EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
2001 Volvo S40
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 84 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Volvo S40, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 188 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2001 | 3 | 10 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 11 |
| Sep 2001 | 2 | 13 |
| Oct 2001 | 2 | 15 |
| Jan 2002 | 2 | 17 |
| Feb 2002 | 1 | 18 |
| May 2002 | 1 | 19 |
| Jun 2002 | 1 | 20 |
| Nov 2002 | 1 | 21 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 22 |
| May 2003 | 2 | 24 |
| Jun 2003 | 2 | 26 |
| Jul 2003 | 3 | 29 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 30 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 31 |
| Nov 2003 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 2004 | 2 | 34 |
| Mar 2004 | 1 | 35 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 36 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 37 |
| Aug 2004 | 1 | 38 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 39 |
| Oct 2004 | 1 | 40 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 41 |
| Aug 2005 | 3 | 44 |
| Nov 2005 | 1 | 45 |
| Dec 2005 | 1 | 46 |
| Jan 2006 | 1 | 47 |
| Mar 2006 | 1 | 48 |
| Nov 2006 | 1 | 49 |
| Dec 2006 | 2 | 51 |
| Mar 2007 | 2 | 53 |
| Apr 2007 | 1 | 54 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 55 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 56 |
| Sep 2008 | 1 | 57 |
| Oct 2008 | 1 | 58 |
| Feb 2009 | 1 | 59 |
| Aug 2009 | 2 | 61 |
| Jan 2010 | 2 | 63 |
| Feb 2010 | 2 | 65 |
| Jul 2010 | 1 | 66 |
| Sep 2010 | 1 | 67 |
| Nov 2010 | 1 | 68 |
| Apr 2011 | 1 | 69 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 70 |
| Sep 2011 | 1 | 71 |
| Dec 2011 | 1 | 72 |
| Mar 2012 | 1 | 73 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 74 |
| Apr 2013 | 1 | 75 |
| Aug 2013 | 1 | 76 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 77 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 78 |
| Oct 2015 | 1 | 79 |
| Jan 2016 | 1 | 80 |
| Aug 2016 | 1 | 81 |
| Jun 2019 | 1 | 82 |
| Aug 2019 | 1 | 83 |
| Jul 2020 | 1 | 84 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes2725.2%
- Engine1715.9%
- Electrical109.3%
- Driver assistance98.4%
- Airbags76.5%
- Visibility65.6%
- Fuel system65.6%
- Body & structure54.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
2 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
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 AND 2001 MY VEHICLES AND DETERMINED THAT THE 2001 MY VEHICLES EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER RATES OF FAILURES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF OWNER REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS SUBMITTED TO ODI.ODI BELIEVES THAT THE PROPOSED ACTION IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THIS INVESTIGATION'S SAFETY ISSUES. FOR THE CRASHES, IN ADDITION TO THE 22 SUBMITTED BY VOLVO, ODI FOUND 10 ADDITIONAL CRASH ALLEGATIONS IN THE OWNER REPORTS, FIELD REPORTS, AND WARRANTY CLAIMS SUBMITTED BY VOLVO.OF THESE 32 CRASHES, ODI BELIEVES THAT 10 ARE CLEARLY RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT, AND 5 APPEAR TO BE RELATED.OF THE 17 REMAINING CASES, TWO DID NOT INVOLVE A CRASH AND THE OTHER 15 COULD NOT BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.ODI WILL SUPPLEMENT THIS RESUME WITH A CLOSING REPORT AND ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DETAILS CONCERNING THE DEFECT.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
ME AN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR AN IT STARTED TO RUN HOT SO WE WENT AN GOT THE PART TO GO ON THE CAR AN WHEN WHEN WE GOT BACK TO MY FATHER IN LAW HOUSE THE CAR CUT OFF AN STARTED TO SMOKE REAL BAD THEN WENT INTO FLAMES AN WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE CAR WE GOT EVERYTHING FIX ON IT AN THEN WHEN YOU PLUG THE MONTIOR TO THE THE CAR IT SAID WE HAD TEN CODES UP THERE AN THEY WAS THE SAME CODES THAT WAS ON THE CAR AN WE KNOW WE HAD GOT EVERYTHING FIX ON THE CAR AN WE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR NO WE OUT OF A CAR CAUSE IT WENT INTO FLAMES.
- NHTSA ID
- 11339721
- Incident
- Jul 15, 2020
- Mileage
- 15,000 mi
I BOUGHT A 2001 VOLVO S40 FROM TOM BLEVINS OWNER OF POPPLES GARAGE. THE ODOMETER QUIT WORKING AS SOON AS I BOUGHT IT. THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD HAVE TO BE LEFT IN THE IGNITION. THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW GOT STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION BECAUSE OF A FAULTY CONTROLLER. THE HOOD HYDRAULIC ARM THAT HOLDS THE HOOD UP WHEN IT'S RAISED DOES NOT WORK AND HAS TO BE PROPPED UP WITH A WOOD BLOCK. HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS TO DISCUSS BUT I AM OUT OF SPACE.
- NHTSA ID
- 11243446
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2018
IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN PAST POSITION 2 ALLOWING FOR ENGINE STARTING. THE VEHICLE WITH STATIONARY IN PARK.
- NHTSA ID
- 11218386
- Incident
- Jun 6, 2019
- Mileage
- 67,000 mi
I'VE CONTACTED VOLVO AND DEMANDED MY MONEY BACK AND THEY REFUSED, THIS IS MY NEXT STEP BEFORE TAKING THEM TO COURT FOR A MEASILY 2,500. THIS CAR HAS CAUSED ME A HEADACHE UNLIKE ANY OTHER, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS IN THIS CAR AND PASSES THROUGH IT MALFUNCTIONING ONE THING AFTER THE NEXT, MY BACK WINDOW WENT UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN, HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS DO WHACKY THINGS WHICH RUINED THE CAR MAKING IT OVERHEAT EVEN AFTER SHOPS REPLACE SENSORS AND RADIATORS, THE MAIN SAFETY CONCERN WHICH VOLVO IS SUPPRESSING IS THAT THE ELECTRICAL GHOST ALSO AFFECTS THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND ACCELERATES, THIS IS A MAIN CONCERN WHEN YOU'RE ON AN EXPRESSWAY ESPECIALLY, IT ACCELERATES AND YOU CANNOT HOLD THE BRAKE DOWN HARD ENOUGH TO SLOW DOWN, AND IT'LL DO IT AT RANDOM, AND I KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR VOLVO BECAUSE I HAVE A 1990 WHEN IT WAS VOLVO AND NOT BOUGHT MY AN AMERICAN COMPANY AND THAT CAR IS PERFECT, AND A COP TALKED TO ME FOR ABOUT AN HOUR JUST BEFORE THESE BIGGER ISSUES STARTED HAPPENING, HE'D OWNED A DEALERSHIP AND SAID THIS YEAR VOLVO HAS NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, AND AT THAT TIME I KNEW HE WAS ONTO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE AIR AND HEAT BUTTONS WERE DOING ALL KINDS OF STRANGE THINGS, I WAS EVEN IN AN ACCIDENT ONCE, A LITTLE FENDER BENDER THANKFULLY JUST ON A SIDE STREET, MY CAR WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN AND IT SKIDDED ALL T HE WAY TO THE LIGHT AND I DENTED SOMEONE'S BUMPER, THEY LET ME SLIDE BECAUSE THEIR CAR WAS A JALOPY, BUT I'VE HAD THIS SAME ELECTRICAL FAILURE HAPPENING ON EXPRESSWAYS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS
- NHTSA ID
- 10893841
- Incident
- Jun 15, 2016
- Mileage
- 190,000 mi
CAR CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING AS I WAS DRIVING IT. CAR HAD 93,000 AND HAD PASSED VA INSPECTION IN AUGUST. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED 3 MINUTES LATER, ENTIRE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN LARGE FLAMES. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT. USAA REMOVED THE VEHICLE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY WILL INSPECT IT FOR CAUSE, BUT I SUSPECT AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION.
- NHTSA ID
- 10819591
- Incident
- Jan 11, 2016
- Mileage
- 93,000 mi
THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION. THE FOLLOWING PARTS WERE CHANGE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY, AIR CLEANER SENSOR, FUEL SYSTEM FILTER, FUEL SYSTEM VENT HOSE, FUEL SYSTEM GROUND STRAP, FUEL SYSTEM COVER, FUEL SYSTEM GASKET AND FUEL SYSTEM PUMP SENDER ASSEMBLY. MY SON HAD 3 TICKETS FOR NO INSPECTION. I RESEARCH THE VEHICLE AND IT STATED THAT PEOPLE PAY VOLVO $150.00 TO PASS THE INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT HE DID WORK ON ANOTHER VOLVO S40 2000 AND WHEN A COMPLAINT WAS PLACED THE VOLVO FIX THE PROBLEM. I BOUGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT EFFORT TO KEEP GETTING TICKETS AND PAYING TO REPLACE EVERYTHING ON MY VEHICLE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10783521
- Incident
- Jun 9, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER FAN STOPPED OPERATING AND THE DEFROSTER FUNCTION WAS AFFECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V169000 (EQUIPMENT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10668727
- Incident
- Dec 16, 2014
- Mileage
- 113,000 mi
WHILE DRIVING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WENT ON.BRAKE PEDAL GOT SOFT & SLOWLY WENT TO FLOOR. WHEN VEHICLE WAS CHECKED IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES TO REAR BRAKES HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND WERE LEAKING FLUID. MASTER CYLINDER WAS ALMOST EMPTY. THE BRAKE LINES ON THIS CAR ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MADE OF A RUST RESISTANT NICKEL/COPPER MATERIAL BUT THEY RUSTED THROUGH. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10660162
- Incident
- Nov 19, 2014
- Mileage
- 107,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE
This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.
This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval. Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section
This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a remote session: •Connect a suitable battery maintainer/charger and verify that the battery voltage indicated in VIDA is between 12.5V and 14.9V. •Connect to the vehicle over a wired connection using a VOE (Volvo OBD to Ethernet) adapter and perform a NEW vehicle readout.
Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles. Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob. As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle. The corrective action is to download SP Software. S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.
Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles. Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob. As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle. The corrective action is to download SP Software. S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.