2016 Volvo XC90 · symptom sheet
Burns oil or oil level rises
- 32owner reports
- 50,000median miles
- $2,879median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Jul 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
92 of the 197 complaints on this car are about the engine. 32 of those describe oil consumption, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2016 XC90.
Tick what matches of 32 reports
Oil consumption on other XC90 years
No other XC90 model year has enough reports of oil consumption for a sheet of its own. See every XC90 year.
What this problem usually is
Two different complaints land here. The more common one is an engine that uses oil: owners add a quart between changes, get a low-oil warning, or are told by the dealer that the rate is normal. The other is the opposite, where the oil level climbs and the oil smells of gasoline. Both deserve a proper test, and both are easier to argue with records in hand.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the piston rings (17 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the engine covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak.
All 8 recalls on the 2016 Volvo XC90, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the XC90
Fuel pump leak. Closed dec 22, 2009, led to recall 09V-483.
None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.
What owners paid
8 of the 32 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,600 to $11,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 1,500 and 79,000 miles, from the 15 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2016 Volvo XC90 that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This is a Technical Journal: Customer may experience a low oil level warning in DIM and /or oil leakage from the engine.
What owners wrote
“Piston ring failure, excessive oil consumption. There was an extended warranty regarding the issue, but it has since been closed. I know there have been multiple lawsuits regarding this issue.”
Filed Jul 30, 2025
“Our car has shut down in the middle of traffic due to the oil going from full to empty in a few hundred miles. Oil change was recently done with synthetic oil and only had driven a few hundred miles when it went to empty. I had to buy a quart of oil at the gas station. I need to put an extra quart of oil every few hundred miles due to excessive oil consumption.”
Filed Feb 22, 2023
“Engine oil consumption issue. Engine is consuming a quart of oil every 1,500 miles.”
Filed Dec 19, 2022 · 1,500 miles
“Driving at highway speed and a sudden loss of power. Vehicle has a history oil consumption. Seems that engine has a major defect. Waiting on a second estimate, seems a known catastrophic issue with pistons issue causing major engine work or possible replacement.”
Filed Jul 28, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 32 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works