How did you fix your car's problem? It would be helpful to share.

For those others, have you checked the plug on the top (rhs) of the radiator? It could be missing. 1274052 is the OEM part number for the plastic plug that goes into the hole. 1378869 is the OEM part number for the rubber part. Be aware - this plug blows out regularly (I have a 1998 S90) and you may have to use a wire tie to keep from losing it.

 

I bought my Volvo s80 2000 from a regular "Joe" last week. Now, I get the message on the cars board "Coolant is low, stop ASAP" and well, I feel so disappointing because I feel I will have to replace the whole engine. I bought the coolant and refilled it. Two days later same thing! Empty and like 1/3 of a Gallon gone.

 

hello!
i'm new owner of a volvo xc70 2005, 102K (millage) please i need help!
ok,

1. i heard a small change in the motor sound and fans like buzzing. (sometimes)

2. months later "stop safely coolant low"

3. i put coolant and in 2 weeks the same message.

4. and again and again adding coolant after the message. (like 4 times)

5. then, another message: "regular service time"

6. every time i give it more coolant the message is coming sooner

7. now: "check engine"

8. today "stop engine, give me some coolant"

9. no leaking, no floor mats wet, good oil, good transmission oil, no burning smells,

10. now i realize that the pressure of the cap of the recipient when i open it makes the coolant come up back and fills again. a lit bit dusty.

please, some advices will be greatly appreciated!

 

May be down to a substantial airlock ???
I've recently done my coolant on my 2002 V40 and it did need quite a bit of burping to fully top off the system.
V40's have a red plastic breather screw fitted into the lower radiator hose to assist in air lock removal. Not sure about your model?

 

2001 S80 308k miles - all mine except the first 23K.
I had a leaky radiator so I replaced it and after it was done I had more leaks. Car was due for timing belt change so the mechanic who does my timing belt work found a leak at the water pump and at the thermostat housing. He replaced both and filled back up with coolant. Ran it and found no external leaks. He drove it 8 miles and parked it for me to pick up. There still was no coolant on the ground, yet when I went to pick up car, upon start up, the lo coolant light was on. I stopped the engine and went and looked, sure enough there was no coolant visible in the reservoir. I filled the reservoir and took off. There was some white smoke visible at stert up, but it disappeared fairly quickly. The engine idled a little rough, but car ran as usual. The lo coolant light came on again
after driving less than 10 miles. I carefully removed the cap and a whole lot of pressure hissed out and the reservoir filled back up, then kinda drained out and it was baxck empty.
Driving at 65 gets the lo coolant light on a lot faster than driving at 40-45.
I have had 4 folks with lots of mechanical experience (at least one a former Volvo dealership tech) tell me they think I have a blown head gasket. Coolant is going somewhere but not on the ground. on ythe way home the Check Engine light came on and then started flashing.After the lo coolant light was on for a few minutes I got an engine system service required message. Once home, I checked codes and found P0300 Random Misfire. Was able to clear the code and the Engine System Service required messqage cleared out as well.
2 years ago I hit a deer while doing about 55-60. Car just missed being totalled. There are pictures on this forum somewhere. Rebuilt the front end including a radiator repair. Ever since that repair, I would lose coolant and every month or 2 the lo coolant light would come on and I would have to top it off. I never could figure out where it was going.Found what I believed to be a questionably lose hose clamp on Bledwer hose. Don' know if it was my imagination but it seemed to take longer to trigger the light.
I did happen to notice what looks like a couple of wet spots on driver side floor mats near accelerator pedal. Not sure if these were new or not.................

Oil is clean, no milky color.

I really like my S80 and don't want to start looking for a replacent engine - not really wild about going into it at all. But I need a dependable ride that can live thru a 100 mile daily round trip to work and the occasional 250 mile round trip for work purposes.

Any help is appreciated

 

Haven't seen any mention of you having had the thermostat checked for proper function or replacement.
Given that your coolant level always returns to normal level when the reservoir cap is relieved it would appear that you do not have a coolant fluid loss at all.
An airlock in the system,blockage or faulty thermostat might be the cause of the reservoir draining back into the block and /or the overall coolant system.
Try burping the system to extract any remaining air and then top off. This might solve the issue for you?
(i.e. run the motor from cold with coolant resevoir cap off. Any air should rise to resevoir. Bubbling will be seen. If bubbling continues however, may be head gasket problem.)
Renewing the resevoir cap as suggested previously often does solve these problems also.

 

Spent some time this morning with car I topped off coolant tank and ran the car at idle and within 5 minutes low coolant ligh was on. Coolant tank pressurized and white smoke coming from cioolant tank. When cap was opened, got a whiff of exhaust gases.
Stopped ad efilled tank. Ran car at high idle for about 2 mintes. Lw coolqant light came on again. Got out ans walked to back of car. Large puddle of fluid under tailpipe.
Assuming it is coolaant and also assuming bad head gasket
I don't suppose anybody has any great news about a miracle in a bottle cure such as (WondarWeld, Permatech Epoxy, Bluer Devil etc).
Thanks for your time.

Any step by step instructions on how to replace head gasket on 2001 S80-T6?

 

We are replacing head gasketand doing valve job - according to technician,"there are lots of miles left on this engine".................cylinder bore cross hatch can still be seen in all 6 cylinders

 

I had a similar problem and it drove me crazy. The Volvo authorized workshop in my place had the car checked twice but could not rectify the problem. First, they replaced the radiator hoses, temperature gauge and thermostat housing, but the problem persisted.

Then I stumbled upon this forum from Google, and the diagnosis by 'Dirty Paws' made a lot of sense. I took my car to another workshop, and the mechanic there agreed that the head gasket was likely blown.

The head gasket has been replaced and the coolant issue has been solved.