Volvo S80 2
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
315 PS
4.4L V8 Benzin
Silky V8 comfort
Fun to Drive!238–243 PS
3.2L Benzin
4 weaknesses
Good Choice190–197 PS
2.0L D4 Drive-E Diesel
7 weaknesses
Stay Away!Generations
Engine Overview
The Volvo S80 2 is available with 10 engine variants — from 150 to 315 hp. 3 variants had engine changes — the model year is crucial.
The Volvo 2.0L D3 Drive-E (Diesel, 150 PS) has the D4204T9 (2.0L D3 Drive-E) — rated: "Be Careful", 7 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 2.0L D4 Drive-E (Diesel, 190 PS) has the D4204T14 (2.0L D4 Drive-E) — rated: "Stay Away!", 7 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 2.4L D5 (Diesel, 185–215 PS) comes with 3 different engines: D5244T4 (2006–2009, Stay Away!) und D5244T10 (2009–2016, Be Careful) und D5244T15 (2010–2016, Be Careful). Pay attention to the model year for the 2.4L D5!
The Volvo 1.6L GTDi Turbo (Benziner, 179 PS) has the B4164T (1.6L GTDi Turbo) — rated: "Be Careful", 4 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 2.0L T4 Drive-E (Benziner, 190 PS) has the B4204T19 (2.0L T4 Drive-E) — rated: "Be Careful", 6 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 2.0L T5 Drive-E (Benziner, 254 PS) has the B4204T23 (2.0L T5 Drive-E) — rated: "Be Careful", 6 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 2.5L Turbo (Benziner, 231 PS) has the B5254T7 (2.5L Turbo) — rated: "Be Careful", 6 known weaknesses.
The Volvo 3.0L T6 (Benziner, 286–305 PS) comes with 2 different engines: B6304T2 (2006–2010, Be Careful) und B6304T4 (2010–2016, Be Careful). Pay attention to the model year for the 3.0L T6!
The Volvo 3.2L (Benziner, 238–243 PS) comes with 2 different engines: B6324S (2006–2010, Be Careful) und B6324S5 (2010–2016, Good Choice). Pay attention to the model year for the 3.2L!
The Volvo 4.4L V8 (Benziner, 315 PS) has the B8444S (4.4L V8) — rated: "Be Careful", 4 known weaknesses.
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Radio/navigation fails due to cold solder joints The audio and navigation unit of the S80 II suffers from cold solder joints on the circuit board, leading to intermittent failures. First sporadic freezing, then total failure. Replacement costs at least €700. Symptoms: Radio freezes or reboots, navigation shows wrong position, screen stays black, system does not complete boot | Medium | |
| Tailgate wiring harness breaks at hinge area The tailgate wiring harness breaks at the left hinge arc through metal fatigue. Particularly affected are the rear window heating element, brake lights, wiper and central locking. Typical and very common problem on the V70 III and XC70 II. Symptoms: 'Tailgate open' message on instrument cluster, rear window heater not working, rear brake lights fail from 80,000 km | Low | |
| Nav/audio system fails due to cold solder joints The audio and navigation system of the V70 III and S80 II fails due to cold solder joints in the control unit. Parking sensors fail at around 170,000 km. Xenon headlights burn out between 170,000 and 200,000 km. Symptoms: Black screen, navigation unresponsive, audio system drops out on cold start from 140,000 km | Medium | |
| Blind spot assistant (BLIS) failure The BLIS blind spot warning system fails due to moisture in the wiring harness or faults in the wing mirror sensors. The warning system remains permanently active or stops responding. Symptoms: BLIS warning light permanently on or system no longer shows warnings from 120,000 km | Low | |
| BLIS blind spot assistant — false alarms from moisture The BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) on the S80 II triggers false alarms due to moisture ingress in the cable routing. The warning light illuminates for no real reason, unsettling drivers and reducing the assistant's usefulness. Symptoms: BLIS warning light on permanently or intermittently, false alarm on clear road, warning persists after restart | Low | |
| Parking sensor failure Ultrasonic parking sensors fail from around 170,000 km. Cheap no-name replacements often do not work reliably for long — original Volvo sensors are recommended. Symptoms: Parking aid beeps continuously or does not respond, error message on display from 170,000 km | Low |
Top Reported Issues
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Known Problems and Issues
A total of 94 weaknesses have been documented for the Volvo S80 2 (2006–2016) — 76 engine-related and 18 vehicle-related. 2 problem engines: D5244T4 (2.4L D5), D4204T14 (2.0L D4 Drive-E). Typical issues affect Electronics, Suspension, Steering, Rust. Considered reliable: B6324S5 (3.2L).
S80 (D5244T4, 2006–2009) — Stay Away!: Injector seal leaking (Black Death), Swirl flap linkage breaks, Timing belt + water pump. Power: 185 PS.
S80 (D5244T10, 2009–2016) — Be Careful: Injector seal leaking, Swirl flap linkage breaks, Timing belt + water pump. Power: 205 PS.
S80 (D5244T15, 2010–2016) — Be Careful: Timing belt + water pump, Injector seal leaking, DPF clogs with short-trip use. Power: 215 PS.
S80 (D4204T9, 2014–2016) — Be Careful: EGR cooler soot-clogged — fire risk, Timing belt maintenance must be observed, DPF clogging with short-trip use. Power: 150 PS.
S80 (D4204T14, 2014–2016) — Stay Away!: EGR recall due to fire risk (same as D3), Turbocharger failure — turbine wheel collapse, DPF issues from high EGR soot load. Power: 190 PS.
S80 (B5254T7, 2006–2016) — Be Careful: Timing belt + water pump, PCV oil separator clogged, Wastegate actuator faulty. Power: 231 PS.
S80 (B6304T2, 2006–2010) — Be Careful: Elevated oil consumption (pre-2012), Piston ring design flaw on early engines, Thermostat sticks closed. Power: 286 PS.
S80 (B6324S, 2006–2010) — Be Careful: READ unit (thrust bearing) fails, READ unit bearing failure (up to 2010), Camshaft end plugs leaking. Power: 238–243 PS.
S80 (B8444S, 2006–2016) — Be Careful: Balance shaft bearing fails (critical), Timing chain wears due to balance shaft failure, Water pump and cooling system. Power: 315 PS.
S80 (B4164T, 2010–2016) — Be Careful: Cylinder head overheats on coolant loss — recall, Recall: coolant monitoring inadequate (2014), Turbo coolant hoses split. Power: 179 PS.
S80 (B6304T4, 2010–2016) — Be Careful: Elevated oil consumption (pre-2012), Timing chain (rare, but expensive), Thermostat sticks closed. Power: 305 PS.
S80 (B4204T19, 2013–2016) — Be Careful: Timing belt — change interval 120,000 km/8 years, Excessive oil consumption due to defective piston rings (up to MY2016), Oil consumption from weak piston rings (VEP4 issue). Power: 190 PS.
S80 (B4204T23, 2013–2016) — Be Careful: Timing belt — change every 120,000 km mandatory, Oil consumption piston ring failure (early Drive-E series), Timing belt interval and tensioner — critical maintenance. Power: 254 PS.
What to watch out for with the Volvo S80? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee