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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.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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

What owners actually said

122 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY CAR ARE WEARING PREMATURELY, AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS ARE WEARING MORE QUICKLY THAN THE FRONT. MY CAR HAS ONLY 14,171 MILES ON IT AND I ALREADY HAVE TO REPLACE THE PADS, I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SIGN OF EITHER DEFECTIVE PADS, OR A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO, TH…

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BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY CAR ARE WEARING PREMATURELY, AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS ARE WEARING MORE QUICKLY THAN THE FRONT. MY CAR HAS ONLY 14,171 MILES ON IT AND I ALREADY HAVE TO REPLACE THE PADS, I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SIGN OF EITHER DEFECTIVE PADS, OR A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT IS FAILING TO GIVE THE PROPER WARNING OF THE WEAR, THUS PLACE THE DRIVER AT RISK FOR ADDITIONAL COMPONENT FAILURE, AND RAISING SAFETY CONCERNS. DT

NHTSA ODI #768963

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DEFECT EXISTS WITH VACUUM SEAL ON BRAKE PUMP. WHEN VEHICLE IS "COLD" THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON BRAKES, AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER 3 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8017372

Mileage unknown · Aug 26, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE LOST TOTAL BRAKING ABILITY 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER IS SIGHTING A BROKEN T-CONNECTOR ON A LOW PRESSURE HOSE AS THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED THE REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. AFTER 3RD TIME, WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE WITH A BRASS T-CONNECTOR, WHICH TO DATE THEY CAN N…

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IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE LOST TOTAL BRAKING ABILITY 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER IS SIGHTING A BROKEN T-CONNECTOR ON A LOW PRESSURE HOSE AS THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED THE REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. AFTER 3RD TIME, WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE WITH A BRASS T-CONNECTOR, WHICH TO DATE THEY CAN NOT FIND. THEY CONSIDER THE CAR SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE BRAKES WORK CURRENTLY, HOWEVER THEY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING THE LAST 2 TIMES. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN PLACES WHERE NO ACCIDENT OCCURED. I DID ROLL THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH, STOP SIGN ON THE FIRST TWO OCCURANCES. DEALER WILL NOT REVEAL IF THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, PARTS DEFECTS OR SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN THIS AUTOMOBILE. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD BUT VOLVO SEEMS TO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #766253

Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING BRAKES WENT OUT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014429

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REAR BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE WILL WEAR OUT EVERY 12000 MILES, THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014207

Mileage unknown · May 6, 2002
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT'S COASTING. WHEN APPLING GAS VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, LIKE IT IS NOT IN GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8009234

Mileage unknown · Mar 8, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN, BUT WOULD NOT STOP, CAUSING TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8005228

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD TO HAVE BRAKES REPAIRED. THIS WAS THIRD TIME.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8004159

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REAR LEFT BRAKE PADS WORN THROUGH AT 26,000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THIS SITUATION IS NORMAL ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PADS CAN BE WORN ON CARS THIS QUICKLY. I HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ALSO. IN ADDITION, I LIVE OVER 100 MILES FROM MY NEAREST DEALER AND REPLACEMENT PADS ARE NOT AVAILAB…

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REAR LEFT BRAKE PADS WORN THROUGH AT 26,000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THIS SITUATION IS NORMAL ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PADS CAN BE WORN ON CARS THIS QUICKLY. I HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ALSO. IN ADDITION, I LIVE OVER 100 MILES FROM MY NEAREST DEALER AND REPLACEMENT PADS ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #757996

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2002
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, CANNOT LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8003659

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.