2008 Volvo S80: complaints, problems and recalls

2005 VOLVO S80 WAS STRUCK ON PASSENGER DOOR. THERE WAS NO ONE SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WHEN CAR WAS HIT, DRIVER'S HEAD HIT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10219980 at NHTSA ↗

ON JUNE 18 2009 I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE CAR JUST DIED COMPLETELY. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING IN MY SUBDIVISION AND THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME. I COULD IMAGINE THERE MIGHT WELL BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVED IF I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET OR ON THE HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION TO THIS INSTANCE, ON MAY 11, 2009, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE WHILE I WAS PARKING THE CAR. THE CAR ACCELERATED SO MUCH AS IF I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR THEN HIT THE LAMP POLE IN FRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274401 at NHTSA ↗

TIRE PRESSURE CHECK SIGNAL COMES ON VERY OFTEN - SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO DEALER OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS - ALWAYS TOLD THAT'S IT MY PROBLEM. CHECKING YOUR WEBSITE IT APPEARS TO BE A RECALL BY THE FACTORY ON THEIR OWN - INCORRECT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10370714 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE SYSTEM VACUUM PUMP FAILED, FOUND LEAKING ENGINE OIL INTO THE PUMP HOUSING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 70,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450535 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY BEFORE FAILING COMPLETELY. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING AND REPROGRAMMING THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT WAS NOT REPROGRAMMED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V139000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: SOFTWARE) THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,185 AND THE C…

Owner-reported narrative. 59,185 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474236 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS MY SECOND DEFECTIVE REAR-VIEW MIRROR WITHIN ONE YEAR. THIS COMPUTER AUTO-DARKENING MIRROR AGAIN HAS PERMANENT BLACK LINES AFFECTING VIEWING AND THE DEALER AND VOLVO COMPANY CLAIM THE WARRANTY IS 3 MONTHS. EVENING USE IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE MIRROR TO REFLECT TRAFFIC. INSTEAD, SAFETY IS COMPROMISED. THE DEALER AND VOLVO CORPORATION REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS AN EQUIPMENT DEFECT AND THEY TRULY SHOULD KNOW THAT SUCH EQUIPMENT OUGHT TO LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. IT IS AN EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION AND DEFECT AND IS A SA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10490382 at NHTSA ↗

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL FAULTY, UNABLE TO DETECT VEHICLE SPEED, BLINKER OPERATION, GAS IN FUEL TANK REMAINING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10498122 at NHTSA ↗

MY VEHICLE'S FUEL GAUGE HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO GET IT REPAIRED 4 TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I AM AFRAID THAT WITHOUT KNOWING THE CORRECT LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE TANK WE COULD GET IN AN ACCIDENT SHOULD THE CAR UNKNOWINGLY RUN OUT OF GAS ON A HIGHWAY. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT VOLVO IS DISREGARDING EXCEPT IN SOME LIMITED CASES. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO UNNECESSARY HIGHWAY DEATHS OR INJURIES IN A CAR GENER…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10511009 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-05-06 (May 6, 2008)

VOLVO IS RECALLING 102 MY 2008 XC90 AND S80 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INCORRECT BOLTS TO THE ENGINE MOUNT.

Consequence: THE ALUMINUM BRACKET FOR THE ENGINE MOUNT COULD BREAK DUE TO LACK OF ADEQUATE CLAMPING FORCE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE SUB-FRAME, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A REDUCED ENGINE TORQUE OR STALLING OF THE ENGINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS FOR SPECIFIC MARKINGS. IF ANY OF THE BOLTS CONTAIN THE INCORRECT MARKINGS, THE BRACKET AND BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED. ALL OWNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR THESE VEHICLES.

Reported: 2009-04-29 (April 29, 2009)

VOLVO IS RECALLING 12,303 MY 2007-2008 S80 AND V70 VEHICLES. THE DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE IN THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE (CEM) MAY CAUSE A MALFUNCTION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTIONALITY. IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY NOT OPERATE WHEN ACTIVATED; OR IN CERTAIN CASES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY ACTIVATE WHEN NOT SWITCHED ON.

Consequence: OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS WITHOUT FUNCTIONING WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CEM AND UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE CENTER AT 1-800-458-1552, OR CUSTOMERCARE@VOLVOFORLIFE.COM.

Reported: 2009-06-12 (June 12, 2009)

VOLVO IS RECALLING 17,614 MY 2008-2009 S80, V70, AND XC70 VEHICLES. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING ERROR IN THE FAN CONTROL MODULE (FCM). DEPENDING ON DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE CUSTOMER MAY EXPERIENCE REDUCED AIR CONDITIONING PERFORMANCE, AND/OR RAPID INCREASE IN ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE.

Consequence: THIS SITUATION MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF COOLING SYSTEM FUNCTION AND ENGINE FAILURE. THE DRIVER MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO REACT TO THE WARNING LIGHT(S) OR THE TEXT MESSAGE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FAN CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE CENTER AT 1-800-458-1552.

Reported: 2009-09-01 (September 1, 2009)

VOLVO IS RECALLING MY 2008-2010 S80, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2010 XC60 VEHICLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE SOFTWARE WITHIN THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE (CEM) MAY NOT SEND A SIGNAL TO THE FUEL PUMP ELECTRONIC MODULE (PEM). THIS MISSING SIGNAL TO THE PEM INHIBITS THE START OF THE FUEL PUMP. THE DRIVER MAY BE ABLE TO START THE ENGINE IN SPITE OF THE FUEL PUMP NOT BEING ACTIVATED DUE TO RESIDUAL PRESSURE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. IN SOME CASES, THE DRIVER MAY BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE AT IDLE BUT THEN THE ENGINE MAY STALL.

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE STALLS IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE TO THE VEHICLES' CEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2009. VEHICLES IN DEALER'S INVENTORY WILL BE REPAIRED PRIOR TO DELIVERY. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Reported: 2010-07-22 (July 22, 2010)

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 S80 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THE TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL AND A PAGE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL CONTAIN INCORRECT MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE INFLATION PRESSURE AND THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) SOFTWARE HAS AN INCORRECT TRIGGER LEVEL.

Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE REQUIRED SAFETY STANDARDS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE VEHICLES WITH A NEW TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL, OWNER'S MANUAL LABEL AND TPMS SOFTWARE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552 OR CUSTOMERCARE@VOLVOFORLIFE.COM .

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.

Reported: 2020-06-30 (June 30, 2020)

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash.

Consequence: An unsecured occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10029.