Volvo S80

larryp3 · August 2003

There are O-rings in the oil pump system which have been known to leak and allow air to be sucked into the oil distribution system. This is likely what he is talking about. Best not to let this go too long as it affects valve and other engine lubrication.

gpierce1 · August 2003

Thank you Larry,

What you say makes perfect sense. It must be a section of the oil intake that is above the oil level. Luckily it should be covered by the extended warranty.

brt1 · August 2003

My question is HOW did they determine foam in oil? Did they see it on dip stick, when they changed oil or did you have a specific problem you brought to the dealers attention, I would be most curious?

azmom2 · August 2003

Hi,
I've had my 2000 S80 since new and have had several problems with it. At 19K the power steering went out, dealer replaced broken hose clamp. At 34K a loud rattle/clunking noise started in the right front, dealer replaced upper rt strut and broken engine torque mount. At 38K the engine cooling fan had to be replaced. Several little things have broken along the way: gas cap cover, cup holder cover, running light clip, lots of headlight bulbs replaced. Now at 39K the power window on the back passenger door is broken in the down position in Arizona in August! These have all been covered under the warranty, but I have to wonder what will break when the warranty expires 9000 miles from now. I still have two years of payments to make and I don't want big repair bills on top of it. This is my first Volvo and I like the car but I'm concerned about reliability. Is this a lemon? Should I bail out before the warranty expires?

kiiwii · August 2003

You may want to consider buying the extended warranty. It may not be cheap, cuz you already have 39k miles on the car. If you plan to keep the car for a while get the ext warranty now. The longer you wait, the more expensive it is going to get.

lakeperson · August 2003

My engine fan went the day before turning in myS80 2000 after a 3 year lease. I had 48000 miles on the car and a family member bought it from the dealer because it was in excellent condition. I think the engine fan problem may be aggravated by the peculiar process of the fan staying on or coming on to cool the engine when the car is turned off. Otherwise it was an excellent, comfortable reliable car.

lancerfixer · August 2003

I've seen many, many different cars that have fans stay on after the car is shut off. It's not a Volvo-only thing.

eitan56 · September 2003

Purchased a certified pre-owned about a year ago. Thank G_d for the extended warranty and friendly service manager. Mostly minor problems, but still a pain to keep going back to the delear. Car has about 60K miles now. When I accelerate hard, taching high, and transmision is just about to kick up to th next highest gear (1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd - not sure) I get a pretty harsh vibration from one or both of the front tires and thump just before the car goes into the next gear. If I acclerate slowly, this doesn't happen. The harder I accelerate the more prominant the the problem is.

I bought new tires last month, subbing Bridgestone Turanza LS-H for the stock Michelin Pilots. I had this with the old tires, and thought tire replacement would do the trick. No such luck. Anybody have a clue what may be cuasing this to happen?

By the way, The Brigdestones are great. Much quieter and better handling than the Pilots.

aswimtaxi · September 2003

I have a 2000 S80 with 60,000 miles and I am experiencing similar vibration in front end, steering column when I accelerate, beginning at 20 RPM. I am scheduled for a service call (one of many) within a few weeks. Tie rods were recently replaced (within 10,000). I, too, would appreciate any insight from anyone experience similar problems.

larryp3 · September 2003

This sure sounds like a Transmission problem. Dealers have lots of info on corrective action, from software downloads to solonoid replacement.

zee6 · September 2003

I'm new to the posting of messages but I have been reading the Boards since I bought my 2000 T6. I hate to rehash what has already been discussed but the repair bug is biting me as of late. Has anyone's T6 been diagnosed with a leak in the radiator? I have to closely monitor the antifreeze level in the reservoir, and the dealer said I might have a leak. I would welcome your comments. Also, has anyone replaced the 55W headlight bulbs themselves? Where did you get the bulbs and how much and did they last?

n0v8or · September 2003

I change them myself, and often.

The replacements from my friendly Volvo dealer last 3-6 months, and the ones from Walmart (half the price) last 6-12 months. In general, twist off the plastic cap, pull off the connector, undo the retainer clip, and withdraw the bulb. Hints . . .
(1) The connector takes a lot more force to remove than you might expect; wear work gloves.
(2) There is not much room for your fingers; I use long-nose pliers to undo the retainer clip.
(3) Use clean cotton or throw-away plactic gloves to handle the new bulb. Body oils will considerably reduce service life if you contact the glass with bare skin.

sparq · September 2003

I've just bought an S80 2000 with 89k miles. While the test rides at the dealer felt smooth, I start feeling the vibrations (apparently coming from the transmission) during the shift from 2nd to 3rd gear now. It looks like the same issue as described in #1299 and #1300.
Has anybody any thoughts about this issue? I have a limited (1 month) warranty from the dealer, so I'd like to know what I can expect.
Thanks.

sparq · September 2003

I have another question regarding my "new" S80 (2000 T6, 89k miles). The noise from the engine is much louder when idle and in low rpm than when above approx. 1k rpm. It's simply a very deep sound that goes away when I kick the accelerator. Is the exhaust system going? Or is this common for the S80 T6? The engine runs very smooth. I love this car, I'm just starting getting affraid of additional servicing costs ...

ohhawk · September 2003

1) Have car in currently waiting for a part (control arm and bushing). This piece apparently became bent enough to cause some rubbing when I initially put the car in gear or put some torque on it when just starting out. Is this covered under warranty. Have 24,500 miles on car and have extended warranty.

2) 30,000 mile maintenance - should I follow the mfg. recommendations on all items to be done or checked? If so, what would you expect the ballpark bill for this service to be?

3) Does Volvo reguire that Volvo dealers all follow some sort of pricing guidelines for work performed or can Volvo dealers charge whatever they choose?

Thanks.

derekchoy · September 2003

I don't know if I had the exact same problem you're describing. My 1999 S80 2.9 hesitated and shifted roughly when I shifted from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd at high rpm (flooring it), especially under high torque condition (uphill start with full acceleration). The problem started at 35k miles.

At the point where you would expect it to shift, it hesitated and vibrated a little bit before it would go on the next higher gear.

I had an excellent dealer which is Lawrence Volvo at Walnut Creek, CA. My very knowledgeable and friendly service advisor Paolo was able to duplicate the problem right away. He called Volvo and Volvo suggested a solenoid replacement. He explained that it would be a waste of time to replace just the solenoid so Volvo agreed to a full tranmission replacement. He ordered the parts and got the work done in 2 days under warranty. Ever since the tranny was replaced, I'm at 70k miles now and I've never had the problem again. !

Good luck!

volvomax · September 2003

1 depends on what caused it to bend.
If you hit something, no its not covered.
If its a defect then its covered.

2 Do the 30K. Plug replacement, tire rotation, filter replacement all worthwhile.

3 There are 2 components to service pricing.
One is the parts cost, which is set by Volvo, plus the dealer markup. Second is the labor time for each operation. Also set by Volvo. Each dealer has there own hourly rate.
If Volvo says that it takes 1.0 hrs to replace a control arm then you pay 1 hrs labor @ the dealers rate.
Volvo doesn't get involved in what the dealers charge for service.

jefff1 · September 2003

My Volvo dealer has been unable to solve this problem since February on my 2000 S-80, T-6. My "Check Engine" light comes on along with the message "Emission System Service Required". He has replaced the Oxygen Sensor three times and the Mass Air Flow Sensor once. Within 50 miles, however, the "Check Engine" light and the message come back on. Otherwise the car is fine. I have about 48,000 miles. Has anyone had a similar experience?

mills01 · September 2003

I was at the dealership and saw something about Premier model. Has this been around or new for 04?

Thanks.

Kirstie_H · September 2003

Don't forget tonight's member-to-member chat -- Our topic tonight is "Warranties: Are they worth it?"

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Drop by for live chat with other members. Hope you can join us!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

volvomax · September 2003

Has been around for a cople of years.
It used to be called the Executive, and last year it was the 75th Anniversary model.
Basically, you get 2 TV's mounted in the headrests, a DVD player, an optional refigerator and a few other toys.

djdanger · September 2003

I just missed the discussions on warranties unfortunately. However, I am wondering where I can purchase warranties if I don't go with the CPO from dealership. BTW, I am looking at buying a 99 S80T. I like them alot but I am thinking after reading several posts I should get either a CPO or the gold warranty I have heard of? Can someone point me in the right direction. I am located in Minnesota.

Kirstie_H · September 2003

Welcome to Town Hall, djdanger. You might want to check out the Finance, Warranty & Insurance message board, where others are talking about warranty purchases. There's even a discussion dedicated to Extended Warranties. Good luck!

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

tollhaus · September 2003

I have had this message for several months now. It was related to the white lights above the license plate. I changed it and still have the message. Other than taking it to a dealer -- over an hour away and horrible hours -- any ideas?

tollhaus · September 2003

The DSTC (DTSC- whatever) light and the DSTC Service Required has come on about once a month since I've owned the car -- about 8 months. In the last month, it's come on closer to once a week. It always goes away when I start the car the next time.
The car is a 2001 S80 2.9 with 32,000 miles.

tollhaus · September 2003

I am stationed in Germany and have a 2001 S80. Does anyone have any suggestions on finding an independent certified mechanic that might not charge me $500 for a routine service?
I'm in Ansbach -- near Nurnberg, just in case anyone knows anything specific. Thanks.

n0v8or · September 2003

This message usually means a bad (or soon to be bad) tail light bulb or poor bulb-to-socket connection. Look carefully, at night, at the tail lights. Because each side has 2 bulbs, it can be difficult to see when just one is out or dimmer than its "twin".

kiiwii · September 2003

...just curious to see what you guys think. The new 04 S80 has LED brake lights. I know it's much durable than the "regular" bulbs. In case if LED bulbs do break, would it be expensive to fix? Do you just replace one single broken bulb or the entire set?

triceratops5 · September 2003

I have a '00 S80 2.9 closing in on both the 4 yr and 50K mark. It hasn't been perfect, but it's been pretty good. Really only 3 problems: (a) clicking from steering column (fixed on second try after first replacing the steering column and then putting some kind of grease in the splines), (b) failure of electric fan at ~45K miles (fixed very quickly by dealer), (c) broken front headlight (annoying because of $350 part cost and $100 labor cost). All in, not terrible for 4 years...though a little nervous now as I go naked off warranty. On balance, quite like the car and hope that I can drive it for another 4 years.

I think that have a very good dealer is critical. I don't think that I would drive Volvos without a dealer that I trusted who was responsive to my problems.

lancerfixer · September 2003

Did you change both bulbs? The way that sensor works (at least in the older Volvos, and I have no reason to believe it has changed) is that it senses a difference in impedance between the two bulb positions. Two bulbs of different brands can cause this impedance mismatch and keep the light on. This drove me batty in my '89 740 until I figured it out. Change BOTH licence plate bulbs with two of the same manufacturer and wattage; I'm willing to bet this will take care of your problem.

eitan56 · September 2003

I posted several weeks ago re. vibration / shudder from transmission on my '99 S80. Larry P advised to seek out software upgrade or solenoid replacement. Thanks for the help Larry.

Went back to dealer who said that software upgrade per prior Volvo bulletin was appropriate fix. Paid $111 not covered by extended wwarranty. Drove out of dealer and condition seemed worse not better. Road test must have been moving my car form garage to lot. Got a refund of my $$. So back I go next week for further investigation of my problem. I noted that a CA poster to this site stated that his dealer actually convinced Vovlo to replace the whole trans not just the solenoid. I would like to avoid dealer's trial & error aproach to this type of repair. Any suggestions on speficic directions to the dealer to repair this problem I do have an extended warranty on my S80 since its a certified pre-owned.

Thanks again to larryp3 and others who previously posted on this topic.

weeoz · September 2003

..re CA dealer,Lawrence Volvo...my 2000 S80 T6 has been in their shop for 13days & counting...so i can't recommend it...the fan relay shorted out, & then interference on am band w/defroster on every time brakes are applied. I bought the car 4 months ago, and its been in the shop off & on for a total of 24 days and counting w/46,000 miles...what a lemon

ohhawk · September 2003

Thanks for the response volvomax. Just to complete the story and offer some positives on dealer service.........dealer replaced both control arms. Only one was defective but they said might as well replace them both. They had never seen defect in this piece previously. All done at no charge along with the alignment.

brt1 · September 2003

My 99 s80 t6 with 69k miles message window is displaying the above message. I looked in owners manual and this message is not listed. Called dealer who said bring it in and we will pull the code. I got check engine light at same time. Car is running fine. Anyone know what is so urgent about a transmission that is working fine and no visible signs of leaking or low fluid? Anyone know how to pull the code or clear the message window once and for all?

joint · October 2003

I have a 2000 S80 T6, about 50,000 miles. The steering has become "less tight" - the car seems to wander a bit. No particular noises that I can discern. It has been aligned - new tires - no help. The dealer service dept is "confused", but wants to replace the "steering wrap" (whatever that is, it's expensive - $1,000).

Anyone have thoughts about steering issues in my year S80 - does this sound familiar? Many thanks.

edn

davant · October 2003

Greetings almighty Volvo experts,

Considering an '04 S60 2.5T w/premium, sport, touring, climate packages, should be available in the low $30's but...

I found an original owner, locally serviced (both times, LOL), too good to be true cream puff S80 T6, loaded (aren't they all?), 17" rims with 16,000 true miles. It has a 100K mi bumper to bumper warranty, probably through Volvo as the owner is well off, imagine that. Owner outgrew it and got an XC90, it's his wifes car, immaculate is an understatement but I have yet to drive it. They're asking $29K but Edmunds and others show it should only be $21.6K private party. Even with the warranty it should top out at about $24K, right?

Obviously this car is a class above, if not several, from even a well dressed S60. The wifey would rather have a smaller one that is new, silly girl. We don't need a mountain charger as FL is pretty flat so I don't mind it might not handle the swoopies like a BMW 7-series. I'm looking for expert and consumer feedback on bargain pricing and reliability (which seems low risk with a super Volvo warranty), please help?

Desperately seeking an S-something,

Davant

landlocked · October 2003

I too had problems with the "position light". I think this light isn't in the tail light at all ... it is the lights just forward from the front doors on either side of the car. If you are still experiencing this problem, check out these lights.

dfried1 · October 2003

Having changed more than one, this is the inside bulb of the two tail light bulbs as you face the back end of the car. I think this message also appears if the bulb base becomes corroded but is still illuminating. Danny

n0v8or · October 2003

I think your Dealer means the "steering rack", which is another name for the rack and pinion steering gear. I would hate to see you go to that expense if there is play in a tie rod or ball joint (which could cause the same "wandering" effect). I advise a second opinion from a front-end specialist before proceeding. An inspection only takes 10 minutes.

eitan56 · October 2003

I've posted 2X previously re. 'shudder' problem with trans. on my 99 S80 with 61K miles. I have VIP extended warranty that covers repairs of damaged parts but not software upgrades. The latter is deemed an 'upgrades.' I paid for one software upgrade that did nothing. I flushed trans fluid that likewise didn't improve the condition. Dealer claims that he is not getting a hard code for trans so warranty company won't pay for diagnostic time. All delear can do is try other software downloads at my personal expense until he hits on one that 'may' work.

I get this condition after the trans is warmed up and at running temp. It doesn't happen when tihe car is cold. I wonder if that is indicative of a solenoid problem or some other mechanical problem, or something that can be alleviated with a software upgrade. I have the warranty company rep coming to see the car next week at the dealer. If I need several software dowwnloads, can I press Volvo to cover it even though factory warranty expire?

If anyone has been down this road, I sure would appreciate any advice you can give me in dealing with the Svc. Mgr and the Warranty company rep. I am getting the the uncomfortable feeling that I may end up without a tangible diagnosis and be at mercy of of dealer to experiment with software with no guaranty of success.

Thanks for letting whine. Love the car, can't take the aggrevation of owning it.

davant · October 2003

Begging for input on post 1327 as the pre-approved loan is getting warm

The quandary:
'01 S-80 T-6, 17K mi, 100K V-warr, clim pkg, immaculate, roughly $24-26K,

or

'04 S-60 2.5T, Sport/Tour/Prem/Clim, w/incen $30K

kiiwii · October 2003

I'd go with the T6 if it has a Volvo ext warranty up to 100k miles. Why? 1.) According to IIHS, NHTSA, and European crash test, S80 has a better score than S60. 2.) S80 has a lot more room. 3.) T6, 268HP, no need to explain on this. 4.) You got the ext warranty to cover u up to 100k.

I buy Volvo only because of the safety. For the safety reason alone, I would choose S80 over S60. This is just my opinion. Hope that helps.

tollhaus · October 2003

I currently have 17 inch wheels on my 2001 S80 and am about to buy new tires. I don't like the looks of the wheels at all (bought the car used and had no say) and I was considering taking this opportunity to get new rims.
I was considering switching to 16" inch wheels to save money on tires since I'll have to spend a whole bunch on new wheels.
Do 16" wheels come standard on the S80 and would switching sizes require any recalibration of the odometer, brakes, DSTC or whatever?
Does anyone have any recommendation for specific tires -- a balance between economics/safety being key, not necessarily looks or performance?
What about rims? Other than going through a dealer? Thanks.

tollhaus · October 2003

Turns out that one of the tail lights was out. Nearly impossible to see. Thanks for the tip. Of course no more than a week after I changed that bulb, the same bulb on the other side of the car is burnt out now. It seems like everyone goes through bulbs like crazy in Volvos, huh? I have.

volvomax · October 2003

16" were standard for the S80.
If you have a T6 stay w/ the 17"s.
The wider footprint of the 17 deals with the engine better than the 16's do.
Have you priced the tires?
I find it hard to believe that you'll save alot by going to 16"s.

bga123 · October 2003

Just checked into that today and found that
a. It can be done but the computer requires a software change to take the dew tire size into account

b. It voids the Volvo Certified Used car warranty. Don't know about original. Apparently the car is warranted only "as inspected" and their paperwork trail tells them what tire size is on there.

xebec · October 2003

I have a 2000 S80, 2.9, got it on the Overseas Delivery plan, and am still in love with the thing. Early on, I had some irritation about paint dings on the trailing edges of doors. Kids, passengers, they just weren't as careful as my wife and I. Parking lots, ferries (Seattle area), parking garages, and diagonal parking on the streets, all were taking a small-chip toll every couple of months. Driver's door was taking hits too, It was worse on this car because of the door's high outward bulge, which so gracefully frames the center doors' inward curve.

A nice solution at my dealer was a strip of 3/16th-inch black beading, extreme U-shaped, with contact cement on the deep inside. It is armor, it solves the problem, does not scratch other cars upon contact, and looks real good with the rest of the cars black vinyl molding-- maybe less so for '03 and on.

If somebody is irritated about these dings, hope this helps.

davant · October 2003

'04 S-80's have $5K cash to dealer now, yippee. Anyone know if the T-6 has any/more? For instance, the S-60's 2.5/2.5T/T5 have $3/4/5K dealer cash respectively. If this pattern holds true the S-80 T-6 should have $6K back (to the dealer) and maybe even $7K on the premier (out of my range).

Considering stepping up to a new 80 versus a 60 as with the incentives it's not far from what I'd pay for a 60 without them. If the T-6 has an even bigger incentive, it's on the agenda. I've driven an '01 S-80 T-6; what a car, effortless acceleration. Anyone have an opinion on the S-80 2.9? Is 194 HP enough to make this 3,583 pound luxury car feel lively albeit not a turbo? Not looking for that whoosh head thrust that comes with the T-6, just don't want to have to push it too hard when passing or pulling into traffic.

dmarcus48 · October 2003

I have an 03 2.9 s80. The car is no slouch, while it could not be called quick off the line, (its not slow, but certaintly not fast), let's call it lively. On the highway the car is definitely quick. Acceleration on is very smooth. Would I like a T6, yes, but the 2.9 is fine. I guess it depends on you r budget. At the time I got mine my lease price was $1160 down and $393 per for 42 months, the T6 was over $500 and my wife was not happy about it. "why do you need such a fast car???"

davant · October 2003

Thanks for your opinion, I was hoping I heard from current owners. We really don't need a T-6, it's more of a want, but once I drove one I was in love. I don't think there are any T-6 incentives right now, if there were, we'd consider one. Not thinking about leasing so the difference between models due to the $5K 2.9 cashback is roughly $7K or about $130/month, not good but not a showstopper here.

Seems the average MSRP difference from the 2.9 to the T-6 is $3K. If Volvo would at least offer $5K back on the T-6 the gap would remain constant and there'd be one more T-6 owner, me!

We'll probably choose the 2.9 and plan on test driving soon. Any other owners or savvy Volo-ites out there?

Volvo S80

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles