Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volvo s80. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the power steering failed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion and the power steering pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 153,000.
Volvo S80 power steering loss problems
21 of the 954 owner complaints about the Volvo S80 describe loss of power steering, most of them for the 2000 model year.
- owner complaints
- 21
- worst model year
- 2000
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,000
- typical mileage
- 75,000
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 9Loss of power 7Check engine light 4ABS 2Slipping 1
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volvo s80. The contact stated that when driving over a road bump, the steering wheel begin to pull to the right abnormally. Within minutes, the power steering failed. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the power steering would need replacing. The manufacturer advised there was a previous open steering recall on the vehicle (the federal safety agency campaign id number: 04v029000- steering: linkages) but the vehicle was never taken in for repairs. The contact stated that she had purchased the vehicle used and was unaware of any open recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 99,000.
Variable speed power steering. No power steering at -0- miles per hour. Needed new steering pump at 70,000 miles.
The dealer also made a life threatening mistake by screwing in the power steering pipe and losing power steering. This caused a bad noise and a life threatening situation with my car.
1) engine idles rough, problem became so bad that car stalls at low speeds, lost power steering & "engine dies" at low speeds (unsafe!). Local mech referred to etm warranty program to re-program faulty etm module. Took car to dlr, re-programmed etm car died again! Turns out bad battery as well: several hundred $$$ to replace battery. Car does not accelerate smoothly, large "shudders" present when merging onto hwy, during transmission/gear shift. Not good! 2) airbag "SRS-urgent service" warning indicator light is on. Good local mech. States this is a $1000 repair. 3) "check brake light" warning indicator light turns on when depressing on brake pedal: good local mech. States that this is "normal" requires exact matching electrical resistance of all brake lamps to ensure that "check brake light" warning does not occur (in actuality the brake lights work fine, the built-in-test is faulty). 4) "check engine light" comes on 2-3 times in last 3 months. Major service was required. One fault was isolated to fuel tank gas cap: if not secured properly "ECM-4308 (leak diagnostic) large leak" occurs...remedied by twisting fuel cap 3 full rotations, after re-fueling gas tank. Good local mech. Diagnosed the loose gas cap problem, warned me about it, and didn't charge me (nice!). 5) body paint is very susceptible to chipping & scratches. Paint or exterior panels are very soft and easily damaged. Another shame, this car looks great but does not hold up very well under typical parking lot conditions (I.e. Someone parked next to you opens their car door into the side of your car resulting in a large scratch). Solution: purchase a fancy car cover and protect the body paint, if you can! 6) parking brake "seems loose", upon parking car and engaging parking brake the vehicle rolls almost 30 cm bwds or fwd depending on level or inclined surface.
Approximately 6 months ago vehicle began erratic throttle while on speed control (surging). Dealer serviced vehicle with software update and temporarily resolved problem. Problem has returned as well a spontaneous stalling, and very erratic variance in throttle pedal position and acceleration. Stalling has occurred with throttle pedal release entering turn lane - no power steering nor brake boost. Dealer has serviced vehicle - cleaned sensors related to throttle position module - with no improvement. Wife is refusing to drive vehicle she now refers to as scary.
1. Following download of recall software performance has been vastly reduced and now only achieves 8.2 mpg. 2. The ABS control module functions intermittently and usually in the failure mode. Abs brakes do not function properly-replacement $950 3. While backing (cold engine), brakes fail to stop the car for several seconds (feet). 4. The vehicle stalls mostly on turns but on straight away. A. Car now shuts off approx 6-8 times while driving, dangerous while driving at interstate/highway speeds. It "surges" forward and the lights (dash and headlights) fade - vehicle stalls with no power steering or power brakes. 5. Cruise control fails ?? Up hills/down hills shuts down. Now is inoperable. 6. The electronic door locks malfunction intermittently. 7. Following error codes display and total mileage, trip 1 & 2 mileage displays default to ?? --------?? And mileage does not log on the odometer: a.brake failure stop asap b.coolant level low stop asap c.ABS failure / service required d.stc service required e.power steering failure - service required f.emission system service required g.stop safely and restart engine h.alarm system service required I.alarm triggered j.emission system service required k.no oil pressure stop asap l.check engine. *nm the ball joint, driver side window motor, sunroof switch were replaced. Numerous bulb replacements and replacement of mass flow sensor. The cooling fan malfunctioned. The ABS control module would function intermittently which would cause the ABS to not function. The power steering failed. The vehicle will completely shut off while driving. The cruise control was inconsistent, the vehicle would loose power with the cruise activated. The electronic doors malfunctioned, the fob does not always open the door and at times when closing the driver side door. Updated 12/15/06.
2001 s80 volvo etm failure. It started as vehicle hesitation, then proceeded to surging forward with no throttle input, then progressed to no accelerator response when applying the brake pedal, then to stalling when coasting leaving the driver with no power steering or brakes at speeds up to 55 MPH, then to rough idle and check engine light. All symptoms were present upon taking to the dealer based on some web research to identify to problem. The dealer returned with an analysis for timing belt replacement, engine tune up, engine coolant flush, crankcase ventilation system cleaning, brake system flushing, and mass air flow replacement amounting to an initial cost of $1980.00 us. I requested a conference with the technician, and a review of the diagnostics report. The end result was a maf replacement paid for by me (customer) and amazingly the tech notes recommended cleaning of the crankcase ventilation system and the etm cleaning which was covered by the dealer. Total cost was $328.21 to consumer and balance covered by dealer. The repairs were made on 3/07/06, replaced maf unavailable. I feel that I have been taken advantage of and essentially paid $328 unnecessarily due to further web research identifying cleaning of the etm and crankcase ventilation system would in fact cause trouble codes leading the replacement of the maf.
Engine shut down on numerous occasions while driving on the highway. No steering response or power brakes to help to stop the car. Very dangerous! The electronic throttle module (etm) on 1999 volvo s80 was replaced at the cost of 843$.
For the past year (10/04-10/05), my 2001 volvo s80 sedan has had repeated problems with stalling and loss of power steering. It has occurred at slow speeds and up to 40 MPH in traffic. I have taken the car to the dealer twice. They can not find any fault codes during the computer troubleshooting, so my warranty will not cover any repair. They suggested it might be "bad gas" and have sent me home twice having done nothing. The stalling problem has occurred five times in the last month. The car has 66,500 miles on it.
Related recalls
Steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
- What is wrong
- Volvo is recalling certain model year 2007 s80 passenger cars manufactured from march 8, 2006, through may 16, 2007. The power steering reservoir return hose may have been incorrectly routed, which can result in increased pressure in the power steering system. The power steering return hose may burst at the steering gear due to the increased pressure, resulting in a loss of power steering fluid.
- Risk
- The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Volvo dealers will inspect the routing of the power steering reservoir return hose and make repairs as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during august 2011. Owners may contact volvo at 1‑201‑768‑7300.
Recall number 11V378000 · Recall details
Steering: linkages
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the front control arms may not have been manufactured correctly and, as a result, the stud and nut that secure the arm to the spindle may lose their initial axial tension. Under certain driving conditions, the steering may become less responsive and the driver may experience steering wheel play.
- Risk
- This driving condition could eventually lead to separation between the front control arm and the spindle, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new type of nut. Owner notification began on february 16, 2004. Owners should contact volvo cars at 1‑800‑458‑1552.
Recall number 04V029000 · Recall details
Questions about the Volvo S80 power steering loss
Which Volvo S80 years have loss of power steering problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2000 (9 complaints), 2001 (7 complaints) and 1999 (4 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix loss of power steering on the Volvo S80?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,000 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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