Volvo S40 Complaints (2001)

84 consumer complaints on file.

#10133924August 23, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
VEHICLE HESITATES UPON ACCERLERATION , ALMOST TO THE POINT IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STALL. I HAD THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL VOLVO DEALER BACK IN NOVEMEBER OF 2004, BUT AFTER $700.00 IN DIAGNOSTIC CHARGES NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131175August 2, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO, MODEL S40. DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE EXPERIENCED A STALLED CAR ENGINE -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT. WHEN THE STALL HAPPENS, I MUST FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR TO RESTART THE ENGINE AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS THOSE ALREADY REPORTED TO THE NHTSA FOR OTHER VOLVO MODELS FOR THE YEARS 1999 TO 2001. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130926August 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A 1010 WINS NEW STORY ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT I AM HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH MY VOLVO S40 VIN#: [XXX]. I LOSE SPEED AS I AM DRIVING AND THE ENGINE FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING TO STOP AT ANY MOMENT. THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE IS 2001. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124448June 7, 2005
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75-80 MPH AND REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10091894October 1, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION JERKING OCCURRED, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THERE WOULD BE A BURNING OIL SMELL, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT RELEASE AND WOULD STICK INTERMITTENTLY, THE STEERING WHEEL SQUEAKED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SQUEAK, AND THE SPEAKER WAS ERRATIC. *SC TRHE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090716September 9, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC
BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE CAR FOR THE FIRST FEW APPLICATIONS. PEDAL DOES NOT FADE. EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED. SOME OTHER YEARS OF THIS MODEL ARE BEING RECALLED FOR THE SAME COMPLAINT. NO CRASH, INJURIES OR ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF FAILURE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10083093August 1, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
REAR BRAKE PADS NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 13,500 MILES. THIS IS UNUSUALLY EARLY AND WHEN I STATED THAT I WAS UPSET VOLVO SAID "THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE S40 PADS BEING TOO SOFT." ALTHOUGH, THEY STILL MADE ME PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT.THEY SAID VOLVO WAS MAKING THE NEW PADS BETTER BUT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EARLY THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW LONG THEY WOULD BE LASTING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074974June 8, 2004
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS A LEASE THAT I HAD JUST AGREED TO BUY THAT MORNING, SO I CALLED VOLVO CONSUMER AFFAIRS THE NEXT DAY (4/16/04) AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE SMYTHE DEALERSHIP SO THAT THEY COULD SEND AN INSPECTOR TO INVESTIGATE. I ALSO TOLD VOLVO THAT I HAD NO INTENTION OF BUYING THE CAR ANYMORE SINCE THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE. I LEFT THE CAR AT THE SMYTHE DEALERSHIP ON 4/17/04 AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE SITUATION AND THAT VOLVO WOULD BE SENDING AN INSPECTOR. I CALLED VOLVO ON 4/19/04 TO LET THEM KNOW THE CAR WAS THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE 10 DAYS TO INVESTIGATE. IT TOOK VOLVO UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE TO GET BACK TO ME WITH RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. I FOLLOWED UP WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY GAVE ME SEVERAL DIFFERENT EXCUSES LIKE THEY DID NOT KNOW THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT THE DEALER MISTAKENLY SENT THE CAR TO MILWAUKEE. IN THE END ONCE THEY FOUND THE CAR AND INVESTIGATED, VOLVO TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THAT IT WAS PRODUCT FAILURE BECAUSE THE CAR HAD PASSED THROUGH TOO MANY HANDS. I SAID THAT IT WAS THEIR FAULT IT PASSED THROUGH TOO MANY HANDS. I ALSO SAID AN AIRBAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY UNLESS THEIR IS IMPACT. THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS UNTRUE AND SOMETIMES THEY DEPLOY DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSORS. I THEN SAID THAT SENSORS ARE ALSO PART OF THE PRODUCT AND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH A SENSOR IT IS PRODUCT FAILURE. THEY SAID THAT EXTERNAL FORCES COULD AFFECT THE SENSORS, SO IT IS NOT PRODUCT FAILURE. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE FAILURE EXCEPT TELL ME THEY WOULD PAY FOR MY DISPOSITION FEE AND OVERAGE MILES IF I LEASE ANOTHER VOLVO. WHEN I HAD DECIDED TO BUY THE CAR IN APRIL, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY EITHER OF THOSE, SO BASICALLY VOVLO IS DOING NOTHING FOR ME BECAUSE IN THEIR OPINION THE INCIDENT WAS NOT PRODUCT FAILURE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10068538April 21, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM ONLY OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF FOR ALONG PERIOD OF TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062393March 17, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
MY 2001 VOLVO S40 HAS A LITTLE OVER 16,000 MILES. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND TWICE AT MY EXPENSE. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER S40 IN THE HOUSEHOLD WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF BRAKES NEEDING REPLACEMENT FREQUENTLY. I HAVE NOTICED ALLOT OF PEOPLE ON INTERNET SITES WITH S40'S COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FREQUENT BRAKE REPLACEMENT PROBLEM. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS SOME SORT OF BRAKE PAD DEFECT OR DESIGN DEFECT ON S40'S. THERE IS NO REASON WHY OWNERS OF THESE CARS SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY REPLACING BRAKE PADS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS COMPLAINT FOR ME AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10055161January 29, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
I HAD MY VOLVO S40 INTO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM (KEYSTONE, PA) 5 TIMES FOR A SQUEAK IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. EACH TIME WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T LOCATE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD HEAR THE SQUEAK. ON THE 6 VISIT THEY GAVE US A LOANER AND TOOK THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN CALLED US AND TOLD US THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM.... THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALL THOSE VISITS AND THEY JUST FIGURED OUT IT WAS THE BRAKES PLUS THE CAR ONLY HAS 14,000 MILES. WHAT KIND OF SMALL, LIGHT SPORTS CAR NEEDS REAR BRAKES AT 14,000. THIS CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN BY MY WIFE TO HER JOB THAT IS ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY. AFTER ALL THIS MESS I WILL BE TRADING IN MY S40 AND NEVER RECOMMEND OR PURCHASE A VOLVO AGAIN. SO MUCH FOR VOLVO'S REPUTATION. I READ OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKES ON THIS SITE AND IT ONLY STRENGHTHEN THE CONSUMERS CASE ABOUT THE BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052703January 8, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
VOLVO MODEL S40 VACUUM BRAKE FAILURE. MY 28 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS MAKING A LOW SPEED TURN AT INTERSECTION AND BRAKES FAILED AND SHE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. IN 2003 SHE WAS COMING TO A STOP BEHIND ANOTHER CAR AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. SUBSEQUENTLY THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP AT THE 30,000 MILE SERVICE ON 8/14/03. WE JUST READ ABOUT RECALL ON VEHICLES MADE DURING 2000. *LA
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045641November 7, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
REAR BRAKES WORN OUT AT 20,000 MILES AND 5 HEADLIGHT BULBS ALREADY REPLACED. 2 BRAKE SHOPS TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY TO GET THIS MUCH OUT OF THEM! *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037199September 4, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
AT 19,600 MILES THE REAR BRAKE PADS WORE OUT ON MY WIFE'S 2001 S40 VOLVO SEDAN. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THIS IS NORMAL AND THAT THEY HAVE SEEN SOME S40S WEAR THE REAR BRAKES OUT AS EARLY AS 12,000 MILES. BASED ON A REASONABLE PERSONS EXPERIENCE THIS IS MUCH TOO EARLY FOR BRAKE PADS, ESPECIALLY THE REAR ONES TO BE WEARING. THIS MUST BE A DESIGN DEFECT AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR BETTER QUALITY PADS SHOULD BE INSTALLED ON THE CAR. SEARCHING THE WEB I HAVE THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ABOUT S40S. BELOW IS ONE EXAMPLE I FOUND:*AK 9TH MAY 2002, 14:41JUST HAD MY VOLVO REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES (AT MY COST!). AT INSPECTION THE REAR PADS HAD 0% REMAINING, WHILE THE FRONT STILL HAD 70%. WHEN I TOLD THE DEALER THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE, THEY SAID "THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE VOLVO S40". SO MY RESPONSE WAS, AND STILL IS, "IF IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS ON THE VOLVO S40 EVERY 15,000 TO 20,000 MILES, THEN THE THE VOLVO S40 IS UNACCEPTABLE". VOLVO REFUSED TO COVER THIS ABNORMAL WEAR UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE REGISTER MY COMPLAINT WITH VOLVO AND ADD THIS COMPLAINT TO YOUR GROWING LIST OF PRODUCT DEFECTS. THANKS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037898August 28, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN BRAKING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS BRAKES WOULD INTERMITTENTLY WORK, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024955July 24, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WHILE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *A *TS *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029488July 17, 2003
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
THE TIRES WERE NOT SET CORRECTLY ON THE HUB, AND WHILE DRIVING, THE LUGS:NUTS LOOSENED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022816July 10, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE POWER ASSIST FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE BRAKES WERE SOFT UPON COLD STARTS AND WAS DISFUNCTIONAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD WARMED UP. THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED ON FIVE OCCASIONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE VACUUM HOSE TWICE. A REPRESENTATIVE OF VOLVO RECOMMENDED NEW WIRING AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023312June 18, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED ON MY 2001 VOLVO S40 AT THE VOLVO DEALER. AT ONLY 21,500 MILES THE REAR BRAKES WERE GRINDING LOUDLY. I COMPLAINED TO VOLVO CONSUMER SERVICES FROM THEIR WEB PAGE. THEY WERE NOT ONLY NOT SURPRISED AT THE REAR BRAKE FAILURE AT 21,500 MILES, BUT SAID THAT THEY USUALLY GO OUT BETWEEN 10K AND 20K MILES. THE REAR BRAKES ON THAT VEHICLE ARE POORLY DESIGNED, CREATING A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT HAZARD BECAUSE OF CONSUMERS' IGNORANCE OF THEIR UNDER-ENGINEERING. AN AMERICAN CAR WOULD LIKELY GET AS MUCH AS 80K MILES OUT OF THE REAR BRAKES, BEING REPLACED ONLY THE THIRD TIME THE FRONT BRAKES ARE SERVICE. AN AMERICAN CAR COMPANY THAT IS AS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE WOULD LIKELY HAVE DONE A REDESIGN AND RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE PADS ON THE VOLVO S40 ARE NO BIGGER THAN THOSE OF A MOTORCYCLE. THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND VOLVO SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THEM. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022133June 3, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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