2006 Volvo S80 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2006 Volvo S80 has a complaint index of 18, the second-lowest among the 12 model years with data, and ranks 10th worst out of those years. Its verdict is capped at Good rather than Best because 2005-2009 records are less complete. Engine issues are the top complaint area, with 6 of 12 complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 18/100
- #10 of 12 S80 years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 12
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 26 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2006 Volvo S80 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine6 (50%)
- Electrical System3 (25%)
- Airbags2 (17%)
- Brakes2 (17%)
- Seat Belts2 (17%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (17%)
- Fuel System1 (8%)
- Structure & Body1 (8%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (8%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (8%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Engine can suddenly surge to high RPM while decelerating, with wheels continuing to spin even after braking.
- Engine sometimes stalls unexpectedly with an 'engine immobilized' message on the dashboard that dealers could not diagnose.
- Driver-side seat belt intermittently fails to release when the button is pressed, sometimes taking several attempts.
- Central electronic module failures cause high-beam headlights to stay stuck on or fail to activate, and can burn out the turn signal board.
- Transmission shifts roughly between 2nd and 3rd gear at low speeds, with bucking or slipping sensations during acceleration and braking.
- Acceleration becomes limited to under 30 mph, traced in one case to an accelerator sensor that failed again after replacement.
2006 Volvo S80 recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V766000Sep 30, 2021Airbags259,383 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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 R10125.
- NHTSA 10V566000Nov 8, 2010Other416 vehicles
Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (gps) units because the batteries on those units may overheat.
Risk: An overheated battery could lead to a fire.
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 spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 18, 2010. Owners may contact garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.
- NHTSA 06V375000Oct 3, 2006Other19,700 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Certain vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the label denoting the tire and loading pressure information is incorrect.
Risk: A misprinted label would lead to improper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will mail the correct labels free of charge. The recall began on december 18, 2006. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
2006 Volvo S80 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 26 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,825
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2006 compared with other S80 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Volvo S80 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 S80 has a complaint index of 18, among the lowest of the 12 model years tracked, and carries a Good verdict relative to other S80 years.
- What problems does the 2006 Volvo S80 have?
- NHTSA complaints point to the engine as the top problem area, accounting for 6 of 12 complaints (50%), with a median failure mileage of 48,000 miles. Electrical system issues, seat belt sticking, and brake complaints also appear.
- Does the 2006 Volvo S80 have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2006 S80: a driver's airbag inflator recall, a GPS unit battery overheating recall, and a tire label labeling error recall. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- Why isn't the 2006 Volvo S80 rated Best?
- Its verdict is capped at Good rather than Best because NHTSA complaint records for the 2005-2009 S80 model years are considered less complete, even though its complaint index of 18 is low.
- How does the 2006 S80 compare to other years?
- The 2006 model ranks 10th worst out of 12 years by complaint index, well below the 2008 (complaint index 100, Avoid) and 2010 (complaint index 91, Avoid) model years, but slightly behind the 2016 model, which earns a Best verdict with a complaint index of 9.