1999 Volvo S80 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S80 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 199 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Volvo S80. That ranks 2nd out of 18 S80 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (53 complaints, 27%), typically at around 84,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 199owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Volvo S80 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 53 | 27% | 84,000 | “throttle module” (28%) | — |
| Electrical System | 35 | 18% | 70,565 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 33 | 17% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 13% | 87,695 | — | — |
| Suspension | 24 | 12% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 9% | 75,100 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 8% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 15 | 8% | 75,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% | 109,428 | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 4% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 3% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 3% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 3% | 100,762 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 2% | 61,189 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 2% | 116,149 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 2% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 128,855 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 93,320 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 112,928 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 1% | 168,083 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Volvo S80 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration may cause a warning lamp to light and the subsequent onset of limp home modes.
Risk: This resulted in a high number of vehicles going into the limp home mode without need.
Fix: Dealers will install the current software upgrade onto the involved vehicles. The recall began on december 29, 2006. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan
Problem: On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, under certain operating conditions, some electric cooling fans may overheat potentially causing heat damage and, in rare instances, a fire in the engine compartment.
Risk: A fire in the engine compartment could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the cooling fan. The recall began on november 29, 2004. Customers should contact volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan
Problem: On some passenger vehicles, certain electric cooling fans could be inadequate in a hot climate. Under certain circumstances, excessive heat could be generated.
Risk: Should this occur, the engine cooling fan components could overheat and cause the melting of electrical connections and adjacent components, increasing the likelihood of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine cooling fan. Owner notification began april 1, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Suspension:front:control arm:upper ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Over time, the ball joint between the front wheel king pin and the suspension link arm, can experience increased looseness.
Risk: This condition could affect the ball joint's durability and performance.
Fix: Dealers will replace both front ball joints.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Throttle control malfunction (EA05021) — opened Dec 6, 2005, closed Dec 12, 2006, led to recall 06V441000.
- Throttle control malfunction (PE05041) — opened Jul 26, 2005, closed Dec 7, 2005.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The ETM is acting up for no reason available
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
Theres a recent recall on the airbags of the 1999 s80 volvo that we need our airbags replaced because its a hazard that can lead up to death. Also the electricity keeps zapping down from the car creating no starts or very poor driving, i almost was stranded because the car seems like it wanted to…
Ecm
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volvo s80. While stationary, the vehicle leaked fuel onto the ground. Wallace volvo in stuart, florida diagnosed the vehicle as having a mass air flow failure. The vehicle was repaired by don imports auto service in vero beach, florida. In addition, while driving 2 mph…
Other Volvo S80 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 S80 | 6 | 2 |
| 2015 S80 | 7 | 2 |
| 2014 S80 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 S80 | 8 | 3 |
| 2012 S80 | 8 | 3 |
| 2011 S80 | 5 | 4 |
| 2010 S80 | 27 | 5 |
| 2009 S80 | 16 | 5 |
| 2008 S80 | 26 | 7 |
| 2007 S80 | 24 | 5 |
| 2006 S80 | 12 | 3 |
| 2005 S80 | 15 | 5 |
| 2004 S80 | 50 | 4 |
| 2003 S80 | 26 | 5 |
| 2002 S80 | 42 | 4 |
| 2001 S80 | 164 | 7 |
| 2000 S80 | 318 | 4 |
| 1999 | 199 | 4 |
See all Volvo S80 problems by year, every Volvo model, or the Volvo VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Volvo S80?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 53 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Volvo S80?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Volvo S80 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S80 model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.