Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 Volvo S80, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Vehicle speed control64
- Electrical system39
- Engine and engine cooling27
- Power train17
- Fuel system, gasoline16
- Visibility7
- Suspension7
- Unknown or other6
- Steering5
- Exterior lighting4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2001 S80 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2001 Volvo S80 failed the safety check 2.12% of the time — 6% more often than the average 2001 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 123,826 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2001 Volvo S80 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp), 2.4 petrol (147 kW, 197 hp) and 2.4 petrol (103 kW, 138 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 90 |
| 2.4 petrol | 147 kW 197 hp | 47 |
| 2.4 petrol | 103 kW 138 hp | 45 |
| 2.9 petrol | 147 kW 197 hp | 29 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
242 first registered in 2001 are on Dutch roads; 12% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde130
- Band onvoldoende profiel80
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt75
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen71
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld63
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)57
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm49
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af39
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
160 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 252 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 283 of these cars first registered in 2001 took their annual MOT test. 58% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2001 the figure was 59%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 23.7% | 19.3% |
| Suspension | 11.3% | 15.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.8% | 9.7% |
| Brakes | 8.8% | 13.4% |
| Tyres | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| Visibility | 6.0% | 7.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
531 of these cars first registered in 2001 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 355,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
11 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 73% arrived as used imports, 27% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.8–12.2 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 271–281 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| S80/S80 Executive 2.9 · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.6 | 9.6 | 11.8 |
| S80/S80 Executive T-6 Turbo · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 14.2 | 9.8 | 12.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 Volvo S80.
| 2010396 8 Nov 2010 | Accessories On certain vehicles, there is a possibility of overheating issues of batteries in the Garmin nüvi® 760 when certain batteries manufactured within a limited date… |
| 2006311 14 Nov 2006 | Other On certain vehicles, a combination of throttle position sensor (TPS) irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration, may caus… |
| 2004334 14 Sept 2004 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the electric cooling fan may overheat, potentially causing heat damage and, in rare instances, a fire in the engine compartment. Correctio… |
| 2001090 10 Apr 2001 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the rear outboard seat belt anchorage bolts may have been incorrectly tightened. Correction: Vehicles will be inspected and, if necessary… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SEDANS AND WAGONS. THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE BOLTS MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY TIGHTENED.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volvo told its dealers about the 2001 Volvo S80: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635277 | TECH NET NOTES REGARDING BLIND RIVET CORROSION ON THE FRONT DOOR. *TT |
| 635267 | SUBJECT REGARDING QUALITY UPGRADE SOFTWARE DEVELOPED FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *TT |
| 635248 | SUBJECT REGARDING VOLVO NAVIGATION SYSTEM. *TT |
| 635229 | SUBJECT REGARDING ACCESSORY ELECTRONIC MODULE. *TT |
| 635210 | REAR BUMPER SENSOR KIT THAT EMPLOYS STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY TO WARN THE DRIVER OF UNSEEN OBJECTS WHEN BACKING UP. *TT |
| 635208 | SERVICE MANAGER BULLETIN SERVICE CAMPAIGN 108 REGARDING MALFUNCTION OF THE KEYLESS REMOTE CONTROL BUTTONS. *TT |
| 635204 | SERVICE CAMPAIGN 108 LETTER REGARDING MALFUNCTION OF THE KEYLESS REMOTE CONTROL BUTTON. *TT |
| 635181 | THIS SERVICE BULLETIN DESCRIBES INSTALLING THE WHEEL DIRT DEFLECTORS ON THE LATER LINK.*TT |
| 635168 | CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001 KEYLESS REMOTE CONTROLS MAY INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTION AND / OR STICK IN THE ACTIVE POSITION. THIS CAMPAIGN NO. 108 UPGRADES THE KEYLESS REMOTE CONTROL. *TT |
| 630874 | COMPLAINTS OF IDLE SPEED BEING UNEVEN AND NOTICEABLE TO THE DRIVER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INCREASED LOAD PRODUCED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR CYCLING ON AND OFF. *TT |
| 629024 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT OSCILLATING RPM AT CRUISING SPEEDS WITH A STEADY THROTTLE, DESCRIBED AS A SURGE FEELING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, OR THE TACHOMETER NEEDLE MAY FLUCTUATE SLIGHTLY. *TT |
| 629022 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGH COLD START. *TT |
| 627796 | SUBJECT REGARDING HEADLIGHT BULB, REPLACEMENT. *YD |
| 626904 | INFORMATION REGARDING HEADLIGHT BULB, REPLACEMENT. *YH |
| 626893 | SUBJECT REGARDING SUNROOF MOULDING SQUEAK. *YD |
| 626885 | TRIP COMPUTER SCROLLING FUNCTION, ERRATIC. *YD |
| 626877 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRUNK LID SWITCH; INTERMITTANT OPERATION. *YH |
| 626868 | INFORMATION REGARDING EVAPORATOR TEMPERATURE SENSOR. *YH |
| 626214 | INFORMATION REGARDING HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT. *YH |
| 626170 | INFORMATION REGARDING RADIO REPLACEMENT, RELOAD SOFTWARE BLOCKED. *YH |
| 624146 | SUBJECT REGARDING CABIN FILTER REPLACEMENT. *YD |
| 624089 | SUBJECT REGARDING HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT. *YD |
| 623996 | SUBJECT REGARDING TRANSMISSION SOFWARE UPGRADE. *YD |
| 621882 | INFORMATION REGARDING A/C TRACER DYE ADDED TO THE A/C SYSTEM. *TT |
| 621878 | REMOTE BUTTONS ARE BECOMING STUCK IN THE ACTIVE POSITION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION
THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation