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2005 Volvo S80

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

2 reports
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106,000 miles · May 26, 2017
Service Brakes

TL* THE CONTACTS GIRLFRIEND OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE WITH FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE ABS AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED.…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACTS GIRLFRIEND OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO APPLY PRESSURE WITH FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED. THE ABS AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AT ONTARIO VOLVO AT PHONE NUMBER: 909-230-9653 AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

NHTSA ODI #10991819

118,000 miles · Jan 5, 2015
EngineService BrakesFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO RATTLE AND SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TRIED TO MERGE OVER TO THE SLOWER LANE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE COASTED …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO RATTLE AND SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TRIED TO MERGE OVER TO THE SLOWER LANE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ODI #10670225

Official recalls

5

21V766000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Sep 30, 2021

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

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.

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.

09V483000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Dec 18, 2009

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

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.

06V375000 · Equipment:other:labels

Oct 3, 2006

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THE LABEL DENOTING THE TIRE AND LOADING PRESSURE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A MISPRINTED LABEL WOULD LEAD TO IMPROPER VEHICLE LOADING SPECIFICATIONS OR TIRE INFLATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A TIRE FAILURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL THE CORRECT LABELS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

05V529000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly:solenoid

Nov 17, 2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE FACTORY ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTION, THE B+TERMINAL MAY BE IN CONFLICT WITH THE STARTER MOTOR SOLENOID. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE B+TERMINAL AND THE STARTER MOTOR SOLENOID MAY DEVELOP INTO A SHORT CIRCUIT OF THE BATTERY CABLE TO GROUND.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SMOKE MAY APPEAR FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE CAR. IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT HAPPENS DURING DRIVING, ELECTRICAL POWER COULD BE LOST RESULTING IN THE WARNING LAMPS BEING DEACTIVATED. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND INCREASE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE B+TERMINAL AND THE STARTER MOTOR SOLENOID BY ADJUSTING THE TERMINAL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.