Model year record
The 2003 Volvo S40 has 2 safety recalls and 18 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (6 complaints).
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
| City / highway | 19 / 27 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
1.9 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,750/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Automatic transmission › Control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) | 6 | 48,000 mi |
| Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel | 3 | — |
| Tires | 2 | — |
| SuspensionFront › Springs › Air suspension › Lines and fittings | 2 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineFuel injection system › Fuel rail | 2 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingCooling system; Engine | 2 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | — |
| EquipmentOther › Labels | 1 | — |
| Fuel system, other | 1 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Engine | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Engine light stays on. I have had 2 mechanics check it out. They don't know why the light is on. I am very concerned about the fuel line problem.
THE REAR STRUT/SHOCKS CONTINUE TO BREAK/CRACK OVER AND OVER. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK. I ALSO HAVE GONE TO THE JUNKYARD AND ALL OF THE S40 AND V40'S HAVE ALL OF THEIR STRUTS/SHOCKS BROKEN. I'VE WITNESSED OVER 6 S40 OR V40'S LIKE THIS NOW. MY CAR HAS FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON EVERY S40 AND V40 FROM THE YEARS 2001-2004. IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT THESE STRUTS/SHOCKS CONTINUE TO BREAK. THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL.
PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDLE THROTTLE SETTING (EG STOPPED AT LIGHTS) BECAME UNSTABLE, OCCASIONALLY REVVING UPTO TO ~2000RPM. MOMENTS LATER ON SUBURBAN DIVIDED MAIN STREET, THROTTLE STUCK AT ~2200RPM WHICH MEANT I WAS DOING 45MPH (STRAIGHT LINE) WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL. SLOWED ON THE BRAKES UNTIL I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AT WHICH TIME EVERYTHING DIED (ELECTRICAL) AND CAME TO A STOP, SHORT OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS.…
I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND FOUND THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND AS A RESULT OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM MY CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERATIVE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH, SPECIFICALLY THE DEVICE THAT READS THE CHIP IN THE KEY HAS FAILED AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY KEY. CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALER FOR OVER 4 WEEKS. BECAUSE THE KEYS AND SWITCHES ARE MATCHED WE CANNOT GET AN AFTER-MARKET REPLACEMENT SWITCH. FURTHER, THE PARTS ARE BACK ORDERED AT THE DEALER, BACK ORDERED AT VOLVO NORTH AMERICA, BACK ORDERED AT VOLVO IN SWEDEN, AND THEY CANNOT EVEN GET ME A DATE WHEN THE PART MIGHT BE AVAILABLE. AS AN…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, SHUT OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
MY 2003 VOLVO S40 HAS BEEN DRIVEN FEWER THAN 70,000 MILES. ALL VOLVO RECOMMENDED SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND IS DOCUMENTED. MY VOLVO DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT AT ALL REASONABLE TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ONLY 70, 000 MILES. I FEEL VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AT LEAST THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. IN ADDITION TO THE COST AND INCONVENIENCE, THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE PRESENTED A HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY VOLVO WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A FRONTAGE ROAD WITH THE INTENTION OF ENTERING A FREEWAY. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP, A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE FROM THE…
I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC ROAD. GREEN LIQUID UNDER THE CAR. IT DIED ON THE ROAD. POLICE CAME, THE CAR TOWED. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF CHECKOUT : T/3.8 CHECKOUT AND REPLACED T-STAT, TEMP SENSOR, T-STAT HOUSING GASKET; BG COOLANT FLUSH ; PCV; ENGINE VENT; ENGINE MECHANICAL; BG POWER STEERING; BG BRAKE AFTER A WEEK I GOT THE SAME--JUMPING, NOT STABLE, ACCEL PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. INTERNAL…
INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON FEB 12, I HAD A PERIODIC MAINTENANCE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT MY TIRES WERE BAD. I HAD ONLY HAD THE TIRES A SHORT WHILE SO I BROUGHT THE CAR TO WHERE I BOUGHT THEM (SEARS) AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE TREAD WAS GOOD BUT THERE WAS ROT BETWEEN THE TREAD. THE TIRES ARE BF GOODRICH TRACTION T/A TIRES (MY MODEL P21550V16) AND WERE SOLD NATIONWIDE BY SEARS. BF GOODRICH DID GIVE ME A 45% CREDIT BUT I FEEL THESE TIRES ARE DANGEROUS SINCE I WAS TOLD THEY COULD SHRED AT ANY TIME (SOUNDED LIKE FIRESTONE ALL OVER AGAIN). BF GOODRICH NO LONGER MAKES TRACTION T/A TIRES BUT SINCE THE TIRES ARE…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.