RoadVitals

2011 Volvo S40 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
5
Latest Nov 13, 2025
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
1
Reports on file since Jun 3, 2013

What this page shows

Our database holds 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Volvo S40. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–5 of 5

Electrical
Filed Nov 13, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Volvo S40. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 115,314. The contact stated that at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 350,000 on VIN History USA.

NHTSA ID
11699264
Incident
Nov 11, 2025
Mileage
350,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 30, 2023

Windshield bonding has failed on the top edge of the windshield. It leaks and I can move the glass easily. I am worried that the windshield will fall out in a crash and reduce the airbag performance

NHTSA ID
11519692
Incident
Apr 30, 2023
Driver assistanceElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Feb 13, 2017

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH WHEN INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT COMPLETELY BLANK I HEARD A SIZZLING NOISE BEHIND THE DASH BOARD. I LOST THE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, LIGHT INDICATOR, BLINKER INDICATORS, ALL OF THE INSTRUMENTS YOU DEPEND ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF, IT CONTINUED SIZZLING SOUNDING LIKE IT WAS BURNING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTHING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKS, I TURNED ON THE FLASHER AND LIMPED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AS AN ELDERLY FEMALE THIS WAS VERY NERVE RACKING AS I DID NOT KNOW IF MY FLASHERS WERE WORKING NOR WHAT SPEED I WAS TRAVELING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS SOMETHING CALLED THE DIM HAD WENT BAD AND THAT ONLY A VOLVO DEALER COULD REPLACE WHICH WILL COST OVER $1800. HE SAID I SHOULD FEEL LUCKY THAT THE CAR HAD NOT CAUGHT FIRE AS THAT WAS USUALLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THESE SITUATIONS AND VOLVO HAD IGNORED THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON A RECALL. THIS PART IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM IT IS FAULTY FROM THE MANUFACTURER YET THEY CONTINUE TO CHARGE PEOPLE OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS TO REPLACE THEM. I NOW HAVE TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR AS I CANT EVEN TELL IF I HAVE A WORKING BLINKER OVER 40 MILES TO THE NEAREST VOLVO DEALER, I AM NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THAT AS I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY (SOCIAL SECURITY) TO FIX SOMETHING THAT VOLVO SHOULD BE REPAIRING FOR FREE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AS I HAVE RESEARCHED AND SEE THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH VOLVO FOR MANY MAKES AND MODEL YEAR CARS NOT JUST 2011.

NHTSA ID
10954356
Incident
Feb 13, 2017
Mileage
69,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 21, 2016
Fire reported

A COLD, WET, WINTERY MORNING; PULLED INTO COFFEE SHOP PARKING LOT, PARKED CAR, TURNED ENGINE OFF, REMOVED KEY, GOT OUT OF THE CAR, LOCKED DOORS, WENT INTO THE COFFEE SHOP. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, NOTHING LEFT ON IN THE CAR. WHILE WAITING FOR COFFEE GLANCED OUT COFFEE SHOP WINDOW. SAW THAT THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. A PANIC RUSH TO CAR FOUND A FIRE WAS BURNING BEHIND DASH. COFFEE SHOP HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER; THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. THE CAR, INOPERATIVE, WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. AN OPINION IS THAT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT INVOLVING THE CAR'S CEM (CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE) UNDER THE DASH, ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, WAS LIKELY THE CAUSE AND SOURCE OF THE FIRE. DEALER REPORT; ENGINE & DASH WIRING, CEM, HEATER HOUSING, AIRBAG, INNER GLOVE BOX TO REPLACE.

NHTSA ID
10837392
Incident
Jan 20, 2016
Mileage
130,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 3, 2013

BATTERY DEAD AND CAR WOULD NOT START; CAR HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR ONLY 1 WEEK OR LESS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10514924
Incident
Jun 3, 2013
Mileage
7,500 mi

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .