We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

Volvo S40 Recalls

sort by date
Recall Date Problem Area Recall Text
08/13/08 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.

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.

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.

Volvo recall no. 201.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.
03/11/08 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.

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.

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.

Volvo recall no. 194.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.
11/29/04 On certain passenger vehicles, the non-return valve may crack due to a poor weld causing a vacuum leak.

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.

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).
02/20/08 Engine 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.

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.

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.
06/05/06 Engine 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.

This may potentially result in fuel line leakage. fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

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.
01/28/04 Engine On certain sedans and station wagons, there may be a fuel leak from the fuel rail due to inadequate welding.

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

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).
06/11/01 Electrical and Air Conditioning Vehicle description: sedan and wagon passenger vehicles. a diode in the electronic climate control system may have a reduced service life.

If the diode fails, the heater fan stops operating and the defroster function is affected.

Dealers will install an adapter with a diode fitted to the heater fan motor. owner notification began june 11, 2001. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
04/15/11 Other 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.

The crack could have an effect on the front structure and may reduce the crash performance of the vehicle.

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 vehicle of equal specification will be provided by volvo. the safety recall is expected to begin on or before april 15, 2011. owners may contact volvo customer care center at 1-800-458-1552, monday through friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. est. or e-mail at customercare@volvoforlife.com.

Volvo safety recall no. r241.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 http://www.safercar.gov .
12/23/10 Other 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.

Positioning of the seat beyond the intended maximum can cause increased risk of injury to the passenger in the event of a crash.

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 customercare@volvoforlife.com.

Volvo safety recall no. r235.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 http://www.safercar.gov .
12/19/03 Other 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.

This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

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).
Looking for a warranty? Get a quote.

Return to top

Volvo S40 Recalls

Some things are often misunderstood about recalls and technical service bulletins (TSBs). Plus a disclaimer.

  1. Recalls do not have to be issued only because something is prone to failure. NHTSA (a government agency) can only require a recall if a failure will affect safety, emissions, fuel economy, or compliance with some other regulation or law. Manufacturers can voluntarily recall cars for problems that do not affect these, though.
  2. Recalls often apply to only some cars of a specific model year, rather than all of them. You should receive a letter from the manufacturer if your car has been recalled. You can also check with the dealer, which will know which (if any) recalls pertain to your car.
  3. The primary purpose of TSBs is to inform dealers about known problems with a car and how to fix them. They are not the same as recalls. As with recalls, TSBs often only apply to some cars, not the entire model year.
  4. Dealers often will not provide a preventive repair just because a problem described in a TSB might happen to your car. They'll usually want to observe symptoms that the problem is already affecting your car.
  5. Even if there are symptoms, a manufacturer doesn't have to pick up the cost of a TSB repair if the car is out of warranty, though sometimes they do.

We provide the text of recalls and TSBs as provided by NHTSA. There can be errors in the text. If you sign up for notifications in My Garage, we will try to get these to do, but for various reasons (some beyond our control) cannot guarantee you will receive them. When in doubt about a recall or TSB, contact the dealer.