2003 Volvo S80 2.4L Diesel · FV03 VYL
2003 Volvo S80 (2.4L, diesel). First registered 27 Jun 2003. Recorded mileage 94,361 miles. MOT expired on 16 Sept 2026.
- Make & Model
- VOLVO S80
- Year / Origin
- 2003 · Lincoln
- Safety Recall
- Unknown
- MOT Status
- Expired on 16 Sept 2026
- Road Tax
- —
- Recorded Mileage
- 94,361 mi
- ULEZ Compliance
- Non-Compliant (Pre-Euro 6 Diesel)
- Fuel & Engine
- Diesel · 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.
FV03 VYL Key Findings
- 3 MOT tests recorded
- Latest MOT passed on 18/09/2025
- 94,361 miles recorded at latest MOT
- 2 historical MOT failures
- 3 defects noted at the latest MOT
- Recurring suspension items (7 mentions)
Derived directly from the recorded DVSA and DVLA data shown on this page.
FV03 VYL MOT History
Interpretation generated from the recorded test data above — not an official DVSA statement and not a substitute for an independent inspection.
3 MOT tests are recorded for this 2003 Volvo S80 (FV03 VYL) between December 2021 and September 2025.
The record contains 1 pass and 2 failures.
The most recent test on 18 September 2025 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: Suspension (7 issues), Tyres (3 issues), Brakes (3 issues), Lighting (2 issues), Windscreen (2 issues). Repeated mentions in one area can indicate an ongoing pattern worth checking in person.
In total 6 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 Brake hose excessively deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))”; “Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))”; “Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))”.
FV03 VYL Mileage History
- 13/12/202194,266 mi
- 12/09/202594,331 mi+65 mi
- 18/09/202594,361 mi+30 mi
Average of roughly 25 miles per year across 3 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: Poor
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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