Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Volvo S80 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My wife was driving our car and the right front wheel fell off. She had just pulled out of a driveway and was not going very fast. The consequences were that the suspension was damaged and the ball joints, which had failed and caused the collapse, and the cv joints had to be replaced and some other body work and repairs had to be done. The ball joints were subject of a recall in 2001, then our accident was caused by a subsequent failure and now I am told the front suspension is loose and the ball joints need replacing again. Something is seriously wrong with that system on the car.
I want to add my documentation about the failure of the throttle module and subsequent lack of appropriate action. The unit in the 2000 Volvo S80 failed to bring the car to a complete halt in traffic in December 2004. Subsequent repairs to solve the problem were $845. If Volvo sent out a notice for etm repair refunds last winter, I did not receive it despite living at the same address as when I purchased the vehicle in dec 1999. I also want to call your attention to the increasing problem with the dstc system as evidence by activity in the chat rooms. Our vehicle shows a persistent dstc service message that the dealer claims can not be adequately diagnosed without first replacing the yaw sensor for $668. Others with this problem have turned to buying and self installing rebuilt ABS units which the NHTSA should be proactively seeking to understand. The cause of the ABS unit failure? …
I have been having problems with my 2000 Volvo S80 hesitating as if it's not getting any gas when first beginning to drive it everyday. I have complained about this problem since purchasing this vehicle but the Volvo repair shop have not been able to fix the problem and they say they do not know what the problem is. Also my check engine light, stc light, and ABS light keeps coming on. I have also noticed that when these lights come on my car becomes hard to steer sometimes. After checking into this problem I have found that many other Volvo S80 's built around the same time as mine are having the same problems. …
In October 2001 while driving at night headlights went off. The following day while crossing the street the car stalled. Approximately ten minutes later was able to start the car, and at the same time headlights came on. Car was under warranty, and the mechanic repaired the throttle body & gasket. In June 2004 car stalled again. Replaced sway links and program down load $338.19. In December 2004, car staled on the road again. It was towed to the repair shop, they replaced the throttle body, mass air flow, mfi module- at cost of 2098.96. The contact did not take this car on any longer trip. Due to stalling on the road, frequent loss of headlights and numerous other mechanical problems the contact believed this car was unsafe to be on the road. 11-16 e-mail ; first time the car would not respond to the accelerator pedal. Stopped turn the car off and tried to restart it again. …
3 independent issues: throttle module - vehicle suddenly and unpredictably surges forward, particularly during idle or low speeds while in forward or reverse either stopped or moving, causing potential safety problems. Transmission module - vehicle suddenly and unpredictably looses power, presenting the driving performance of a "slipping" transmission, causing unpredictable responsiveness to changing traffic conditions, and potential safety problems. Front suspension - "knocking" noise from front suspension component(s), causing lack of driving confidence and concerns of driving safety and performance. All 3 of these problems are widely reported as chronic design, performance, safety and reliability issues for the same model years by other Volvo owners. …
Purchased a 2000 Volvo S80 in March of 2006, experience power loss with thing such as sunroof and windows, terrible glare from front windshield impairs vision, suspension- ball joints, axles, rods, strut bushings, struts, brake calipers, cv boots/joints, control arm, and tires have been replaced ... Still hear noise., engine surges at low speeds and when car is stopped- engine torque mount replaced, brake pedal has to be pressed completely before car stops-despite brake booster, and master cylinder being replaced. ABS module was replaced. Car drags (has a delay) when accelerating. Received updates and recalls performed. Fixed almost everything car surged forward into a trailer hook on the back of a parked car-cosmetic damage very expensive. Have been hoping that the repairs will come to an end...first car ever purchased and have almost spent 1/2 of its blue book value in repairs. …
Tl contact owns a 2000 Volvo S80. The contact experienced two failures listed as recalls for the suspension and vehicle speed control. The manufacturer stated that his VIN was not included in the recalls. He is very upset with being excluded from the recalls because the failures are identical. While proceeding to make a left turn at approximately 5 MPH, the tire detached from the front driver side of the vehicle. The contact felt that this was a very serious safety hazard. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the wheel axle, lower control arm, and upper ball joint were replaced. The contact also observed the failure of the speed control mechanism. While driving between 55-60 MPH and applying pressure to the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and hesitated. This failure occurs only during highway driving. The vehicle has not been repaired for this failure. …
Shortly after buying a Volvo 80, I noticed that the car would surge periodically. I was told that the throttle body needed to be cleaned. After reading up on this, it sounded like a waste of money so I am stuck with a $40+k car that has a sizable defect. The surging is so bad that if you don't hold the brake pedal hard the car will surge forward ie at red lights. Nothing was done to correct this failure. I am the second owner. Also I had to replace a ball joint on this car after a recalled ball joint was installed at my cost. The dealer said the recall was only a bolt and not the whole joint but I verified that the previous owner had both ball joints replaced via a Volvo recall. I believe the recalled joint was defective like the original one. No accidents occured but it put my steering way out of whack and needed an alignment. (all at my cost)
Without any prior warning, the left front ball joint separated and damaged the axle. No odd noises before hand. No unusual tire wear. We do all scheduled maintenance. No work had recently been done on the front end. The technician said he did not think the vehicle had ever been in a prior accident--he saw no indication of that. My daughter was on her way to work--going 40 MPH--no one around her, and not yet on the freeway where she was headed, thank god. The technician called it a "catastrophic failure" and said he was not exaggerating when he used that term. Both front ball joints were replaced (and the one that did not fail was not in good condition either) and the axle and 2 new tires. There had been a campaign to replace the original ball joints. This vehicle had the ball joints replaced in 2001.
I was driving my 2000 Volvo S80 on 5/19/10 and had exited I-405, onto hwy 169, heading home towards maple valley, when all of a sudden I heard a very loud bang, resulting in sudden steering loss, heard loud squealing, and saw lots of white smoke. The smoke was from the front passenger tire, which had turned outward, completely sideways at a 90 degree angle. The car is now in no condition to be driven. The wheel damaged the frame, warp/dented the quarter panel, broke off the molding, ripped out the cv drive or whatever that thing is that makes the wheel turn in a normal, forward direction, broke the lower control arm, messed up the brake line, struts, and who knows what else? I'm guessing that the repair costs are going to be towards the thousands, being that Volvo parts are so expensive.
Related recalls
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.
Suspension complaints in other S80 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2000 Volvo S80?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the suspension of the 2000 Volvo S80, 9% of the model year's 318 complaints. The component named most often is front (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Volvo S80 suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 00V-238 (upper ball joint, Aug 24, 2000). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2000 Volvo S80 suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.