Comments: 1-15, 16-18
Motor Mount broke and was replaced at approximately 20,000 miles.
Throttle assembly broke and was replaced at approximately 40,000 miles.
Transmission broke and was replaced at approximately 50,000 miles.
Fuel pump broke and was replaced at approximately 65,000 miles.
Door lock motors broke and were replaced.
Window motors broke and were replaced.
Multiple safety and mechanical recalls.
The worst car I have ever owned. The most arrogant, dishonest and inept service I have ever seen, from multiple Volvo dealers. This is not a "one-dealer" issue. Volvo dealer topped power steering reservoir with Automatic Transmission Fluid and Automatic Transmission Reservoir with Power Steering Fluid and blamed it on me, even though I have full service history of dealer-only service at each recommended service interval. I paid for the repair and Volvo would not answer my phone calls.
I sympathise, sounds like a vortex of a car and I suspect not a one off either. But isn't power steering fluid and auto box fluid the SAME? It says so on the bottles sold here in Europe (mostly from Exxon Esso note..) Get behind the wheel of ANY Japanesse car and you'll be driving not fuming in a dealer and emptying your bank account too. Good luck!
Well written description. I have a friend who has had nothing but terrible problem after problem with his S80. He tried to dump the car for a few dollars, no one will take it. A complete dog of a car. Volvo is off my list forever! I'd rather ride to work on 2 wheels than deal with another S80.
Volvo S80: Third Volvo I have owned after a 780 Bertone and 1993 960. S80 is a major step backwards from the 960. S80 suffers from poor turning radius, poor review visibilty, weak door opener (use the key,, its faster), excessive wind noise at 70mph, seat memory that 'forgets', warning light that come on for no apparent system failure, grabby brakes, and too much weight over front wheels. Oh, and I almost forgot, new transmission at 29K miles, new front ball joints at 31K miles, and dealers that use it for a 'cash cow' when it enters their service bay. Take the warranty and burn it for heat on a cold winter day for some personal benefit, otherwise it is worthless. Should have bought a low mileage s90 or better yet a 5 series BMW. A prime example of a vehicle launched with much hoopla and primes that were not kept as the car had not really finished development and the buying public was left holding the bag as 'free' test drivers. Looking for a VW dealer who doesn't know the history of these failed experiments who will take in on trade for a new Phaeton. At least the VW won't break down and provides very good value for price,, something the S80 T6 fails miseably to deliver.
Don't believe that a VW won't break down. Just have a look at the reviews on this site for VW - particularly 1998 - 2001 years.
My '99 S80 Volvo is a disaster and a disgrace to the Volvo tradition of rugged design and reliable service. Volvo's slogan of "tougher than dirt" went out the window with the S80. Simply put, the car is an electronic nightmare. My S80 has 90K miles and I have put more money into the repairing the vehicle than the previous three Volvo's that I have owned - combined. Within the last 10K miles, the diagnostic testing done by the local dealer ($180) has recommended the replacement of the ABS brake module ($800), throttle injection module ($1,000), siren module ($220), mass air module ($350), cooling fan module ($350) along with several hundred dollars of misc. repair. The car reminds me of the 60's & 70's American made cars that were notorious for poor design and service. If you are the type of individual who uses the car to drive 5K miles per year - back and forth to the golf club and/or your Volvo dealership, this is the car for you - nice style & roomy. If you are the type of individual who actually drives the car they own, you'd be better off buying a Ford Taurus and use the additional $20K on golf lessons - your friends might ride you about driving a Ford, but you won't have to have it towed to the dealership. Volvo committed the cardinal sin with the S80 - product introduction before the bugs were worked out. In doing so, they lost a "Volvo for Life" customer.
The S80 Volvo I have had many problems with, the emission light staying on,I have had it fixed by the Volvo several times. the fuel filler cap warning light goes off and on.I had the transmission fixed on the car and the computer light has warning message a few weeks after the car gets repaired.this car has been a real lemon. the throttle was repaired I had the brake pad warning light I got new brakes. the air bag warning light is on I don't know what to do with this car!
Thank god I read this review before I purchased a 1999 Volvo S80 T6 twin turbo. The guy trying to sell it to me seemed very upfront how it was such a great car and in mint condition, but after reading this review how could it not be? I mean by the sounds of it half the car if being replaced every 70k miles or so. Thanks a lot guys you just saved me from a very bad choice.
Thanks so much for this review and all the comments. We just about bought an S80 the other day from a guy who wanted to dump it badly. We were thrilled with the fact that we would be moving from either a 740 or 940 up to an S80! We were just about to skip the 850 and 960! That would have been an error. I love this site. Thanks everybody!
I just got a 1999 volvo S80 for $9k with only 50k miles on it, everything in the car seems to be perfect there's no problems at with my volvo S80. I think it's a very nice car, I've had mine now for about 3 months and theres not one thing wrong with it, my volvo mainly had highway miles on it. I guess it just depends on who had it last and how they used the car.
Good luck to the guy who bought the '99 S80 with 50k miles. I have one with 113K; bought it with 32k; didn't trust the reliability and bought an extended warranty (to 100 k miles). Since 105k miles I have:
replaced a junction block behind the dash (required removal of entire dash) ; replaced an air mass flow sensor; replaced the upper strut tower bushing on right side (now needs same on left side) ; need an ABS module (will be getting repaired for $150 instead of $800 Volvo repair that includes $35 for "programming" -- ABS repair people say the "programming" actually consists of starting and driving the car while the module performs self checks). Also need a $1200 dealer-only throttle body module (including remove, install, and programming) -- need throttle body because Volvo's supplier likes to use $0.50 potentiometers to sense throttle valve position. A friend has the Volvo 4WD wagon. He has 95k miles on it, and has had more trouble than me. Volvo can't understand why sales of these great automobiles have been disappointing. Well, Volvo, welcome to the information age.
Thank you for the info I almost bought a 1998 volvo s80. thanks to this website I wount have to deal the problems, no wonder they were selling it for 4k.
I have a Volvo s80 t6. She has 99K miles on her and she has been a good car. I have only had the ABS module replaced under extended warranty. Now getting to replace the timing belt, 90K service and fix the "Bump Noise" under the l front of the car. I love the car but she is not a great car. But still better than walking. And she is Paid for. please stay together for another year or so with no car payment.....
HELLO Volvo S80 owners. It is true, that the S80 is an unreliable badly built car. What you don't understand, is it's not Volvo (as we know it) anymore. Volvo cars been bought by Ford (U.S.A) in 1997. Since then, all Volvos are crap. It's a Ford policy to cut costs, which results in poor quality cars made by Ford (Volvo).
I've had a 99 S80 for 10 years, which is 9.5 years too long. After 6 months, the timing chain broke. Dealer fixed it, but we had an oil leak a few months later which they would not fix. Since then, it has been nothing but headaches. A 3 ft. metal bar fell off the sun roof and hit my wife in the face while she was driving. Found out years later it was a grab bar for installers. The engine light has been on for years due to faulty sensors that cost 2000+ to replace. Nothing wrong with the engine, just the sensors. Fan module had a recall that the dealer won't honor now. I can't count the boots, modules and sensors that have gone out. Never again. Volvo's are crap.
A metal bar fell out of the roof and hit your wife when driving? I have never heard anything like that. Also if the car was that bad, you would not have kept it 10 years!