Volvo S80

lev_berkovich

I have a "crazy" idea and would like to ask the current S80 owners, who bought their cars through the OSD.

Is it possible, that the OSD cars are "hand picked" and more thoroughly tested before the delivery?

The current "OSD" owners. Is there somebody who has bought their S80 through the OSD and really unhappy with it, because it "doomed" with the defects?

aaaedgarpoe

Good thing you didn't get the fog light fixed; fog lights do not work the way fog light are sold to work as -- its all bogus. Best to disconnect the other fog light and thus get a little better gas mileage.

gpierce1

Hello, I am having a problem with both of my front door windows. I am about to remove the door panels and can not get a hold of any manuals. Does anyone know if there is anything unigue about removing the door panel?

George

lev_berkovich

http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/doorremove.htm

But you better have some spare plastic clips (rivets).

gpierce1

Thank you,
I the information was very helpful. Even more I like the web site that your information directed me to. I did not know about this site.

Thanks again
George

gpierce1

I have a 99 S80 and the sun roof has a rattle when I go over a bump. I noticed that when the sun roof is closed the the back of the sun roff moves up and down about 1/8 of an inch when I push up on it. Does the gasket need to be replaced or is there an adjustment that will tighten this up.

George

sgh

Wife is very impressed with a 2000 S80T6 with only 38k.

I'm leery of the bad reviews in terms of reliability, particularly electrical issues.

What's your experience been? Would you buy one?

Thanks.

nvbanker

but not a 2000. Get a 2001 or newer, they're awesome.

lev_berkovich

I did not have any electrical problems with my 2000 S80 2.9 (75,000 miles), and I do not think that it is different from the T6 electrically.

sgh

Is that based upon reliability issues? Other reasons? This one only has 38k and is in mint condition.

aaaedgarpoe

How about a 2001 certified pre-owned. I was thinking of getting one.

Look at this example (actuall for sale at Volvo dealers in SoCal) of price difference between two certificaed PreOwned S-80s with about the same number of miles.

2000 S80 2.9 A SR 26,162 $21,995

2003 S80 2.9 A SR 19,010 $29,640

It would seem to me the 2000 year S-80 is a great deal over the 2003. Why would one pay the $7500 difference?

volvomax

Much better electronics on 2003, esp the throttle unit. Also, suspension bushings were improved. Body moldings match the car color, no more gray.
Engine retuned to provide more low end torque. Car is faster at city speeds than before.
Longer warranty w/ 2003.

indy

This problem has cropped up for the second time in less than one year. The first time I was left stranded, the second time I was proactive and took the car in when I started recognizing the signs. Although the car is still in warranty (less than 30,000 miles) I was told that the factory only pays for this problem once and now I am on my own. Is this a common problem for Volvo or the S80? Also, I cannot get a staight answer as to what might cause this problem and if there are ways to avoid it. Thank you.

larryp3

Lots of folks, including me, have never seen this problem. I have a 2002 and a close friend has a 2000 S80 t6. The friend's is a short tripper with 55k. Are you using brand name hi test gas with good detergent levels? Are you using Mobil-1 or Amsoil and changing oil in tune with driving style. The varnish is probably coming from the oil and the gas could help clean it however the gas does not pass thru the throttle so oil fumes recycled by the PCV system are my main suspect. Gas which works its way into the oil could be a factor. Amsoil claims low oil volatility which may be helping. It would help us all to know if "pampering" a little prevents this problem. This problem may be the best argument for synthetic oils. P.S. I am NOT an Amsoil dealer, just a happy customer.

kiiwii

I don't exactly know what problems you have, but as long as it's covered under the factory warranty, it should and will be fixed by the dealer. Over the years, I noticed that many Volvo dealers hire the worst junks in the street. They don't know what they are talking about. If you are unsure about the warranty, you may get a better answer by calling Volvo's 800 number instead of asking the dealers.

bartalk2

According to Automotive News, Volvo has a $5,000 dealer incentive on the S80 through April 30.

derekchoy

I'd like to DIY on the basic maintenance (like oil/filter change, etc) of my 99 S80 2.9. Does anyone know of any Bentley or other maintenance manual I can get for my S80?

I looked around but didn't find anything.

Thanks!

nvbanker

My business partner has an 01 s80 t6 with 55,000-miles . no varnish yet.

lev_berkovich

What are the symptoms?
I have 75100 miles on mine 2000 S80 2.9 and no signs of any performance degradation. I use premium gas, but from the different sources, including generic Costco brand, but had all the services from the Volvo dealership, if this matters.

volvomax

is only on the T6 model.

aaaedgarpoe

That must mean a whole new S-80 this fall? Does this mean that this Friday I can strike a good deal on an S-80?

Suprised the S-80 has a timing belt (rather than a timing chain). Why would anyone use {Primium gas in an S-80 when regular would suffice)?

lev_berkovich

Timing belt is quieter, and currently the is premium less than 10% (20C difference over the base of $2.10 - 2.20) more expensive than the regular, but provides much better performance, and IMHO and quite extensive statistical base (75K) pretty much the same cost per mile.

Makes perfect sense to me.

volvomax

No new S80 is planned for at least 2 yrs.
The S80 has been heavily subsidized for years.

Volvo stipulates Prem unleaded in all their cars.
Although it is safe to burn lesser gas, you just get less performance and worse mileage.

bdambrosio

I have a 2001 S80. It has 27,000 miles on it and in that time, I have lost 6 hub caps. Has anyone else had this problem? The dealership has been replacing them for free, but my warranty is going expire next year and these $30.00 a piece hub caps are going to start to be on me! I asked the dealership to check the rims for problems, and of course they do not find a problem. They are telling me that they are being stolen. I find it hard to believe since there is no evidence of that on the rims (scratches..etc). HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lev_berkovich

There are semi-permanent glues available, similar to "Lock-tight"(??) brand. Remove the cap, apply a gel (paste) on a rim of the cap and put it back on.
It usually helps. If the cap will be lost again, it is likely that it either is stolen or you might have scratched a wheel against of the curb.

mcoz

Thanks for your opinion. I feel a bit better. I do still miss both our 740GLE and 940 Turbo. For the past month or so, we haven't been in need of any repairs. Thank You God! So maybe this one will make the 200,000 mile like our 87 740 did! I do love driving the car. Glad we got the 2001 model year. Only thing I've noticed lately is that when the A/C is on and it is not that hot out, the compressor keeps clicking on and off rather often Is this a concern? Seems like we put more gas into the tank than we have been used to with the older Volvos. Let me know what you think. I'll keep you posted as well. Thanks! Mike C.

lev_berkovich

You are welcome.
I do not think that AC is a problem. I like the auto climate control in S80. It works really well for me. I have set the temperature dial to 72 on both sides, set the main switch to Auto, and has never touched the controls again for years. At the beginning of the ride I set the Recirculation mode, and then, in 15 - 20 min, turn it off. The car does the rest, summer or winter.

I am getting about 20 mpg for the city driving cycle, and about 25 mpg on the highway, but it's for 2.9.

What engine do you have?

Lev.

george2

I too have a 2004 with the 2.5T engine and it is about the worst driving experience I ever had. The turbo lag in city driving will make you crazy. You step on the gas expecting the car to take off and it will sit there for a while trying to make up its mind if it is going to go faster or not. I had a 2003 with the 2.9 engine and I am sorrier than hell I ever let it go. This will absolutely be my last Volvo as long as they believe that all of their customers want to drive turbocharged cars. (PS: My car has been back to the dealer 3 times in the last 2 months for turbo related problems)

nvbanker

Your compressor is doing exactly what it should do in tepid weather - it is cycling off and on to conserve fuel, rather than running constantly when it's not needed.

Also, the recirculation mode is automatic. On very hot days, it should start out in recirc mode, until the cabin is cooler, then switch automatically to outside air.

joint

2000 T6 - car began wandering on its own. Steering rack replaced (50,000 miles) - had to wait months as dealer said "all defective, stopped making steering racks for my year, had to redesign". Redesign has lousy power assist, and even worse the car seems to steer you, rather than the other way around ... it seems to veer all over the road. Front end was aligned. Anyone experience this? any fixes? anyone even know what car part is the root cause for this? all thoughts appreciated.

davant

The owners manual on our '04 S-80 2.9 suggests a minimum of 91 octane. Since there are three choices, 87, 89, and 93 octane, I recommend Premium. Even with soaring prices the extra few dollars is worth not worrying if I'm inducing any problems. I could probably get by with mid-grade and save about $60 a year or double that with regular. Is that possibly worth the headache of a sputtering, knocking engine or worse even though I have a zero deductible 100K Volvo mile warranty? I think not! Premium cars deserve premium treatment. It'll probably run on kerosene if you add enough alcohol, don't be so cheap, LOL.

nvbanker

If you're so cheap you won't buy Premium fuel when your car requires it, you're driving the wrong car for you. You should have a Focus.

tmart

recommends and requires!

kiiwii

So, is it "required" to feed S80 with premium gas? I asked several dealers, every salesman told me that all S80s drink regular fuel. I dunno if that's true. I have a 960. It's basically the same 2.9 engine used on S80. My 960 MUST have premium fuel. I tried regular+ few times, and the engine was making a weird whispering noise.

volvomax

Volvo doesn't "require" prem fuel.
However, in order to reach the stated horsepower/fuel economy numbers premium fuel is necessary.
Your 960's engine management system lacked the ability to deal with lesser fuels effectively.
The S80 does, but it becomes a less capable car because of it.
If saving 20c a gallon is that important go ahead and use 89 octane. Personally I wouldn't.

nvbanker

I stand by my statement. It is inconsistent to desire a Premium car, and be too cheap to feed it what it was designed to drink. That's poserville.

davant

What if it told on those who cheated? It could be now and we not know about it. I always use Premium but it's possible the dealership might know you use regular before you bring it in for sputtering. So what? The service provider might greet you with, "Hi, we know all about it, we think it's the fuel you're using but we'll check it out." I'm sure VADIS saves settings and On Call can pass info so this isn't as ridiculous as it seems.

All salesman agree on regular because saving you money sells more units. Rephrase the question as, "Does Volvo recommend always putting regular gas in my $48K S-80 T6 I'm about to pay cash for?" and see what the answer is. I bet the BMW and M-B dealerships seldom get asked about regular. Any gasoline fueled auto will run on regular but higher end cars are performance optimized for high quality fuels. Besides, our 2.9 needs all the help it can get from premium. You are the master of your destiny at the pumps, wallet willing. Do you want whispers and chuckles when you go in for service?

Going one step further in this On Call Plus paranoia, others could be listening to every word you say in the car and tracking your movements. This info could be used by agencies for marketing, demographics studies, travel habits, warrants, etc. They already know the inside & outside temps, if the doors are locked, airbag status (I read that as health of mother-in-law) and your location. Behave yourselves and pick whatever grade fuel keeps you humming along smoothly but remember that even when you are alone in your Volvo...you might not be.

volvomax

Vadis certainly saves the info on fuel performance.
I doubt that On-Call Plus reports though. Maybe the next generation will
Seriously, Volvo's have high compression engines and that means prem fuel.
BMW and M-B owners aren't as cheap as Volvo owners( sorry frugal), so the fuel issue doesn't come up.

kiiwii

Thank you for the reply.

I don't mind paying a bit extra for the premium fuel. I just want to make sure what works the best. Believe it or not, premium doesn't always bring the best performance.

Car and Driver had a topic on fuel grade about two years ago. They used an Accord as the example. C&D's test found that the Accord performed a bit better with regular fuel than premium. It's pretty interesting

nvbanker

because it's tuned for regular. Whatever grade the engine is tuned for, is what will bring optimum performance to the engine. I read that article also....

davant: You're hysterical!!!! I'm unplugging my On Star right now! Airbag indeed!

oldman

No, I doubt that something "tuned for regular" would be the worse for higher octane blend. Actually , lower octane motor fuels burn with greater flash front speeds than higher octane fuels. They may also have greater net (delta H)heat content because of the isomers in lower grade fuels are more exothermic. Recall what raises octane, benzenes and toluenes, which have less energy content than the base stock isomeric mix. So, these considerations can sometimes result in greater power output from lower octane fuels. If the engine requires substantial timing advance to step up power levels, then one must use the slower burning higher octane to permit maximal timing advance. High compression may also lead to inaudible detonation which will trigger the knock sensor, retard timing, and detune spark advance. The best way is to conduct a dynomometer test and see what the system does.

nvbanker

But it would be a rare surprise, to find an engine tuned for premium, that would deliver optimum performance on regular, don't you agree?

bradgogolf

My throttle vanished. I'm not sure it was varnished but the sensor went to the tune of $850. This at 50954 miles and 4 years and 1 month. It was also on a trip and cost another overnight. Has anyone had luck pushing Volvo on the warranty?

oldman

Absolutely nybanker.

eastcar

Any thoughts on switching to full synthetic oil, I have a 03 s80? thanks

nvbanker

Never hurts.

edkunkel

Did you ever get an answer to the Sun Roof issue? Mine makes a mild wind noise now, I think it is the same problem.

Eric

triceratops5

Have a 2000 S80 2.9, 58K miles. FYI, only two problems: shake in steering column (a couple of failed fixes and finally fixed at 30K) and failure of cooling fan @ 40K (fixed).

Original equipment tires finally worn out. Anyone have any suggestions on what has worked well. Someone suggested Bridgestone Potenzas in a much earlier post. Anyone tried anything else?

airborne86

Hello!!!! I own a 1999 S80 and keep getting a open fill cap light message, has anyone had this happen to them?

volvomax

happens alot.
First, ckeck the cap, make sure its not cracked or the seal is bad. If the caps ok, take the car to the dealer and have them check the fuel tank itself and the sensors.
Sometimes it just a software glitch.
The dealer should be able to re-program it.