RoadVitals

2001 Volvo S80

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
164
Latest Oct 15, 2021
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
8
Latest Sep 30, 2021
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
2
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
9
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 164 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Volvo S80, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and engine categories. 8 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 234 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

8 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Sep 30, 2021
259,383 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2006 S80 and 2001-2009 S60 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10125.
Volvo Car USA, LLCManufacturer number R10125View on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Nov 4, 2020
54,124 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2003 S80 and S60 vehicles sold or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The driver side frontal air bag inflator may rupture, sending metal fragments into the passage compartment, when the driver side air bag is deployed.
The risk: Metal fragments can strike vehicle occupants increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
The remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10058.
Volvo Car USA LLCManufacturer number R10058View on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

Nov 8, 2010
416 units potentially affected
The defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
The risk: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
The remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.Manufacturer number R231View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA05021ClosedEngineering Analysis

THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION

Opened Dec 6, 2005
Closed Dec 12, 2006

ON NOVEMBER 14, 2006 VOLVO SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING ETM FAILURES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2001 VOLVO MODELS (NOT INCLUDING THE S40 AND V40), MY 2002 S60 AND V70 WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES AND MY 2002 V70S.ACCORDING TO VOLVO, ?A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.VOLVO FURTHER STATED THAT,THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES GOING INTO LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.?VOLVO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE MOST SEVERE CONSEQUENCE OF AN ETM FAULT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE RECALL REMEDY IS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE INTRODUCED BY VOLVO ON MARCH 16, 2006 IN A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM.AT THE TIME OF THE NOTIFICATION 161,202 VEHICLES OF THE POPULATION OF 331,301 HAD ALREADY HAD THE SOFTWARE UPLOADED AND WERE THEREFORE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POPULATION COUNT OF THE RECALL. ODI?S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLVO, VOLVO FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY DATA FOUND THAT ETM FAILURE COULD RESULT IN (1) ENGINE STALL; (2) MECHANICAL LIMP MODE; (3) LUNGING FORWARD DURING LOW-SPEED DRIVING MANEUVERS; AND (4) FALTERING DURING HIGH SPEED MERGES OR WHEN CROSSING TRAFFIC.ODI IDENTIFIED 12 CRASHES RELATED TO ETM FAILURE, WITH 6 CAUSED BY LUNGING INCIDENTS, 3 CAUSED BY STALLING INCIDENTS, 2 CAUSED BY MECHANICAL LIMP MODE AND 1 FROM THE FALTERING CONDITION.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA AND INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CONSUMER INTERVIEWS IDENTIFIED 1,289 INCIDENTS WITH SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES (389.1 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), INCLUDING 479 INVOLVING ENGINE STALL (144.6 PER 100,000 VEHICLES) AND 729 INVOLVING MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (220.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY CLAIM NARRATIVE TEXT SHOWS AT LEAST 14,965 WARRANTY CLAIMS WITH CODES INDICATING AN ETM FAULT RESULTING IN VEHICLE OPERATION IN MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (4.5% OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES). VOLVO?S RECALL ADDRESSES ODI?S SAFETY CONCERNS WITH ETM FAILURES.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL ACTION IS REQUIRED.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLLed to recall 06V441000
PE05041ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION

Opened Jul 26, 2005
Closed Dec 7, 2005

PE05-041 WAS OPENED ON JULY, 26, 2005, BASED ON 136 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGING THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI HAS NOW RECEIVED 591 COMPLAINTS OF ETM FAILURES WHICH ALLEGE SYMPTOMS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES.THESE INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE).VOLVO SUBMITTED OVER 2,900 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ETM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING PE05-041.ODI'S PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 55 PERCENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.ODI IS CONTINUING ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS. IN NOVEMBER 2005, TO RESOLVE AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, VOLVO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 10 YEARS / 200,000 MILES FOR THE ETM IN APPROXIMATELY 356,000 MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 PASSENGER CARS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.UNDER VOLVO'S POLICY, VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE ETM FAILURES WILL RECEIVE A VARIETY OF REPAIRS INCLUDING ETM CLEANING, REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-021) TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF ETM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Airbags
Filed Oct 15, 2021

Takata recall. The contact owns a 2001 Volvo S80. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V766000 (Air Bags). The dealer had been notified about the recall; however, the contact was informed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was then notified and informed him that they were unaware of when the parts may have become available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnection.

NHTSA ID
11436920
Incident
Oct 8, 2021
Filed Aug 10, 2020

MY CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN YOU ARE IDLING AS WELL AS DRIVING. I WAS ON A BUSY STREET WHEN I PULLED OUT INTO AN ONCOMING LINE OF TRAFFIC WHEN THE MOTOR COMPLETELY DIED LEAVING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC. AFTER A TIME I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED IN BUMPER TO BUMPER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. AS YOU ARE IDLING AT AN INTERSECTION OR AWAITING A TRAIN TO PASS, THE MOTOR RACES AND THEN SLOWS AND ALSO LURCHES AHEAD. FOOT MUST BE HARD ON THE BRAKE OR I COULD REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY ABOUT 65,000 MILES AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR UNTIL THIS STARTED HAPPENING. THE CAR IS NOW SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AS AN UNSAFE CONDITION IS CAUSED BY THIS MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID
11348507
Incident
Jun 15, 2019
Mileage
52,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Dec 2, 2017
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON NOVEMBER 9TH MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 VOLVO S80 TO CHURCH. SHE PARKED THE CAR BUT IT BEGAN TO MOVE. IT ACCELERATED AND SHE WOUND UP DRIVING INTO A TREE TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS. SHE WAS ALSO WORRIED THAT CHILDREN FROM THE SCHOOL MIGHT BE AROUND. THE CAR WAS IN PARK. THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE EMERGENCY BREAK WAS ON. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER SINCE THE ENGINE WAS OFF. THE CHURCH SECRETARY OBSERVED THE INCIDENT. SHE SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE CAR WHICH WOULD INDICATE THE EMERGENCY BREAK WAS ON. WHEN SHE FIRST REACHED THE CAR WITH MY WIFE IN IT SHE NOTED THAT THE CAR WAS IN PARK.

NHTSA ID
11051851
Incident
Nov 9, 2017
Mileage
158,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Oct 19, 2017

TAKATA RECALL" FRIST I CALLED VOLVO TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLS REFERENING TO THE COOLING SYSTEM AND THE FUEL PUMP THE FIRST LADY I SPOKE WITH INFORMED ME THIS PROBLEM WAS UNDER RECALLS AND TO TAKE MY CAR TO GET IT SERVICED AT THE NEAREST DEALER AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALER AT 7:15AM 4HOURS LATER AFTER I CALLED THEM FIRST THEY NOW ARE SAYING THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THEY CAN DO WITH MY CAR AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHO TOLD ME THAT FALSE INFORMATION. ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS MY CAR ACCELERATES BY ITSELF LUCKY WHEN IT HAPPENS I HURRY AND PUSH THE BRAKES AND THE CAR DOSENT START UP ONCE TURNING THE KEY EVEN THE GUY SAY THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. BASED ON HOW EXPENSIVE THIS CAR IS IT SEEM THERE WOULDN'T BE MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT OR IT SEEM THAT THEY WOULD AT LEAST TRY TODO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FALSE INFORMATION OVER ALL I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLVO AGAIN!

NHTSA ID
11034522
Incident
Oct 19, 2017
Mileage
150 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 3, 2017

TAKATA RECALL- THE VEHICLE BECOME NON RESPONSIVE WHEN PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE DSTC (DYNAMIC STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL) FAILED AND THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE STOPPED READING. THE VEHICLE STARTED STALLING EVERYTIME I COME TO A STOP. ALL THIS STARTED AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10939138
Incident
Dec 25, 2016
Mileage
143,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 20, 2013
Crash reported

PLACED MY VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO PULL BACK OUT OF MY GARAGE & MY CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS FORCED INTO A PARKING SIGN THAT SCRATCHED AND DENTED MY LEFT REAR BUMPER. IN THE LAST 2 1/2 MONTHS RELATED PROBLEMS CONTINUE WHERE MY CAR SURGES & ALSO EXPERIENCES SUDDEN & UNEXPECTED REDUCED PERFORMANCE. WHEN I ACCELERATE MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK IN GEAR & WON'T RESPOND. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD!! AGAIN!!! THIS DUPLICATES THE SAME ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE PROBLEM I HAD IN AUGUST OF 2005. AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN 4 TIMES (NOT KNOWING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS), IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED IT IS THE ETM AGAIN. VOLVO PERFORMED A COMPUTERIZED UPGRADE ON THE ETM & THEN IT WAS FINALLY RECALLED IN JANUARY OF 2006. IT IS ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD READY TO HAPPEN. VOLVO SHOULD HAVE IN THE BEGINNING & SHOULD AT THIS TIME BE MADE TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ETM! *TR

NHTSA ID
10525936
Incident
May 10, 2010
Mileage
147,054 mi
Driver assistanceSeat beltsSuspension
Filed Dec 15, 2012

I PURCHASED VEHICLE 8 MONTHS AGO I NOW HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT AND BACK SUSPENSION. THE AIR TURNS ON ITS OWN, THE AXLE HAS BROKEN, THE SUNROOF OPENS WHEN IT WANTS TO OPEN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS TURNED ON ALONG WITH MAINTENANCE LIGHT, MY DOORS WILL UNLOCK THEMSELVES WHEN I LOCK THEM AND THE ALARM WILL ENGAGE, THE LEFT WINDOW DOES NOT WORK , SOMETIMES I CANT UNLOCK THE DOORS HAVE TO UNLOCK WITH MY HAND. MY CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK, THE BATTERY STOPS WORKING OFTEN, THE INSIDE LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES. IT IS RUNNING TERRIBLE , IDLE UP AND DOWN I KNOW ALL HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH RECALL PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID
10488858
Incident
Dec 14, 2012
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 18, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPMS BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ABNORMALLY AS THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED SIGNS OF POSSIBLE STALLING. THE VEHICLE THEN ACTIVATED IN LIMP MODE AND STOPPED RUNNING. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V441000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) THAT DEALT WITH THE DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING. THE RECALL REPAIR CONSISTED OF A SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY STIPULATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 87,000.

NHTSA ID
10466354
Incident
Jul 16, 2012
Mileage
87,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

35526.1.8

ENGINE

This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure
 Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.

37809.1.1

This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval.
 Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section

19245

This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.

8501

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a remote session:
 •Connect a suitable battery maintainer/charger and verify that the battery voltage indicated in VIDA is between 12.5V and 14.9V.
 •Connect to the vehicle over a wired connection using a VOE (Volvo OBD to Ethernet) adapter and perform a NEW vehicle readout.

S10303

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle.
 The corrective action is to download SP Software.
 S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.

S10303

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle.
 The corrective action is to download SP Software.
 S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volvo S80 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2016620
2015720
2014110
2013830
2012830
2011540
2010275052.9
2009165048.9
2008257054.2
2007245040.7
2006124046.2
2005156053.5
2004505048.0
2003266051.1
2002425047.9
2001Viewing1648256.3
20003185257.7
19991995256.3
1993000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.