2001 Volvo S40 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other S40 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Volvo S40. That ranks 2nd out of 12 S40 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (25 complaints, 30%), typically at around 57,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 84owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Volvo S40 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 25 | 30% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 14% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 12% | 44,594 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 11% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 8% | 61,744 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 6% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 6% | 45,735 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 6% | 50,797 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% | 100,115 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 5% | 67,297 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 4% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 4% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 4% | 122,394 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 4% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 51,334 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 10,230 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Volvo S40 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
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.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:appliance:air conditioner
Problem: Vehicle description: sedan and wagon passenger vehicles. A diode in the electronic climate control system may have a reduced service life.
Risk: If the diode fails, the heater fan stops operating and the defroster function is affected.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Volvo s40/v40 my 2000-2001 (EA02026) — opened Sep 10, 2002, closed Nov 21, 2003, led to recall 03V474000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Me an my husband was driving the car an it started to run hot so we went an got the part to go on the car an when when we got back to my father in law house the car cut off an started to smoke real bad then went into flames an when we first got the car we got everything fix on it an then when you…
I bought a 2001 volvo s40 from tom blevins owner of popples garage. The odometer quit working as soon as i bought it. The key would get stuck in the ignition and would have to be left in the ignition. The drivers side window got stuck in the down position because of a faulty controller. The hood…
Ignition key will not turn past position 2 allowing for engine starting. The vehicle with stationary in park.
I've contacted volvo and demanded my money back and they refused, this is my next step before taking them to court for a measily 2,500. This car has caused me a headache unlike any other, the electrical system fails in this car and passes through it malfunctioning one thing after the next, my back…
Car caught fire without warning as i was driving it. Car had 93,000 and had passed va inspection in august. I pulled over and called 911. By the time the fire department arrived 3 minutes later, entire engine was engulfed in large flames. The temperature gauge never indicated the engine was running…
Other Volvo S40 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 S40 | 5 | 2 |
| 2010 S40 | 9 | 2 |
| 2009 S40 | 10 | 3 |
| 2008 S40 | 16 | 2 |
| 2007 S40 | 25 | 2 |
| 2006 S40 | 58 | 3 |
| 2005 S40 | 69 | 3 |
| 2004 S40 | 48 | 6 |
| 2003 S40 | 18 | 2 |
| 2002 S40 | 27 | 1 |
| 2001 | 84 | 2 |
| 2000 S40 | 122 | 1 |
See all Volvo S40 problems by year, every Volvo model, or the Volvo VIN decoder.
Similar Volvo models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Volvo S40?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 25 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Volvo S40?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Volvo S40 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S40 model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.