Volvo S80 problems

1 safety recall. 5 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.

Reliability score

9.0 / 10

Above-average reliability for the segment. Few systemic issues on file.

Critical

Severe

Moderate

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2011 S80 · airbags Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN A PRECEDING VEHICLE REVERSED AND ABRUPTLY CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE RIGHT ARM, SHOULDER…

10/15/2012 · NHTSA ODI #10480198.0

2011 S80 · electrical Fire

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35 TO 40 MILES PER HOUR FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOR TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LIT UP ON THE DASH. ASSUMING IT WAS FROM A PASSING VEHICLE, I CONTINUED TO DRIVE FOR 1 TO 2 MINUTES. THEN LOOKING IN THE…

05/21/2013 · NHTSA ODI #10512996.0

2011 S80 · powertrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE STABILIZATION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STARTED FLASHING. THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE AND VEHICLE LOSS POWER. THE CHARGING WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AN…

03/10/2021 · NHTSA ODI #11400219.0

2011 S80 · powertrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER…

01/11/2016 · NHTSA ODI #10819285.0

Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 10V489000 13/10/2010

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 S80, XC70, MODEL YEAR 2011 XC60 AND MODEL YEAR 2010 V70 VEHICLES

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AS INTENDED OR AT ALL, AND THEREFORE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A METAL SHIM IN THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING WIRING CONNECTOR. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Common questions

Is the 2011 Volvo S80 reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 9.0 out of 10 based on 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Volvo S80 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

What's the most common problem on the 2011 Volvo S80?

No problem area has crossed our reporting threshold yet, which is a good sign for this vehicle.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

Major repair items haven't been flagged often enough on this vehicle to single one out.

How do I check if my Volvo S80 has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2011 Volvo S80?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 5 complaints on file, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 21 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Volvo. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.