Volvo S40 Complaints

491 consumer complaints on file.

#10185527March 19, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
MY 2003 S40 HAS BEEN SLIPPING GEAR BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR AND OCASSIONAL HARD SHIFT BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 49000 MILES. I HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID, THERE IS NO SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE)AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. COST $800. THIS GEAR SLIP MAKES DRIVING VERY BOTHERSOME AND DANGEROUS ON OCCASION. IF YOU NEED TO SPEED UP TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, THE SLIP CAUSES THE CAR TO LOSE POWER. FEW SECONDS MAKES A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO ANOTHER IMPORT REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE TCM. WHICH DID NOT HELP THE ISSUE. THEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND ASKED TO DO ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TO SEE IF THE TCM IS THE ISSUE OR NOT. THEY SAID, THE TCM COULD NOT BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THEY WANT ME TO REPLACE THE TCM THROUGH THEM AND SEE IF IT WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, OTHERWISE IT WILL BE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE WEB AND THROUGH MULTIPLE FORUMS, THERE HAVE HUNDREDS OF ISSUES RELATED TO TCM AND TRANSMISSION ON THESE MODELS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW CAN A CAR HAVE TCM OR TRANSMISSION ISSUE WITH ALL IT'S FACTORY RECOMMENDED SERVICE DONE AS SCHEDULED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184838March 12, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A DEFECT HAS OCCURRED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2005. THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 VOLVO S40 . THE DEFECT IS WITH A RESISTOR FOR THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR THAT OPERATES ERRATICALLY. THIS TYPE OF DEFECT WAS IDENTIFIED AS NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 01V169000. THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR FOR FREE. THE RESISTOR THAT IS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE CLARIFY IF THIS RESISTOR DEFECT IS INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184796March 6, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
3/6/2007. VOLVO S40 2000. CONTACT HAS A CONCERN WITH THE BRAKES AND THE HEADLIGHTS.*MC THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKES FAILED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183110February 21, 2007
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
1) I HAD TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE AND USED THE VEHICLE SUPPLIED SCISSOR JACK. I NOTICED THAT IT GOT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE JACK TO RAISE THE CAR. EVENTUALLY IT GOT SO STIFF THAT IT REQUIRED BOTH ARMS TO TURN THE LEVER. 2) THE JACK SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE CAR CAME CRASHING DOWN ONTO THE PAVEMENT. NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS THE TIRE WAS STILL ON THE AXLE. NO PERSONAL INJURY AS BOTH ARMS WERE ON THE JACK'S LEVER ARM. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE WORM SCREW WAS SOMEHOW STRIPPED. 3) REPORTED TO VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE JACK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182634February 15, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE 2002 VOLVO S40 HE TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND A THICK BLACK SMOKE CAME FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL AND FILLED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VOLVO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 30,000.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182545February 14, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO S40. WHILE DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS AT 25 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. WITHOUT ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REDLINE AND THE DRIVER TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10181120January 30, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINEWAS IDLING HIGH. VOLVO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE RPM SURGE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY WHEN THE CONTACTWAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON PERIODICALLY. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE ON ALL VOLVO MODELS, BUT NOT FOR THE 240 MODEL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178299January 10, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
THE STARTER KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE FORWARD POSITION, I HAVE TO MANUALLY TURN IT BACK TO THE CORRECT POSITION. ALSO, IT IS TAKING ABOUT 5 SECONDS TO START THE CAR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178369January 10, 2007
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
ON MY BRAND NEW S-40 VOLVO WITH A MANUAL 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION OPERATING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR CAN BE OBSTRUCTED EASILY BY AN ADJACENT PROTRUDING PANEL ON THE FLOOR BOARD. WHEN MY LEFT FOOT IS BLOCKED BY THIS PROTRUDING PANEL, I AM INHIBITED FROM SHIFTING GEARS. THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A DEFECT. VOLVO HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BY SUPPLYING A PROPERLY FORMED CLUTCH LEVER THAT POSITIONS THE CLUTCH PEDAL FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE PROTRUDING PANEL FOR CONSISTENTLY PROPER DEPRESSION OF THE CLUTCH DURING SHIFTING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10177666January 3, 2007
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG OFF LIGHT STAYED ON WHEN THEREWAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THIS HAPPENSEDINTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE SEPT 1, 2006. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 9000 MILES. THE FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN AT ANY PARTICULAR SPEED, IT NORMALLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 1/3/07, AND THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176638December 20, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CAR WAS SERVICED ON 25-OCT AT ~49K MILES. NO COMPUTER UPDATES WERE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. 12-DEC, I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON THE CAR. 13-DEC THE CAR REPORTED "REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE" AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER, STOPPED CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTED WITH NO PROBLEM/LIGHTS. DROVE A FEW MILES, SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THEN DROVE FOR ~45 MINUTES WHEN THE CAR REPORTED SOMETHING LIKE A "SYSTEM ENGINE FAILURE" AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WAS SPUTTERING WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. WAS TOWED TO MY DEALERSHIP. SM INFORMED ME THAT THE "MAIN" COMPUTER HAD FAILED, "TWO OTHER COMPUTERS" HAD "STOPPED COMMUNICATING" AND THE "THROTTLE MODULE" FAILED. HE TOLD ME THEY COULD FIX THE CAR FOR ~$300 WITH COMPUTER UPGRADES. HE DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD FIX THE THROTTLE MODULE AS WELL. IT WAS FIXED IN THEIR OPINION AFTER THEY ROAD TESTED IT FOR ~7 MILES. HE SAID AVAILABLE COMPUTER UPGRADES ARE ALWAYS APPLIED AT THEIR DEALERSHIP WHEN THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY BUT NEVER WHEN THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY UNLESS THERE'S A PROBLEM. WAS TOLD MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE UPGRADES AND WAS CHARGED ~$300. I ASKED IF THE UPGRADES COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED 25-OCT SINCE I WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HE FELT THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN, ASSUMING THE UPGRADES WERE AVAILABLE THEN BUT COULDN'T TELL ME IF THEY WERE. SPOKE WITH THE SM AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS ON 25-OCT AND HE SAID THEY NEVER APPLY COMPUTER UPGRADES UNLESS THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, WARRANTY OR NOT. DROVE THE CAR HOME ON 13-DEC AND NOTICED "ELECTRICAL" ISSUES. DROVE THE CAR ON THE MORNING OF 14-DEC AND A HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AND CAME BACK ON LATER IN THE DAY. CAR FAILED AGAIN THAT DAY IN TRAFFIC. FILED A CASE WITH VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE. *JB DEALERSHIP HAS CLEANED THE THROTTLE MODULE BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. THEY ORDERED A NEW ETM AT ~$800. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL USE THE $300 AS A 25% PAYMENT ON THE PARTS/LABOR FOR THE ETM REPLACEMENT AND THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL COST TO ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176297December 16, 2006
SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175999December 12, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE: VOLVO, S40 (YEAR:2000), MILES: 95,000 VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS IN LINE WITH THE OTHER 360,000 RECALLED VOLVOS INVOLVING ETM. WHY IS S40 NOT PART OF RECALL? LAST WEEKEND VEHICLE HAD RECURRENCE OF CONTINUING PROBLEM. VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY DOWN SHIFTS AT ROAD AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS HAS RESULTS IN RAPID SLOWING OF VEHICLE AND A MASSIVE RPM SURGE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE ACTS LIKE IT SHIFTS INTO "SAFE" OR "LIMP" MODE, BUT THERE ARE NO TROUBLE LIGHTS THAT COME ON. HAVE REPLACED MASS FLOW CENSOR, WHICH DID NOT HELP. WHEN IT OCCURS, SHUTTING VEHICLE OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES SEEMS TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND APPEARS RELATED TO THE ETM THAT HAS BEEN THE SOURCE OF PROBLEMS IN OTHER VOLVO VEHICLES. PLEASE ADD THE S40 TO THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175767December 11, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND ENTERED THE LIMP HOME MODE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #06V441000, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175880December 11, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND TRIED TO GET A FULL DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE, BUT THE POWER CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10174662November 29, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AT ANY SPEED DURING ACCELERATION. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171412October 20, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT WHEN ALL OF THE GAUGES IN MY CAR WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I HAD NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS READING, NO ENGINE HEAT METER, THE MESSAGE CENTER WAS OUT, NO TURN SIGNALS. THIS IS A 2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM VOLVO IN 2004. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME 60 MILES ON AN EXTREME;Y DARK ROAD WITH NO SAFETY GAUGES- I COULDN'T CALL FOR ROADSIDE AS I WAS ALONE AND AM A WOMAN- I WASN'T GOING TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO WAIT FOR ROADSIDE. I WAS TOLD BY VOLVO THAT IT WAS THE DDM MODULE AND THE WIRING HARNESS- MY ELECTRICAL /COMPUTER SYSTEM WENT BAD. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IN A BRAND NEW CAR? FURTHERMORE, I WAS 1,000 MILES OVER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY OF 50,000 MILES- THUS VOLVO CHARGED ME $1,645.00. WITHIN IN MINUTES OF DRIVING THE CAR AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED- THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD THAT MY SOFTWARE HAD TO BE UPGRADED AND MY THROTTLE CLEANED? I BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN THESE CARS ARE NO GOOD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171109October 17, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ON 2006 VOLVO S40 T5. SEVERE SCREACHING NOISE COMES FROM BRAKES WHEN IN REVERSE. VOLVO IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. MY VOLVO S40 HAS HAD BRAKE PARTS REPLACED 4 TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ONE MONTH LATER, THE NOISE IS BACK. THE NOISE IS NOW BACK FOR THE FIFTH (5) TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169566September 29, 2006
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
ROUTINE 90K MAINTENANCE ON VOLVO S40 YEAR 2000 REVEALED CRACKED ENGINE MOUNT. ACCORDING TO THE VOLVO MECHANIC THIS IS SEEN OFTEN ON VOLVO CARS S80, S60 AND S40. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169333September 26, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE VEHICLE HAS THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DASHBOARD, RADIO, CLIMATE CONTROLS TURN-OFF BY THEMSELVES. WIPERS ACTIVATE BY THEMSELVES. SRS WARNINGS ARE DISPLAYED. FUEL DOOR BUTTON DOES NOT ACTIVATE. IGNITION WILL NOT ACTIVE SO CAR WILL NOT START. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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