Problems · by component

2000 Volvo S-Class service brakes, hydraulic problems

73 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Volvo S-Class cite service brakes, hydraulic, 12% of all 628 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
73
12% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“IT WAS CLOSE TO 9PM. I HAD EXITED THE FREEWAY TO STOP IN A PARKING LOT TO CHECK DIRECTIONS. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, SO I GOT OUT TO WALK AROUND AND BUY A CUP OF COFFEE. I CAME BACK A FEW MINUTES LATER AND DROVE OUT OF THE LOT. THE ON RAMP WAS ABOUT 200 YARDS AWAY AND THERE WAS A RED LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION, SO I WAS ONLY MOVING AT AROUND 20MPH. I WAS THE ONLY CAR IN MY LANE, SO ABOUT 100 FEET AWAY FROM THE INTERSECTION I PRESSED DOWN ON MY BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE FOR SOME REASON IT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING. I TRIED AGAIN, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NO HELP AS I KEPT ROLLING. FRANTICALLY, I STOMPED HARD, FLOORED THE BRAKES, AND MY CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE, BUT THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE. I TRIED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, BUT AN INSTANT LATER I HAD HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG. I AM PRETTY GOOD AT MAINTAINING THE CAR AND IT HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE VOLVO DEALER FAIRLY RECENTLY. IT'S ONLY GARAGED ABOUT HALF THE TIME, BUT I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO IT'S NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO AN EXTREME CLIMATE OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS A THUNDERSTORM THAT MORNING, AND THE ROADS WERE VERY WET EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10457440
“DRIVING IN THE CITY AND WHEN TRYING TO STOP ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE BRAKES BECAME HARD AND ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING WELL. WHEN I TRIED TO DRIVE OFF IN THE GREEN LIGHT THE SPEED CONTROL OF THE GAS PEDAL WAS VERY CHAOTIC. I GOT A MESSAGE OF ENGINE SYSTEM SERVICE REQUIRED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER AND HE DIAGNOSED A FAULTY THROTTLE ETM ASKING 2000 $ TO REPLACE. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A RECALL ON THAT BY VOLVO AND WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER HE SAID THAT THIS WAS TRUE BUT MY CAR WAS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD ( ALTHOUGH HE COULD HAVE INFORMED ME ABOUT THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE). HE INFORMED ME THAT A SOFTWARE SERVICE ON THE ETM OF MY CAR WAS DONE IN 2006 ( AFTER THE RECALL?) BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AS APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ETM DESIGN ( FALTERING POTENTIOMETER). THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND IT WILL PROBABLY GO TO THE JUNKYARD, BUT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED BY ALL VOLVOS REMAINING ON THE STREET WITH FAULTY ETM'S, WHICH THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FILED AT NHTSA SHOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10433515
“I WAS DRIVING ALONG A BUSY STREET, WHEN I CAME TO A STOP SIGN THE BRAKES WHERE HARD TO PUSH, WHEN I FINALLY STOPPED THE CAR, YOU COULD STILL FILL THE CAR TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD I TOOK MY FOOT OF THE BRAKES AND THE CAR SPED UP ON IT'S ON REACHING CLOSE TO 40 MPH AGAIN I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP THE CAR DO TO A STIFF BRAKE PEDAL. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF, ONCE I RESTARTED THE CAR IT WAS SPUTTERING AND WOULDN'T IDLE CORRECTLY EVERY TIME I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR IT WOULD SHUT OFF NOW I'M GETTING AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT SAYS SERVICE ENGINE SYSTEM URGENT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10423220
“I PURCHASED A 2000 VOLVO S80 IN DEC 2010. SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED A HISSING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH NEAR THE FIRE WALL. THE SOUND IS COMING FROM THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THIS HAS CAUSED WEAK BRAKES. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL IT GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES HAVE TO BE PUMPED TO STOP THE CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10375405
“I WAS DRIVING MY 2000 VOLVO S80 ON 5/19/10 AND HAD EXITED I-405, ONTO HWY 169, HEADING HOME TOWARDS MAPLE VALLEY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG, RESULTING IN SUDDEN STEERING LOSS, HEARD LOUD SQUEALING, AND SAW LOTS OF WHITE SMOKE. THE SMOKE WAS FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE, WHICH HAD TURNED OUTWARD, COMPLETELY SIDEWAYS AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE CAR IS NOW IN NO CONDITION TO BE DRIVEN. THE WHEEL DAMAGED THE FRAME, WARP/DENTED THE QUARTER PANEL, BROKE OFF THE MOLDING, RIPPED OUT THE CV DRIVE OR WHATEVER THAT THING IS THAT MAKES THE WHEEL TURN IN A NORMAL, FORWARD DIRECTION, BROKE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, MESSED UP THE BRAKE LINE, STRUTS, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE? I'M GUESSING THAT THE REPAIR COSTS ARE GOING TO BE TOWARDS THE THOUSANDS, BEING THAT VOLVO PARTS ARE SO EXPENSIVE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2010Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10332047
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANS SIGNAL (ALERT TO THE ABS AND SPEED SENSOR) WOULD ALTER THE ABS AND ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE. HE HAD NOT NOTICED ANY PERFORMANCE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE RESULTS PRODUCED SIX CODES AND INDICATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR WAS ALSO A PART OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V441000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,944 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10269938

Showing 6 of 73 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 14, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE SEAL ON MASTER CYLINDER CAN FAIL AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Mar 29, 2007NHTSA 07E023000

Service brakes

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, WATER CAN ENTER THE ELECTRICAL BRAKE VACUUM PUMP, CAUSING THE PUMP TO FAIL.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Nov 17, 2003NHTSA 03V474000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 14, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.