The 2003 Volvo S80 has 5 recalls and 26 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.
Pictured: a 2002 model; the 2003 may differ in details. Photo: 2002 Volvo S80 by MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2003 compares
High
Fewest complaintsMost complaints
High complaint count among 17 S80 model years — 6th most.
5recalls
26complaints
1crashes
1fires
4injuries
56,000median miles
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.
Does your car have an open recall? Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
Problem: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2006 S80 and 2001-2009 S60 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy & notes
Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10125.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Air Bags
Nov 4, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V681000 · 54,124 vehicles
Problem: Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2003 S80 and S60 vehicles sold or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The driver side frontal air bag inflator may rupture, sending metal fragments into the passage compartment, when the driver side air bag is deployed.
Risk: Metal fragments can strike vehicle occupants increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
Remedy & notes
Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10058.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Equipment
Nov 8, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V566000 · 416 vehicles
Problem: Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.
Original NHTSA wording
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Risk: An overheated battery could lead to a fire.
Original NHTSA wording
AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy & notes
Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on November 18, 2010. Owners May contact garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.
Volvo safety recall no. R231.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Fuel System
Dec 18, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V483000 · 158,733 vehicles
Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 S80, model year 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 and model year 2003-2005 XC90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and the u.s. Territories. When exposed to certain environmental conditions (hot climate and temperature cycling) over time and in combination with varying fuel quality, the fuel pump can develop cracks in the fuel pump flange.
Original NHTSA wording
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2005 S80, MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 XC90 VEHICLES SOLD IN OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA AND THE U.S. TERRITORIES. WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (HOT CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CYCLING) OVER TIME AND IN COMBINATION WITH VARYING FUEL QUALITY, THE FUEL PUMP CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE.
Risk: If the condition occurs vehicle owners May notice fuel smell and/or fuel leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Original NHTSA wording
IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy & notes
Dealers will inspect the fuel pump installed in the vehicle, and if necessary replace the fuel pump with a part of a modified design. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on January 15, 2010. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Volvo safety recall no. R220.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Equipment
Aug 1, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V284000 · 220,407 vehicles
Problem: Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.
Original NHTSA wording
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Original NHTSA wording
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy & notes
Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual May be provided. If the owner wants to take their vehicle to a Volvo dealer for installation of the guide, it will be performed at no charge to the owner. Owner notification began on December 19, 2003. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Volvo recall no. 124.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.
Complaints by year filed
2003 vs. other Volvo S80 years
Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.
Questions
Does the 2003 Volvo S80 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Volvo S80, the latest from Sep 30, 2021 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Volvo S80?
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (8), electrical system (4), service brakes (4). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.
Recalls by Model
