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2000 Volvo S40

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most S40 years

Owner complaints for the 2000 Volvo S40 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 26.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

47 reports with mileage · 75 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

49 reports
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56,739 miles · Apr 29, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER USED A HIGHER BRAKE FORCE THAN USUAL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $800.00. *AK *MR MAINTENANCE RECORD SHOW THAT ROUTINE SERVICE INCLUDING REAR BRAKE PADS AT 19580K MILES, AT 41416K MILES, FRONT PADS AT 28312K MILES AND WAS INCLUDE …

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WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER USED A HIGHER BRAKE FORCE THAN USUAL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $800.00. *AK *MR MAINTENANCE RECORD SHOW THAT ROUTINE SERVICE INCLUDING REAR BRAKE PADS AT 19580K MILES, AT 41416K MILES, FRONT PADS AT 28312K MILES AND WAS INCLUDE IN THE REPAIRS FOR INCIDENT 56739K MILES. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10050129

80,000 miles · Apr 5, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER#03V474000 REGARDING THE ELECTRIC BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. THE DEALERSHIP STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT THE RECALL. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10065516

44,191 miles · Mar 7, 2004
EquipmentService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

I OWN A 2000 VOLVO S40. WE JUST HAD OUR FIFTH TRIP TO THE DEALER TO CORRECT KNOCKING NOISE/RATTLE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. PROBLEM STARTED AT 44,191 MILES. NOW AT 59,800. TWO SETS OF CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND TWO SETS OF SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED. NOISE RETURNS WITHIN 2000 MI OF SERVICE. ALSO, I HAVE HAD THE REAR BRAKES G…

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I OWN A 2000 VOLVO S40. WE JUST HAD OUR FIFTH TRIP TO THE DEALER TO CORRECT KNOCKING NOISE/RATTLE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. PROBLEM STARTED AT 44,191 MILES. NOW AT 59,800. TWO SETS OF CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND TWO SETS OF SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED. NOISE RETURNS WITHIN 2000 MI OF SERVICE. ALSO, I HAVE HAD THE REAR BRAKES GO OUT AT 17,500 MILES. PADS WORE THIN AND CUT INTO THE ROTORS. THAT ONE COST $335. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 9000 MILES. I PAID THE EXTRA MONEY TO GET A VOLVO BECAUSE I KEEP MY CARS FOR A LONG TIME. (I ALSO OWN A 18 YEAR OLD AUDI 4000.) I BOUGHT VOLVO FOR ONE WORD: RELIABILITY. I HAVE FOUND THAT VOLVO DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS S40 IS HUGELY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. I AM MAKING FAR TOO MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO KEEP TRYING TO GET DEFECTS FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10060610

30,000 miles · Feb 29, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2000 VOLVO S40 NO BRAKES UNTIL CAR IS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER LETTING IT WARM FOR A FEW MINUTES. I HAVE ALREADY ROLLED INTO NUMEROUS INTERSECTIONS DUE TO NO BRAKES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10060027

Mileage unknown · Jan 14, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN ENGINE IS COLD, AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED DRIVER HAS TO APPLY A LOT OF PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10054022

18 miles · Jan 13, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

POWER BRAKES DON NOT WORK WELL

NHTSA ODI #10053041

8,000 miles · Oct 24, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE VOLVO S40 2000 WHICH I PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 1999. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO SERVICE REGULARLY, IT WAS SERVICED WHILE IN WARRANTY BY THE ROYAL MOTOR SALES WHO SOLD ME THIS CAR. ON THE SECOND SERVICE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND THEY HAVE TO CHANGE NOT ONLY BRAKE PADS BUT ALSO ROTORS AND SOMETHING …

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I HAVE VOLVO S40 2000 WHICH I PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 1999. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO SERVICE REGULARLY, IT WAS SERVICED WHILE IN WARRANTY BY THE ROYAL MOTOR SALES WHO SOLD ME THIS CAR. ON THE SECOND SERVICE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND THEY HAVE TO CHANGE NOT ONLY BRAKE PADS BUT ALSO ROTORS AND SOMETHING ELSE, I ENDED UP PAYING $1000+ FOR THAT "SERVICE". INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH I HAVE BEEN TOLD AT DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY CAR KIND TO HAVE REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT QUICKLY AND THEY HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 5000-7000 MILES (NO INFORMATION ON THAT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, EITHER NOBODY WARNED ME ABOUT THAT ON THE FIRST SERVICE, BETTER YET THEY DID NOT EVEN CHECKED REAR BRAKE PADS NOR TELL ME HOW MUCH OF IT LEFT). NOW WHEN MY WARRANTY IS OVER I NOTICED VERY LOUD METALLIC BANGING NOISE THAT COMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TOOK THE CAR TO INDEPENDENT VOLVO MECHANIC SINCE I DO NOT TRUST DEALER ANY MORE. MECHANIC FIXED ACTUALLY 2 DIFFERENT PARTS THAT WERE MAKING SOME NOISE. I PAID $330 AND TOOK MY CAR HOME, JUST TO FIND THAT LOUD NOISE IS STILL THERE WHEN I WAS GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND MECHANIC ORDERED YET ANOTHER PART WHICH ONLY CAME 2 WEEKS LATER. NOW MY CAR IS AT THE MECHANIC'S WHO CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THERE MORE PARTS TO BE CHANGED AND THAT HIS FRIEND AT DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT IT IS VERY COMMON WARRANTY REPAIR ON MY CAR KIND. WELL THEY GOT LUCKY IN MY CASE, I AM OVER ON MY WARRANTY BY 2000 MILES. BUT WILL I BUY VOLVO EVER AGAIN? - NO WAY!!! WILL I SUGGEST TO ANYONE TO BUY A VOLVO? - ONLY TO SOMEONE I DISLIKE!. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10043536

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DEALER REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS AND SAID PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO A CORRODED CALIPER. DEALER TOOK NO ACTION TO ADDRESS THE CORRODED CALIPER, (27679 MILES). *AK

NHTSA ODI #10028707

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE SERVICED FOR BRAKE NOISE. NO ACTION TAKEN BY DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10028701

14,469 miles · Jul 18, 2003
Seat BeltsService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THE REAR BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE. THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST FOR ALL REPAIRS WERE $545.61. *AK ALSO THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10022718

Official recalls

1

03V474000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Nov 17, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, WATER CAN ENTER THE ELECTRICAL BRAKE VACUUM PUMP, CAUSING THE PUMP TO FAIL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST AND AN INCREASE IN NEEDED BRAKE PEDAL FORCE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PUMP WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION AND MOVE THE PUMP TO A NEW LOCATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA02026 · Volvo S40/V40 My 2000-2001

Opened Sep 10, 2002 · Closed Nov 21, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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.

PE02009 · Brake POWER-ASSIST

Opened Jan 29, 2002 · Closed Sep 10, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

No summary supplied.