2003 Volvo S80 2.4L Petrol · BW03 BHD
2003 Volvo S80 (2.4L, petrol). First registered 27 Jun 2003. Recorded mileage 112,004 miles. MOT valid until 17 May 2027.
- Make & Model
- VOLVO S80
- Year / Origin
- 2003 · Birmingham
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Valid until 17 May 2027
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 112,004 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Check Required (Pre-Euro 4 Petrol)
- Fuel & Engine
- Petrol · 2.4L
- Reliability Guide
- Common Faults
Thinking of buying this vehicle? Free MOT and tax checks do not cover legal ownership. If outstanding finance exists, finance companies have legal right to repossess without compensation.
BW03 BHD Key Findings
- 5 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 07/05/2026
- 112,004 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 2 historical MOT failures
- 3 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring lighting items (5 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
BW03 BHD MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
5 MOT tests are recorded for this 2003 Volvo S80 (BW03 BHD) between May 2024 and May 2026.
The record contains 3 passes and 2 failures.
The most recent test on 07 May 2026 was a pass, although the earlier record includes 2 failures that buyers may want to investigate.
Across all tests, the most frequently flagged areas are: Lighting (5 issues), Suspension (4 issues), Brakes (3 issues), Exhaust & Emissions (2 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 14 advisory notices are recorded. Advisories flag items that passed but may need attention before the next test; they are not evidence of how well the vehicle has been serviced.
Recorded failure items include: “Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))”; “Front Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick NSF inner pad very low (1.1.13 (a) (ii))”; “Offside Front Outline marker lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (4.2.2 (a))”.
BW03 BHD Mileage History
- 02/05/2024106,534 mi
- 23/04/2025109,148 mi+2,614 mi
- 24/04/2025109,149 mi+1 mi
- 06/05/2026112,004 mi+2,855 mi
- 07/05/2026112,004 mi
Average of roughly 2,718 miles per year across 5 recorded odometer readings.
Technical Specifications
Core Specifications
Identification & Status
Dimensions & Weights
Diagnostic & Valuation Intelligence
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Known faults for Volvo Volvo S80 (Gen 1)
Our database tracks 3 specific mechanical faults and recurring failure patterns identified across UK MOT testing stations for this generation.
MOT Roadworthiness: Average
This rating reflects historical MOT pass rates and recurring advisory wear patterns from official DVSA test logs. Note that roadworthiness does not verify outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen records.
Verify lender finance agreements, insurance write-offs, police stolen registers, and mileage rollback.
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VOLVO S80 Model Intelligence & Reliability
Verified MOT failure trends, buying advice, and technical directory specifications.
Owner-reported defects, recurring MOT failure points, and estimated repair costs.
Browse production generations, registration statistics, and trim variants.
Historical MOT pass rates and DVLA records for 2003 model year cars.
- AW55-50LS automatic gearbox flare and valve-body wearSerious
The Aisin AW55-50LS that equipped P2 Volvos flares between 2nd and 3rd as the valve body and servo cover wear - Volvo Owners' Club threads describe a 2001 car with exactly that symptom and dealers quoting the gearbox before someone suggested the B4 servo cover. On the S80, DVSA records also carry a recall for a gear shift mechanism that can loosen and jam so that gears cannot be selected. Either way, the fix is remanufacture or valve body work, and a cold-start drive is the only honest test.
- Engine mount bracket failure causing vibration and limp-homeModerate
DVSA’s recall database for early S80s records that incorrect screws used at assembly could break the engine mounting bracket, giving heavy vibration and noise plus reduced power or stalling when the engine management drops into limp-home mode. The Owners' Club forum mirrors the owner experience across the P2 range - a shaking idle that survives new mounts because the bracket and the real cause, often a sticking EGR on the D5, went unnoticed. Inspect the bracket and its fixings on any car that feels rough on idle.
- D5 diesel fuel dilution raising the oil levelSerious
Recall notices held by DVSA for the S80 document that engine oil could rise above maximum through overfilling and/or fuel dilution, with the dangerous consequence of the engine refusing to drop its idle - the speed can stay high after lifting off and, in extreme cases, the engine keeps running after the key is switched off. It is the classic late-2000s Volvo D5/5-cylinder diesel short-city-run problem: unburnt diesel washing down the bore. Buy with a dipstick as much as a history file - and remember the Hagerty tale of the D5 S80 that ran 717,000 miles: dilution was never the enemy of a well-maintained car, but of long drains and short trips.
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