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1999 Volvo S80Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 199 owner complaints about the 1999 Volvo S80, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

19
CarFlaw IndexYear to avoid4.2× the S80 median · #2 of 12 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints19915 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage84kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 31, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1999 Volvo S80 has problems

199 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control532
Electrical system353
Engine and engine cooling332
Fuel system, gasoline261
Suspension241
Service brakes, hydraulic170
Steering161
Power train151
Air bags104
14 other systems463

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

1999 Volvo S80 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 06V-441 · Nov 15, 2006 · 170,099 vehicles

Risk. THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Cooling system: fan

Recall 02V-096 · Apr 7, 2002 · 25,876 vehicles

Risk. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN COMPONENTS COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE MELTING OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND ADJACENT COMPONENTS, INCREASING THE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volvo.

Mileage at failure

When do vehicle speed control problems start?

84kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 39 vehicle speed control complaints. 59% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles23under 100k miles16100k miles or more
Best & worst years

1999 vs. every other S80 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the S80 median. How we score

'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1999 Volvo S80 safety ratings

1999 Volvo S80 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

1999 Volvo S80 side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1999 Volvo S80, and the recalls they led to.

  1. THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONEA05021 · closed Dec 12, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-441
  2. THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE05041 · closed Dec 7, 2005
    No recall
In owners' words

What S80 owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHEN IM DRIVING AND HAVE TO COME TO A SLOW STOP IM HEARING THE MASTER CYLINDER SOUND LIKE ITS RUBBING AGAINST SOMETHING LOUDLY EVEN WITH THE APPROPRIATE BRAKE FLUID AND MEASURE IS FILLED WITHIN IT, ALSO THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS HOT AIR DURING THE SUMMER CAUSING THE CAR TO FAIL DURING HOT WEATHER
Complaint 11373727 · Nov 9, 2020 · 128,855 miles
WHILE WE WERE TRY I G TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE WE WERE TEST DRIVING IT A D CAME TO A FULL STOP AT A STOPLIGHT SIGNAL AND COULD NOT DOWNSHIFT VEHICLE INTO 1ST GEAR FROM A STOP AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS AT NORMAL RUNNING TEMPERATURE. CAUSING IT TO GO I TO A LIMP HOME MODE. SO WHILE WE WERE DRIVING WE…
Complaint 10823300 · Jan 31, 2016 · 143,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OPERATE ROUGHLY AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS…
Complaint 10820242 · Jan 14, 2016

Own a 1999 S80?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.