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Volvo XC90 2003 Problems

Are you having problems with your 2003 Volvo XC90? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest 2003 Volvo XC90 issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the 2003 Volvo XC90 in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Used Volvo XC90 review: 2003-2015

The Volvo XC90 is more of a people mover than an SUV. Which makes sense because very few SUV buyers fall into the ‘I dream of crossing the Simpson Desert one day’ category.

It was launched here in August 2003 and wasn’t discontinued until August 2015, albeit with several makeovers during that 12 year period.

The XC90 has a big emphasis on space and comfort. The cabin sits well forward thanks to the use of a transversely mounted engine instead of the longitudinal units used by most large SUVs.

A disadvantage of the cab-forward layout is that the front wheelarch intrudes into the front passenger’s footwell, making it rather narrow.

Volvo assures us there are no fewer than 64 seating/luggage combinations. The centre seat in the second row can be moved forward until it almost touches the two front seats. This brings a young child within easy reach of the two front occupants. The seat even has a built-in child seat that can be set up in a few seconds.

The Volvo XC90 can be taken fair distances from sealed surfaces if driven sensibly.

With the exception of the driver’s, all seats can be folded flat. Making it suitable for carrying long items such as ladders and surfboards.

The rear-seat squabs slide under the rear luggage area to minimise the space they take up when the seats are folded down.

A practical feature of the body design is large areas of plastic protection strips, just the thing for reducing damage caused in shopping centre carparks. Or even when you squeeze through narrow bush trails if you’re one of the few who take a Volvo XC90 to explore the Aussie bush.

Power is normally taken only to the front wheels, with the rear wheels coming into play if the fronts begin to lose traction. An off-road 4WD it’s not, but the big Volvo XC90 wagon can be taken fair distances from sealed surfaces if driven sensibly.

On sealed roads the ride is good while the steering and suspension work well. The XC90 isn't the most nimble of vehicles, but it hangs on well in corners and you are protected by electronic traction controls. This includes a program that helps resist vehicle rollover.

Power was originally provided by a choice between two petrol engines – one a five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged unit, the other a twin-turbo straight-six of 3.0 litres. 

In October 2006, Volvo introduced a heavily revised XC90 featuring a facelift and the option of a 4.4-litre petrol V8 engine as well as a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel.

In April 2007 the straight-six 3.0-litre engine was expanded to 3.2 litres. The larger engine has less power than the smaller, but the wider spread of torque makes up for this. The five-cylinder unit was discontinued at the end of that year.

Transmissions are all automatics, with four-speed and five-speed units in earlier models and six ratios from 2007 onwards.

On sealed roads the ride is good and the steering and suspension work well.

The later the XC90 model the more safety features are incorporated.

Volvo is long established in Australia with a dealer network that covers all metro areas as well as quite a few country centres.

Service, repair and parts costs for the XC90 are about average for a vehicle in this class and we have heard of no real complaints about the availability of spares.

Check on insurance costs as there’s a bigger than average spread in premium charges. As always when doing comparisons make sure you’re doing a like-for-like survey.

Very few XC90s are taken off-road but if you do come across one with scratches on the lower bumper corners and the door sills it has probably belonged to an adventurous family.

Engine oil and filter changing is important on any turbocharged engine, check the service books. Ideally the work should have been done by an authorised Volvo dealer, but there are some high quality specialists who understand the vehicle well. 

Listen for suspension noises, especially on rougher roads, there's no need to find a dirt road for this. Sadly, many suburban roads will suffice.

Look over the body for signs of damage or crash repairs. Mismatched paint, ripples in panels when viewed end on, and paint spots on glass, badges and other non-paint areas are easy to spot.

The left-front wheel and tyre are often the first areas to suffer if a driver makes mistakes whilst parking.

Automatic transmissions should be smooth and all but imperceptible on their changes at low throttle openings. Some shift feel at big openings is acceptable, but too much may indicate auto problems.

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Used Volvo XC90 review: 2003-2014

Never a company to rush into things unnecessarily, Volvo has had its XC90 on sale since 2002 (2003 in Australia), albeit with many significant upgrades and changes along the way.

An all-new model is finally on the way and incorporates some fascinating new technology, obviously safety heads the list, but there are many other high-tech items on their way. The new XC90 is likely to lead to a rush of existing ones being traded in, so there may be a glut in used-car yards - and some good deals on offer. No promises, though...

Always intended to be a people mover, not an SUV, the XC90 does have some off-road ability if conditions are easy

While 13 years may seem like a long time between drinks it shows how good the original design of the Volvo XC90 was. Always intended to be a people mover, not an SUV, the XC90 does have some off-road ability if conditions are easy. Exploring interesting bush trails, even venturing onto the beach will keep adventurous families happy.

A practical feature of the body design is large areas of plastic protection strips, just the thing for reducing damage caused in shopping centre carparks. Or even when you squeeze through narrow bush trails if you're one of the few who take a Volvo XC90 to explore the Aussie bush.

Interior space has been maximised by building a wagon with the cabin well forward, something greatly assisted by using a transversely mounted engine instead of the longitudinal units used by most large SUVs.

The only disadvantage of the cab-forward layout is that the front wheelarch intrudes into the front passenger's footwell, making it rather narrow.

Volvo XC90 has no fewer than 64 seating/luggage combinations. Particularly clever is the centre seat in the second row; it can be moved forward until it almost touches the two front seats. This brings young children within easy reach of the two front occupants. In a very Volvo manner this seat even has a built-in child seat that can be set up in a few seconds.

The rear-seat squabs slide under the rear luggage area to minimise the space they take up when the seats are folded down. All the remaining seats (except for the driver's) can be folded flat for a van-like interior. Long items like ladders and big surfboards can be carted with ease in the security of the cabin.

Power is normally taken only to the front wheels, with the rear wheels coming into play if the fronts begin to lose traction.

On sealed roads the ride is good and the steering and suspension work well. The XC90 isn't the most nimble of vehicles, but it hangs on safely. Electronic traction controls were there from the start of XC90 production; including a program that helps resist vehicle rollover. The later the XC90 model the more safety features are incorporated.

Power was originally provided by a choice between two petrol engines – one a five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged unit, the other a twin-turbo straight-six of 3.0 litres.

In October 2006, Volvo introduced a fascinating 4.4-litre petrol V8 engine and a turbo-diesel with a capacity of 2.4 litres.

In April 2007 the straight-six 3.0-litre engine was expanded to 3.2 litres. The larger engine has less power than the smaller, but the wider spread of torque means it's a practical unit. The five-cylinder unit was discontinued at the end of that year.

Transmissions are all automatic, with four-speed and five-speed units in earlier models and six ratios from 2007 onwards. Volvo is long established in Australia with a dealer network that covers all metropolitan areas as well as quite a few country centres.

Service, repair and parts costs for the XC90 are about average for a vehicle in this class and we have heard of no real complaints about the availability of spares. Check on insurance costs with several companies as there seems to be a bigger than average spread in premium charges.

Engine oil and filter changing is important on any turbocharged engine, check the service books. Ideally the work should have been done by an authorised Volvo dealer, but there are some high quality specialists who understand the vehicle well.

Automatic transmissions should be smooth and all but imperceptible on their changes at low throttle openings. Some shift feel at big openings is acceptable, but too much may indicate auto problems.

Listen for suspension noises, especially on rougher roads, there's no need to find a dirt road for this, many suburban roads in poor condition will show up any problems.
Look over the body for signs of damage or crash repairs.

Check the interior, including the luggage area, for signs of hard use and damage. Very few XC90s are ever taken off-road but if you do come across one with scratches on the lower bumper corners and the door sills it has probably been dabbling in the great Aussie bush.

Off-Road vehicles that go off-road are rare beasts and are probably best avoided on the used-car scene unless the price is right.

Read the article
Used Volvo XC90 review: 2003-2012

The XC90 is Volvo's entry in the top-end SUV race, a race in which it is pitted against the likes of the BMX X5, Mercedes-Benz ML and Audi Q7.

It arrived here in 2003 and has become a top-selling model for the Swedish carmaker, accounting for a large slice of the company's business in Australia.

Apart from some minor facelifts and a few specification changes it remains little unchanged in the time it's been on the local market.

It must be said that the XC90 is a big vehicle, and that shows up on the road where it feels slow and ponderous, but its generous dimensions means it's got a roomy cabin with the space to accommodate up to seven.

It's inside that the XC90 shines, with a flexible seating arrangement and a pleasant ambience. There's enough adjustment in the seat and steering column for everyone to find a comfortable driving position, and its 2-3-2 layout gives a flexibility of seating and luggage arrangements. The second seat slides and folds, and has a central child booster seat; the third seat is a bit of a squeeze for adults, but fine for kids.

There's a wide choice of engines on offer, starting with the 2.5-itre five-cylinder turbo and 2.9-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo in the early models, through to the 3.2-litre six-cylinder and 4.4-litre V8 of the later ones. Mixed in there from 2006 is a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-diesel.

All come with automatic transmissions, from a four-speed early on to a six-speed in the later offerings. They all also have on-demand four-wheel drive, which starts out as a front-wheel driver until wheel slip is detected at the front wheels when a portion of the drive is sent to the rear wheels.

The XC90 is not a hard-core off-roader it's conceived as a safe all-wheel driver for on-road use, but with decent ground clearance and a competent all-wheel drive system it will cope with the sort of off-roading the average owner wants to do. All models are generously equipped with the features most owners want in a luxury car.

You don't normally expect to find an XC90 that has been used extensively off-road, but it's still worth looking for the telltale signs of off-road use. If you don't have access to a hoist get down on your knees and take a look underneath, particularly looking for any underbody damage.

It's best to walk away from a car you suspect has been used for more than just the odd cruise down a dirt road. Early models can be expected to have as many as 220,000 km on them by now, which makes it doubly important to conduct a thorough check.

All cars require regular maintenance, so check for a service record. Skipped services don't necessarily cause problems in a relatively new car, but they can come back to bite you later one as the car ages. Sludge can build up and eventually starve the engine of its life-giving oil supply.

Cam timing belts need to be changed at 10 year or 150,000 km intervals, so early should have had a belt change at least once.

Thoroughly check the automatic transmission. Put it through as many different driving situations as you can think of and note any harshness, reluctance to shift, flaring etc. If you're not sure have an automatic transmission specialist check it for you.

The XC90 is packed with electrical features, so it's worth going through all of them to make sure they're working. Air-conditioning is one that owners say is vital to check. It's also a heavy vehicle and that will have an impact of tyres and brakes, so expect to be replacing them more frequently than you might on other, lighter vehicles.

When test-driving an XC90 take note of any pulsation through the brake pedal, it could mean the brake rotors need replacing.

A good choice if you want space, comfort and refinement.

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Used Volvo XC90 review: 2003-2012

The Volvo XC90 is more of a people mover than true sports utility vehicle (SUV). Which makes a lot of sense these days because very few SUV buyers fall into the ‘I dream of crossing the Simpson Desert one day’ category.

As it’s aimed at the family there’s a big emphasis on space and comfort inside the large Swedish wagon. The cabin sits well forward thanks to the use of a transversely mounted engine instead of the longitudinal units used by most large SUVs; thus increasing interior length in the Volvo.

Volvo assures us there are no fewer than 64 seating/luggage combinations. The centre seat in the second row can be moved forward until it almost touches the two front seats. This brings a young child within easy reach of the two front occupants. The seat even has a built-in child seat that can be set up in a few seconds.

With the exception of the driver’s, all seats can be folded flat. Making it suitable for carrying long items such as ladders and surfboards. The rear-seat squabs slide under the rear luggage area to minimise the space they take up when the seats are folded down. The only disadvantage of the cab-forward layout is that the front wheelarch intrudes into the front passenger’s footwell, making it rather narrow.

A practical feature of the body design is large areas of plastic protection strips, just the thing for reducing damage caused in shopping centre carparks. Or even when you squeeze through narrow bush trails if you’re one of the few who take a Volvo XC90 to explore the Aussie bush.

Though the design of the Volvo XC90 goes all the way back to 2002 (2003 in Australia) it has stood the tests of time extremely well and is right up to date in appearance and practicality. Power is normally taken only to the front wheels, with the rear wheels coming into play if the fronts begin to lose traction. An off-road 4WD it’s not, but the big Volvo XC90 wagon can be taken fair distances from sealed surfaces if driven sensibly.

On sealed roads the ride is good while the steering and suspension work well. The XC90 isn't the most nimble of vehicles, but it hangs on well in corners and you are protected by electronic traction controls. This includes a program that helps resist vehicle rollover. Power was originally provided by a choice between two petrol engines – one a five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged unit, the other a twin-turbo straight-six of 3.0 litres. 

In October 2006, Volvo introduced a fascinating 4.4-litre petrol V8 engine and a turbo-diesel with a capacity of 2.4 litres was introduced. In April 2007 the straight-six 3.0-litre engine was expanded to 3.2 litres. The larger engine has less power than the smaller, but the wider spread of torque makes up for this. The five-cylinder unit was discontinued at the end of that year.

Transmissions are all automatic, with four-speed and five-speed units in earlier models and six ratios from 2007 onwards. Volvo is long established in Australia with a dealer network that covers all metro areas as well as quite a few country centres.

Service, repair and parts costs for the XC90 are about average for a vehicle in this class and we have heard of no real complaints about the availability of spares. Check on insurance costs with several companies as there seems to be a bigger than average spread in premium charges.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Engine oil and filter changing is important on any turbocharged engine, check the service books. Ideally the work should have been done by an authorised Volvo dealer, but there are some high quality specialists who understand the vehicle well.

Automatic transmissions should be smooth and all but imperceptible on their changes at low throttle openings. Some shift feel at big openings is acceptable, but too much may indicate auto problems.

Listen for suspension noises, especially on rougher roads, there's no need to find a dirt road for this, many suburban roads in poor condition will show up any problems.

Look over the body for signs of damage or crash repairs. Check the interior, including the luggage area, for signs of hard use and damage.

Very few XC90s are ever taken off-road but if you do come across one with scratches on the lower bumper corners and the door sills it has probably been dabbling in the great Aussie bush.

CAR BUYING TIP

Always start a car inspection by doing a general walk around rather than diving straight into minute detail. This way you can eliminate the obvious duds in a minimum amount of time.
 

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Used Volvo XC90 review: 2003-2011

Volvo XC90 is a large SUV that, in a very Swedish manner, is all about sensible design and practicality.

Though its basic design goes back to 2003 it has stood the tests of time extremely well. Naturally there have been quite a few updates since its launch and we will cover these here.

The Volvo XC90’s biggest feature in the minds of the typical buyer of a family oriented SUV is its spaciousness. This is built around a cabin that sits will forward thanks to the use of a transversely mounted engine instead of the longitudinal units used by most large SUVs. Volvo assures us there are 64 seating/luggage combinations.

With the exception of the driver’s, all seats can be folded flat. The rear-seat squabs slide under the rear luggage area to minimise the space they take up when the seats are folded flat.

In what has now become a much loved feature of many Volvo models, the centre seat in the centre row can be moved forward until it almost touches the two front seats. This brings the smallest family member within easy reach of the two front occupants. The seat has a built-in child seat that can be set up in moments.

The only disadvantage of the cab-forward layout is that the front wheelarch intrudes into the front passenger’s footwell, making it rather narrow.

A practical feature of the body design is large areas of plastic protection strips, just the thing for driving through narrow bush trails, or submitting the Volvo XC90 to the dangers of shopping centre carparks.

Power is normally only to the front wheels, with the rear wheels coming into play reasonably quickly if the fronts begin to lose traction. An off-road 4WD it’s not, but the big Volvo XC90 wagon can be taken off sealed roads if driven sensibly.

On sealed roads the ride is good while the steering and suspension work well. Being a two-tonne vehicle this isn't the most nimble of vehicles, but the XC90 hangs on well in corners and you are protected by the latest in electronic traction control. This included a program that helps resist vehicle rollover.

Power was originally provided by a choice between two petrol engines. One a five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbocharged unit, the other a twin-turbo 200 kW sports model using a straight-six 3.0-litre.

In October 2006 Volvo introduced a fascinating V8 engine to the XC90 catalogue. Claimed to be the most compact V8 ever seen in a transverse installation it produces plenty of performance from its 4.4 litres.

Also included in the 2006 revamp of the range was a turbo-diesel for the first time in Australian XC90s. With a capacity of 2.4 litres it had an interesting design using five cylinders in line. Road testers praised it for its smoothness and strong torque characteristics.

In April 2007 the straight six 3.0-litre engine was expanded to 3.2 litres. The larger engine actually has less power than the smaller, but the wider spread of torque makes up for this and it's a nicely driveable unit. Due to the popularity of the six-cylinder with Aussie buyers, the smaller five-cylinder unit was discontinued at the end of that year.

Transmissions are all automatic, with four-speed and five-speed units in earlier models and six forward ratios from 2007 onwards. Volvo is long established in Australia with a dealer network that covers all metro areas as well as quite a few country centres.

Service, repair and parts costs for the XC90 are about average for a vehicle in this class and we have heard of no real complaints about the availability of spares. This is a complex vehicle and we recommend that only the simplest of repairs are carried out by owners.

Check on insurance costs with several companies as some may be unreasonably biased against turbocharged engines. This situation has changed markedly in recent years as more and more European makers are importing turbo engines to Australia.

Look for a continuous service history on any XC90, but particularly on turbo models. Engine oil and filter changing is important on any turbocharged engine. Listen for suspension noises, especially on rougher roads, there's no need to find a dirt road for this, many suburban roads in poor condition will show up any problems.

Automatic transmissions should be smooth and all but imperceptible on their changes at low throttle openings. Some shift feel at big openings is acceptable, but too much may indicate auto problems. Look over the body for signs of damage or crash repairs.

Check the interior, including the luggage area, for signs of hard use and damage. Very few XC90s are ever taken off-road but if you do come across one with scratches on the lower bumper corners and the door sills it has probably been used in unaccustomed areas.

Shop around for finance and insurance with as much care and attention as you put into getting the best vehicle.

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Complete guide to Volvo XC90 2003
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