The 2002 Volvo S80 has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Fuel pump flange leak and fuel odor.” Volvo schedules maintenance every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first — the cluster's service reminder counts down to it. Drive-E four-cylinder engines (2015+) require Volvo-spec 0W-20; the older five-cylinder turbos (XC70, C30) run on a timing belt with a firm replacement interval, not a chain. AWD Volvos use a Haldex-style rear coupling whose fluid service is the difference between an AWD system that lasts and a four-figure pump-and-clutch repair.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Volvo S80.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
9 NHTSA complaints · 2008-06 → 2017-11
“FUEL PUMP FLANGE IS LEAKING FUEL, CAUSING FUEL SMELL THROUGHOUT CABIN OF VEHICLE”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL SMELL IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEHIND THE REAR SEATS”
“JUNE OF 2008 RECEIVED WARRANTY NOTICE FROM VOLVO THAT THERE HAS BEEN A VOLUNTARILY EXTENDED WARRANTY TO COVER THE FUEL PUMP FOR VEHICLES THAT DISPLAYED A FUEL ODOR”
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7 NHTSA complaints · 2005-08 → 2015-02
“I WAS DRIVING MY CAR YESTERDAY AUGUST 4TH, 2005 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT WORK”
“ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE FAILURE IN 2002 S80”
“2002 VOLVO S80 ETM FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS”
POWER TRAIN
8 NHTSA complaints · 2003-09 → 2018-11
“FAILURE OF 2002 VOLVO S-80 TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 46,000 MILES BUT 10 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY (4 YEAR/ 50000 MILES)”
“SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND, HARD TO GET UP TO SPEED”
“TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CAUSING VECHILE TO STOP ON FREEWAY”
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
2 NHTSA complaints · 2021-06 → 2021-07
“The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the odometer would go black”
“The contact stated that the instrument panel malfunctioned and failed to illuminate while driving”
SUSPENSION
3 NHTSA complaints · 2009-10 → 2010-02
“THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED”
“I JUST SPENT OVER $900 TO REPLACE INNER TIER ROD ENDS AND CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS”
“I PURCHASED A 2002 VOLVO S80 IN MARCH OF 2009 AND STATED HEARING A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR & WHEN I WENT & GOT IT CHECKED THE MECHANIC SAID THAT I NEEDED NEW STRUTS”
CHILD SEAT, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2 NHTSA complaints · 2003-07 → 2004-01
“VEHICLE WAS RECALLED DUE TO FAILING TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS 225”
“ON PAGE 12 WAS THE ILLUSTRATION AND LOCATION OF THE ANCHORS, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO FIND THEM IN THE CAR”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2 NHTSA complaints · 2004-07 → 2005-11
“TAIL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT FIVE TIMES SINCE SEPTEMBER, 2003”
“ITS BEEN REPAIRED /REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE 3 YEARS WE'VE HAD THE CAR”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace every 10,000 miles or 12 months with Volvo-spec oil (VCC 0W-20 on Drive-E engines). Turbo five-cylinders in the older XC70/C30 are harder on oil — many specialists suggest 7,500 miles on those.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Volvo's five-cylinder engines use a timing belt: replace around 105,000 miles or 10 years (verify your year's exact interval). Interference engine — do the tensioner and idlers in the same job. Drive-E four-cylinders (2015+) use a chain instead.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$935–$1175
Shop
~$655–$825
DIY
Pro only
On interference engines, a snapped belt destroys valves. Worth doing on schedule. Bundle water pump + tensioner — labor is already there.
Rotate at every annual service. AWD models: replace tires in matched sets — tread mismatch works the Haldex coupling constantly.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and hoses at every service. Heavy XC90s wear front pads quickly in city duty; check electronic parking-brake function on 2016+ models.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 4 fluid every 2 years regardless of miles — standard practice for the moisture-absorbing fluid, and cheap insurance for the ABS unit.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
AWD models: replace the rear coupling's fluid roughly every 40,000 miles (Volvo's published interval varies by generation — check your manual). Skipping it clogs the pump filter and kills the AWD unit; whirring from the rear axle is the classic late symptom.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$220–$290
Shop
~$155–$205
DIY
~$40–$90
VW/Audi/Volvo AWD coupling — specific fluid required. Filter usually swapped at the same time.
The Aisin 8-speed is labeled long-life, but Volvo specialists broadly recommend fluid service around 60,000 miles — sooner with towing. Use the specified JWS/Toyota WS-type fluid for your gearbox.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Drive-E turbo fours: plugs around every 60,000 miles. Supercharged+turbocharged T6/T8 engines run higher cylinder pressures — don't stretch the interval.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace roughly every 30,000 miles; inspect annually in dusty climates.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Volvo specifies frequent cabin-filter replacement — annually on most models, in keeping with the brand's air-quality focus (CleanZone on newer cars).
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Volvo long-life coolant typically runs ~10 years on the schedule; refresh with Volvo-spec coolant around 100,000 miles per independent-specialist practice.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
14 crashes 1990–2024
How the 14 occupant deaths break down
13
driver deaths
1
passenger deaths
14
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2003 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
1
complaints mentioning a crash
2
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Volvo S80 reflects Volvo's published service intervals and the Volvo Service Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.