Problems · NHTSA complaints
2009 Volvo V50 problems
Owners filed 2 complaints about the 2009 Volvo V50 with NHTSA between Mar 2014 and Mar 2017. The most-cited component is service brakes (1).
Complaints
2
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes1
- Electrical system1
- Structure1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
1 report
“I HAD THE BRAKE PADS REPLACED, THEN THE PUMP ONLY TO NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE BOOSTER PUMP! I WENT RIGHT THROUGH A STOP SIGN. THE MECHANIC SAID HE SEES THIS PROBLEM ALL OF THE TIME WITH THESE CARS.”
Electrical system
1 report
“FAILURE TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF A POTENTIALLY DEADLY, KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART THAT RESULTS IN MASSIVE CORROSION OF ELECTRONICS AND CEM CAUSING ENGINE TO QUIT WORKING. ELECTRONICS BEGAN TO QUIT WORKING WHILE TRAVELING. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE GARAGE AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THEY WERE UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE, AND COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED VOLVO WHO TOLD THEM THE V50 HAD A KNOWN DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP THAT CAUSED OTHER PARTS TO CORRODE. VOLVO SECRETLY CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT WATER PUMP IN NEW CARS AFTER DISCOVERING THIS DEFECT : BUT DID NOT NOTIFY OWNERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. THIS PUMP LEAKS WASHER FLUID, DRIPPING ONTO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND CEM MAINFRAME COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE INABILITY TO START OR SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, SECURITY ALARM TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO PROVOCATION, DISABLED KEY FOB ENTRY, AND OTHER INTERMITTENT ISSUES RELATED TO ELECTRONICS. THESE PARTS WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND FRIED. IF THIS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND HAD STOPPED THE ENGINE, THE SAME RESULTS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AS THE GM CHEVROLET IGNITION PROBLEM. WITH NO ENGINE, THE CONTROLS TO POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING AND AIRBAG…”
Structure
1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.