Recalls: Volvo Mk.2 S80
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Volvo Mk.2 S80
2007-08 model year Volvo S80: windscreen wipers may malfunction
In April 2009, a recall was issued for model year 2007 and 2008 Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with an alarm and in the VIN range 000347 to 051006. For these vehicles, a deviation in the Central Electronic Module (CEM) software may affect the functionality of the windscreen wipers. In this situation, the wipers may be activated independently of the driver and may fail to respond to the driver’s command (PRA 2009/10773).
2008-09 Volvo S80: cooling fan may stop working
In June 2009, a recall was issued for model year 2008 and 2009 Volvo S80 vehicles in the VIN range 072999 to 99920. For these vehicles, the engine cooling fan may permanently stop working due to a software error in the Fan Control Module (FCM). If the fan stopped, it may caused reduced air conditioning performance and the driver will be informed of the increased coolant temperature by a yellow information lamp in the Driver Information Module (DIM) with the ‘reduce speed’ text message. If the engine temperature continued to rise, the red warning lamp would illuminate with text instructions to stop the car safely (PRA 2009/10870).
Volvo S80 T6: fuel pump may not work properly
In September 2009, a recall was issued for Volvo S80 models fitted with the T6 engine and in the VIN range 0048002 to 0116010. For these vehicles, fuel Pump Electronic Module (PEM) may not operate as intended and inhibit the start of the fuel pump – this could cause the engine not to start, start roughly and/or run roughly at idle. Furthermore, the engine may also stop shortly after start-up which may cause stalling (PRA 2009/11056).
2007-08 model year Volvo S80 D5: premature belt tensioner wear
In April 2010, a recall was issued for model year 2007 and 2008 Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with a diesel engine and in the VIN range 000862 to 082770. In these vehicles, the belt tensioner may experience premature wear. In this situation, the driver may hear greater noise from the engine bay; at worst, there could be a loss of drive, power steering assistance and immobility of the vehicle (PRA 2010/11583).
2009 model year Volvo S80 D5: premature belt tensioner wear
In June 2010, a recall was issued for 2009 model year Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with a D5 diesel engine and in the VIN range 087016 to 106230. In these vehicles, the belt tensioner may experience premature wear. In this situation, the driver may hear greater noise from the engine bay; at worst, there could be a loss of drive, power steering assistance and immobility of the vehicle (PRA 2010/11694).
2009-10 model year Volvo S80 D5: premature belt tensioner wear
In October 2011, a recall was issued for 2009 and 2010 model year Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with the 2.4-litre diesel engine and in the VIN range 106231 to 132907. In these vehicles, the auxiliary belt tensioner may experience premature wear, leading to excessive noise, a loss of power-steering assistance and immobilisation of the vehicle (PRA 2011/12871).
2010-11 model year Volvo S80: airbag may not deploy
In October 2010, a recall was issued for model year 2010 and 2011 Volvo S80 models in the VIN range 123254 to 136536. For these vehicles, there may be an electrical short circuit in the driver’s airbag clockspring wiring connector. If the deviation occurred, the supplement restraint system (SRS) light would be constantly lit and the message ‘airbag system service required’ would be displayed in the Driver Information Module (DIM). If the driver ignores the warning, the airbag may not deploy as intended – or at all – in the event of a collision (PRA 2010/12059).
2011 model year Volvo S80: fuel cut-off malfunction
In November 2010, a recall was issued for model year 2011 Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with a six cylinder petrol engine and in the VIN range 134112 to 141219. For these vehicles, the software calibration for fuel cut-off functionality in the engine control module (ECM) and the transmission control module (TCM) is too sensitive. As a result, the engine idle speed may drop during city driving and cause the engine to suddenly stop. While the driver will be able to restart the vehicle, the driver will need to depress the accelerator pedal further than normal to drive the vehicle. The driver may also find the gear engagement harsh and the transmission operation noisy (PRA 2010/12144).
2009-10 Volvo S80 Diesel: engine failure
In January 2011, a recall was issued for 2009 and 2010 model Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with a five cylinder diesel engine and in the VIN range 087016 to 132885. For these vehicles, the engine oil level may exceed the maximum level marking, leading to increased engine speed. At worst, the engine may not stop running when it is switched off and may continue to run until the engine breaks down (PRA 2011/12256).
2007 model year Volvo S80 3.2i: loss of power steering assistance
In July 2011, a recall was issued for 2007 model year Volvo S80 vehicles fitted with the 3.2-litre petrol engine and in the VIN range 000001 to 046266. For these vehicles, the power steering return line may fail due to incorrect routing of the power steering cooling line. If this occurred, there may be a sudden loss of power steering fluid and power steering assistance. Furthermore, the power steering fluid may ignite, causing a fire in the engine bay (PRA 2011/12747).
Volvo Mk.2 S80: front seatbelt fasteners
In August 2020, recall campaign R10029 was issued for Volvo Mk.2 S80 vehicles. In these vehicles, the flexible steel cable that was connected to the outboard side of the front seatbelts may fatigue and separate from the seatbelt. If this occurred, the occupant would not be properly restrained and this increased the risk of injury or death in the event of a collision. For this recall, replacement parts were not expected to be available until after October 2020 and owners were to be advised – in writing – of how to secure the front seatbelt while waiting for those parts to arrive. When the parts became available, the seatbelt fasteners were to be replaced. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18415.
Problems and faults: Volvo Mk.2 S80
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
2007-11 Volvo S80 3.2 and T6: excessive oil consumption, white exhaust smoke and low/uneven idle
In April 2012, Volvo issued Technical Journal 24643 for 2007-11 Volvo Mk.2 S80 3.2 and T6 variants that had engines manufactured prior to 4 May 2011. According to the Technical Journal, these vehicles may exhibit the following symptoms:
- Low oil level;
- Excessive oil consumption;
- Poor idle quality;
- White smoke from the exhaust;
- An oil smell; and/or
- Illumination of the yellow warning symbol and ‘Low oil level’ or ‘Oil level low’ messages in the Driver information Module (SIM).
To determine if the vehicle had an oil consumption condition,
- The engine should be inspected for external leakage on and around the engine, especially around the cylinder head/cam cover/timing cover area. If an external leakage was present, then the following steps were not applicable;
- An oil consumption test could be performed if there was no prior record of low oil levels and oil being added between service intervals;
- The spark plugs were to be examined for evidence of previous oil over-filling since this could be the cause of DTCs related to oil consumption (specifically DTC P030000 and/or P030600). As the Technical Journal acknowledged, these engines were susceptible to over-filling since it was difficult to easily check the oil level with the dipstick;
- A cylinder leakage test was to be performed to determine if oil consumption was coming from an area other than the cam cover;
- If the cylinder leakage tests were OK and if the spark plug from cylinder #6 had more soot than the others, this suggested that the cam cover was not properly sealed from the factory. If so, the cam cover was to be removed so that the sealing surface could be inspected. If the sealing surface was discoloured by oil, it was most likely that there was a leak between the cam cover and the cylinder head in the area facing the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) channel which connected the breather box and the PCV gallery. To fix, the cam cover was to be re-sealed. The cam cover seal was improved at engine production date 15 April 2010 (15041000001); and,
- If the cylinder leakage tests were OK and there was a spark plug from a cylinder other than #6 which had more soot than the others, then the valve guides were to be inspected. Valve guide leakage was most commonly found when there was excessive white smoke from the exhaust and had been observed on engines with build dates before 4 May 2011 (040511B01272). Each valve guide was to be tested by removing the cam cover, removing the valve tappets, plugging all but one intake port and plugging all intake ports, injector ports and the PCV inlet. Air pressure could then be applied to one intake port at a time and, by using automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for colour differentiation, ripples or bubbles in the ATF would indicate a leak that required the cylinder head to be replaced.
Please note that the testing procedure described above differs for models that have B6324S4 PZEV (‘Engine 94’) or B6324S2 PZEV (‘Engine 96’) engines – these may require new pistons and oil control rings. For information on those engines, please refer to Technical Journal 24643.
2007-13 Volvo S80: rear suspension noise or pulling across the road
In November 2012, Volvo Cars North America issued Technical Journal (TJ) 25336 for 2007-13 Volvo S80 vehicles. According to TJ 25336, the front bushing in the rear longitudinal stay could fail due to corrosion of the bushing’s outer metal ring and this would cause the vulcanised rubber to loosen. If this occurred, the vehicle may exhibit the following symptoms:
- A knocking or clunking noise from the rear suspension when driving on uneven roads;
- The vehicle pulling or drifting across the road (to the right or left) due to rear wheel camber being out of specification; or,
- Unstable rear suspension on curvy roads.
To fix vehicles with these symptoms, the bushing was to be replaced; after installation of the bushing, rust-proofing wax was to be sprayed on the outer metal ring of the bushing. To prevent this problem from occurring in future vehicles, waxed bushings which were less susceptible to corrosion were introduced in production from mid-March 2012.
Volvo S80 AWD: contact between exhaust and driveshaft
For Volvo S80 AWD models, a squealing or rubbing noise that occurs after driving through a puddle is caused by the exhaust pipe temporarily warping and touching the driveshaft. An additional exhaust hanger can be fitted to solve the problem.
Volvo S80: emissions may exceed European limits
In 2010, Volvo UK issued a ‘non-code action’ for certain Volvo S80 vehicles because their emissions may exceed European legal requirements (NCA/2010/020); no further information was provided.
In 2011, Volvo UK issued another ‘non-code action’ for a small number of Volvo S80 vehicles because its emissions may exceed its official specifications (NCA 2011/005); no further information was provided.
2015 Volvo S80 with I4 engine, stop/start and automatic transmissions: engine may not restart
In 2015, Volvo UK issued a ‘non-code action’ for 2015 Volvo S80 vehicles that had:
- Four-cylinder engines with stop/start functionality;
- Automatic transmissions; and,
- VINs in the range YV1AS40LDG1195001 to YV140MAM1G1196376.
For affected Volvo S80 vehicles, a starter motor fuse could fail due to becoming overloaded and this could prevent the engine from restarting after it had shut down as part of its stop/start operation. For these vehicles, the starter motor fuse was to be replaced by an upgraded fuse (NCA/2015/019). It is understood that these vehicles were manufactured from 8 April 2015 to 19 August 2015.
In the USA, a recall was issued for this fault (NHTSA Recall Number 15V-555); no such recall, however, has been issued in Australia or the UK.
2015 model year Volvo S80 T5: oil leakage from VVT pulley
In October 2016, Volvo issued Technical Journal TJ 29131.5.0 for 2015 model year Volvo S80 T5 vehicles with B4204T11 or T12 engines. In these vehicles, the driver may receive a low oil level warning in the Driver Information Module (DIM) and/or notice oil leakage from the engine. According to the Technical Journal, these symptoms may be due crack in the plug from the Variable Valve Timing (VVT) pulley. To fix, the two plugs in both of the VVT pulleys were to be replaced.
2015-16 model year Volvo S80 T5: excessive oil consumption
In April 2016, Volvo issued Technical Journal TJ-31216 for 2015-16 model year Volvo S80 T5 vehicles with the B4204T11 or B4204T12 engines. According to the Technical Journal, these vehicles may experience high oil consumption – this may be indicated by the driver receiving the ‘low oil level’ message in the Driver Information Module (DIM). To fix, new pistons and piston rings were to be fitted – this required the cylinder head and balance shafts to be removed. The part number for the piston kit was 31493184.
From engine serial number 1501327, engines were fitted with these revised pistons and piston rings from the factory.
Volvo Mk.2 S80: other problems and faults
- If the key occasionally gets stuck in the ignition, there may be a problem with the shifter cable.
- Rattling noises may come from the B-pillars unless fastening tape is applied to the underside of the pillar.
- Unwanted noises may come from the speakers if an auxiliary music player is used. A revised cable for the wiring harness was subsequently released to fix this problem, though the audio module may also require replacement.
- The buttons for the CD player may become jammed behind the faceplate, requiring the tape behind the plate to be removed.
