2011 Volvo S40 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2011 Volvo S40, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical457.1%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Driver assistance114.3%
- Interior & seats114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .