Page 2 of 2 · complaints 51–58 of 58

2006 Volvo S40 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2006 record →

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Oct 29, 200733,800 milesMD

NOTICED REDUCED BRAKING POWER AND BRAKES SQUEALING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP REPAIR FACILITY FOR INSPECTION. BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE "DISENGAGED" ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT AND "PARTIALLY FUNCTIONAL" ON DRIVERS SIDE FRONT. NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON DASH. BRAKE PADS AND ASSEMBLY REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP WITH "UPGRADED" PARTS AND COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR NO CHARGE. *TR

Structure
Filed Oct 29, 2007PA

THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL ON MY 2006 VOLVO S40 ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. *TR

Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel
Filed Aug 7, 200723,000 milesIL

1. SEVERE SUMMER THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN. 2. DROVE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE AND RIGHT BLINKER STAYED SOLID GREEN AFTER TURNING. DROVE ABOUT A MILE FURTHER ONTO HIGHWAY ENTRANCE RAMP AND CAR INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHED ABS BRAKE FAILURE AND AIR BAG FAILURE, THEN ALL CAR INSTRUMENTS (GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, ETC) FAILED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. INSTRUMENTS CAME BACK ON BUT ABS BRAKE AND AIR BAG FAILURE CONTINUED TO FLASH FOR ABOUT 1 MORE MINUTE. DROVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP. 3. SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK THE CAR RIGHT IN AND APPLIED GREASE TO THE HARNESS CONNECTOR WHICH SHOULD ALLEVIATE PROBLEMS AS THEY ARE KNOWN TO GET WET AND CORRODE. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A 2006 MODEL AS I HAVE READ ON THE WEBSITE THAT THE 2004 MODEL HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS AND POWER WINDOWS INTERMITTENTLY INOPERABLE LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. HAD A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION BUT BROUGHT THE CAR IN EARLY AS THE CAR WAS INOPERABLE WITHOUT INSTRUMENTS. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Jul 26, 2007500 milesMS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLVO S40. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE AIR CONDITION EMITS HOT AIR. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER IS SET AT 65 DEGREES. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS REPLACED, BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO DEALERS ON APPROXIMATELY TWELVE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Jul 12, 2007FL

I EXPERIENCED A TIRE SIDEWALL BLOWOUT ON A MICHELIN ENERGY MXV4 PLUS V RATED TIRE SIZE 205 55 16 WITH 9000 MILES AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THIS CAUSED CAR TO BECOME EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL SWERVING ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC, AND THEN SPINNING OFF THE HIGHWAY, ENDING UP NEXT TO A CANAL FACING TRAFFIC. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE NOT TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR END UP IN THE CANAL. THE BLOWOUT DAMAGED THE FACTORY RIMS. I HAVE NOT YET DETERMINED IF THERE WAS ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDER CARRIAGE TIRE DEALER DETERMINED BLOWOUT WAS A RESULT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND REPLACED TIRE PRO-RATA , BUT MICHELIN REFUSED TO PROCESS CLAIM FOR DAMAGES TO VEHICLE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE CONCERNING THE REMAINING TIRES THAT THE 2006 VOLVO S40 CAME EQUIPPED WITH AND MAY HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. *AK

Air Bags › On-off Switch Assembly
Filed Jan 3, 20073,200 milesVA

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG OFF LIGHT STAYED ON WHEN THEREWAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THIS HAPPENSEDINTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE SEPT 1, 2006. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 9000 MILES. THE FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN AT ANY PARTICULAR SPEED, IT NORMALLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 1/3/07, AND THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 17, 20065,000 milesCA

PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ON 2006 VOLVO S40 T5. SEVERE SCREACHING NOISE COMES FROM BRAKES WHEN IN REVERSE. VOLVO IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. MY VOLVO S40 HAS HAD BRAKE PARTS REPLACED 4 TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ONE MONTH LATER, THE NOISE IS BACK. THE NOISE IS NOW BACK FOR THE FIFTH (5) TIME.

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed May 31, 2006650 milesVA

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2006 Volvo S40 → · Every S40 year → · How the figures are calculated →