battery that needs replacing
-central screen just randomly goes dark or dim

My garage tells me its a comparative youngster at 100,000 miles. The engine and all the other normal mechanical aspects have been faultless, but Ive never had so many electrical issues. Frustratingly a lot of this is "dealer only" repairs which ramps up the cost and aside from the starter switch these aren't essential to drive.

What do more experienced people think?

Is this just the car showing its age and these are one off replacements? Or is this systematic of electrical problems throughout the engine, maybe someone has sent a surge through the electrics jump starting it? Should I get rid? thanks

 

[finnbear270]

Modern cars, Only if you have a degree in IT, a nice laptop & a decoder.

 

[TringSaint]

I have owned a 2016 volvo XC90 for 3 years now. However since I have owned it, it has had:
-starter switch broke and had to be towed to garage to be replaced
-central steering wheel module failed and had to be replaced
-something to do with the airbag software needing updating
-volvo 'on call' problem where it calls the emergency services, even though I never knew this existed nor do I have a working subscription! Apparently there is a backup battery that needs replacing
-central screen just randomly goes dark or dim

My garage tells me its a comparative youngster at 100,000 miles. The engine and all the other normal mechanical aspects have been faultless, but Ive never had so many electrical issues. Frustratingly a lot of this is "dealer only" repairs which ramps up the cost and aside from the starter switch these aren't essential to drive.

What do more experienced people think?

Is this just the car showing its age and these are one off replacements? Or is this systematic of electrical problems throughout the engine, maybe someone has sent a surge through the electrics jump starting it? Should I get rid? thanks

I had 2 xc’s but they were the old model (last one was 2011 reg) and they were great.
Everything that worked when I got it in 2013 still worked 12 years an 130k miles later.

But - simpler car, fewer electronic gadgets and the model had been tuned over the previous 10 years to make it reliable.

 

[muddy42]

I had 2 xc’s but they were the old model (last one was 2011 reg) and they were great.
Everything that worked when I got it in 2013 still worked 12 years an 130k miles later.

But - simpler car, fewer electronic gadgets and the model had been tuned over the previous 10 years to make it reliable.

Thanks. This is what people keep telling me - amazing cars, built to last no issues etc. Why have I had so many electrical issues then?!

 

[rocketdogbert]

Thanks. This is what people keep telling me - amazing cars, built to last no issues etc. Why have I had so many electrical issues then?!

Possibly luck.

I know my car has to be jumped or jump somebody else only from the remote posts not directly from the battery.
It’s a 2014 Landrover on 134k miles 1 owner plus me, only real issue has been replacing the gear selector

 

[TringSaint]

Thanks. This is what people keep telling me - amazing cars, built to last no issues etc. Why have I had so many electrical issues then?!

The older xc had a normal stereo, turny knobs and real buttons you press, so there was a mechanical interface with the tech.
Now it’s all touch screens and menus and tech gets glitchy.
Maybe you are unlucky tho, as we have had 3 Volvos with a total of around 300k miles put on them and they have never missed a beat.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Since 2010 the Chinese Geely Holding still retains a majority ownership in Volvo.
I would suggest the ethos has changed inside the company ( I did 3 months in Gothenburg working on the body design for an electric car back in 1995 ).

 

[Tom270]

My 2014 v40 d4 has 100000 miles on it, serviced every year by local volvo specialist but not main dealer, had a headlight bulb, a cam belt and a air box manifold thing that gets clogged up, brake pads and 2 front springs in the last 8 years, uses no oil still does 56 round town, the only thing that's packed up is a fold in mirror a luxury I can do without. So can't say I am not happy with it.
One of the reasons not changed it is I can't find something more modern that does what it does.

 

[kenbro]

Wifey has a 5 year old XC40 and it’s a great little car, however, the touch screen and what ever makes that tick has a mind of its own.
Ken.

 

[Demetrius]

The first thing anyone buying a new petrol or diesel car needs to do is to get a suitable diagnostic tool, in the case of my 2016 Skoda diesel, an OBDll/EOBD+CAN....around £20-£25 on ebay when I got mine.
If a warning light appears on the dash, you just plug this in (there's a socket under the dash), and it tells you what the problem is............or you can take/tow the car in and pay a garage anything from £25 upwards to plug theirs in...

D.

 

[rollotomassi]

Modern cars, Only if you have a degree in IT, a nice laptop & a decoder.

You do need to have a decent OBD II reader to save headaches and costs. Some mechanics have a nice revenue stream clearing codes. One of best things EU did was force apple to use USB C, in the era of tech repairability theres no reason they cant force manufacturers to simply send all data to your phone.

 

[Rake Aboot]

New cars are easy to work on. Buy a diagnostic tool and the car tells you what to fix and 90% is plug and play.

The Volvo above is definitely bad luck as they are super reliable and posits best built car I’ve owned

 

[GlennUK]

New cars are easy to work on. Buy a diagnostic tool and the car tells you what to fix and 90% is plug and play.

The Volvo above is definitely bad luck as they are super reliable and posits best built car I’ve owned

FWIW

I had a zafira which had an electronic bus IIRC and using diagnostics testing. When the speaker and electric window on the rear n/side door stopped working I called an vehicle electrician, after connecting up the diagnostics tool he informed me there were no faults despite the inoperative electric components. Diagnostics need to be interpreted when the outputs dont match expectations.

I kow dirve a 11 year old CLS63 which as a lot of electronics to help keep it on the road, my fear is when they fail, so far so good.

 

[Freeforester]

Electrics tend to be less of a reliability liability problem with Subaru and Suzuki, but idk about other Japanese makes. I’d be wary of calling Volvo a Swedish car these days.

 

[tackb]

it's weird but the complex electronics in a landcruiser seem more reliable than the electronics for the same purpose in a rangerover ?

maybe the tricity is different?

 

[ruger77]

I’ve a Discovery sport in for repair this car as covered 46;000 miles already had a new engine now it’s decided it time to have a few electrical problems the first been the restraint module thinks it had a crash so it switch the engine off while it was driven applied the park brake and the door locks went crackers ,the module price is almost £1000 so before I went ahead with the replacement I carried out a wiring check then found a problem with the CAN line CAN heigh voltage is low .I explained to the customer I could not quote for the repair as it would take further investigation to find the fault could be wiring,body control module,engine control module. I was instructed not to go any farther with it it off to the scrap yard

 

[Cannon]

I work at cars and do detailed diagnostics quite frequently. Believe me when I say that plugging in an OBD code reader does NOT tell you what the problem is. It's years of studying, qualifications, practical assessments and hands on experience that allows you to diagnose faults. If an OBD code reader told you what the problem was, we'd all be autosparks. Since cars started relying on software to keep them up to date, I have seen a marked reduction in vehicle reliability. Faults that shouldn't be faults, functions being disabled by the manufacturer after private sales etc. It's a nightmare for the aftermarket to keep on top of. Yes we have the right to repair, but the vehicle manufacturers make sure to charge for access to the information required to do the repair correctly. It all adds cost onto the end user. Mechanics/vehicle techs are one of the most undervalued professions as far as trades go. If you're after a Volvo, buy one from before 2005 before Fords bean counters sunk their mitts in. Don't even talk about Geely. The founders of Volvo cars would be turning in their graves!

 

[CWY308]

I served my time as a grease monkey on JLR vehicles,

I own and run the best selling car in the world 2024, dropped to number 2 in 2025. Will be keeping for 10 years hopefully.

The numbers don’t lie, reliability and usability is my number 1 priority (and you can fit plenty deer in the back)

 

[Klenchblaize]

It all went udders up many, many moons ago when they stopped supplying one of these with every car:

K

 

[Rake Aboot]

I work at cars and do detailed diagnostics quite frequently. Believe me when I say that plugging in an OBD code reader does NOT tell you what the problem is. It's years of studying, qualifications, practical assessments and hands on experience that allows you to diagnose faults. If an OBD code reader told you what the problem was, we'd all be autosparks. Since cars started relying on software to keep them up to date, I have seen a marked reduction in vehicle reliability. Faults that shouldn't be faults, functions being disabled by the manufacturer after private sales etc. It's a nightmare for the aftermarket to keep on top of. Yes we have the right to repair, but the vehicle manufacturers make sure to charge for access to the information required to do the repair correctly. It all adds cost onto the end user. Mechanics/vehicle techs are one of the most undervalued professions as far as trades go. If you're after a Volvo, buy one from before 2005 before Fords bean counters sunk their mitts in. Don't even talk about Geely. The founders of Volvo cars would be turning in their graves!

A diagnostic tool with live data feeds will tell you what the problem is . It’s simply a case of interpreting the readings in regards to the system that’s showing a fault

Most modern tools do turn everyone into a vehicle electrician.

Gateway is relatively new and hopefully will be challenged in court but pre gateway all the information on how to interpret findings is available online.

Main dealer techs are certainly not undervalued and the reason that dedicated diagnostic repair companies are so popular is because large amounts of main dealer techs are too lazy or crooked to fix simple faults , preferring to diagnose massive issues ( dpf replacement ring any bells ) when it’s usually a sensor