NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
122 reportsMileage unknown · Dec 11, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP IN A PARKING PLACE (1-2MPH), THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WITHIN 2 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB, SPINNING THE FRONT WHEELS FAST ENOUGH TO DIG 2 DEEP TROUGHS IN THE GRAVEL, AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL 10 FEET BEYOND THE ORIGINAL PARKING SPACE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED SHATTERING THE W…
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WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP IN A PARKING PLACE (1-2MPH), THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WITHIN 2 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB, SPINNING THE FRONT WHEELS FAST ENOUGH TO DIG 2 DEEP TROUGHS IN THE GRAVEL, AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL 10 FEET BEYOND THE ORIGINAL PARKING SPACE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER SUFFERS ONLY MINOR SORENESS THANKS TO THE SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARKING SPACE AND THE WALL. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DEFECT IN THE S40. TWO OTHER CUSTOMER REPORTS EXIST CONCERNING A RUNAWAY THROTTLE ON THE VOLVO S40: 879358 & 878201.*AK
NHTSA ODI #755524
Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
DEALER/MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT NO KNOWN PROBLEMS EXISTED, BUT NHTSA HAD COMPLAINT ODI ID 879358 SINCE 7/1/2000. NO SAFETY DEFECGT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #755521
Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2001
Electrical System
BUTTONS IN STEERING FOR HORN CAN BE DEPRESSED 1/2 INCH WITH HEAVY FORCE APPLIED TO THEM BEFORE HORN WILL ACTIVATE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPLACED CONNECTORS. THIS FAILED TO REMEDY PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.
NHTSA ODI #898588
Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2001
Electrical SystemEquipmentPower Train
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, MY CAR ENGINE STOPPED. AFTER BEING IN THE SHOP FOR A MONTH, THEY DETECTED THAT THE TACKOMETER WAS BAD AND REPLACE IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR ANYMORE. IT HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN BUT I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED. REGARDING THE RADIO, WE HAVE …
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WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, MY CAR ENGINE STOPPED. AFTER BEING IN THE SHOP FOR A MONTH, THEY DETECTED THAT THE TACKOMETER WAS BAD AND REPLACE IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR ANYMORE. IT HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN BUT I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED. REGARDING THE RADIO, WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR. I HAVE HAD THEM LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AT LEAST 12 TIMES. WE ARE HAVING STATIC THROUGHOUT THE CHICAGOLAND AREA.*AK
NHTSA ODI #753950
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MPH APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKE PEDAL IN AN EFFORT TO STOP VEHICLE, BUT BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO RESPOND FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 TO 7 SECONDS. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND REPLACED REAR DISCS AND BRAKE PADS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #898399
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2001
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic
BOTH HEADLIGHTS ALMOST SIMUTANEOUSLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH BULBS,AT 16766 THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT SINCE ASBESTOS HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM BRAKE PADS THAT THE BRAKE LIFE IS SHORTER. NLM CONSUMER SUGGEST THAT MANUFACTURER DESIGN A BACK UP…
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BOTH HEADLIGHTS ALMOST SIMUTANEOUSLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH BULBS,AT 16766 THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT SINCE ASBESTOS HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM BRAKE PADS THAT THE BRAKE LIFE IS SHORTER. NLM CONSUMER SUGGEST THAT MANUFACTURER DESIGN A BACK UP LIGHTING SYSTEM IN CASE OF HEADLIGHT FAILURE. *TT
NHTSA ODI #896504
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 16,000 MILES OF WEAR. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. *AK NLM LETTER REGARDING VOLVO'S RESPONSE ATTACHED. *TT
NHTSA ODI #896502
Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
AFTER 3 MONTHS, BRAKES FELT ROUGH, HARD, AND DEVELOPED NOISE WHEN GOING SLOW, THEN CONSTANT SQUEAK. *AK
NHTSA ODI #751173
Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2001
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVisibility
INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE. WARNING LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON ALONG WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER LIGHTS, AND ETC. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #894694
Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
WE PURCHASED THIS VOLVO S 40 ON JUNE 22, 2000 AND HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ALTHOUGH THE VEHICHLE HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE REAR ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL DUE TO THE REAR PADS WEARING OUT COMPLETELY IN APPROXIMATELY 22,000 MILES. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE BRAKE PADS ON MOST…
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WE PURCHASED THIS VOLVO S 40 ON JUNE 22, 2000 AND HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ALTHOUGH THE VEHICHLE HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT. THE REAR ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL DUE TO THE REAR PADS WEARING OUT COMPLETELY IN APPROXIMATELY 22,000 MILES. OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE BRAKE PADS ON MOST VEHICLES LAST APPROXIMATELY 50,000 MILES OR MORE. WHEN WE COMPLAINED, WE WERE TOLD BY UNION PARK MAINTENANCE AND SALES THAT THE BRAKE PADS ON THE VOLVO S 40 ARE NOT EXPECTED TO LAST MORE THAN 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES. MY HUSBAND AND I CONSIDER THIS PREMATURE BRAKE PAD DEGREDATION TO BE BUILT-IN OBSOLENCE AND EXPECT BETTER FROM VOLVO. WHEN WE ADDRESSED OUR COMPLAINT TO A SALES MANAGER AT UNION PARK WE WERE TOLD TO "GET IN LINE" WITH OTHER S 40 OWNERS, LEADING US TO BELIEVE THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. TO DATE, VOLVO HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM OR OUR COMPLAINT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #749844
NHTSA investigations
2EA02026 · 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.
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