Nearly new Volvo vehicles requiring engine disassembly shortly after purchase have triggered collective complaints. Owners question whether Volvo can overcome what they term the "camshaft curse."
A Beijing-based owner, Mr. Chen (pseudonym), expressed frustration regarding his 2025 Volvo XC60. "After only 20,000 kilometers, the engine fault light repeatedly illuminated. The dealership stated the engine must be disassembled to replace the camshaft, offering no compensation and presenting this as the manufacturer's final solution," he stated.
Investigations reveal Mr. Chen's situation is not isolated. As consumer awareness period approaches in March 2026, complaints regarding Volvo camshaft failures have escalated into a nationwide issue, impacting multiple primary models from the 2022 to 2025 model years. In response to the growing owner protests, Volvo has offered only a "free camshaft replacement" solution, declining additional compensation or a formal recall.
Owners report significant vehicle depreciation and increased operating costs post-repair. Mr. Chen detailed that his vehicle, maintained exclusively at authorized dealerships, began showing camshaft-related fault codes around 15,000 kilometers. Following an initial software update and ECU reset, the fault recurred, leading to the recommendation for engine disassembly. "After the camshaft fault light appeared, my city fuel consumption jumped from 7.5L/100km to 8.5L/100km, while highway consumption increased from 6.5L/100km to 7.5L/100km, unnecessarily raising my costs," he explained. He finds it unacceptable that a core engine component like the camshaft, typically expected to last 100,000-150,000 kilometers, failed so early, necessitating invasive repairs that diminish the vehicle's resale value by tens of thousands, for which the manufacturer offers no compensation.
Reports indicate numerous owners across the country face similar challenges. A Fuzhou owner, Mr. Zhang (pseudonym), experienced severe camshaft wear after less than eight months and 8,000 kilometers. A Hebei owner, Ms. Liu (pseudonym), reported engine shaking before reaching 7,000 kilometers. Some vehicles triggered fault warnings after only 3,000 kilometers. Owners with expired warranties encounter greater difficulties, facing repair costs between 15,000 and 20,000 yuan, compounded by nationwide parts shortages and repair cycles often exceeding two weeks.
The camshaft issue is not new. Reports from as early as December 2025 indicated faults primarily affecting 2022-2026 model year S90, S60, and XC60 vehicles equipped with mild-hybrid B-series engines. Problems in 2022-2024 models often arose near warranty expiration, while failures in 2025-2026 models occurred significantly earlier, suggesting a potential batch-related defect. Numerous consumer complaints have been lodged on platforms.
Owners suspect the issue may relate to "hidden cost-cutting." Some discovered through part number checks that Volvo may have recently substituted originally Hungarian-made camshafts with cheaper alternatives, correlating with progressively earlier failure mileages. Owners argue that manufacturers should not compromise on critical components like the camshaft, which directly impacts power output, fuel economy, and emissions control.
In response to the volume of complaints, Volvo's official stance offers two measures: a software update to address fault warnings and free camshaft replacement for confirmed hardware failures, regardless of warranty status. However, this policy implementation has been problematic. Many owners were unaware of the free repair policy, learning of it only after repeated inquiries. Some out-of-warranty owners paid for repairs themselves and now face unclear refund processes, with responses varying by dealership. The manufacturer has uniformly rejected additional compensation for vehicle depreciation or extended warranty requests, maintaining that free repair is the final solution.
Regarding owner demands for a recall, Volvo remains adamant, stating the issue does not meet legal recall criteria. This contrasts with actions like Jaguar Land Rover's voluntary recall of 630,000 vehicles for a camshaft timing system defect. Owners contend that the widespread nature of the problem across specific model batches meets the definition of a defect under regulations, obligating the manufacturer to initiate a recall.
Third-party complaint data highlights the severity. For the 2025 Volvo XC60, engine and motor faults account for 70.4% of 125 quality complaints, with camshaft issues being central. The complaint-to-sales ratio for related Volvo models has surged from 23.9 per ten thousand vehicles in 2023 to 87.8 per ten thousand in 2026, an increase of over 267%.
Since November 2025, at least 69 specific camshaft-related complaints have been filed, with hundreds more discussions on social media. Several owner rights groups have hundreds of members, with some dubbing the issue the "camshaft curse."
Sales data shows a significant decline. National retail sales for the Volvo XC60 have fallen 63.5% from a peak of 7,179 units in June 2025 to 2,619 units in January 2026. In Sweden, the XC60's home market, January 2026 sales plummeted 54.8% year-over-year. Industry analysts suggest that frequent failures of core components and a perceived dismissive response from the company are severely eroding consumer trust in Volvo's core brand attribute: safety.
Inquiries regarding the root cause of the camshaft failures, refunds for owners who already paid for repairs, and plans for a specialized quality investigation were directed to Volvo's official customer service. Representatives stated that the issues were "recorded and escalated for processing" but provided no specific timeline for a response. No official written or verbal response had been received at the time of reporting.
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