2002 Volvo S80: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
42 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
104,445 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 33 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 42 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 21.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 7 | 16.7% |
| Braking behavior | 6 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 7.1% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 4.8% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Suspension:Front | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Air Bags | 3 |
Fuel/Propulsion System: 7; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Electrical System: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Power Train: 4; Suspension:Front: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Air Bags: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
2003: 5; 2004: 2; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2008: 4; 2009: 4; 2010: 6; 2011: 3; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 6; 2018: 1; 2021: 3
Pattern summary
Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10005987 · 2003-01-30 (January 30, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005987 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015829 · 2003-09-02 (September 2, 2003)
THE DASH BOARD WAS TOO LIGHT IN COLOR, WHICH CAUSED A BLINDING GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD. *JB CONSUMER STATED WHEN ENTERING A DARK AREA (TUNNEL, GARAGE ETC.) THE DASHBOARD WOULD REFLECT ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER HAD NUMBEROUS NEAR COLLISIONS DUE TO THIS DISTRACTION. CONSUMER FEELS THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO WEAR POLARIZED SUN GLASSES. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015829 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025181 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
2002 VOLVO S80 WHEN STOPPED ON A HILL, FACING DOWN A DECLINE, WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, THEN TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE...THE CAR 'FREELY" ROLLS FORWARD. SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN STOPPED ON AN INCLINE AND YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN.... THE TRANSMISSION "ACTS LIKE" A MANUAL ONE IN THESE SITUATIONS. YOU NEED TO USE TWO FEET IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF SITUATION WITHOUT HITTING ANOTHER CAR (WHEN IN A PARALLEL PARKED SITUATION...ETC.) COMPLAINED TO MY DEALER AND VOLVO CUSTOMER SV…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025181 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025509 · 2003-07-07 (July 7, 2003)
ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I ATTEMPTED TO INSTALL A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN MY 2002 VOLVO S-80. IN ORDER TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY, I LOOKED IN MY OWNERS MANUAL FOR THE LOCATION OF THE LOWER ANCHORAGE SYSTEM. ON PAGE 12 WAS THE ILLUSTRATION AND LOCATION OF THE ANCHORS, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO FIND THEM IN THE CAR. THE NEXT MONDAY I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR AND WAS INFORMED THAT SOMETIMES VOLVO DIDN'T INSTALL THIS PART. I WAS TOLD TO LOOK IN THE WHEEL-WELL IN THE TRUNK. THE PART WAS NOT THERE. SO, I WAS TOLD TO STOP BY THE DEALA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10037461 · 2003-09-08 (September 8, 2003)
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CAUSING VECHILE TO STOP ON FREEWAY.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037461 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054066 · 2004-01-14 (January 14, 2004)
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS RECALLED DUE TO FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 225. VOLVO STATED THEY COULD NOT RETROFIT THE ANCHORAGE SYSTEM INTO THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 29,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054066 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072207 · 2004-07-19 (July 19, 2004)
TAIL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT FIVE TIMES SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2003. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE FIVE TIMES, BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072207 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10143871 · 2005-11-29 (November 29, 2005)
(YOUR WEBSITE DOESN'T LIST VOLVO S-80 TYPES) WE HAVE REPEATEDLY RECEIVED BULB FAILURE INDICATOR(I BELIEVE ITS THE BRAKE LIGHT. ITS BEEN REPAIRED /REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE 3 YEARS WE'VE HAD THE CAR. SOMETIMES ITS INTERMITTENT. VOLVO SAYS THIS IS COMMON. IF SO, WHY NOT A RECALL? (NO OTHER CAR I'VE OWNED HAS FREQUENT BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE) . *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10143871 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
09V483000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump
Reported: 2009-12-18 (December 18, 2009)
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.
Consequence: IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA campaign record ↗10V566000 · Equipment:Electrical:Navigational System(Global Positioning System)
Reported: 2010-11-08 (November 8, 2010)
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Consequence: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V681000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-11-04 (November 4, 2020)
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.
Consequence: Metal fragments can strike vehicle occupants increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10058.
NHTSA campaign record ↗21V766000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2021-09-30 (September 30, 2021)
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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10125.
NHTSA campaign record ↗