VolvoXC902018Overview/volvo/xc90/2018/base/

2018 Volvo XC90

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 XC90.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (S8)

The 2018 Volvo XC90 is an SUV fitted with an automatic (S8) transmission and rated at 20/27/23 mpg, its engine requiring 5.9 quarts of 0W-30 or 5W-30 API oil. With 47 total owner complaints and 3 recalls, this model year sits outside the 2003-2015 complaint window that reached a high of 462 grievances in 2004 and a low of 3 in 2012, carrying a markedly lighter reliability footprint than that earlier peak. That distance from the high-volume complaint period, combined with its own modest recall and grievance counts, frames the 2018 XC90 as a comparatively low-incident entry in the model’s tracked reliability history.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/27/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 32140029. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tire sizeP235/60R18, P235/55R19, P275/45R20, P275/40R21, P275/35R22OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter32140029
Engine air filter31370089
Fuel filter32242191
Battery31652067 alt 31652065
Front wiper blades32341610
Thermostat31368063 alt 31686046
Cabin air filter31407748 alt 31407747

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S8)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length194.9 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height70.1 in
Wheelbase117.3 in
Curb weight4475 lb
Track (front / rear)65.7 / 65.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 27 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the XC90 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

4.5–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.50 sec — 2022 Recharge T8 Inscription Extended Range
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2017T8 Inscription PHEV 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-4 + Elec 9.2-kWh5.00 sec13.90 sec400 hpAWD
2016T8 Inscription PHEV 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-4 + Elec 9.2-kWh5.30 sec14.00 sec400 hpAWD
2016T6 Inscription 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-46.00 sec14.60 sec316 hpAWD
2016T6 Inscription 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-46.40 sec15.00 sec316 hpAWD
2016T6 Inscription 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-46.50 sec14.90 sec316 hpAWD
2016T6 Inscription 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-46.60 sec15.00 sec316 hpAWD
2016T6 Inscription 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-46.70 sec15.10 sec316 hpAWD
2020T8 Inscription PHEV 2.0L Turbo Supercharger I-4 + Elec 9.2-kWh4.90 sec13.60 sec400 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.9 qt of 0W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidVolvo part number 31256774
Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine CoolantVolvo brand coolant/antifreeze
Engine Coolant Capacity7.4
Engine Oil0W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.9 qt
Power Steering Fluidsynthetic
Transfer Case FluidBevel Box: Use Audi/VW part number G052145A1

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)12.5 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.3 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs13.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)16.2 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)33.1 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)17.4 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12.5 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerVolvo
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 42; Rear: 21
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 148; Rear: 66
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementMinimum thickness is stamped on the disc.
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .003

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
133.0 ft. lbs., 90°33 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
133.0 ft. lbs., 90°33 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 3 stages
111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
218.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
390.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., screw to crankshaft. Step 2: 90 degrees, Step 3: 81.0 ft. lbs., center bolt. Step 4: 9015 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
133.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
250.0
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 4 stages
1Inner bolts15 ft. lbs
2Inner bolts30 ft. lbs
3Outer bolts18 ft. lbs
490.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 10,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 10,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
Every 20,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Foglamp (adjust alignment) · Headlamp (inspect alignment)
Every 40,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (leak inspection) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 50,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt Tensioner (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record illustrates a significant downward trend in complaints from a peak of 462 in 2004 to zero in 2015, with recalls similarly diminishing to one by the end of that period. The 2018 model year interrupts this trajectory, showing active complaints in Service Brakes and Unknown Or Other categories totaling five incidents each, along with specific crash and fire reports. As the historical data concludes in 2015, the 2018 figures represent a resurgence of reported issues compared to the zero-complaint status recorded for the final year in the trend. The data does not specify the root cause for the Power Train or Fuel/Propulsion System complaints, limiting insight into severity beyond the reported counts. This deviation implies the 2018 model does not maintain the clean federal record status achieved by the 2015 model year within this dataset, making it a riskier purchase that warrants caution.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
550
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
47
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 47 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other5
Service Brakes5
Fuel/Propulsion System3
Power Train3
Structure3
Visibility/Wiper3
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other2
Latches/Locks/Linkages2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 550 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
33031.6.02026-05-23Unknown Or OtherThis is a Technical Journal: Text plus 1 .jpg attachment - If remote control key is not…
34521.11.12026-05-07Exterior LightingThis is a Technical Journal: Headlamp condensation inside lens - information/leak test…
36496.10.02026-05-07Power TrainThis is a Technical Journal: Intermittent knocking noise during acceleration. If the…
35503.4.02026-05-06StructureThis is a Technical Journal: Panoramic sunroof, sealing strip has a gap
35526.1.82026-04-23EngineThis is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific XC90. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 XC90 take?

5.9 qt of Below 104 degrees F,: 0W-30 API, -22 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 5W-30 API meeting ACEA A5/B5, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 XC90 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the XC90 get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.