1999 VOLVO S80 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT READ EMPTY AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 8/29/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED REGARDING DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS. HOWEVER, HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. UPDATED 09/28/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE WIRING HARNESS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,585 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 187, 642.

I AM WRITING YOU TODAY IN REGARD OF A RECALL FOR MY 1999 VOLVO S80'S ETM (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE). IN 2006, THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN WHICH VOLVO AGREED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF THE ETM TO 10 YEARS OR 200,000 MILES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND BOUGHT THE CAR FROM MY FATHER. MY FATHER OWNED THE CAR SINCE 2007, AND HAD FRUSTRATINGLY SPENT A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY $7,000 IN (DOCUMENTED) REPAIRS. HE NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THIS RECALL AND WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY MADE THAT REPAIR KNOWING THE PART WAS RECALLED AND THERE WAS A STRONG LIKELIHOOD THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CAR AS OF NOW HAS UNDER 126,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN OUT OF WARRANTY SINCE 2009. VOLVO WILL COVER A SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR FREE, BUT IN THE EVENT THE SOFTWARE PATCH FAILS, THE REPAIR WILL COST IN UPWARDS OF $1000. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ON MY BEHALF TO GET THAT REPAIR TAKEN CARE OF SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 155 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10019595 COMPONENT : VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DATE OF BULLETIN : MAR 20, 2006 I SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME. *TR

HELLO, I RECENTLY PURCHASED USED "99 VOLVO S80 T6 - VIN [XXX]. 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 OF THE 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. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

1999 VOLVO S80 T6 TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT. WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR BACK. TOWED IN AND SAID TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO MECHANIC SAID THE CV SHAFT THAT CONNECTS THE TRANSMISSION TO THE SPINDLE NEEDED REPLACED AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE CONTACT FELT A THUMP FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER SHE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP OR DECELERATED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INSULATION SURROUNDING THE WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE DEGRADED. THE VEHICLE ALSO DISPLAYED DIFFICULTY WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR AFTER ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM 40 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALLS 00V238000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: UPPER BALL JOINT), 02V096000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN), AND 06V441000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,100.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. WHILE DRIVING ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THERE WAS SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE RPMS INCREASED FROM 700 TO 4000. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF THREE TIMES AND THEN BACK ON IN ORDER TO RESET ITSELF. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED NOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,044.

1999 VOLVO S 80. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE INTERIOR DASHBOARD AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS BEGAN TO DIM AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL LIGHT LEVELS ON A REPEATED BASIS. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS, WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD WITHOUT APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR AND AT TIMES WOULD ALMOST COME TO A COMPLETE STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS ACCELERATING AS HE ENTERED THE INTERSTATE ON ENTRANCE RAMPS DUE TO WHAT APPEARED TO BE STALLING OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE ETM HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER ABOUT A RECALL AND EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED VOLVO, HE WAS TOLD HIS VEHICLE WAS UPDATED IN AUGUST 2008 AND THEY WOULDN'T ASSIST ANY FURTHER. *JB

ON APRIL 13, 2010 I WAS TOLD BY THE SALESMAN THAT THE YOKOHAMA TIRE IS AS GOOD AS THE MICHELIN TIRES THAT I HAD ON MY CAR. (1 OF MY MICHELIN TIRES WAS SHOWING STEEL BELTS, APPARENTLY FROM SPINNING MY TIRES TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE SNOW ON MY GRAVEL DRIVEWAY THIS PAST MAR 2010.) SINCE THE MICHELINS WERE NEARLY 4 YEARS OLD AND THE SALESMAN SAID THE SIDEWALLS WERE ROTTING, ON APR 13, 2010, I PURCHASED 4 YOKAHAMA TIRES. ON APR 17, 2010, I VISITED FRIENDS IN REHOBOTH BEACH AREA OF DE AND WHILE PRKG AT THE GROCERY STORE I HIT A CURB/PRKG STOP WHILE PRKG. THE SPEED OF TRAVEL AT THE TIME WAS AT A COAST SINCE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME. THE IMPACT WAS SO SLIGHT NEITHER I NOR MY PASS. WAS PROMPTED TO INSPECT THE TIRE. AFTER A NORMAL WKND OF DRIVING THROUGH TOWN AND THEN RETURNING TO MY HOME IN LEXINGTON, VA., I NOTICED THE BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT MARK ON THE TIRE THAT I COULD SEE THAT WOULD CAUSE ME TO THINK THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING SHARP. THE SALESMAN WHO SOLD ME THE TIRE POINTED TO A SPOT ON THE BUBBLE( I COULD NOT DISCERN THE MARK) WITH A PEN POINT AND SAID THAT THERE IS A MARK ON THE TIRE AND IT SEEMS THAT THE BUBBLE WAS CAUSED BY HITTING SOMETHING SHARP. NOW, I DO NOT CONTEND THAT I DID NOT HIT A PKNG/CURB STOP...I CONTEND IT WAS OF NO GREAT SPEED AT IMPACT. I CONTEND THAT THIS TIRE MAY BE UNSAFE; ESPECIALLY IF IT HAD FAILED DURING MY 450-MILE DRIVE HOME FROM DE. THE SALESMAN SAID, "WELL, IF YOU HIT IT AT JUST THE RIGHT WAY, IT WILL DAMAGE THE TIRE." ( I THINK MY OLD MICHELIN TIRES WOULD HAVE FAIRED BETTER AND I PROMPTLY REPLACED THE YOKOHAMA WITH MICHELINS. I FEEL SAFER BUT FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE REPORTED. THERE WAS NO BLEMISH, YET THE SIDEWALL INSIDE THE TIRE WAS JAGGEDLY RIPPED APPROX. 1-INCH IN LENGTH. CASE # YOKOHAMA [XXX] CLAIM ADJUSTMENT NO. [XXX] PURCHASED FROM TERRY'S TIRE TOWN, HENRICO, VA 23222 THROUGH LEXINGTON EXPRESS LUBE, LEXINGTON, VA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

1999 VOLVO S80. CONSUMER STATES RECEIPT OF LETTER THAT STATES A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING AND OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE THE ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES WITHOUT WARNING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE SOFTWARE UPDATE DID NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE NOR PREVENT UNSAFE SITUATIONS. THE DEALER EVEN CLEANED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE IN HOPES OF RESOLVING THE SUDDEN SURGES, ACCELERATION AND ENGINE REVVING THAT WAS OCCURRING, BUT TO NO AVAIL. ULTIMATELY, THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. *JB