Volvo infotainment and rearview camera lawsuit (Alopogianis v. Volvo Car USA)

Four Volvo owners filed a proposed class action in New Jersey federal court on October 26, 2026, claiming the Android-based infotainment system in many 2021 to 2025 Volvo models freezes, crashes or stops responding, taking the rearview camera, navigation, audio and climate controls with it. They say Volvo has known about the problem since at least 2021 and that software updates have not fixed it.

The case is Alopogianis et al. v. Volvo Car USA, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-13953, before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel. It follows federal safety recalls in 2025 for rearview camera images that may not display, covering about 413,000 vehicles, and an earlier class action in New York tied to the same recall.

The New Jersey case is at its first step. Volvo has not responded, nothing has been decided, and there is no settlement or claim form.

Volvo Car USA, LLC is the defendant. It is the U.S. company that files Volvo's safety recalls with federal regulators. Its corporate parent is Volvo Car AB, according to a disclosure filed in the New York case. Volvo Cars is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding of China and has been separate from the Swedish Volvo Group since 1999. People usually buy or lease Volvos through dealers, which also perform warranty and recall repairs.

The plaintiffs are John Alopogianis, Jeffery Kaiser, Megan Kaiser and Kelly Tierney. Each says the problems began soon after purchase and continued after several dealer repairs, according to Top Class Actions' summary of the complaint. They are represented by Sergei Lemberg of Lemberg Law, which has advertised an investigation of Volvo and Polestar infotainment and camera failures.

The court is the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Skahill is also assigned. The docket shows the case was filed under diversity jurisdiction with a jury demand.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal auto safety regulator. It is not a party, but it oversees Volvo's recalls.

The infotainment system runs Android Automotive OS, a version of Google's Android software built into the car. Google is not a defendant.

Based on federal recall records, court dockets and summaries of the complaints:

• April 2021: Volvo began receiving internal reports that the rearview camera image would malfunction or disappear in vehicles with the Android-based system, according to the January 2026 complaint in the New York case, which cites Volvo's recall chronology.
• March and April 2025: That complaint says Volvo met with NHTSA on March 24, 2025, and decided on April 30, 2025, to recall vehicles.
• 2025: Volvo recall 25V282 covered more than 413,000 vehicles whose rearview camera image might not display.
• December 23, 2025: Volvo filed a new recall, 25V908, covering 413,151 vehicles and replacing 25V282. NHTSA's acknowledgment says the rearview image may not appear when the car is in reverse, so the vehicles fail Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 on rear visibility. The remedy is a free software update from a dealer or over the air. Vehicles fixed under the first recall need the new remedy.
• January 22, 2026: David Weinbach sued Volvo Car USA and Volvo Cars of North America in federal court in western New York.
• February 16, 2026: Owner letters for recall 25V908 were expected to be mailed.
• May 8, 2026: Volvo asked the New York court to dismiss Weinbach's amended complaint for failure to state a claim and lack of standing. Briefing finished June 29, 2026.
• October 26, 2026: The Alopogianis plaintiffs filed in New Jersey.

The New Jersey complaint alleges, according to Top Class Actions, that the Android Automotive system in affected Volvos is prone to freezing, crashing or becoming unresponsive. When that happens, drivers can lose navigation, audio, climate controls and the rearview camera. The complaint says the system is central to how the car operates.

It claims Volvo has known about the defect since at least 2021, that software updates have not solved it, and that dealers tried both updates and hardware replacements without success. It says Volvo broke consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the defect and failing to provide an effective fix. The plaintiffs seek damages and restitution, plus an order requiring Volvo to notify owners and provide a permanent fix.

Volvo has not responded in the New Jersey case, and Class Action Pulse found no public statement from the company about it as of November 6, 2026. In its recall filing, Volvo said the rearview image may not display and that affected vehicles did not meet the federal rear visibility standard, and it offered a free software update.

In the New York case, Volvo argues the claims should be dismissed for failure to state a claim and lack of standing. It attached its warranty booklet and recall reports to that motion.

A recall is not an admission of the broader defect alleged in the lawsuit. The recall concerns the camera image. The New Jersey plaintiffs claim the whole infotainment system is faulty.

The New Jersey court has decided nothing. The public docket shows the complaint, judge assignments and the issued summons, all dated October 26, 2026.

No court has found that Volvo's infotainment system is defective, that Volvo hid anything or that anyone is owed money. No class has been certified. The New York docket reviewed by Class Action Pulse does not show a ruling on Volvo's motion to dismiss.

No class has been certified. Based on the summary of the New Jersey complaint, the proposed class would include people who meet these points:

• Ownership: You bought or leased an affected Volvo.
• Models named: Top Class Actions lists 2021 to 2025 XC40, C40, XC60, XC90, S60, S90, V60, V90, EX30, EX40 and EX90 models.
• Recall overlap: Recall 25V908 covers a narrower set, including the 2021 to 2025 XC40, 2022 to 2025 XC60 and S90, 2023 to 2025 XC90, S60 and V60, 2022 to 2024 C40 and 2025 EX40 and EC40. The EX30 and EX90 are not on that recall.
• Location: Class Action Pulse has not confirmed whether the class is nationwide or limited to certain states.

If a class is ever certified, the court's definition would control.

1. Check for open recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov or ask a Volvo dealer. The recall update is free.
2. Keep repair records. Save every repair order, invoice and software update receipt, including visits where the dealer could not find the problem.
3. Document failures. Note dates, times and what stopped working. A photo of a blank or frozen screen can help.
4. Contact Volvo. The recall notice lists Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
5. Report safety problems. You can file a complaint with NHTSA or call its vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
6. Send an inquiry if you want. The form on this page sends your details to Class Action Pulse. It does not join the lawsuit.

Many states have lemon laws for new vehicles that still have defects after repeated repair attempts. Rules and deadlines vary by state.

No money is available now. There is no settlement, fund or claim form.

The current recall remedy is a free software update. The lawsuit asks for damages, restitution, owner notification and a permanent fix. Those are requests, not results. Any payment would require a settlement or judgment approved by a court.

• December 23, 2025: Recall 25V908 filed.
• January 22, 2026: New York case filed.
• October 26, 2026: New Jersey case filed.

There is no claim, opt-out or objection deadline because there is no settlement. Under the federal rules, a defendant generally has 21 days after formal service to respond, longer if it waives service.

Consumer protection, warranty and lemon law claims have time limits that vary by state. Recall repairs are free regardless of the lawsuit.

Infotainment system: The dashboard touchscreen and software that run navigation, media, phone, climate and camera functions.

Android Automotive OS: A version of Google's Android operating system built directly into a car, instead of mirrored from a phone.

Over-the-air update: A software update sent to the car wirelessly, without a dealer visit.

FMVSS 111: The federal safety standard for rear visibility, which requires a rearview image when a vehicle is in reverse.

Restitution: Money returned to people to undo an unfair gain by the defendant.

Standing: A plaintiff's legal right to sue, which usually requires showing a real injury.

Class certification: A court's decision that a case can proceed on behalf of a group.

The plaintiffs must serve Volvo, which will then answer or ask the court to dismiss the case. If the case survives, the parties would exchange evidence and the plaintiffs would ask for class certification. A ruling in the New York case could signal how courts view similar claims, and the two cases could also move toward coordination or settlement.

Class Action Pulse will update this page as the dockets move.

This article relies on the New Jersey and New York federal docket listings, Top Class Actions' summary of the New Jersey complaint, NHTSA's acknowledgment of recall 25V908, the New York complaint, Lemberg Law's investigation page and Volvo Cars' corporate page.

Class Action Pulse has not reviewed the New Jersey complaint itself. The allegations, model list, proposed class and requested relief come from Top Class Actions' summary. The plaintiffs' states, vehicles and the class's geographic scope are not confirmed. The 2021 and 2025 chronology comes from the New York complaint's description of Volvo's recall filings. Volvo has not responded in New Jersey.

Class Action Pulse is not a law firm or settlement administrator and does not guarantee eligibility or payment. This article is general information, not legal advice.