2004 Volvo S40 recalls and problems

The 2004 Volvo S40 has 6 recalls and 48 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is service brakes.

How the 2004 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 12 S40 model years — 5th most.

6recalls

48complaints

5crashes

1fires

4injuries

64,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

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6 recalls

Equipment

Nov 8, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V566000 · 416 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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 charge. The safety recall began on November 18, 2010. Owners May contact garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.

Volvo safety recall no. R231.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Fuel System

Jan 28, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V033000 · 23,000 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo recall no. 190.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Fuel System

Apr 24, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V137000 · 16,175 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS MAY POTENTIALLY RESULT IN FUEL LINE LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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.

Volvo recall no. R158. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Oct 14, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V493000 · 1,719 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the non-return valve May crack due to a poor weld causing a vacuum leak.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Fuel System

Oct 24, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V424000 · 15,067 vehicles

Problem: On certain sedans and station wagons, there May be a fuel leak from the fuel rail due to inadequate welding.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS, THERE MAY BE A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL DUE TO INADEQUATE WELDING.

Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a v-clamp to the fuel rail. Owner notification began on January 28, 2004. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.

Volvo recall no. R128.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Equipment

Aug 1, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V284000 · 220,407 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.

Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual May be provided. If the owner wants to take their vehicle to a Volvo dealer for installation of the guide, it will be performed at no charge to the owner. Owner notification began on December 19, 2003. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.

Volvo recall no. 124.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Vehicle Speed Control4

Exterior Lighting2

Latches/locks/linkages2

Structure2

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2004 vs. other Volvo S40 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Volvo S40 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Volvo S40, the latest from Nov 8, 2010 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Volvo S40?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention service brakes (12), air bags (11), electrical system (11). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.