IllustrationRECENTLY PURCHASED USED 2000 VOLVO S40 SEDAN. THE HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE, WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE A DANGEROUS SAFETY PROBLEM. WHEN I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN.
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all S40 years →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
50–25K
1025–50K
1050–75K
1175–100K
9100–150K
2150K+
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
What owners actually said
122 reportsUNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FOR THE IGNITION. *AK
VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL AND HARSHNESS (5TH TIME VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR PULL IN LESS THAN 40,000 MILES). *AK
VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL AND HARSHNESS - DEALER REPLACED REAR STRUTS.*AK
HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT FOR 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. *AK
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
VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL- DEALER STATED THAT NO ACTION WAS NECESSARY.*AK
NEITHER I NOR VOLVO ROADSIDE ASSITANCE ABLE TO REMOVE WHEEL TO INSTALL SPARE TIRE. VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE.*AK
HEADLAMP BULD BURNED OUT (12380 MILES). *AK
VEHICLE SERVICED FOR BRAKE NOISE. NO ACTION TAKEN BY DEALER. *AK
Official recalls
103V474000 · 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
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.