NHTSA Issues Urgent Recall for Volvo PHEVs and EVs Due to Brake System Failure

On July 17, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an urgent notification urging owners of certain 2020 to 2026 Volvo plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle models to immediately complete an important safety recall update via over-the-air (OTA) download due to brake system failures. If the recall repair is not implemented, affected vehicles may lose braking capability completely while descending. This defect has already led to a serious accident that was recorded on video. Volvo has advised owners to suspend driving their vehicles and turn off the regenerative braking system until the recall software upgrade is completed. A recall announcement (number 25V-392) was released by Volvo on June 12, affecting 11,469 vehicles. As of July 15, about 1,000 vehicles have not completed the urgent OTA recall update. Affected models include the 2023 Volvo C40 electric vehicle, the 2025 EC40 electric vehicle, the 2025 to 2026 EX40 plug-in hybrid models, the 2023 to 2025 S60 plug-in hybrid models, the 2025 S90 plug-in hybrid model, the 2024 to 2025 V60 plug-in hybrid models, the 2023 to 2024 XC40 electric vehicle, the 2022 to 2026 XC60 plug-in hybrid models, and the 2020 to 2026 XC90 plug-in hybrid models. The NHTSA has provided the following recommendations to owners of vehicles with unrepaired defects: Do not use the regenerative braking system; deactivate the 'B' mode for plug-in hybrids or the single-pedal driving mode for electric vehicles until repairs are completed; if the vehicle is in the above modes and coasts downhill for more than 1 minute and 40 seconds without braking, the braking system may fail; if the vehicle information center indicates that the software is ready, please download the OTA recall update immediately. For questions or to schedule service, contact your local Volvo dealer. Owners can call the Volvo Customer Service Center at 800-458-1552 for inquiries. The NHTSA emphasizes that completing the recall update in a timely manner is crucial for ensuring driving safety and advises affected owners to take action immediately. Owners can check recall information by using the NHTSA recall lookup tool, entering their license plate number or vehicle identification number to find safety recalls; downloading the SaferCar app to automatically check and receive recall notifications; if confirmed that the vehicle has a safety recall, contact local dealers to schedule free repairs; or register on the NHTSA website to receive future recall notifications via email.