What breaks most · 2000 to 2011 model years
Volvo S40 problems by year
Owners have filed 491 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Volvo S40 across model years 2000 to 2011. One year stands out: 2000 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints. The quietest years are 2009, 2008 and 2003.
- Years to check closely: 2000
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2008, 2003
- Complaints on file
- 4912000 to 2011, all trims
- Worst year
- 2000122 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 4512 fires · 23 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 73kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 29Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122 | 12 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (49) | |
| 84 | 11 | 2 | Brakes (hydraulic) (25) | |
| 27 | 4 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (6) | |
| 18 | 0 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 48 | 5 | 6 | Air bags (11) | |
| 69 | 2 | 3 | Electrical system (19) | |
| 58 | 1 | 3 | Electrical system (24) | |
| 25 | 4 | 2 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 16 | 5 | 2 | Steering (4) | |
| 10 | 0 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (3) | |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | Wipers and visibility (2) | |
| 5 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (4) |
What fails on the 2000 Volvo S40
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 40% |
49 | 4 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 14% |
17 | 3 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 11% |
14 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 11% |
13 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 11% |
13 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 8% |
10 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2000 Volvo S40 |
| Seat belts | 6% |
7 | 1 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 4% |
5 | 1 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
3/6/2007. Volvo s40 2000. Contact has a concern with the brakes and the headlights.*mc the headlights and brakes failed. *jb
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Volvo S40 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2000 carries the most filings on the Volvo S40. The 2000 alone has 122 complaints, led by brakes (hydraulic).
What is the most common Volvo S40 problem?
On the 2000 model year, the most-reported component is brakes (hydraulic) with 49 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Volvo S40 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Volvo S40 complaints that include mileage is about 73,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.