Volvo S40 Reliability
677 NHTSA complaints (2000–2011). Complaint rate: 912.4 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2000–2001 Volvo S40. The 2009–2011 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Volvo S40 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 80 | 3.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 40 | 17.5% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 29 | 24.1% |
| ENGINE | 27 | 7.4% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 26 | 0.0% |
| AIR BAGS | 25 | 40.0% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 23 | 8.7% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 22 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 17 | 11.8% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 14 | 7.1% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000AVOID | — | 166 | 16 | 1 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 112 | 16 | 6 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | — | 34 | 5 | — | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | — | 23 | 0 | 4 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004AVOID | — | 75 | 7 | 2 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | — | 91 | 2 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2006AVOID | — | 81 | 1 | — | View 2006View→ |
| 2007 | — | 36 | 5 | 1 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008 | — | 27 | 11 | — | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | — | 14 | 0 | 3 | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 11 | 2 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | — | 7 | 0 | 1 | View 2011View→ |
See also: Volvo S40accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Volvo S40?
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