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2000 Volvo S80

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most S80 years

Owner complaints for the 2000 Volvo S80 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 20.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

224 reports with mileage · 94 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports8 fire reports8 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

19 reports
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125,000 miles · Aug 19, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AREA BEGAN OCCURING AND I TOOK TO THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE "BRAKE BOOSTER" AND THAT IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT IF NOT CORRECTED COULD LEAD TO TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE CAR IS USED TWICE A WEEK AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED A…

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A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL AREA BEGAN OCCURING AND I TOOK TO THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE "BRAKE BOOSTER" AND THAT IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT IF NOT CORRECTED COULD LEAD TO TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE CAR IS USED TWICE A WEEK AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10200049

48,000 miles · Mar 15, 2006
Electrical SystemService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80 HESITATING AS IF IT'S NOT GETTING ANY GAS WHEN FIRST BEGINNING TO DRIVE IT EVERYDAY. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE BUT THE VOLVO REPAIR SHOP HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAY THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ALSO MY C…

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I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80 HESITATING AS IF IT'S NOT GETTING ANY GAS WHEN FIRST BEGINNING TO DRIVE IT EVERYDAY. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE BUT THE VOLVO REPAIR SHOP HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAY THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ALSO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, STC LIGHT, AND ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN THESE LIGHTS COME ON MY CAR BECOMES HARD TO STEER SOMETIMES. AFTER CHECKING INTO THIS PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER VOLVO S80 'S BUILT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS MINE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT MY CAR SUSPENSION MAKING WEIRD NOISES SINCE HAVING THIS VEHICLE AND THE VOLVO REPAIR SHOP SAYS THEY CAN NOT FIND ANY THING WRONG BUT WHEN ENQUIRING WITH OTHERS WHO OWN VOLVO S80'S, BUILT AROUND THE SAME TIME AS MINE, MANY ARE SAYING THEY ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM ALSO. THE BELOW INFORMATION ASKS FOR AN INCIDENT DATE BUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80 HESITATING AND BEING HARD TO STEER OCCUR OFTEN PROBABLY OVER 100 TIMES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10152747

22,815 miles · Nov 16, 2005
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspensionVehicle Speed Control

IN OCTOBER 2001 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE CROSSING THE STREET THE CAR STALLED. APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES LATER WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE THROTTLE BODY & GASKET. IN JUNE 2004 CAR STALLED…

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IN OCTOBER 2001 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. THE FOLLOWING DAY WHILE CROSSING THE STREET THE CAR STALLED. APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES LATER WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE THROTTLE BODY & GASKET. IN JUNE 2004 CAR STALLED AGAIN. REPLACED SWAY LINKS AND PROGRAM DOWN LOAD $338.19. IN DECEMBER 2004, CAR STALED ON THE ROAD AGAIN. IT WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, MASS AIR FLOW, MFI MODULE- AT COST OF 2098.96. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THIS CAR ON ANY LONGER TRIP. DUE TO STALLING ON THE ROAD, FREQUENT LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS AND NUMEROUS OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THE CONTACT BELIEVED THIS CAR WAS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. 11-16 E-MAIL ; FIRST TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. STOPPED TURN THE CAR OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART IT AGAIN. AFTER FEW ATTEMPTS THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. *AK THE RIGHT DOOR MIRROR FAILED AND THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10143211

80,000 miles · Oct 20, 2005
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic

2000 VOLVO S80 T6 ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, EVEN WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED FORCING ME TO CROSS 3-4 LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE USE OF POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WAS …

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2000 VOLVO S80 T6 ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, EVEN WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED FORCING ME TO CROSS 3-4 LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WITHOUT THE USE OF POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WAS DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART ON 1999-2001 VOLVO S80'S. THERE ARE EVEN DOCUMENTED REPORTS THAT THE ETM WILL FAIL ON OVER 90% OF ALL VOLVO S80'S WITHIN THIS YEAR RANGE ('99-01). I HAVE SPENT $900 TO HAVE THIS REPLACED. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST VOLVO OVER THIS PART. I LIVE IN KY; THEREFORE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT LAWSUIT WILL HELP ME. I AM ASKING VOLVO FOR FULL REIMBURSEMENT TO REPLACE THIS PART. IT NOT ONLY WAS A FAULTY DESIGN, BUT ALSO POTENTIALLY DEADLY PART. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FULL RECALL ON THIS PART AND VOLVO KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM EVEN BEFORE THE RELEASE OF THE VEHICLE IN '99. THERE IS ANOTHER KNOW DEFECTIVE PART ON THE SAME YEAR VOLVO THAT IS THE ABS MODULE. I HAD TO HAVE THAT REPLACED FOR A COST OF $1000. DOCUMENTED REPORTS SAY THE ABS MODULE WILL FAIL ON 60% OF THOSE VOLVOS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10140296

55,000 miles · Sep 23, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE ABS CONTROL MODULE FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY AND IS USUALLY IN THE FAILURE MODE. ABS BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. A NEW MODULE IS REQUIRED AT A QUOTED PRICE OF $950 FROM VOLVO DEALER. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS AND ONGOING PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10137392

67,000 miles · Aug 1, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

OVER THE COURSE OF OWNERSHIP OF A 2000 VOLVO S80 (I.E., FOUR YEARS), I HAVE THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED AT 67,000 MILES;HAD THE THROTTLE REPLACED WHEN MY CAR CHOKED ( LUCKILY ON A SIDE STREET); HAD A BAR ON THE SUNROOF DROP OFF; ENGINE MOUNTS BROKEN; WHEEL STOPS BROKEN; AND, MOST RECENTLY REPLACED AN ABS PANEL. NOT WITHSTANDING …

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OVER THE COURSE OF OWNERSHIP OF A 2000 VOLVO S80 (I.E., FOUR YEARS), I HAVE THE TRANSMISSION OVERHAULED AT 67,000 MILES;HAD THE THROTTLE REPLACED WHEN MY CAR CHOKED ( LUCKILY ON A SIDE STREET); HAD A BAR ON THE SUNROOF DROP OFF; ENGINE MOUNTS BROKEN; WHEEL STOPS BROKEN; AND, MOST RECENTLY REPLACED AN ABS PANEL. NOT WITHSTANDING IN ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS IS THE COOLING FAN AND BALL JOINT REPLACED DUE TO RECALL. TRULY THIS CAR HAS BEEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ANY OTHER KNOWN TO BE DRIVEN. EVERY TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP IS EASILY $1000 PLUS. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THE RESEARCH WAS SCANT IN TERMS OF PROBLEMS. I HAVE TRULY BEEN DISMAYED BY VOLVO'S COMMITMENT TO ITS PRODUCT AND IS DESIGN FLAWS AND/OR DEFECTS. AFTER, THE TRANSMISSION WAS CORRECTED AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WENT TO TRADE THE CAR IN---TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR BASICALLY WOULD NOT GIVE MONEY ON ITS TRADE. AFTER SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS LATER IN REPAIRS, I AM STILL FUMING OVER A CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED SOLELY FOR THE "HISTORICAL" VOLVO STANDARD AND ITS COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10130850

35,000 miles · Dec 1, 2003
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10049801

Mileage unknown · Nov 25, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES . PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITION INFORMATION. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10048671

Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE BACKING AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AWHILE (COLD ENGINE), THE BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE CAR FOR SEVERAL SECONDS (FEET).

NHTSA ODI #713015

Official recalls

4

10V566000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)

Nov 8, 2010

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

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.

06V441000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Nov 15, 2006

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, 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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

04V451000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan

Sep 13, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, SOME ELECTRIC COOLING FANS MAY OVERHEAT POTENTIALLY CAUSING HEAT DAMAGE AND, IN RARE INSTANCES, A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COOLING FAN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2004. CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO CARS AT 1-800-458-1552.

00V238000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:upper Ball Joint

Aug 24, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. OVER TIME, THE BALL JOINT BETWEEN THE FRONT WHEEL KING PIN AND THE SUSPENSION LINK ARM, CAN EXPERIENCE INCREASED LOOSENESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD AFFECT THE BALL JOINT'S DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA05021 · Throttle Control Malfunction

Opened Dec 6, 2005 · Closed Dec 12, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control

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.

PE05041 · Throttle Control Malfunction

Opened Jul 26, 2005 · Closed Dec 7, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control

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.