RoadVitals

2004 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.
50
Latest Jan 1, 2023
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.
5
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.
0
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.
4
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 50 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Volvo S80, most frequently naming the fuel system, engine and steering categories. 5 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 190 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

  • Engine813.1%
  • Steering69.8%
  • Suspension58.2%
  • Electrical58.2%
  • Powertrain (other)46.6%
  • Seat belts34.9%
  • Brakes34.9%

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

5 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

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

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Dec 18, 2009
158,733 units potentially affected
The defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2005 S80, MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 XC90 VEHICLES SOLD IN OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA AND THE U.S. TERRITORIES. WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (HOT CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CYCLING) OVER TIME AND IN COMBINATION WITH VARYING FUEL QUALITY, THE FUEL PUMP CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE.
The risk: IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.Manufacturer number R220View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Filed Jan 1, 2023

Both of the key fobs I have are broken in that the key won't lock straight out or stay folded into the fob. The weight of the plastic fob alone frequently causes the key to twist backwards if the road is bumpy or uneven, which kills the engine and makes it extremely difficult to steer to safety without power steering. The first time this happened to me I was traveling at 55 mph on a crowded highway but fortunately I was in the rightmost lane, not in a curve, and was approaching an area where I could pull over to safety. I have had to duct tape both keys in the open position to prevent this. The situation is much worse if additional keys or other weight is added to the ring. It is possible to insert a broken key in a way that causes the weight of the fob to hang away from the driver but large road bumps or accidental interference from the driver or passengers can cause it to flip backwards anyway. These incidents are alarming and confusing for the driver, particularly the first time, and could easily cause an accident depending on the conditions. I am not the only person who has experienced this issue, and it will become even more common as these vehicles age.

NHTSA ID
11499690
Incident
Feb 8, 2022
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Nov 18, 2020

ON 11/17/2020 WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP DECAL FOR MY CAR AND I GOT A MESSAGE THAT READ A CHECK AIRBAGS I DIDN'T HAVE ANY READING ON MY GAGES TURN SIGNAL FOR RIGHT TURN STAY LIT UP NOT BRINKING JUST ON , WHEN I STOPPED AND WENT IN BUILDING TO GET DECAL CAME BACK TO CAR STARTED IT MY GAGES CAME BACK WHICH WAS GLAD THEY WERE WORKING BUT STILL HAD MESSAGE ABOUT AIRBAGS

NHTSA ID
11375302
Incident
Nov 17, 2020
Fuel system
Filed May 25, 2020

AFTER NOTICING A VERY ACUTE SMELL OF GAS I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC ADVISE THAT I HAD A FUEL LEAK IN MY 2004 VOLVO S 80 . THATS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THAT THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE IN THIS CONDITION.

NHTSA ID
11325903
Incident
May 23, 2020
Mileage
190,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jun 22, 2017

STRONG ODOR OF GAS OUTSIDE OF CAR. RECALL ON SIMILIAR CARS BUT NOT IN THIS AREA. KNOWN ISSUE BY VOLVO BUT WILL NOT REPAIR AT NO COST AS IT IS OUTSIDE OF THE 10 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH CAR DOES NOT HAVE 150000 MILES ON. FIRE HAZARD AND SHOULD BE FOR ALL CARS OF THIS YEAR AND MAKE BUT OFFER LITTLE IF ANY HELP.

NHTSA ID
11000604
Incident
Jun 9, 2017
Mileage
92,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 19, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S80. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE GARAGE. UPON CHECKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE ODOR BECAME STRONGER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT A FUEL LEAK ORIGINATED FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10979273
Incident
Mar 29, 2017
Fuel system
Filed Apr 17, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SMELLED FUEL AROUND THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10978737
Incident
Mar 23, 2017
Mileage
19,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Feb 9, 2017

THE CAR IS PUTTING FORTH A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO BUT WAS PUT DOWN TO HAVING JUST FILLED THE TANK. THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN SMELL GAS 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR. WE ARE NOT ALLOWING OUR DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT IS AN EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. I HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH ANOTHER S80 IN 2015 WHICH ALSO WASN'T COVERED IN THE RECALL SINCE IT WAS NOT SOLD IN A "HOT CLIMATE". WITH THAT CAR THE FUEL PUMP (WITH DEFECTIVE FLANGE) WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT HEAT IS THE PROBLEM (RATHER THE DEFECTIVE FLANGE) THE TEMPERATURES IN OUR AREA RANGES FROM 15 IN WINTER TO LOW 100S IN THE SUMMER. THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH VOLVO HAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND IT CLEARLY MAKES DRIVING THE CAR DANGEROUS IF NOT DEADLY. RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM 09V483000 - VOLVO RECALL #R220.

NHTSA ID
10953649
Incident
Jan 28, 2017
Mileage
114,800 mi
Suspension
Filed Sep 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S80. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER IN A PARKING LOT AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AXLE WAS HANGING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED TWO OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTROL ARM KEPT FRACTURING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

NHTSA ID
10903780
Incident
Sep 6, 2016
Mileage
157,000 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
2004Viewing505048.0
2003266051.1
2002425047.9
20011648256.3
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.