2003 VOLVO S80 Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
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 afte...
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2003 S80 and S60 vehicles sold or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklaho...
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
See attached document for complaint
In Tank Fuel Pump, problem was leaking at top of pump @ the inlet at the outlet & return valve, crack in the plastic mold. Was giving off fumes, totally unhealthy and waitin for someone to light up a cigarette for a total car explosion and death for all occupants. I have replaced the pump myself. Lo...
The lovely GM transmission suddenly decided to not shift while going uphill. Pushing the accelerator just made the RPMs go up and up while the car did nothing. Then a warning light. Transmission service Then limp mode. And all I could do literally was go 5 mph then. It occurred as I was turning a...
The contact owns a 2003 Volvo S80. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V766000 (Air Bags). The dealer had been notified about the recall and an appointment was made for the recall repair. The contact then received a call that the appointment was cancelled due to parts no...
The vehicle has a recall and Volvo told me I have to drive 8 hours to another state to get it fixed by the closest dealership. I cannot do that - I need to have it fixed locally
Within a week of purchasing the vehicle from a dealer, I discovered that the fuel tank has a leak, so its currently unsafe to drive. I found out about the leak when I brought it to an independent mechanic for service. I see that other vehicles of this model and year had been recalled for fuel leak...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 VOLVO S80. WHILE PARKED, THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UN...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FLANGE WAS CRACKED ON THE FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
Mileage: 112,000
TAKATA RECALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 2 MONTHS AGO. WITHOUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS NOT WORKING, IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I CAN NOT SEE HOW MANY MPH I AM GOING, AND CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. ALSO AT NIGHT, IT IS COMPLETELY BLACK IN THE DASHBOARD AND IS V...
Mileage: 144,077
TAKATA RECALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 2 MONTHS AGO. WITHOUT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS NOT WORKING, IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I CAN NOT SEE HOW MANY MPH I AM GOING, AND CAN'T TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. ALSO AT NIGHT, IT IS COMPLETELY BLACK IN THE DASHBOARD AND IS V...
Mileage: 144,077
MY CAR SHOWS EXACT SYMPTOMS OF THE VEHICLES INVOLVED IN NHTSA RECALL # 09V483. RECALL INVOLVED CARS IN THE HOT WEATHER STATES OF US. AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL I HAVE RESIDED IN THE MASSACHUSETTS WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE INITIAL RECALL. I HAVE MOVED TO ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER OF 2010 AND...
Mileage: 101,500
DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE (DIM) ORIGINALLY STARTED DROPPING OUT AND RETURNING MULTIPLE TIMES DURING A TRIP, NOW IT IS GOING OUT COMPLETELY AFTER ROUGHLY 15 MILES, NO CLUSTER GAUGES OR DASH LIGHTS. WILL COME BACK ON AFTER COOL DOWN TIME OF ROUGHLY 2-3 HOURS. NO SPEEDOMETER, TACH, GAS OR TEMP GAUG...
Mileage: 152,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN REDUCTION IN ACCELERATION. THE ENGINE RPMS RACED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAI...
Mileage: 123,000
I KEEP GETTING ABS MODULE FAILURE ON VOLVO S80; EVERY TIME WE TAKE OUR CAR TO VOLVO DEALER, THEY COME UP WITH SOME MODULE FAILURE DIAGNOSIS. SEEMS LIKE A VOLVO GENERIC ISSUE WITH ABS MODULE FAILURE MESSAGE. WE HAVE TRIED CONTACTING VOLVO ABOUT THIS AND THEY REALLY DID NOT HELP US. THEY HAVE ASKE...
Mileage: 59,493
2003 VOLVO S80 T6 - GM TRANSMISSION NOTICED TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ODDLY BUT NO CODES. CODES CAME AFTER CLIMBING HILL, TOOK TO VOLVO DEALER. CODE (DTC) 0053 PRESSURE SWITCH LOCK UP. VOLVO SAYS REPLACE TRANSMISSION. SOFTWARE UPGRADED - DID NOT FIX. DECLINED. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ODDLY, CAR REV...
Mileage: 129,000
I HAVE A 2003 VOLVO AND TWICE I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT LENS ON THE HEAD :LIGHT REPLACED, NOT BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED BY AN ACCIDENT BUT BECAUSE WHEN WATER HITS IT THE LENS CRACKS ( IT HAPPENS WHEN THE AUTO HAS BEEN RUNNING OR SITTING OUT OUTSIDE ) I BELIEVE THERE IS SOME KIND OF DEFECT IN THE ...
HI, JUST HAD TO HAVE MY FUEL PUMP REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF WELL OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. COST AND PROBLEM FALL IN TO THE "UNREAL" CATEGORY. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A FUEL PUMP HAS EVOLVED INTO A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT APPARENTLY AS COMPLICATED AS SOMETHING THAT IS VITAL TO THE LA...
Mileage: 45,506
AFTER PURCHASING A VOLVO S80 IN APRIL 2003 FROM VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THE CAR) BEGAN EXPERIENCING A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE CAR WAS ROUTINELY SERVICED AT VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, SHE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO REPAIR IT. AFTER TIRING OF T...
Mileage: 35,990
AFTER PURCHASING A VOLVO S80 IN APRIL 2003 FROM VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THE CAR) BEGAN EXPERIENCING A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE CAR WAS ROUTINELY SERVICED AT VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, SHE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO REPAIR IT. AFTER TIRING OF T...
Mileage: 35,990
AN S80, 2003 NEW, LOST THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHEN THE BALL JOINT FAILED AT 27,000 MILES. VOVLVO REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BALL JOINTS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID THIS HAPPENS SOMETIMES. HAD WE NOT BEEN ON A LOCAL ROAD TRAVELLING 20 MPH THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURY. THE STEERING PRO...
Mileage: 27,000
CARRIER BIKE RACK AND 2 BIKES FLEW OFF THE ROOF OF A S-80 VOLVO(2003) WHILE DRIVING ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE.LUCKILY NO ONE WAS CLOSE BEHIND AND I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE WRECKAGE FROM THE HIGHWAY.I COMPLAINED TO VOLVO BUT THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS MY FAULT.NOTHING WAS REPLACED.SOMEWHERE IN THE MANUAL...
RE: 2003, VOLVO S80. I HAD JUST PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT MY PRESCHOOL SON'S SCHOOL, I WENT TO SHIFT GEARS AND TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MY CAR HAD A SUDDEN ACCELERTATION CAUSING ME TO BE WITHOUT CONTROL OF MY CAR FOR OVER 50 FEET, HITTING A TREE, 3 SHRUBS AND A 3000 LB. ROCK. MY PRESCHO...
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEEL. CONSUMER SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO DRIVE AND THEN REVERSE AND THE LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AGAIN. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Mileage: 3,123
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEEL. CONSUMER SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO DRIVE AND THEN REVERSE AND THE LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AGAIN. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Mileage: 3,123
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEEL. CONSUMER SHIFTED THE GEAR IN REVERSE AND THE NOISE RECURRED. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Mileage: 7,320
WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING LEFT, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE LIKE METAL RUBBING TOGETHER COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE BELTS, HOSES AND A TUBE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB
Mileage: 13,000
DEAR [XXX]. ,HIS IS TO NOTIFY ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE S80 ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE DIFFICULTY WE ARE FACING WITH THE DEALER THAT SOLD THE CAR TO US. I, [XXX] HAS BOUGHT THE CAR WITH WIN # [XXX], FROM DARRELL WALTRIP VOLVO IN FRANKLIN TN ON 11/01/03. ON 11/26/03 THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY S...
Mileage: 834
2000 VOLVO S80--THE AUTOMATICE STABILIZING SYSTEM AND ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. OUR MECHANIC (VOLVO EXPERT, BUT NOT EMPLOYED BY A DEALERSHIP) SAYS THIS IS A COMMON FAULT IN THE S-80S WHEN THEY REACH 50,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP IS CLAIMING IT IS A $1000 REPAIR--BECA...
Mileage: 56,000
2000 VOLVO S80--THE AUTOMATICE STABILIZING SYSTEM AND ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. OUR MECHANIC (VOLVO EXPERT, BUT NOT EMPLOYED BY A DEALERSHIP) SAYS THIS IS A COMMON FAULT IN THE S-80S WHEN THEY REACH 50,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP IS CLAIMING IT IS A $1000 REPAIR--BECA...
Mileage: 56,000
I BOUGHT A VOLVO S80 IN JANUARY 2003. BOTH OF THE HEADLIGHT GLASS ASSEMBLIES HAVE CRACKED FROM NO APPARENT IMPACT. THE FIRST WAS IN APRIL, AND THE SECOND IN AUGUST. I BELEIVE THERE IS A HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DEFECT. I LIVE IN A VERY HOT CLIMATE, AND THE HEAT MAY CRACK THE GLASS. *AK
Mileage: 6,000