RoadVitals

2001 Volvo S80 Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints 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.
13
Latest May 24, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 164 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Volvo S80 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed May 24, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION URGENT WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,741. UPDATED 3/1/12 *CN

NHTSA ID
10402587
Incident
May 19, 2011
Mileage
126,741 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 30, 2010

2001 VOLVO S 80 T6 EX TRANSMISSION FAILURE. BASED ON PERSONAL RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT THE 2001 VOLVOS HAVE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSIONS WERE BUILT BY GM FOR VOLVO AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE LINE FOR THAT YEAR ARE EXTREMELY HIGH. IS THERE OR CAN THERE BE AN INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO ENCOMPASS THE ENTIRE LINE FOR THAT YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10358540
Incident
Sep 30, 2010
Mileage
186,490 mi
Transmission
Filed May 2, 2008

RE: VOLVO S80 T6 2001 HAVE HAD ENGINE SURGING FOR A WHILE. NOW THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH A MAJOR MELTDOWN AND DAMAGE. ALWAYS DID FREQUENT MAINTENANCE. ALSO HAD A CATALYTIC CONVERTER GO OUT. MUST BE A DEFECT. SAW OTHERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON LINE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226523
Incident
Apr 22, 2008
Mileage
163,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 11, 2007

I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO S80 T6 WITH 61000 MILES. WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS IT FELT AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS "SLIPPING" OUT OF GEAR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS... THE RPMS WOULD FLAIR THEN NORMALIZE. YESTERDAY THE CAR JUST QUIT MOVING. IT WAS TOWED TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND I WAS JUST TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND WOULD COST $4000 TO REPLACE WITH A REMANUFACTURED ONE. MY PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I'VE FOUND THAT ITS WELL KNOWN THE TRANSMISSION IS A PROBLEM AND SINCE THEY TEND TO FAIL AFTER 50000 MILES, VOLVO'S WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. NOW I'M STUCK WITH PUTTING THE SAME WORTHLESS TRANSMISSION BACK INTO THE VEHICLE ONLY TO EXPECT IT TO FAIL AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. VOLVO NEEDS TO RECALL THE TRANSMISSION OR EXTEND THE WARRANTY TO AT LEAST 100000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10202509
Incident
Sep 10, 2007
Mileage
61,146 mi
EngineTransmission
Filed Jul 3, 2006

INITIALLY LACK OF ACCELERATION AND SPUTTERING ON ACCELERATION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND EMISSION SYSTEM ERROR MESSAGE. CODES RESET. THEN PROBLEM RECURRED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER. DEALER PROVIDED ETM SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AFTER DOWNLOAD, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, WEAK ACCELERATION, HESITATION OR SLIPPING ON SHIFTING. *NM

NHTSA ID
10161276
Incident
May 7, 2006
Mileage
90,000 mi
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Nov 23, 2005

2001 VOLVO S80 T6 1. FAILURE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL/ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE 2. TRANSMISSION FAILURE - GM TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10143520
Incident
Nov 20, 2005
Mileage
100,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalTransmission
Filed Aug 30, 2005

DT: THE BATTERY WAS DEFECT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THREE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE STALLED. EACH TIME THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO INTO A PARKING AREA. TWO OF THE THREE TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASS AIR DETECTOR THE THIRD TIME THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SENSOR. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID
10131084
Incident
May 1, 2002
Mileage
93,590 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 2, 2005

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65-70 MPH, MY 2001 VOLVO S80 T6 DISPLAYED A MESSAGE INDICATING "REDUCED POWER". I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR, BUT PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT. I WAS FORCED TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL DEALER. THE CAR WOULD START AND CONTINUE TO RUN, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT "GO". IT WAS AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS CAR. THE FIRST OCCURRED A MERE 20 MONTHS EARLIER. THE VOLVO MECHANIC INDICATED - DURING BOTH INCIDENTS - THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY EITHER TIME - HAD JUST EXCEEDED WARRANTY MILEAGE WHEN THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED. IN ADDITION TO BEING PUT INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON A CROWDED INTERSTATES HIGHWAY, I WAS FORCED TO PAY MORE THAN $1000 TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED EACH TIME. *NM

NHTSA ID
10130945
Incident
Feb 12, 2005
Mileage
83,000 mi
EngineFuel systemInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Jul 15, 2005

PURCHASED A VOLVO S80 IN 2001;VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 60700 MILES AND 3 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS & THROTTLE BODY REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ID
10128845
Incident
Jul 14, 2005
Mileage
13,250 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 5, 2004

THIS CAR WAS STUCK IN PARK. WE COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE. WE WERE STUCK IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC AND IT WAS A DANGEROUS INCIDENT. WE REPEATEDLY CORRECTLY DEPRESSED THE BUTTON ON THE GEAR SELECTOR KNOB AND AND AT THE SAME TIME DEPRESSSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ( WE HAVE DONE THIS THOUSANDS OF TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE FROM 2001 TO PRESENT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS) . IT TOOK OVER 15 MINUTES OF TURNING OFF THE ENIGINE AND RESTARTING IT, TURNING THE STEERING BACK AND FORTH TO FINALLY GET IT OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE. WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SAFETY FEATURE. THIS INCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION AND NOT OPERATOR ERROR. MY WIFE AND I EACH STRUGGLED TO FINALLY GET IT FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THIS IS A REAL EQUIPMENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND CORRECTED. MY WIFE AND I BOTH DRIVE VOLVOS AND ARE EXPERIENCED VOLVO DRIVERS. ANY SUGGESTION OF OPERATOR ERROR IS FRIVOLOUS DEFENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10102177
Incident
Dec 4, 2004
Mileage
26,288 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 15, 2004

BOUGHT THIS VOLVO BRAND NEW, HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL SERVICE WORK. AT 64,000 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. COST $4,000 TO REPLACE. THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THIS CAR REFUSED TO RESPOND IN ANYWAY. THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT 50,000. I FELT THAT THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED IN SOME WAY. THEY TOLD ME THEY WENT TO THE VOLVO REP., BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER THEY DID OR NOT. THIS IS MY FIFTH VOLVO, PURCHASED FOUR FROM THIS DEALER. THIS WILL BE MY LAST. THEY WERE UNCOOPERATIVE AND UNRESPONSIVE. THEY SAID THE VOLVO GUY HAD REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT MY VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10091074
Incident
Apr 12, 2004
Mileage
64,282 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 25, 2003

SINCE BUYING MY 2001 VOLVO S80 2.9, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWO TIMES WITHIN A 16 MONTH PERIOD. THE FIRST TIME WAS JUNE 2002 AND THE SECOND TIME WAS NOVEMBER 2003. *LA

NHTSA ID
10047582
Incident
Jun 22, 2002
Mileage
36,900 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 8, 2002

WHILE PARKED ON A HILL OR UPWARD SLOPE, OR STANDING STILL ON THESE HILLS OR SLOPES, THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACK VERY FAST. THIS HAPPENS BETWEEN THE TIME IT TAKES TO RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR MISSES. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO REVIEW THIS SAFETY DEFECT AND FOR VOLVO DEALERS TO ALERT CURRENT AND POTENTIAL VOLVO OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT. *JG

NHTSA ID
567751

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .