The Volvo S40 has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2000–2011. On average a defect was admitted 1.64 years after the car was built, the slowest took 6 years. The most recalled system is Equipment (3 campaigns). Owners also filed 388 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Volvo S40
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Equipment 3 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 3 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling 1,114 my 2007 c30, c70, s40, and v50 passenger vehicles. A soft anodized layer in the master cylinder may trigger early wear on a rubber seal that can result in internal leakage of brake fluid. If affected, the driver may experience reduced brake performance when applying and maintaining force of the brake pedal
Risk. The capacity to brake will gradually deteriorate forcing the driver to use a higher than expected force on the brake pedal when compared to an intact brake system. The deterioration can eventually result in complete loss of the brake system functionality increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the master cylinder. The brake master cylinder and brake fluid reservoir will be replaced and certain brake lines cleaned free of charge. The recall began on march 11, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the non-return valve may crack due to a poor weld causing a vacuum leak
Risk. If this occurs, more brake pedal force may be required to stop the vehicle and/or may experience a rough engine idle, which could result in a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the vacuum hose. The recall began on november 29, 2004. Owners should contact volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, water can enter the electrical brake vacuum pump, causing the pump to fail
Risk. This could result in loss of power assist and an increase in needed brake pedal force, which could result in a crash
Fix. 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
Fuel System, Gasoline 3 Read
What's wrong. On certain vehicles sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, reoccurring, long-term exposure to certain environmental conditions such as salty-wet conditions, it is possible for the pump electronic module (pem) to become corroded internally. This can cause a faulty signal to the fuel pump, resulting in low or no fuel pressure to the engine
Risk. If this occurs, the check engine light may illuminate. In some cases, the vehicle may fail to start or may stall, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will replace the pem and install it in a new location to prevent corrosion. The recall began on february 20, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with t5 turbo engines, the polyamide tube in the fuel line is sensitive to the extreme temperatures that may occur in the area where the turbo/exhaust manifold is located
Risk. This may potentially result in fuel line leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire
Fix. Dealers will change the fuel line material to teflon free of charge. The recall began on june 5, 2006. Owners may contact volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with t5 turbo engines, the polyamide tube in the fuel line is sensitive to the extreme temperatures that may occur in the area where the turbo/exhaust manifold is located
Risk. This may potentially result in fuel line leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire
Fix. Dealers will change the fuel line material to teflon free of charge. The recall began on june 5, 2006. Owners may contact volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552
Structure 1 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain model year 2011 s40 passenger vehicles. A crack on the top side of the passenger side support member in the engine compartment may have developed during the forming process in component production
Risk. The crack could have an effect on the front structure and may reduce the crash performance of the vehicle
Fix. Dealers will inspect for cracks on the top side of the passenger side support member in the engine compartment. If no crack is found, no further action is needed. If the inspection reveals that a vehicle has a crack in the side support member, the vehicle will immediately be taken out of service. A new replacement…
Seats 1 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain passenger vehicles equipped with power front passenger seats. The front seat rail's detection system was manufactured incorrectly and may permit the passenger to forward the seat beyond the intended maximum
Risk. Positioning of the seat beyond the intended maximum can cause increased risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the front power seat stops for both front seats for the presence of an "end stop" and repair the vehicles as necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on december 23, 2010. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552 or at [email protected]
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain passenger vehicles equipped with power front passenger seats. The front seat rail's detection system was manufactured incorrectly and may permit the passenger to forward the seat beyond the intended maximum
Risk. Positioning of the seat beyond the intended maximum can cause increased risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the front power seat stops for both front seats for the presence of an "end stop" and repair the vehicles as necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on december 23, 2010. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552 or at [email protected]
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain passenger vehicles equipped with power front passenger seats. The front seat rail's detection system was manufactured incorrectly and may permit the passenger to forward the seat beyond the intended maximum
Risk. Positioning of the seat beyond the intended maximum can cause increased risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the front power seat stops for both front seats for the presence of an "end stop" and repair the vehicles as necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on december 23, 2010. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552 or at [email protected]
Steering 1 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling my 2008-2009 vehicles. A section of the power steering return line hose was not properly vulcanized (cured) and does not meet specifications. If the power steering return hose fails, a sudden rupture of the hose can occur
Risk. This can result in a rapid drainage of the power steering fluid in the system and a complete loss of power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering return line hose assembly free of charge. The recall began on august 13, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling my 2008-2009 vehicles. A section of the power steering return line hose was not properly vulcanized (cured) and does not meet specifications. If the power steering return hose fails, a sudden rupture of the hose can occur
Risk. This can result in a rapid drainage of the power steering fluid in the system and a complete loss of power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering return line hose assembly free of charge. The recall began on august 13, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 1.64 years |
| Slowest campaign | 6 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 8% |
| Campaigns on record | 12 |
Which S40 years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Seats | |
| 2010 | Equipment | |
| 2009 | Steering | |
| 2008 | Steering | |
| 2007 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| 2006 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2005 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2004 | Equipment | |
| 2003 | Equipment | |
| 2002 | Equipment | |
| 2001 | Equipment | |
| 2000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Volvo S40 have?
12 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2000–2011. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my S40 still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 1.64 years, and the slowest campaign came 6 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.