2007 Volvo S40: complaints, problems and recalls

ON MY BRAND NEW S-40 VOLVO WITH A MANUAL 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION OPERATING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR CAN BE OBSTRUCTED EASILY BY AN ADJACENT PROTRUDING PANEL ON THE FLOOR BOARD. WHEN MY LEFT FOOT IS BLOCKED BY THIS PROTRUDING PANEL, I AM INHIBITED FROM SHIFTING GEARS. THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A DEFECT. VOLVO HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BY SUPPLYING A PROPERLY FORMED CLUT…

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10178369 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT HAS RECENTLY RENTED THREE ZIP-CARS WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND HAS DETECTED AN UNUSUAL SCENT COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE PANTS HE HAD HANGING INSIDE THE VEHICLE HAD A FAINT SMELL TO THEM ONCE HE ARRIVED HOME. HE BELIEVES THERE COULD BE ASBESTOS INSIDE THE VEHICLES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40.

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196172 at NHTSA ↗

THE REAR BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER A SHORT DRIVE (1 MILE) HAVING TO BE EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY (LEFT REAR) COMPLETELY FAILED AND OVERHEATED TO THE POINT OF CAUSING FLAMES TO APPEAR NEEDING TO BE EXTINGUISHED. THIS CAR HAD 2939 MILES ON IT AS A NEW VOLVO S40. THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS UNEXPLAINED AND WITHOUT AN APPARENT ERROR BY DRIVER AS THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY A COLLEGE STUDENT FOR VERY SHORT DISTANCES. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT LEFT ON. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,939 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208681 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT WERE DOWNSHIFTING; HOWEVER, IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHEN SHE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE, THE REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN THE DOWNSHIFTING OCCURS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CLEANED THE COMPUTER AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THE FAILURES STILL PERSIST AND THE CONTACT IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10226473 at NHTSA ↗

ON JUNE 28, 2008, MY GARAGE DOOR CAME DOWN ON MY 2007 VOLVO S40 SEDAN, WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR (EST. $2000.00) AS WELL AS IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE DOOR (REPLACED AT A COST OF $1150.00). A TECHNICIAN FROM GENIE (MFG OF GARAGE DOOR OPENER) THOROUGHLY INSPECTED AND TESTED THE OPENER ON JUNE 30, 2008, AND FOUND THE UNIT TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ACTION OF UNLOCKING AND LOCKING THE CAR DOORS WITH THE REMOTE AS WELL AS STARTING THE IGNITION OF THE CAR CAUSED THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233973 at NHTSA ↗

I DROVE INTO A HOTEL PARKING GARAGE , CAME INTO MY SPOT AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND WENT INTO A WALL. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF TO PREVENT MY WHOLE CAR GOING THRU THE WALL. JUST THE FRONT OF THE CAR WENT INTO THE WALL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312385 at NHTSA ↗

I PARKED THE 2007 S40 VOLVO AND CAN'T REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR IS IN PARK, BRAKE ON, ALL NECESSARY CHECKS ARE CHECKED. STILL CAN'T GET THE KEY TO RELEASE, HAD TO TURN IT SEVERAL TIMES (30 MINUTES) RIGHT TO LEFT UNTIL I HEARD A CLICK AND THE KEY CAME OUT. I HAVE SEEM POST ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS AND THAT IS HOW I FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET MY KEY AND LOCK THE DOORS. I CALLED VOLVO AND THE RESPONSE WAS GO TO THE DEALER AND YOU ARE OUT OF WARRANTY?! THE KEY WILL NOT GO PAST THE I POSITION. I DON'T MIND PAYING TO GET IT FIXE…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,004 miles reported. Look up ODI 10312587 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING HER TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF A VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHIPLASH AND WAS NOT TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 63,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10378807 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-03-05 (March 5, 2008)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2010-11-08 (November 8, 2010)

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.

Consequence: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.