Page 2 of 4 · complaints 51–100 of 199

1999 Volvo S80 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1999 record →

Structure
Filed Apr 5, 2007DC

CUSTOMER WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SIMILAR DEFECTS ON THE VOLVO S 80**CC THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER IT RAINED, WATER WOULD APPEAR IN THE LUGGAGE CARRIER. *JB

Suspension › Front
Filed Jan 17, 200765,000 milesMA

I'VE REPLACED THE STRUTS AND STRUT MOUNTS TWICE; ORIGINAL OWNER REPLACED THEM ONCE.... SWAY BAR REPLACED LAST YEAR AND WHOLE FRONT END HAS BEEN RE-BUILT.... NOW I HAVE STEERING PROBLEMS.. REPLACED U-JOINT AND RACK.... *NM

Electrical System
Filed Jan 3, 200770,000 milesIA

THIS CAR HAS SEVERAL RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN ON ANY CAR BEFORE. 1) ELECTRONIC THROTTLE HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AS WELL AS OXYGEN SENSORS. 2) SUSPENSION PARTS REPLACED 3 TIMES, BALL JOINTS, STRUTS, STRUT MOUNTS, FRAME BUSHINGS. THE CAR STILL SQUEAKS. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
Filed Dec 15, 2006AZ

1999 S80 STALLED/SURGED AT 20,000 MILES AT THE TIME. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED WHENEVER THE STALLING OCCURRED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD GO OUT, AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE ENGINE WOULD START TO RUN IN AN UNEVEN/HESITATION MODE. THE PROBLEM WAS MUCH WORSE AT LOWER SPEEDS. THE DEALER INSTALLED TWO SOFTWARE UPDATES AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. FINALLY, THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED WHEN THE AIRFLOW SENSOR AND THE ABS CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED. *JB

Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Upper Ball Joint
Filed Dec 12, 200683,300 milesIL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED, AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS PARTIALLY SEPARATED AND TURNED PERPENDICULAR FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A NHTSA RECALL, #00V238000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE FRONT SUSPENSION HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
Filed Nov 27, 200620,499 milesAZ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS (15-75 MPH) ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND AFTER AN EXTENDED RIDE FROM 45 TO 90 MINUTES, ALL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED BY IT SELF AND THE ENGINE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, WHO PERFORMED A NHTSA RECALL #06V41000 WHICH ENTAILED UPGRADING THE CURRENT SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED EITHER TIME, THE LURCH/STALL PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER COINCIDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIR FLOW CONTROL AND THE ABS CONTROL UNIT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE VEHICLE'S EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVENTHOUGH THOSE REPLACEMENT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THE DANGEROUS PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 19, 2006NJ

FOR THE PAST YEAR MY CHECK ENGINE AND URGENT LIGHT HAVE BEEN POPPING ON. I HAVE TO GO TO MY MACHANIC (WHO IS VOLVO CERTIFIED) TO HAVE THEM TURN OFF. BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE FREQUENT NOW. FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS, WHEN I START THE CAR, IT HESITATES AND RUNS ROUGH, LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED MY MACHANIC SAID IT NEEDED A TUNE UP. TODAY 10/19/06 I BROUGHT IT TO MY MACANIC AGAIN, AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE THROTTLE MODULE AND THE 1999 S80 'S ARE HAVING ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND THAT I NEED TO TAKE IT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BEFORE IT GETS WORSE. *NM

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Sep 22, 200650,000 milesCA

THE INFORMATION PANEL GIVES THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS: BRAKE FAILURE STOP SAFELY ASAP (T2 GOES TO ------) STC SERVICE REQUIRED' WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. WE HAVE CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO. HE SAYS TO BRING THE CAR IN WHEN THE MESSAGE IS SHOWING. THE MESSAGE COMES AND GOES AND ISN'T CONSISTENT ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHEN IT IS ON. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD WORK WITHOUT THE ABS FEATURE. THE DEALER HAS MOVED TO 45 MILES FROM OUR HOUSE. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A FALSE WARNING. *NM

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module
Filed Aug 31, 200680,200 milesOH

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A BRAKE FAILURE WARNING, POWER STEERING WARNING, CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, ABS WARNING LIGHT, AND STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE WARNING MESSAGES ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ABS MODULE WAS WORN OUT AND SENDING A FALSE SIGNAL TO THE WARNING MESSAGE READOUT. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jul 19, 2006122,550 milesMD

AFTER VOLVO PERFORMED THEIR RECALL ON MY SECOND FAILURE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE IN APRIL 2006 MY CARS STALLS WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING. AT THIS TIME VOLVO REPLACED THE FAILED ETM AND LOADED NEW CONTROLLER SOFTWARE INTO MY CAR. IN MAY 2006 I RETURNED MY CAR TO VOLVO AFTER 3 STALLING EVENTS IN ONE WEEK'S TIME, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR SET NO CODES THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT HELP ME UNTIL THEY CAR TOLD THEM WHAT WAS WRONG. THE PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR AGAIN UNTIL JULY 8TH. AT THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR AND IN A ROLLING BACKUP AT AT 30 MPH ON I-95 IN DELAWARE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON A DOWNHILL SECTION AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR WITHOUT THE CAR SLOWING DOWN. THE SECOND STALLING FAILURE OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING OTHER THEN THE DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS COMING ON, ON AN UPHILL SECTION WITH AN SEMI FOLLOWING DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. IN THE CASE ALSO THE CAR IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED, HOWEVER IF THIS HAD NOT BEEN THE CASE MY CAR AND FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED BY THE SEMI. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THAT THE PROGRAMMING CHANGES MADE BY VOLVO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE ETM TO SET A ODI FAILURE CODE. IF THIS IS THE CASE, IT MAY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE AN ETM FAILURE EVEN WHEN THIS FAILURE RESULTS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR IS SCHEDULED TO BE LOOKED AT ON JULY, 21, 2006. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jun 7, 2006101,000 milesCA

JUST AFTER ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AND ATTAINING HIGHWAY SPEED MY 1999 VOVLO S80 LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE COASTED OFF THE RAMP. THE EMISSION SERVICE WARNING CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH. THE CAR WAS TOWED IN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE COMPUTER CODES INDICATED THE THROTTLE MODULE HAD FAILED. AFTER HEARING THAT THEIR WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED I CHECKED THE WEBSITE AND LEARNED THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OTHERS. FORTUNATELY THIS POWER FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE IN THE RT HAND ALOOWING THE VEHICLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE HWY WITHOUT INCIDENT. HAD THIS LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED IN IONE THE INTERIOR LANES THEN THIS INCIDENT WOULD'VE ENDED IN A COLLISION AND MOST LIKELY RESULTED IN INJURIES TO MY FAMILY. THIS CONDITION WARRANTS AN IMMEDIATE RECALL. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jun 5, 200650,000 milesMD

PURCHASED A 1999 VOLVO S80 IN JUNE 2000. SINCE THAT TIME ON DOZENS OF OCCASIONS WARNING MESSAGES HAVE CONSTANTLY APPEARED ON THE DASH DISPLAY, I.E. FUEL FILLER CAP LOOSE, EMISSION SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED, AND ENGINE SYSTEM SERVICE URGENT. WE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED BY VOLVO OF ANNAPOLIS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD THE S80 CHECKED BY A REPUTABLE AAA CERTIFIED AUTO SERVICE CENTER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT VOLVO HAD TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM WHICH IS VERY COMMON. WHEN THE ERROR MESSAGE ENGINE SYSTEM SERVICE URGENT APPEARS THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTS AND WILL NOT RE-ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE SURGES AND IS A CONSTANT WORRY FOR MY SPOUSE WHO PRIMARILY OPERATES THE VEHICLE. *NM

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed May 22, 200675,000 milesMD

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN GOING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH THE ENGINE GOING TO 700 RPMS WHEN GOING 65 MPH. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY PROBLEMS. THE SOLENOID WENT OUT IN THE TRANSMISSION ABOUT 13000 MILES AGO. CURRENTLY I HAVE THREE DIFFERENT ERROR CODES "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT", LOW OIL PRESSURE STOP ENGINE ASAP", AND "EMISSION SERVICE REQUIRED". I HAVE READ MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. NM

Equipment
Filed May 1, 2006100,762 milesFL

FRONT SIGNAL HOUSING /LENS COVER KEEPS FALLING OFF. REPAIRED BUT PLASTIC BREAKS. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Apr 10, 200697,230 milesTX

1999 S80 LOSS POWER WHILE DRIVING, SERVICE URGENT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *TS THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 1, 2006RI

I WAS DRIVING ON I95, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND MY CAR STARTED LOSING POWER. I HAD TO GET ALL THE WAY TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND SHUT OFF MY CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES. I STARTED THE CAR UP AND IT SEEMED TO BE FINE BUT ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER IT DID IT TO ME AGAIN AND COMPLETELY LOST POWER. I CALLED MY MOM AND TOLD HER ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HER WHEN SHE WAS ON HER WAY HOME FROM WORK THE DAY BEFORE AND WHEN SHE WENT ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL. LUCKILY I WASN'T IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SO IT WAS EASY FOR ME TO GET INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE IF NOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE LANE OR GOD FORBID GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP NEXT TO MY HOUSE AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR TUESDAY MORNING I TOLD HIM MY PROBLEM AND HE TOLD ME THAT I HAVE TO BRING IN THE CAR FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. I'M PRETTY SURE MY CAR WILL BE COVERED UNDER THAT NEW EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 10 YEARS/200,000 MILES BUT I'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 15, 2006WA

1999 VOLVO S80 T6 3/08/06 REPLACED TRANSMISSION ( 75,000 MILES) ( $4,800) 08/05 REPLACE RADIATOR 08/05 REPLACED ETM 04 - REPLACED FRONT SUSPENSION / SWAY BARS / STRUTS/ ETC.. VOLVO UNDER ENGINEERED THE FRONT END OF THIS CAR AND IF YOU GO TO WEB BLOGS IT IS IN ALMOST EVERY 1999 - 2000 S-80 VEHICLE... ITS DISGUSTING THAT THIS CAR IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE OR FORD/ VOLVO ISN'T HELD LIABLE...*JB

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Feb 24, 200674,700 milesIL

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT IN MY 1999 VOLVO S80 STOPPED WORKING. THE BELT FROZE IN THE RETRACTED POSITION MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BEING UNUSABLE. MY OUT OF POCKET COST TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WAS $433.45. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 13, 2006FL

AFTER REPORTING SEVERAL PROBLEMS TRACED TO EMT MALFUNCTION I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET IN EXCESS OF $800.00 TO HAVE EMT REPLACED IN 11/2002. LESS THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THAT, I'VE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS LISTED ON PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, TO THE POINT WHERE I CONSIDER THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED NO LESS THAN 15-20 INCIDENTS IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS ALONE. THE LAST ONE BEING JUST YESTERDAY WHERE THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN STALLED DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL SPEED SEVERAL TIMES. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jan 28, 200680,000 miles00

ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. NO STEERING RESPONSE OR POWER BRAKES TO HELP TO STOP THE CAR. VERY DANGEROUS! THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) ON 1999 VOLVO S80 WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF 843$. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Jan 22, 2006101,000 milesCA

VEHICLE STALL WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT EVERY IS FINE. SEND ME BACK WITHOUT ANY WORK DONE. *NM

Electronic Stability Control › Automatic (asc)
Filed Jan 13, 200670,000 milesNJ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE, AND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THERE IS A NOISE THAT SOUNDS AS IF THE ABS IS ACTIVATING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP OR AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. *NM

Electrical System
Filed Jan 1, 200671,129 milesWI

VEHICLE DEFECT MAKE: VOLVO YEAR: 1999 MODEL: S80 NATURE OF PROBLEM: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND VOLVO TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSES THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE WHICH I FOUND LATER TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVOS. THE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED THE REPAIR TO BE $850 PLUS THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSIS ($82.00). I REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR AND SOUGHT ALTERNATIVES. PRESENTLY, THE CAR'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE CAR IDLES ROUGHLY AND SUFFERS FROM POOR GAS MILEAGE BUT CONTINUES TO START AND RUN. AS THIS IS AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH VOLVOS AS I WAS TOLD BY OTHER MECHANICS, I FELT THAT THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF VOLVO RATHER THAN MYSELF. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Dec 15, 200545,000 milesNJ

VEHICLE STALLED AT 45 TO 50 MPH. MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET RESTARTED. REPLACED ELECTRICAL THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) AND IT FIXED THAT PROBLEM. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 25, 2005101,000 milesVA

ETM (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE) FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STALLED IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING A NEAR MISS REAR END COLLISION. ETM REPLACED. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 10, 2005113,000 milesNC

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE DID NOT STALL, BUT OPERATED AT A REDUCED SPEED. THE ENGINE SLOWLY RESUMED POWER AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PROCEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. VOLVO OFFERED NO COST ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ETM REPLACED. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 8, 2005WA

DT: WHEN THE SURGING HAPPENS THERE ARE NO NECESSARILY WARNING MESSAGES. THE FIRST TIME THE THROTTLE MODULE WAS REPLACED THERE WERE SOME MESSAGES ON THE DASH, BUT FOR ITEMS NOT RELATED TO THE THROTTLE MODULE. THE SECOND TIME THERE WERE NOT ANY MESSAGES UNTIL THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT START. THE THIRD TIME THE CAR STARTED TO SURGE , AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER BEFORE IT GOT TOO BAD. BASICALLY, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THROTTLE MODULE A FOURTH TIME. THE CONTACT ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR 1 REPLACEMENT, AND THEN IT WAS REPLACED 2 MORE TIMES BY THE DEALER AT NO COST. FROM THE TIME THE SURGING STARTED TO THE CAR STALLED. THE CLEANING OF THE THROTTLE MODULE WILL KEEP THE CAR RUNNING GOOD. IT SEEMED THAT THE CONTACT HAS TO CLEAN IT EVERY 6 MONTHS. IT STARTED TO SURGE. ABOUT 8000 - 10000 MILES. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS 5/14/04 ,AND I THE CONTACT CLEANED IT TWICE SINCE THEN. VOLVO TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY IT ANY MORE BECAUSE THE CONTACT DECLINED TO HAVE THEM DO $1000 WORTH OF WORK THAT DID NOT NEED TO BE DONE. THE CONTACT ENDED UP DOING THE WORK HIMSELF, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PARTS THEY SAID WERE BAD. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Nov 7, 2005127,489 milesAL

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE05-041. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ,AND IT LOST POWER/STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY, AND WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION. THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ETM BY THEIR COMPUTER ERROR NOTICE. HE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACT, AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Nov 2, 200564,000 milesGA

ENGINE MISS FIRING AND EMISSION LIGHT ON. LATER ENGINE RUNNING GOOD BUT CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK AND TEXT MESSAGE 'ENGINE SYSTEM FIX NEXT SERVICE' WITH ORANGE WARNING LIGHT ON. TOOK TO VOLVO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ETM FOR NO CHARGE. THEY KEPT THE OLD PART BECAUSE THEY HAD REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ONE. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 28, 2005102,000 milesOH

THE THROTTLE SURGES AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES NO POWER AND SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES OFF. DEALER SAYS ITS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. STATED THEY HAVE REPLACED A NUMBER OF THESE. *NM

Electrical System
Filed Oct 18, 2005110,000 milesCO

CAR HAS ON NUMEROUS OCCASION LOST COMPLETE POWER AND WILL BASICALLY JUST IDLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED BOTH WILL STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP AS WELL AS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT SHOP FOR REPAIR WITH ESTIMATE OVER $1000. *JB

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Oct 14, 200562,208 milesNC

FUEL ODOR IN VEHICLE, AND FUEL LEAKING UNDER VEHICLE. FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY HAS STRESS CRACKED AT FUEL PRESSURE LINE. FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO REPAIR LEAK. REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *JB

Electrical System › Ignition › ModuleCrash
Filed Oct 7, 2005KY

HAD TAKEN MY S80 TO THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP A NUMBER OF TIMES COMPLAINING OF ENGINE HESITATION AND STALLING. VOLVO"S DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER SYSTEM "VADIS" OUTPUT CODES CLEARLY SHOWED DEFAULT CODES INDICATING A FAULTY MODULE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE MODULE "DUE TO COST". I WARNED HIM OF THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF TRYING TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE WITH UNRELIABLE ENGINE FIRING AND THE ASSOCIATED "STALLING" THAT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO HIM ABOUT THE DANGER THAT THIS PROBLEM PRESENTED FOR ME AND OTHER VEHICLES WHICH I HAD EXPERIENCED DURING PREVIOUS "STALLINGS". UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER TREMENDOUS RESEARCH AND A NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS BEFORE I COULD BRING THIS INFO TO BEAR TO FORCE THE DEALERSHIP TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY I EXPERIENCED A "STALLING" EVENT WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHICH LEAD TO A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT,RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF MY CAR. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 29, 200553,000 milesPA

DT:THE CONTACT OWNS A VOLVO S80 VEHICLE. IT INTERMITTENTLY STALLED/ DIED, AND LOST POWER. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE FAILED AND WAS CLEANED THREE TIMES. *AK THE LINE SEAL AND GASKET WERE REPLACED DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THE TOP ENGINE TORQUE ARM WAS CRACKED. *JB

Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Filed Sep 26, 200566,000 milesFL

VEHICLE SURGES IN RPM WHILE DRIVING,VEHICLE STARTED BY NO ACCELERATION WARNING LIGHT ON ENGINE MALFUNCTION. SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. *NM

Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Sep 25, 2005147,000 milesMA

1,2) VOLVO S80 STALLED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING 60 MPH IN RUSH HOUR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. CAR LOST POWER, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, POWER STEERING LOST; SHE GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST IN TIME BEFORE A ONE-LANE CONSTRUCTION BARRIER; OTHERWISE, TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE BEEN BACKED UP FOR MILES FOR A LONG TIME (THERE WAS NO TURN AROUND AVAILABLE FOR TOW-TRUCK IN THIS PART OF THE INTERSTATE, THE TOW-TRUCK WOULD HAVE HAD TO BACK UP THE HIGHWAY OR TRY TO MAKE IT UP THE GRASSY DIVIDER EMBANKMENT TO GET TO HER STALLED CAR. LUCK WAS ON HER SIDE; NO INJURIES, AND NO BLOCKED TRAFFIC-THIS TIME. 3) CAR TOWED TO VOLVO DEALER, WHERE IT RESTARTED. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, RESET SENSORS AND REPLACED A VACUUM HOSE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE ETM VALVE AND THAT THE CAR IS STILL A DANGER TO DRIVE.*JB

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
Filed Sep 22, 2005100,575 milesTN

(1) ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE VOLVO S80 HAS HAD SHUTTERING OF THE ENGINE AT IDLE. (2) ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE VOLVO S80 HAS PLACED THE OCCUPANTS AT RISK OF BODILY INJURY DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER AND SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. (3) THE VOLVO S80 HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS - THE FIRST OCCASION, I BELIEVE THE THROTTLE BODY COMPONENTS WERE CLEANED AND THE WARNING LIGHT RESET - THE SECOND AND LATEST VISIT, ON SEPT 21, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $850 AND THAT MY ABS BRAKE MODULE ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN APPROXIMATE COST OF $830.*JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 15, 200541,000 milesCO

EMT FAILURE IN 1999 S80T6 VOLVO. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IN 2 WEEKS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR >$900. THE NEXT TIME W/IN 2 WEEKS IT LOST POWER AND THEY REPLACED THE EMT >$1000. ONLY 41K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *NM

Electrical System
Filed Sep 14, 200550,605 milesTN

I PURCHASED A 1999 VOLVO S80 ON AUGUST 30, 2005. WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF OWNERSHIP, THE CAR WOULD RACE AT A STOP SIGN, WHILE I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE NEXT DAY, IT RAN ROUGH IN MY DRIVE WAY WHILE IT IDLED. I TOOK IT DIRECTLY TO THE VOLVO DEALER IN MEMPHIS. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A ETM AND AIR FLOW METER. THESE WERE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $848.21 PARTS AND LABOR. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 11, 200575,700 milesCT

ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM, MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. I PULLED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. UPON EACH ATTEMPT TO RESTART, THE ENGINE WOULD ACTUALLY RUN ROUGHLY FOR 1-2 SECONDS AND THEN STALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED ABOUT 35 MILES TO MY VOLVO DEALER. WHEN IT ARRIVED, IT STARTED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE LAST TIME, THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. I AM AWARE THAT VOLVO SUSPECTS THE THROTTLE BODY IN THESE MATTERS. MINE HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED! *NM

Electrical System
Filed Sep 10, 2005OH

FAULTY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) ON 1999 VOLVO S80 T6 ON A REPLACEMENT PART. CAR HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES ON OPEN HIGHWAY RESULT IN A SEVERE SAFETY SITUATION. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS ONLY 43,000 DESPITE BEING A 6 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL ETM WAS DETERMINED FAULTY AND A REPLACEMENT UNIT WAS PUT IN ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2002. INDEPENDENT VOLVO REPAIR DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE REPLACEMENT UNIT HAS FAILED AGAIN DESPITE ONLY HAVING 17,000 MILES PUT ON THE CAR SINCE BEING REPLACED IN 2002. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 8, 200584,000 milesTN

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND SURGED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS THE VEHICLE'S SECOND OWNER. THE FIRST OWNER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THE PROBLEMS WAS FIRST NOTICED ON 05/01/2005. *AK *MR

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Sep 5, 2005139,000 milesGA

VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FEELS LIKE IT STALLS OUT OR SUDDENLY RUNS OUT OF GAS. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 1, 2005165,992 milesWI

1999 VOLVO S80; THROTTLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED OPERATING AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A "LIMP HOME MODE". VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS REVEALED A FAULTY THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE (TCM). THE TCM WAS REPLACED AND NEW SOFTWARE DOWNLOADED. OLD PARTS WERE NOT PROVIDED BY THE DEALER. *NM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 31, 200554,000 milesLA

MY 1999 VOLVO S80 SIMPLY DECIDED TO STALL WHILE I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH THAT STATED THAT I NEEDED AN URGENT SERVICE VISIT FOR MY EMISSION SYSTEM. THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $1,000 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. A SECOND DEFECT OF THIS CAR IS A LEAKING FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS A FIRE HAZARD. ABOUT $700 TO REPAIR. I EMAILED AND CALLED VOLVO REGARDING BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. THEY HAVE NEVER RESPONDED. *NM

Electrical System
Filed Aug 30, 200560 milesHI

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE ENGINE HAS LOST SPEED AND ENGINE HAS STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP ONCE AND IS ONCE AGAIN IN THE SHOP FOR POSSIBLY THE SAME PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY 3 CHILDREN IN CABIN THERE WAS A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GAS FOLLOWED MY A SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN TODAY. I AM VERY GRATEFUL AND BLESSED I WASN'T HIT FROM THE BACK THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY DISASTROUS TO MY FAMILY.*JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 30, 200585,000 milesNJ

MONTHS PRIOR TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE NEEDING REPLACEMENT , AT MY COST, 1999 VOLVO S80T (@85K MILES) ENGINE IDLE SURGING AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS RANDOMLY OCCURRED, REQUIRING RESTARTING CAR WHEN IT STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. NEW THROTTLE(GAS PEDAL) WAS REPLACED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM. LASTLY, WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATED BEYOND 20 MPH(LIMP HOME MODE) AND VOLVO DEALER REPLACED ETM TO RESOLVE PROBLEM. ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE, THE ABS MODULE WAS REPLACED(UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY) BECAUSE A MULTITUDE OF WARNING LIGHTS WERE OCCURRING (ABS, BRAKES, POWER STEERING). WHILE I'M LISTING FAILURES, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED(UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY). *JB

Electrical System
Filed Aug 26, 200579,000 milesNJ

DT : WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE TACHOMETER WILL JUMP UP AND DROP DOWN, IT LOOSES POWER WHEN TRYING TO INCREASE SPEED. THIS STARTED ON JULY 31, 2005. TOOK VEHICLE TO A VOLVO MECHANIC ,AND COULD NOT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THOUGHT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIR INTAKES. *AK THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 26, 200578,000 milesNJ

WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIFT SAFELY ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE INDICATOR LIGHT READ FAILURE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOME. THE CAR SUBSEQUENTLY STARTED, BUT HAD DEVELOPED THE SAME ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING. MY SON-IN-LAW, A MECHANIC, BELIEVES THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE AND UNDERSTANDS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE OF VEHICLES (VOLVO). I HAVE NOT AS YET HAD THE MODULE REPLACED. *JB

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 25, 200588,000 milesCO

THE ENGINE DIED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. RECENTLY WHEN IDLING, THE ENGINE RPM'S HAVE SURGED FROM ABOUT 700 TO APPROXIMATELY 1400 WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. CURRENTLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL THE ENGINE SURGES FROM ABOUT 700 TO APPROXIMATELY 1000. WHEN I CONTACTED A LOCAL VOLVO DEALER SERVICE PERSON, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THIS HAS BEEN A FREQUENT PROBLEM.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 1999 Volvo S80 → · Every S80 year → · How the figures are calculated →