2003 Volvo S80 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2003 Volvo S80, and owners have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2003 Volvo S80
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Inflator module (air bags)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Navigational system(global positioning system) (equipment)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (gps) units because the batteries on those units may overheat.
Remedy: 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…
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Fuel pump (fuel system)
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,…
Remedy: 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…
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Labels (equipment)
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.
Remedy: 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…
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Volvo S80 have filed 26 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 63,490 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“In Tank Fuel Pump, problem was leaking at top of pump @ the inlet at the outlet & return valve, crack in the plastic mold. Was giving off fumes, totally unhealthy and waitin for someone to light up a”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 10, 2023 · Fuel/propulsion system
“The lovely GM transmission suddenly decided to not shift while going uphill. Pushing the accelerator just made the RPMs go up and up while the car did nothing. Then a warning light. Transmission servi”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 27, 2022 · Power train
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Volvo S80 (S80/S80 Executive). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–20 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–18 / 24–25 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 2.9 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S4); Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Volvo S80 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Volvo S80 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 Volvo S80 | 4 | 199 |
| 2000 Volvo S80 | 4 | 318 |
| 2001 Volvo S80 | 7 | 164 |
| 2002 Volvo S80 | 4 | 42 |
| 2003 Volvo S80 | 5 | 26 |
| 2004 Volvo S80 | 4 | 50 |
| 2005 Volvo S80 | 5 | 15 |
| 2006 Volvo S80 | 3 | 12 |
| 2007 Volvo S80 | 5 | 24 |
| 2008 Volvo S80 | 7 | 26 |
| 2009 Volvo S80 | 5 | 16 |
| 2010 Volvo S80 | 5 | 27 |
| 2011 Volvo S80 | 4 | 5 |
| 2012 Volvo S80 | 3 | 8 |
| 2013 Volvo S80 | 3 | 8 |
| 2014 Volvo S80 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 Volvo S80 | 2 | 7 |
| 2016 Volvo S80 | 2 | 6 |
Checking a specific 2003 Volvo S80
How do I know if my 2003 Volvo S80 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2003 Volvo S80; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volvo dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V284000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Volvo models
- XC901,528 complaints
- S601,266 complaints
- V70933 complaints
- XC60651 complaints
- S70593 complaints
- 850569 complaints
- S40491 complaints
- XC70417 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.