2005 Volvo S40N 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 2005 Volvo S40N, 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
- Brakes637.5%
- Driver assistance425.0%
- Engine16.3%
- Fuel system16.3%
- Transmission16.3%
- Body & structure16.3%
- Visibility16.3%
- Electrical16.3%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
THREE ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR TO CORRECT A BRAKE PROBLEM. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON HAVING THE CAR SERVICES A FOURTH TIME IN THE COURSE OF 6 MONTHS, MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A TOTAL OF THREE WEEKS. *NM
ON THE 2005 VOLVO S40 T5 AUTOMATIC ONLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. IN FACT, A SIZE 9 SHOE OF MEDIUM WIDTH WILL BARELY FIT ON THE GAS PEDAL WHILE TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ABOUT 1.5 INCHES HIGHER THAN THE GAS PEDAL SO MANY TIMES THE FOOT WILL BE CAUGHT UNDER THE PEDAL. THIS IS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS DESIGN AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED THIS BUT VOLVO IS NOT WILLING TO RETROFIT THE PEDALS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NON-T5 VERSION DOES NOT SUFFER FROM THIS BAD DESIGN NOR DOES THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS SAFETY DEFECT, IF NOT CORRECTED, WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FOR DRIVERS OF THIS SPECIFIC CAR. ON JULY 27, I ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE MY FOOT GOT STUCK UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHILE I WAS ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR AND ALMOST CRASHING ONTO THE SIDEWALK, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT MANY ACCIDENTS CAN BE AVOIDED IF VOLVO WAS TO REDESIGN OR RETROFIT THE SPACING OF THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ON THE VOLVO S40 T5 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. PLEASE INSPECT THE SPACING OF THE PEDALS AS THEY ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH MINIMUM STANDARDS. *JB
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
ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE TO BRAKE PEDAL; POSSIBLE INTERFERNCE WHEN WEARING CERTAIN SHOES. *NM
SEPERATION BETWEEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL IS TOO CLOSE. I CONSTANTLY TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL AS I ACCELERATE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE IN THE MORNING THE FIRST TRY RESULTS IN LOUD SHAKING AND SHUTTERING. SOUNDS LIKE CAR IS NOT RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS, OR HAS BAD TIMING. INITAL PROBLEM IS THAT HOOD INSULATOR FASTENERS ARE COMMING OFF WHICH COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT AND CASUE ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO DEALER TWO TIMES. DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. PROBLEM OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
TWO ISSUES: 1) CAR STALLED ON THE 495 BELTWAY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT AND CAR WOULD NOT START. A VOLVO TEMPORARY SW FIX WAS APPLIED TO THE COMPUTER TO FIX 2) OEM LICENSE PLATE BOLTS ON THE FRONT OF CAR A VERY SHARP AND CAN CAUSE HARM TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
STARTED CAR WHEN PARKED IN PARKING SPACE, AND CAR WENT FORWARD WHEN SHIFT LEVER WAS IN REVERSE. MOVED SHIFT LEVER THROUGH 'GEARS' TO REVERSE TWO MORE TIMES. THREE TIMES CAR MOVED FORWARD WHEN LEVER WAS IN REVERSE. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND RE-STARTED CAR, THEN CAR WOULD GO BACKWARDS WHEN IN REVERSE. *JB
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
2005 VOLVO S40 HAS A WIDE METAL JOINT/BAND ABUTTING THE REAR GLASS PANE AND THE ROOF ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR. THIS OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF APPROACHING REAR TRAFFIC.*MR *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2005 VOLVO S40 2.4I THAT WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2004. THE ISSUE IS THE SEPARATION OF THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS AS WELL AS THE SEPARATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL/ARM AND THE TRANSMISSION TUNNEL, WHICH PROVIDES OVERALL CLEARANCE FOR THE RIGHT FOOT. THEY ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND WHILE DRIVING, MY FOOT TENDS TO HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL SLIGHTY WHEN I WANT TO PUSH ON THE ACCELERATOR. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE WINDSHIELD IS QUITE EASILY CHIPPED. I HAVE 4000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THERE ARE ALREADY 9 CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD. MY PARENTS HAVE MORE THAN 150,000 MILES ON TWO DIFFERENT CARS AND ONLY TWO CHIPS IN ONE OF THE WINDSHIELDS. THIS IS NOT A DEFECT BUT MORE OF A QUALITY ISSUE. COULD YOU LOOK INTO THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN THE 2005 S40. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 2.5 MONTHS THAT MY CAR HAS JUST DECIDED NOT TO START. THE FIRST TIME, IT HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED AND I DROVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO A GAS STATION, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT DECIDED TO START. I TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY BACK TO DEALER AND THEY KEPT IT FOR A DAY AND SAID NOTHING WRONG. IN THE MEAN TIMES, A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE NST TIME THE CAR FAILED TO START, I THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING FIRE-LIKE SMOKY, BUT FIGURED MUST BE MY IMAGINATION. SO THE SECOND TIME, I PARKED THE CAR AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. I DID NOT CONTINUE TO TRY TO START IT, BECAUSE I WANT THE DEALER TO SEE WHAT IT DOES AND HAD IT TOWED THERE. THEY SAID IT COULD BE A KEY MALFUNCTION OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STARTER. I DID FIND A RECALL ON THE 2005 S80 THAT SEEMS TO FIT THE DESCRIPTION OF MY PROBLEMS. I WONDER IF THE S40 HAS THE SAME STARTER PROBLEMS AS THE S80. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN REPAIR FOR 2 DAYS NOW. *NM
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 .