Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||||
| 2314 | 07/31/2002 | 2314 | 635257 | Information on diagnosing a stuck purge valve.*tt | 10/21/2002 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||||
| 23-31 | 04/16/2008 | 10023657 | New fuel pump for starting problems when parked downhill. *nj updated 6/5/08. *nj | 01/22/2008 | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - FILLER PIPE AND CAP | |||||
| 2230038 | 06/01/1999 | 605939 | Information on special tool - fuel cap, test equipment. *tt | 08/02/1999 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||
| 11/01/2010 | 105000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1999 volvo s80. while the vehicle was parked the contact smelled a strong fuel odor in the vehicle. the smell was coming from the rear end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic stated the fuel pump was fractured and had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 105,000. rvk | |||
| 07/22/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1999 volvo s80. while driving at approximately 60 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. a road side assistance technician inspected the vehicle and stated the fuel tank was empty. the contact stated the fuel gauge did not read empty at the time the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. the vin was not available.the approximate failure mileage 70,000. ds | |||
| 03/28/2011 | 90326 | ||
| Hello, i recently purchased used 99 volvo s80 t6 - vin yv1ts90d1x1016804. a friend was standing next to my parked car last week, started to light a cigarette, and i stopped him because i smelled a strong gasoline vapor. looking under the car, there was what looked to be about 2 cups of raw gas about 1/2' in and in front of the passenger rear tire. aside from the obvious loss of a vehicle, we could very easily have become a burn statistic or worse, and that likely would extend to all tof he other people who were standing nearby. at the time. an internet search for volvo s80 fuel leak that evening yielded multiple results that indicated this is commonly reported problem on all s-80 models, and that a recall was in effect for 2002 and newer vehicles to replace the fuel pump due to failure with hairline cracks in the nozzle connecting to the return line, causing a lot of fuel to spray under the car below the rear seat, since the return line is under high pressure at all times. here is but one link on this safety problem and recall - http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25517. upon opening the access panel to view the top of the fuel pump, it was clearly evident that my car has the exact same problem as described in the recall notice. i called volvo customer service (800 458 1552) and was told there are no active recalls matching my vin. i pushed about the recall and they finally agreed it is a well known problem but the recall doesn't apply to 99-01 models, even though they also agreed that they use exactly the same pump and configuration. i was also told that volvo doesn't have a phone number for nhtsa! someone is going to get seriously injured or killed because of this catastrophic fuel system failure, so please, please, please, expand this recall for all years and models of volvo that use this known defective component. thank you. robert willis (willis21050@verizon.net) | |||
| 12/13/2008 | 107396 | ||
| Tl*the contact owned a 1999 volvo s80. the contact stated that there was a fuel leaking into the air ventilation system. the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired; however, there are no existing recalls or related warranties. the contact is responsible for the repair costs. there was also a problem with the throttle body. the failure mileage was 107,396. | |||
| 07/10/2009 | 178900 | 1 | |
| We live in a mountainous rural area and i was going grocery shopping in the afternoon. my car seemed to be running fine. after i buckled my two children into their carseats and loaded my car with my bags of groceries, the car didn't have the power to get out of the parking lot. it wouldn't accelerate. i put it in 1st gear and it was not revving up. i managed to get on the main road and before an uphill grade, i knew that the car was unsafe to go and it wouldn't make it up the hill. i stopped on the side of the road, barely enough room for me to pull over. i called my husband to come get me and the kids. he was on his way. cars were speeding past us and i didn't feel we were in a safe place. i thought i should try to move the car to someone's driveway and get off the main road. after some time passed, i started the car again, it was revving. i took a chance to make it up the hill. i called my husband and told him our route. we made it home. i remembered that we received a recall notice dated march 16, 2009. i pulled it out of the glove compartment and called turner volvo to arrange to have it fixed. they told me that the timeframe had expired 5 months ago, even though we are under 200,000 miles. when i researched this recall, i realized how flimsy it is. yes the software for this car was installed 7/28/06 by the 1st owner, but the throttle wasn't failing so they didn't fix it in 2006. volvo cars of n.a. said it is only repaired when it fails. so here we are in 2009 and this failed part wasn't fix in 2006? me and my children were stranded on a hot july day on a rural road. volvo knows this is an emergency issue, yet they have not and will not proactively fix it. in this recall #155, it says that this condition could cause an unsafe situation and possibly a crash. recall #155 needs to have more teeth in it. they have to fix it. my sister bought our s70 from us and i have warned her about this situation so that she doesn't wind up in danger. *tr | |||
| 06/05/2008 | 100031 | 1 | |
| Investigated gasoline odor in/around car. resulting inspection found significant gas leak on top side of fuel tank - passenger side. further inspection by repair shop revealed cracked fuel pump fitting that when powered sprayed fuel on underside of vehicle. fuel spray / vapors were reaching close to if not in contact with hot exhaust components. in addition to dangers (to vehicle occupants) related to inhalation of gas fumes this failure resulting in a critical and potentially catastrophic risk or fire/explosion. repair involved replacement of fuel pump assembly, approximately $700. bottom line - this is a completely unacceptable failure at any mileage and could have resulted in injury or loss of life. further, it appears that this is not an isolated issue (from reading other complaints filed with nhtsa) and one that must be immediately addressed to prevent further failure(s) with significant potential for loss of life. old part is available for inspection upon request. *tr | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - CARBURETOR SYSTEM | |||
| 10/01/2099 | |||
| My car has a design flaw regarding the air intake tube. it protrudes approximately 3 below the surface of the car. i have read accounts by other owners who, while parking their cars, gently struck the cement block while pulling into a parking spot. this caused the air intake tube to be forced upwards, into the serpentine belt, causing it to jump off the track and ultimately cause massive engine damage totalling over $3,000. i have verified that new 2002 volvo s80's feature a completely redesigned air intake tube, signaling the manufacturer's recognition of the design flaw. i contacted my dealer, but he was unwilling to perform the simple operation of cutting the protruding tube and securing it as it is not a volvo-authorized repair. i really hope that nhtsa will force volvo to recall affected cars and make a simple modification that is preventative and could save owners thousands of dollars in unnecesary reparis. nlm | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY | |||
| 07/03/2003 | 85064 | 4 | 03/10/2002 |
| Prior to the failure, the idle of the car would surge up and down at an idle between 500-1500 rpm's. trying to park the car the car would jump forward at each surge. a couple of times as my wife was driving the car died on her, one time around a corner and she could hardly steer. the car would only surge if the foot was off the throttle, therefore it would stall as you tried to corner or went to hit the brake. another time it stalled was in a traffic slow down on the freeway. the part finally failed one day when the car just would not start. we had to have it towed to the dealer where they replaced the throttle control. two more times after the tc was replaced the car started to surge again. at those times as soon as the car started to surge i brought to the dealer. because it was the same part that was replaced there was no charge. the dealer told me they must have been defective parts. one more time the car did the same thing and i returned to the dealer and once again they supposedly replaced the tc and told me that the flame trap was the cause of all the problems and needed to be replaced. since they wanted another $1000 to replace that part i decided i would do it myself. the dealer told me they would not warranty the tc anymore. after i replaced the flame trap, which there was nothing wrong with it, 6 months later the car started again with the same problem all aver again. that's where i am at now. originally when the car died and was towed to the dealer it cost me $1390. they replaced the mass air flow sensor $222.53, the throttle body $573.10, gasket $3.44, etm reload $35.75, labor $439.75 and tax. this occurred on july 3, 2003. the car then went in several times for the same thing with the last being may 18, 2004. and now we are back to the same problem again!!! *nm | |||
| 08/02/2001 | 2 | 10/01/1998 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||
| 10/14/2005 | 62208 | 1 | 10/28/1998 |
| Fuel odor in vehicle, and fuel leaking under vehicle. fuel pump assembly has stress cracked at fuel pressure line. fuel pump assembly required to repair leak. replaced fuel pump. *jb | |||
| 07/06/2005 | 139000 | 6 | 06/06/2004 |
| Vehicle loses all power at highway speeds. feels like it stalls out or suddenly runs out of gas. *jb | |||
| 07/13/2005 | 1 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Dt: consumer states he is a certified mechanic and has two separate vehicles that are the same make and model with the same problem. the combination unit of the fuel pump assembly has a massive leak. there is a crack in the fuel pump assembly that is caused by the stress from the fuel line. with enough pressure over time it will cause this crack. the fuel pump assembly will have to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 07/13/2005 | 1 | 09/09/1998 | |
| Dt: consumer stated he is a certified mechanic and has two separate vehicles that are the same make and model with the same problem. the combination unit of the fuel pump assembly has a massive leak. there is a crack in the fuel pump assembly that is caused by stress from the fuel line. with enough pressure over time it will cause this crack. the fuel pump assembly will have to be replaced. *jb | |||
| 11/09/2004 | 37100 | 1 | 04/28/1999 |
| Fuel pump crack causing gas to be sprayed on underside of auto when ignition is on. gas fumes in garage following parking of auto. major risk of fire/explosion possible caused by defective fuel pump. auto is five + years old with 37,100 miles. volvo dealer replaced fuel pump at charge of $592. *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 08/13/2004 | 76000 | 8 | 03/09/1999 |
| Major safety problems and possible fire hazard: the 1999 is hard to start and has to be cranked for about a minute before it starts, and we also smell gas when we stopped the car (by the fuel filler).*ak i took the car to union park spent $300. thinking it needed a tune up. still the problem exists. i took the car back to union park and i was advised that the problem is a leak in the vent tube off the gas tank. when the key is turned on, the electric fuel pump primes the line. however, since there is a leak in the vent tube this sucks in air and prevents the gas from going to the fuel injectors, then the fumes exit out the vent. i was advised that the vent tube is not a replaceable part and that i will have to buy a new gas tank with vent tube at the cost of $1,081.30. i feel that this is a design problem and should be paid for by volvo. other vehicles have this as a two piece unit and the tube can be replaced at a lower expense, less than $150.00. i also feel that this is a safety problem; if some one was smoking near the rear of the car a fire could start. i have reported this to the national dot safety board. front end parts, stearing i have also had problems with the front end parts, ball joints replaced, upper strut bushing replaced and now they tell me that the sway bar links need to be replaced at a cost of $192.04, i feel that this car is a lemon. in the past two years i have spent $3000. to fix items which should not have broken with normal driving usage. i always bought volvo's because they were reliable.this car is a major headache. the electrical system has one problem after another. the door locks need fixing or replacement for the third time. the problem with the fuel valve is a design problem and a huge safety concern. since ford took over volvo, the car has gone from an extremely safe and reliable means of transportation to a constant worry about safety and maintenance and a money pit. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | |||
| 03/13/2006 | 1 | 04/01/2004 | |
| 1999 volvo s80 t6 3/08/06 replaced transmission ( 75,000 miles) ( $4,800) 08/05 replace radiator 08/05 replaced etm 04 - replaced front suspension / sway bars / struts/ etc.. volvo under engineered the front end of this car and if you go to web blogs it is in almost every 1999 - 2000 s-80 vehicle... its disgusting that this car is allowed to continue or ford/ volvo isn't held liable...*jb | |||
| 09/20/2005 | 100575 | 3 | |
| (1) on more than one occasion the volvo s80 has had shuttering of the engine at idle. (2) on more than one occasion the volvo s80 has placed the occupants at risk of bodily injury due to the loss of power and sudden acceleration in high traffic situations. (3) the volvo s80 has been to the dealer on two occasions - the first occasion, i believe the throttle body components were cleaned and the warning light reset - the second and latest visit, on sept 21, i was informed that the throttle body needed to be replaced at an approximate cost of $850 and that my abs brake module also needed to be replaced at an approximate cost of $830.*jb | |||
| 08/28/2003 | 63935 | 1 | |
| My 1999 vovlo s80 engine began surging when coming to a stop. the idle would bounce up and down by itself from 500 - 1500rpm. the car finaly set dheck engine codes that indicated that the mass air flow sensor had failed. replacing maf corrected the issue, however the car has been showing signs of the same failure again. first maf unit was replaced on august 28, 2003 with 63,935 miles, now at 104,380 the same issues have begun to re-appear. it appears to me that the current design of the 1999 s80 maf has a design flaw that limits its useful life. i have never had to replace a maf sensor before now i am looking at a re-occurance on the same vehicle. | |||
| 07/06/2005 | 159000 | 5 | 01/05/2004 |
| 1999 volvo s80 t6, sudden loss of speed when driving in highway traffic, with sudden partial and at times complete stall w/out warning. this has happened five times, twice i had to be towed. extensive work has been done on the etm by two very good volvo service departments, but the problem persists and is a mystery as to what to do about it. this is very frustrating - i need this car to work!! *jb | |||
| 08/11/2000 | 3 | ||
| Dealer advised car had a defective steering rack, which was replaced along with associated o rings. eleven days after warranty work was completed, owner was driving vehicle when the car caught on fire. fire was attributed to a crimped o-ring. dealer replaced the o-ring and has been test driving vehicle since then. the o-ring has crimped again recreating the same scenario. owner is now in the middle between dealer and volvo pointing fingers at each other. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM - FUEL RAIL | |||
| 08/24/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any speed vehicle stalled, and then won't start again. vehicle was towed to the dealership. floor manager indicated, a pipe on the fuel rail broke and needed to be replaced at consumer's expense of $1200. consumer indicated the fuel tank/fuel pump, and fuel rail was just one unit. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 08/24/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at any speed vehicle stalled, and then won't start again. vehicle was towed to the dealership. floor manager indicated, a pipe on the fuel rail broke and needed to be replaced at consumer's expense of $1200. consumer indicated the fuel tank/fuel pump, and fuel rail was just one unit. *ak | |||
| 11/24/2001 | 1 | 05/16/1999 | |
| While driving 55-60 mph, brakes were pulsating, after applying brakes again noticed brakes were fading. consumer pulled over and noticed rotors were red hot. dealer replaced front rotors and pads.*ak the gas tank had a defect that would cause a vacuum leak. the front suspension makes a cracking noise when turning due to ball joint failure. the gear shifter switch makes loud clicking noise. the rear passenger door handle could not be opened from outside. automatic transmission had slippage and shudder while up shifting, creating a vehicle loss of control. passenger side rear seat backrest cushion makes noise due to loose clips. the front passenger window developed a wind noise due to defective window seals. due to design fault, the upper torque mount bushing cracked. the driver side front headlight lens broke. the consumer is asking for a full refund of the actual price paid for the vehicle or for it to be replaced with a new equally equipped vehicle. *yh | |||
| 08/19/2000 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| While attempting to fill the fuel tank (3/4 empty, 112 degrees f), the tank would not accept fuel. i removed the nozzle to see if the filler was obstructed, and a geyser of pressurized gasoline was ejected from the filler neck lasting about five seconds, and drenching my clothing and the ground in a puddle of gasoline. fortunately there were no ignition sources present . | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - FILLER PIPE AND CAP | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 54000 | 1 | |
| My 1999 volvo s80 simply decided to stall while i was merging into traffic. i was able to avoid an accident. a message came on the dash that stated that i needed an urgent service visit for my emission system. the volvo dealership charged me $1,000 to replace the electronic throttle. a second defect of this car is a leaking fuel sender assembly which was a fire hazard. about $700 to repair. i emailed and called volvo regarding both of these items. they have never responded. *nm | |||
| 08/01/1999 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| When vehicle turns left steering wheel binds up. steering wheel does not allow vehicle to make a full left turn. while attempting to turn left, vehicle will go half way, and consumer is forced to reverse and move straight. dealership is unable to reproduce problem, and issue a remedy. also, consumer attempted to fill the gas tank w/ fuel when it was 3/4 of a way empty. gas nozzle would not pump the gas as if the tank was full. so consumer pulled the fuel pump out, and fuel started to squirt out on consumer, and a puddle on the floor. *ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY - MOUNTING | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 63000 | 1 | 01/05/2003 |
| Lid to gas tank fell off. since this happened to mine i have seen 4 other s80 volvos missing the lit to the gas tank.*ak | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | |||
| 11/25/2002 | 61189 | 2 | 09/07/2001 |
| While driving, i suddenly lost power/acceleration in my vehicle. my check engine light also came on. i turned the car off, but could not restart it. my vehicle was towed to my local volvo dealership. diagnosis - replace throttle body and download software (etm). because my vehicle was past the original manufacturer's warranty, i had to pay for the reparis since the extended warranty did not specifically list these defects . . . $815 parts and labor. approximately 1 year 3 months later, i began experiencing the same problems as in 2002 which volvo diagnosed as a throttle body failure; however i have have been able to start my car, but with some trouble. non-warranty repairs are covered for only 1 year. i called the warranty company to see if they could help me out. the warranty company knew of the defect from previous other complaints, and they told me to try to work out a deal with volvo (which didn't happen). on september 11, 2002, i took my vehicle into volvo because my engine fluctuated while idling. the interior lights flickered as the idle surged. volvo diagnosed the problem as an ignition coil failure. parts and labor cost me $250. i took the car in again on september 16, 2002 (5 days later) with the same problem. i requested a fuel filter check/replacement, but volvo diagnosed the problem with the throttle body. the checked and cleaned the throttle body. this happened, of course, just 2 months before complete failure of the throttle body. i've spent over $1000 for mis-diagnosis and an defective part that volvo and their warranty company have known about for several years. | |||
| 08/13/2005 | 125450 | 1 | 07/13/2005 |
| Failure of etm in 1999 volvo s80t6 cause near collision when the car stoped running without warning at 45 mph.car had to be towed to volvo dealer where repairs were made at a cost of $1439.16 | |||