S80 (TS)
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
B6294S
2.9L 6-cyl / 196 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
B6294S2
View details
Complaint Breakdown
B6284T6
2.8L 6-cyl TurboView details
Complaint Breakdown
Show 2 additional engine variants with limited data
B230FS1
4-cylView details
Complaint Breakdown
B6284T
View details
Complaint Breakdown
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Volvo S80, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
What to check on a used 2000-2006 Volvo S80
On a used 2000-2006 Volvo S80, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the engine (125), the electrical system (123) and the cooling system (112). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
- Start the engine cold and listen for the first 30 seconds, then again at idle once it is warm.Costly repair. NHTSA has 125 owner complaints on the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 about the engine, all engines combined.
- Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 123 owner complaints on the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 about the electrical system.
- With the engine cold, check the coolant level and color, then watch the temperature gauge on the drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 112 owner complaints on the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 about the cooling system, all engines combined.
- Let the engine idle for five minutes, walk around the car and smell for fuel.Safety. NHTSA has 101 owner complaints on the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 about the fuel system, all engines combined.
- Accelerate gently through every gear, then once at full throttle. Shift into Reverse and back to Drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 60 owner complaints on the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 about the transmission and drivetrain, all engines combined.
Recalls (13)
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.
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, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The driver side frontal air bag inflator may rupture, sending metal fragments into the passage compartment, when the driver side air bag is deployed.
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
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.
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE SEAL ON MASTER CYLINDER CAN FAIL AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID.
Show 8 older recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING, AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.
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.
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.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, SOME ELECTRIC COOLING FANS MAY OVERHEAT POTENTIALLY CAUSING HEAT DAMAGE AND, IN RARE INSTANCES, A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED CORRECTLY AND, AS A RESULT, THE STUD AND NUT THAT SECURE THE ARM TO THE SPINDLE MAY LOSE THEIR INITIAL AXIAL TENSION. UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE STEERING MAY BECOME LESS RESPONSIVE AND THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE STEERING WHEEL PLAY.
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEDANS AND WAGONS. THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY TIGHTENED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. OVER TIME, THE BALL JOINT BETWEEN THE FRONT WHEEL KING PIN AND THE SUSPENSION LINK ARM, CAN EXPERIENCE INCREASED LOOSENESS.
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Alternatives in Midsize Sedan
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2000-2006 Volvo S80 complaints?
Owners have filed 645 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000-2006 Volvo S80. The systems they name most often are the engine, the electrical system and the cooling system.
Is the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 645 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000-2006 Volvo S80. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 have?
NHTSA has 645 owner complaints on file for the 2000-2006 Volvo S80 as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2000-2006 Volvo S80?
NHTSA lists 13 recalls covering some 2000-2006 Volvo S80 vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Volvo S80?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the engine, the electrical system and the cooling system, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
Does the S80 have NHTSA crash test ratings?
NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2000-2006 Volvo S80. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 645 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-12.