FaultScore

Worst years for a Volvo S40

Owners have filed 677 complaints about the Volvo S40 with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2011. More of them are about the brakes than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Volvo S40

112 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2010 Volvo S40

11 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Volvo S40 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2011 7 0 1 69,000 Electrical System
2010 C 11 2 0 Airbags
2009 C 14 0 3 67,200 Transmission & Drivetrain
2008 C 27 11 0 73,000 Engine & Cooling
2007 C 36 5 1 61,500 Brakes
2006 C 81 1 0 74,000 Electrical System
2005 C 91 2 0 73,000 Fuel & Propulsion
2004 D 75 7 2 52,500 Electrical System
2003 C 23 0 4 85,106 Transmission & Drivetrain
2002 C 34 5 0 42,000 Brakes
2001 F 112 16 6 65,000 Brakes
2000 D 166 16 1 63,750 Brakes

What breaks on a Volvo S40

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Brakes 119 17.6%

Worst in 2000

Electrical System 103 15.2%

Worst in 2006

Engine & Cooling 79 11.7%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2005

Worst in 2000

Airbags 39 5.8%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2001

Lights 27 4.0%

Worst in 2000

Suspension 26 3.8%

Worst in 2000

Worst in 2003

Body & Structure 24 3.5%

Worst in 2006

Other & Unspecified 22 3.2%

Worst in 2000

Steering 17 2.5%

Worst in 2000

Seat Belts 16 2.4%

Worst in 2000

Exactly what failed on a Volvo S40

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 17 14.8%
Headlights 14 12.2%
Sun/Moon Roof Assembly 13 11.3%
Foundation Components 12 10.4%
Pads 11 9.6%
Automatic Transmission 11 9.6%
Body 10 8.7%
Engine 10 8.7%
Frontal 9 7.8%
Vacuum 8 7.0%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Volvo S40, by the month it reached NHTSA.

May 2000 peak 13 Nov 2025

Volvo S40 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Volvo S40

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.