Volvo Recalls: Volvo Cars has recalled more than 400,000 vehicles in the United States in a major safety development as a defect in the rearview camera system poses a risk to the lives of drivers and pedestrians. Because of the defect, which causes the image not to display on the infotainment screen, it now represents a much more serious hazard as it affects drivers’ ability to see out of the back while reversing, thereby failing a long list of federal safety assessments and increasing the likelihood of a crash.
Scope of the Recall
It involves a slew of cars built between 2021 and 2023, including a number of Volvo’s most popular models, including the S60, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, XC90, to name a few. It also comprises vehicles from Volvo’s electric performance brand, Polestar, which includes the Polestar 2.
This campaign affects 427,000 vehicles, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Specifically, there is an intermittent failure of the rearview camera feed to come on while the vehicle is put into reverse due to a software glitch in the central electronic module (CEM).
Safety Risks and Regulatory Response
Beginning in 2018, all new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. have been required to have rearview cameras, part of a federal mandate intended to reduce the number of backover crashes. In urban and residential settings, where visibility in the rear of the vehicle can be obstructed by pedestrians or by other obstacles, these systems are critical.
After several complaints and warranty claims suggested that this same problem was cropping up, the NHTSA put out a formal notice. Volvo has not published any reports that this defect directly leads to accidents or injuries, but the automaker recognizes the gravity of the situation. It is a violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111 on rear visibility requirements for a failure to display a functional rearview camera image.
Volvo’s Response
In the face of a recall, Volvo has been proactive, issuing a voluntary recall and detailing plans to fix the problem with a software update. Affected vehicles’ central electronic module will be reprogrammed free of charge by dealers to the new software.
A beginning notification by mail to owners of affected vehicles will be issued in late May 2025, and they are urged to contact their dealer to schedule an appointment. Additionally, owners who have paid out of pocket to solve similar problems in the past may be able to be reimbursed.
Volvo might offer the update over a connected service (known as over the air or OTA), which will be offered to those customers who are connected service-enabled, which means there is no need for them to go to a dealership ,as it will cause the least inconvenience.
Broader Implications for Tech-Driven Vehicles
As such, it’s a good reminder of how complex modern vehicles are and the vulnerabilities that come with that. The more automakers keep on integrating software-controlled systems from cameras to autonomous driving features, the larger are the acceptable deficits of software.
Such challenges are not unique to Volvo, it has long been known as a safety first kind of company. In recent years, other manufacturers, including Tesla, Ford, and Toyota, have also issued recalls related to software. Vehicle technology keeps evolving, and regulators and manufacturers alike are trying to figure out what the boundaries are around reliability, safety, and resolving things fast if something does go wrong.
The Volvo Recalls also underscores the need for rigorous testing and real monitoring of in-car software. Now, with features like rearview cameras and driver assistance systems essential to the operation of a vehicle, even the most minor software glitch can have outsized consequences.
What Drivers Should Do
Volvo advises owners to visit the NHTSA’s recall website (nhtsa.gov/recalls) or to enter their vehicle’s VIN on Volvo’s official recall portal to see if their vehicle is affected. Owners need to follow through with the update required to make sure that their vehicles are compliant with all safety standards.
If the rearview camera sporadically fails or goes blank while backing up, drivers are warned to use caution and have their local Volvo dealer assist them as quickly as possible.
