- A lawsuit accuses Volvo of a tailgate malfunction that caused serious injuries.
- The plaintiff says a passing dog triggered the hands-free tailgate sensor.
- She also blames the vehicle’s driver, a Volvo employee and brand ambassador.
Volvo has long built its reputation on safety, yet a recent lawsuit suggests that even the most careful automaker can be caught off guard.
A New Jersey woman is suing the Swedish brand for negligence, claiming a tailgate sensor malfunction left her with serious head injuries, apparently triggered by nothing more than a passing dog.
The incident took place during a hiking trip in October 2023, though the lawsuit wasn’t filed until October 2025 in New Jersey Superior Court for Ocean County. According to the complaint, Megan Kohr was standing behind an unspecified Volvo model when a dog ran beneath the vehicle.
Pet Confuses Sensor
The dog allegedly set off the motion sensor located under the bumper, causing the power tailgate to strike Kohr in the head. The filing states that the incident resulted in “severe, serious, and permanent injuries.”
More: Volvo, The Seatbelt Pioneer, Is Recalling 2026 Models Over Seatbelt Issue
Kohr’s legal team argues that Volvo’s hands-free system lacked adequate safeguards to prevent accidental activation and failed to include a proper safety reversal function upon impact, a feature widely expected in today’s power-operated systems.
Partner and Driver Sued Too
According to the complaint, Kohr “was caused to suffer great pain and anguish” leaving her “disabled and prevented from attending to her necessary affairs and business.” She is now seeking damages for medical expenses, lost income, and long-term suffering.
In addition to Volvo Car USA, Kohr has named her hiking partner and the owner of the dog, Jennifer Henry, as a co-defendant, along with the vehicle’s driver. Apparently, is also a Volvo employee and brand ambassador. The company, for now, has chosen to stay quiet.
A Useful Feature Turned Liability
Hands-free tailgates were introduced as a practical feature, allowing owners to open or close the rear hatch by simply moving a foot beneath the bumper – ideal when carrying groceries or luggage. The system is available across several Volvo models including the XC60, XC90, EX90, and V90 Cross Country which are currently offered in the US market.
More: Drivers Sue GM Over Serious Safety Flaw In New SUVs And Trucks
Interestingly, Volvo has recently issued a recall for the EX90 due to faulty tailgate parts from a supplier that could cause sudden failure. The recall affects 1,119 units of the electric SUV built between April 2024 and February 2025, which means it is unrelated to Kohr’s case.
In the end, it’ll be up to the court to decide whether a faulty sensor, human error, or sheer bad luck is to blame for an accident that turned a supposedly helpful feature into yet another safety statistic.
Sources: Law, Autoblog
