Most common 2000 Volvo S80 problems
Share of the 318 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo S80 complaints by model year
Best S80 years: 2011, 2005, 2012. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2003, 2008. Compare all years →
2000 Volvo S80 recalls (4)
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.
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.
Vehicle speed control
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install the current software upgrade onto the involved vehicles. The recall began on December 29, 2006. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Fan
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cooling fan. The recall began on November 29, 2004. Customers should contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Over time, the ball joint between the front wheel king pin and the suspension link arm, can experience increased looseness.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front ball joints.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2000 Volvo S80:
Throttle control malfunction
Pe05-041 was opened on July, 26, 2005, based on 136 consumer complaints to odi alleging throttle control malfunctions in the subject vehicles.odi has now received 591 complaints of etm failures which allege symptoms with potential safety related consequences.these include allegations of engine stall, vehicle surging forward without accelerator input, vehicle hesitation upon acceleration and sudden and unexpected…
Throttle control malfunction
On November 14, 2006 Volvo submitted a defect information report to NHTSA concerning etm failures in model year (my) 1999 through 2001 Volvo models (not including the s40 and v40), my 2002 s60 and v70 with naturally aspirated engines and my 2002 v70s.according to Volvo, ?a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing and/or inefficient software calibration May cause a warning…
What 2000 Volvo S80 owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 93 →
The contact owns a 2000 Volvo S80. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle intermittently hesitated in responding while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated during the failure. The contact called the dealer and the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V441000 (Vehicle Speed Control) which he linked to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
I own a 2000 Volvo s-80 t6, which I have had nothing but problems with. Before I had it, my son owned it and also had problems with it. One is that the vehicle doesn't start, it stalls, and it surges forward or in reverse. All since 2005. Just last month I ran into my garage door and several times almost was involved in vehicle crashes due to it either surging forward or dying on me. I read how there is a possible recall on 2001 models, so why does it not include 2000 yrs. Does it take an accident with lives lost before anything is done to correct these problems. The vehicle has been taken in to the dealership and I have been told that the problem has been taken care of. So why is it still happening? The last incident happened on January 3rd of 2009, where I ran into my garage, caused from the car surging. The vehicle has been in for the same problem on numerous occasions.
Engine & cooling all 71 →
Driving on freeway at night, experienced a sudden loss of power. Engine check light came on. Fortunately coasted to a stop on an exit ramp. Upon stopping observed smoke coming through the edges of the hood. Turned off the ignition and exited the car. Noticed a flame under the engine compartment. Within one minute the front end of the car burst into flames and burned in a bright yellow fireball estimated to be 20 feet high. It burned until the fire trucks arrived 20 minutes later. The heat was extremely intense. The hood vaporized, metal parts of the engine melted, tires exploded. Car had a full tank of gas and strongly suspect malfunction of fuel system. Had we been trapped in the car on the freeway, there could have been four fatalities.
Tl contact owns a 2000 Volvo S80. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed smoke and pulled the vehicle off the road. He opened the hood and noticed flames. He was unsuccessful at extinguishing the fire and called the fire department, who stated that the cooling fan caused an electrical fire. The contact's mechanic informed him of a recall regarding the cooling fan. The VIN and NHTSA campaign id number were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 78,000.
Electrical system all 54 →
Dt: the contact stated 2000 Volvo model S80 caught on fire on 8-26-05. The fire originated from under the hood. It completely destroyed the engine. He was not having any problems with the car prior to this. He was driving at 25-50 MPH when the fire broke out. He saw smoke coming from the hood. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. He was not the original owner he did not know if anything was replaced on the vehicle. The current owner did not report any problems with the car prior to this, such as stallingor surging the fire department and the police police departmentindicated t the fire was an electrical nature, but they were not absolutely sure.
Swapped battery at o'reilly's auto parts. All manufacturer safety protocols followed. After swapping out w/new battery: climate control module not working- SRS airbag 'service urgent' errors. Volvo quoting $2500 to replace ccm, $800 for rebuild-process. Dim is also fried. No heat or A/C- airbag accidental deployment risk. Quick search online shows this is a Volvo issue specific to s60, S80 & xc70 models (all years) filed compliant w/vt state ag- cap 2020-07438 original repair order attached
2000 Volvo S80 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Volvo S80 a good car?
Based on 318 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 S80 rates avoid: 25.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the S80 at the same age. It is one of the S80 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Volvo S80?
The speed control & acceleration — 93 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the engine & cooling (71) and electrical system (54).
How many recalls does the 2000 Volvo S80 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2000 Volvo S80, the most recent from November 8, 2010 (navigational system(global positioning system)). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volvo S80?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2005 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2003 and 2008. See the full Volvo S80 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Volvo S80 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.