Unsafe and Unpredictable: My Volvo EX90 Experience

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Volvo EX90 Issues and Brand Impact

  • Commenters see the EX90’s problems as widespread, not isolated; a dedicated subreddit reportedly has multiple lemon-law successes.
  • Reported failures (loss of throttle on highway, center screen blackouts, climate control disappearing, camera glitches) are widely viewed as fundamentally unsafe, especially for a brand that sells “safety and predictability.”
  • Several owners of recent Volvos and related Polestar models report similar software and infotainment crashes, though a few EX40/C40 owners say their cars are stable and “mature” compared to the EX90/EX30.

Software-Defined Cars and Safety

  • Many see this as a textbook case of a hardware company treating software as an afterthought or outsourcing it, with predictable quality failures.
  • Central complaints:
    • Critical functions (HVAC, signals, cameras, even perceived propulsion behavior) depend on a single crash‑prone display.
    • Screen reboots mid‑drive are disorienting and can disable sounds and indicators.
    • Heavy use of touchscreens and buried menus is considered dangerous vs physical buttons.
  • Some argue that all modern brands are suffering from buggy ADAS, lane‑keeping, and infotainment (examples given: Kia EV9/EV6, Audi, VW ID.4, Mercedes, Honda, Subaru).

Customer Service, Legal Options, and PR

  • Many are baffled that Volvo hasn’t simply bought back or replaced the car given the price segment and detailed documentation.
  • Hypothesized reason: acknowledging one lemon might force wider buybacks or recalls.
  • Several expect a quiet settlement plus NDA; others hope the owner refuses so the story stays public.
  • Canadian/Quebec consumer protection vs US-style lemon laws is discussed; some recount Volvo buybacks in earlier cases that actually increased their loyalty.

Brand and Reliability Debates

  • Strong sentiment that modern Volvos no longer represent “Swedish quality,” with some blaming past Ford and current Geely ownership; others note engineering and production remain largely Swedish and US-based.
  • Long subthreads debate which countries/brands are still reliable (Japanese, German, Korean, Chinese), with lots of conflicting anecdotes and rust/engine/software stories on all sides.

Ownership Strategies and “Dumb” Cars

  • Recurrent theme: fondness for 2000–2010 “dumb” cars with minimal software and physical controls.
  • For EVs, some advocate leasing or buying off‑lease used to let others absorb early software and depreciation pain.