2003 VOLVO S40

2 recalls — 23 complaints

03V424000 Oct 24, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Defect Description
ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS, THERE MAY BE A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL DUE TO INADEQUATE WELDING.
Consequence
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A V-CLAMP TO THE FUEL RAIL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
15,067 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.
03V284000 Aug 1, 2003
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Defect Description
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.
Consequence
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A LETTER/PACKAGE CONSISTING OF THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND IN CERTAIN CASES, THE CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL MAY BE PROVIDED. IF THE OWNER WANTS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR INSTALLATION OF THE GUIDE, IT WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE ... Read more
220,407 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.

Complaint Statistics

23 total complaints 4 fires

Top Reported Components

ComponentComplaints
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
TIRES2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION:LINES AND FITTINGS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL1
ENGINE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
ENGINE Nov 7, 2021
Incident date: Nov 7, 2021
Engine light stays on. I have had 2 mechanics check it out. They don't know why the light is on. I am very concerned about the fuel line problem.
SUSPENSION Dec 7, 2018
Incident date: Nov 26, 2018
THE REAR STRUT/SHOCKS CONTINUE TO BREAK/CRACK OVER AND OVER. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK. I ALSO HAVE GONE TO THE JUNKYARD AND ALL OF THE S40 AND V40'S HAVE ALL OF THEIR STRUTS/SHOCKS BROKEN. I'VE WITNESSED OVER 6 S40 OR V40'S LIKE THIS NOW. MY CAR HAS FAIL... Read more
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Jan 31, 2018
Incident date: Jan 30, 2018
PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDL... Read more
POWER TRAIN Jan 31, 2018
Incident date: Jan 30, 2018
PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDL... Read more
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 31, 2018
Incident date: Jan 30, 2018
PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDL... Read more
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Feb 8, 2013
Incident date: Feb 9, 2012
I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND FOUND THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND AS A RESULT OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM MY CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERATIVE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH, SPECIFICALLY THE DEVICE THAT READS THE CHIP IN THE KEY... Read more
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Jun 29, 2012
Incident date: Jun 29, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, SHUT OFF AND TRIED ... Read more
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Dec 10, 2010
Incident date: Dec 2, 2010
MY 2003 VOLVO S40 HAS BEEN DRIVEN FEWER THAN 70,000 MILES. ALL VOLVO RECOMMENDED SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND IS DOCUMENTED. MY VOLVO DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT AT ALL REASONABLE TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT O... Read more
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM Aug 9, 2010
Incident date: Jul 2, 2010
I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM... Read more
Fire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER Aug 9, 2010
Incident date: Jul 2, 2010
I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM... Read more
Fire
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER Aug 9, 2010
Incident date: Jul 2, 2010
I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM... Read more
Fire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Aug 9, 2010
Incident date: Jul 2, 2010
I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM... Read more
Fire
TIRES Mar 9, 2010
Incident date: Feb 12, 2010
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON FEB 12, I HAD A PERIODIC MAINTENANCE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT MY TIRES WERE BAD. I HAD ONLY HAD THE TIRES A SHORT WHILE SO I BROUGHT THE CAR TO WHERE I BOUGHT THEM (SEARS) AND WAS... Read more
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) Mar 19, 2007
Incident date: Mar 1, 2007
MY 2003 S40 HAS BEEN SLIPPING GEAR BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR AND OCASSIONAL HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 49000 MILES. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID, THERE IS NO SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE)AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. COST $800. THIS GEA... Read more
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL Dec 11, 2006
Incident date: Dec 9, 2006
GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND TRIED TO GET A FULL DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE, BUT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH VEHICLE. *JB
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Jun 21, 2005
Incident date: Dec 10, 2004
TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN GEARS 2ND AND 3RD
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL Aug 25, 2004
Incident date: Jul 19, 2003
2002 VOLVO S40 EXPERIENCED MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE FUEL LINE. *MR *CB
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL Apr 23, 2004
Incident date: Apr 22, 2004
CONSUMER STATED THAT BANRIDGE VOLVO WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL DEALING WITH THE FUEL RAIL. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 04/22/2004. *AK
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION:LINES AND FITTINGS Apr 9, 2004
Incident date: May 10, 2003
THE FOLLOWING IS A SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL E-MAIL I SENT TO VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA FOR YOUR RECORDS. *AK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I FINALLY HAD MY 2003 VOLVO S40 SERVICED FOR EXCESSIVE BUMPY RIDE PROBLEM THAT IVE COMPLA... Read more
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS Feb 9, 2004
Incident date: Feb 9, 2004
CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE ISOFIX GUIDE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SENT FOR RECALL 03V284000 COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
TIRES Jan 5, 2004
Incident date: Dec 12, 2003
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A COMPLAINT THAT ONE OF THE MICHELIN TIRES ON MY NEW VOLVO S40 (BOUGHT ON JAN 25, 2003: [XXX]) BLEW OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AS I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 25MPH. ON THE SAME DAY FRIDAY (DEC 12, 03) I CONTACTED TH... Read more
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Jul 15, 2003
Incident date: Jun 27, 2003
I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING A 2003 VOLVO S40. IT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A TRANSMISSION SLIP BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR TWO TIMES DUE TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM. THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS UPGRADING THE PROGRAM, WHICH IT DID NOT HELP AT ALL. THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS I ... Read more
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION May 4, 2003
Incident date: May 1, 2003
TRANSMISSION SLIPS FROM 2ND TO 3RD FROM TIME TO TIME. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR SHIFTS HARSHLY FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. *JB

NHTSA Safety Investigations — VOLVO S40

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

EA02026 Opened: Sep 10, 2002 — Closed: Nov 21, 2003
EA — Closed — Model Year: 2001
VOLVO S40/V40 MY 2000-2001
IN A NOVEMBER 6, 2003 SAFETY DEFECT REPORT, VOLVO INDICATED THAT THEY WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT RECALL OF THE 2000 MODEL YEAR (MY) SUBJECT VEHICLES (ABOUT 36,000 VEHICLES).VOLVO WILL ALSO CONDUCT A SERVICE CAMPAIGN OF ABOUT 31,000 2001 MY SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI INVESTIGATED BOTH THE 2000 AN... Read more

VOLVO S40 — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the VOLVO S40 across all model years (2000–2011).

29 Total Recalls
677 Total Complaints
1 Investigations
65 Reported Crashes
18 Reported Fires
0 Reported Deaths

VOLVO S40 — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year Recalls Complaints
2011 2 7 View
2010 2 11 View
2009 3 14 View
2008 2 27 View
2007 2 36 View
2006 3 81 View
2005 3 91 View
2004 6 75 View
2003 (current) 2 23
2002 1 34 View
2001 2 112 View
2000 1 166 View

Other VOLVO Models

Model Recalls Complaints
VNL 232 176 View
VHD 192 20 View
VNM 142 13 View
VN 125 150 View
S60 122 1,657 View
XC60 121 864 View
XC90 113 2,165 View
V70 92 1,181 View