2000 Volvo S80 2.9 from North America - Comments

I purchased my 2004 S80 June 2007, it had 19,889 miles, was in great condition. I purchased it from a company that specializes in selling low mileage Volvos that come off leases. I had the car fax, and a Volvo dealer inspection. I loved this car. The body style is beautiful and the interior comfortable. It drives so solidly. I read much about the car, checked what type of recalls Volvo had, but I never Googled "problems with Volvos." I knew oil changes were a little high, but I keep my cars so I figured with a 20,000 mile car this should last another 20 years since I drive 8,000 miles or less a year.

This week as I turned off the main road onto a smaller road and went to accelerate the engine just revved and no power went to the wheels. The car literally would go no further. No lights, no warning it just stopped going forward or backward during rush hour! Several men helped me push it out of the street.

That night, confused why my basically new car... only 25,000 miles... does not run, I Google "problems with Volvo S80." Needless to say I had a hard time sleeping after reading about all the problems people have had. I told my husband about what I had found on the internet. He was hoping it was a computer thing, a torque converter, or some other minor thing. The next morning I had my car towed to the independent Volvo shop where I have had my oil changed, the owner has worked on Volvos for 37 years, and his mechanics are as experienced. The bad news I need a NEW TRANSMISSION at 25,000 miles. He said most Volvos now need new transmissions at around 50 to 60,000 miles, he has seen a few at 40,000 miles, but mine at 25,000 miles is the lowest he has seen. He said it used to be they worked 200,000 miles and more, but this is typical of the transmission now used,no longer Volvo. He said the car is no longer the Volvo quality that people think they are purchasing. He said since Ford purchased the company the quality is not there. Many major parts fail early and regularly and Volvo does not pay for repairs. The many problems with these cars and the lack of recalls from Volvo are insulting. I thought about towing it to a Volvo dealer, but know that if Volvo has not recalled any of the problems so many are experiencing, it is a waste of my money and time. I am out of warranty. I will pay for a new transmission on a car with only 25,000 miles, and I will send this information out to all I can. I have never sent out letters to a company before, but I am so dissappointed. I am mailing letters to Ford/Volvo so they know of yet another person with a faulty car, and the safety problem this was for me. I purchased a new Mitsubishi Galant in 1994, which my son now drives, it has 125,000 miles and the original transmission. Who knew a Mitsubishi was more reliable than a Volvo. Next time I might as well just buy a Ford, Focus every four years. I bet even the most inexpensive cars would last for more than 25,000 miles! What a shame, and SHAME ON Volvo/ Ford.

My 2000 Volvo S80 is great. I very frequently have my message board lit up with the warnings Brake failure, stop ASAP, STC service required, ABS light. When this happens, the odometer does not work. The Warning light (!) in center panel is NOT lit up when this happens. The warnings go on and off frequently. Brakes - front and back - are new. Does anyone else have this problem?!?!

I have a 2000 S80 T6, fun car to drive in good weather but it does not get around well in the snow. I too have had the chronic warning light problems. Today it is the "service transmission urgent" light. Here's my deal... only put "urgent" if it is truly urgent. My "service airbag urgent" light came on and when I rushed it to the dealership I found out that it may (or may not) need the little device that deploys the airbag replaced. Apparently that device has an estimated shelf life. I would say urgent for an air bag is if it is going to deploy in my face for no reason when I am driving down the freeway. With that said yes, this has been the highest maintenance car I have ever owned but, I cannot bring myself to give it up. I really love this car.