2003 Volvo S80 Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Volvo S80.

20022004
Complaints
30
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
4
Fatalities
Recalls
3

Worst 2003 Volvo S80 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#13 complaints

Airbags

#23 complaints

Electrical Faults

Fires:1
#33 complaints

Fuel System

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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Volvo S80.

Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical Faults
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Fuel System
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control:Automatic (Asc)
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel Pump
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Electric
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Abs Warning Light
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front:Control Arm
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Unintended Acceleration
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Volvo S80. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Volvo S80

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~313,923 vehicles.

21V766000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~259,383 affected

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.

20V681000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~54,124 affected

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 Islands. The driver side frontal air bag inflator may rupture, sending metal fragments into the passage compartment, when the driver side air bag is deployed.

10V566000Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)
~416 affected

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.

Other Volvo S80 Years

2003 Volvo S80 — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2003 Volvo S80 reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2003 Volvo S80 has 30 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 3 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2003 Volvo S80?
Top reported problems: Airbags (3 complaints); Electrical Faults (3 complaints); Fuel System (3 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
How safe is the 2003 Volvo S80?
NHTSA complaints for the 2003 Volvo S80 include 1 crash-related reports, 1 fire reports, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2003 Volvo S80 have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 313,923 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2003 Volvo S80?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Volvo S80 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2003 Volvo S80

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