Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jul 16, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 84 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Volvo S40 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming electrical
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Body & structureElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 16, 2020
Fire reported
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
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 6, 2019
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
ElectricalFuel systemExterior lighting
Filed Aug 7, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported
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
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 10, 2011
ENGINE STALLED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN A MOVING MOTION. A CRACKED CASE OF THE BREATHER SENSOR DAMAGED IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND BLOWN THE FUSE FOR THE ENGINE SENSORS.THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT ON HIGH WAY AND RUNNING 65 MILES A HOUR. MY SON AND I WOULD BE KILLED. WITHOUT WARNING, ONE FAILED SENSOR BLOWN OTHER ENGINE SENSORS' FUSE THAT ON THE SAME CIRCUIT. NO DOUBT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL DESIGNING PROBLEM WITH THIS KIND CAR. *TR
NHTSA ID
10439280
Incident
Nov 25, 2011
Mileage
51,334 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 12, 2007
A DEFECT HAS OCCURRED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2005. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 VOLVO S40 . THE DEFECT IS WITH A RESISTOR FOR THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR THAT OPERATES ERRATICALLY. THIS TYPE OF DEFECT WAS IDENTIFIED AS NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 01V169000. THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR FOR FREE. THE RESISTOR THAT IS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE CLARIFY IF THIS RESISTOR DEFECT IS INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL. *JB
NHTSA ID
10184838
Incident
Mar 9, 2006
Mileage
24,000 mi
ElectricalTransmissionVisibility
Filed Oct 1, 2004
WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION JERKING OCCURRED, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THERE WOULD BE A BURNING OIL SMELL, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT RELEASE AND WOULD STICK INTERMITTENTLY, THE STEERING WHEEL SQUEAKED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SQUEAK, AND THE SPEAKER WAS ERRATIC. *SC TRHE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. *JB
NHTSA ID
10091894
Incident
Apr 16, 2004
Mileage
44,594 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 2003
FOR MONTHS, THE SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON IN THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR 6 TIMES. EACH TIME, THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON. VOLVO ENGINEER CAME IN FRIDAY TO SUPERVISE THE REPAIR OF CAR. SATURDAY EVENING THE LIGHT WENT ON. TWO WEEKS AGO, DEALER LOANED ME A 2003 V40 FOR SEVERAL DAYS WHILE THEY WORKED ON CAR. SURPRISE! SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IN LOANER CAR. DURING LAST VISIT TO DEALER, TWO PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME WERE COMING IN FOR SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT! THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. I AM ON A LEASE, AND ASKING FACTORY TO TERMINATE LEASE.
NHTSA ID
10002991
Incident
Nov 3, 2000
Mileage
52 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 24, 2001
Fire reported
DRIVING WE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL TYPE OF SMELL, THEN BELL OWING SMOKE AND THEN WE STOPPED AND TRIED TO OPEN HOOD FIRE CAME GUSHING OUT. CALLED 911 REPORT TO FIRE DEPT. CAR TOTALLED.*AK
NHTSA ID
744486
Incident
Apr 20, 2001
Body & structureBrakesElectrical
Filed Feb 15, 2001
BRAKES WERE VERY HARD - CAR WOULD NOT STOP FOR SEVERAL FEET. ALSO CAR WOULDN'T START ON ONE OCCASION - A SHIELD WAS PUT INTO CAR TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN
NHTSA ID
740934
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
AirbagsBody & structureElectrical+2 more
Filed Nov 21, 2000
BATTERY WAS DRAINED, AND THIS CAUSED CAR NOT TO START AT 150 MILES. SRS LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AT 1100 MILES. THIS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH AIRBAGS. AT 1400 MILES, SRS LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN AFTER DEALER HAD CORRECTED PROBLEM.*AK THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FORWARD AND BACKWARD SEAT ADJUSTMENT WAS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM THE SUNROOF. THE ENGINE WAS NOISY. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. *YH
NHTSA ID
875312
Incident
Oct 20, 2000
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own