Used car guide

2010 Volvo S80: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Volvo S80 first registered in 2010: we looked at the 1,719 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,719MOTs of 2010 cars, done in 2023–2025
72%pass first time (all 2010 cars: 60%)
9,000typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for individual direction indicators

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2010 Volvo S80?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2010 Volvo S80 than on all cars registered in 2010.

  • Individual direction indicators2× usual
    Volvo S80
    6.4% All 2010 cars
    3.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 1.3% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Ball joint: 1.5% here, against 6.2% of all 2010 cars. Headlights: 1.9% here, against 5.8% of all 2010 cars.

Common 2010 Volvo S80 MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2010 Volvo S80 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    32% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    24% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    21% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    7% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2010 Volvo S80

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the individual direction indicators? (Flagged at MOT 2× as often on the 2010 Volvo S80 as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volvo S80?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Volvo S80 compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2016521Tyres 26%
20151,176Tyres 28%
20141,141Tyres 25%
20131,250Tyres 32%
20121,050Tyres 31%
20111,227Tyres 32%
20091,352Suspension 34%
20081,917Suspension 37%
20072,248Suspension 42%
20061,139Suspension 38%
20051,315Suspension 43%
20041,286Suspension 47%
20031,270Suspension 44%
20021,068Suspension 49%
2001697Suspension 47%
2000374Suspension 47%
1999267Suspension 45%
1998–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Volvo S80 cars first registered in 2010. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score