2002 Volvo S40 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
27 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 27 complaints (11.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 10 | 37.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 11.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 11.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 3.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 3.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
Electrical System: 3; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads: 2; Suspension: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 5 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 5; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 1
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 11 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2002: 2; 2003: 5; 2004: 1; 2005: 8; 2007: 5; 2009: 1; 2011: 2; 2013: 2; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10030802 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)
THE REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY 2002 S40 VOLVO WORE OUT AT ABOUT 21 THOUSAND MILES AND RUINED THE ROTOR. ACCORDING TO VOLVO CORP. THIS IS BECASUE THE GOVERNMENT IS HAS PROHIBITED THEM FROM USING ASBESTOS IN THE BRAKE PADS. VOLVO PUT NOISE MAKING "SQUEALERES" ON THE INSIDE PADS BUT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES THE OUTSIDE PADS WEAR OUT FIRST CAUSING A RIVIT ON THE PAD TO CONTACT THE ROTOR AND RUIN IT BEFORE THE PADS CAN BE REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THREE VOLVO SERVICE MANAGERS IT IS NORMAL FOR THE PADS TO WEAROUT AT BETWEEN 15 AND 20,000 MILES.I HAVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030802 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038234 · 2003-10-01 (October 1, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL REALLY HARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038234 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10132467 · 2005-08-11 (August 11, 2005)
VEHICLE BEING REPORTED IS A 2002 VOLVO S40 SEDAN. TRAVELING ON US ROUTE 13 SOUTH OF DOVER, DE. AND SLOWED DOWN FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN MEDIUM TRAFFIC FROM A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING DURING DECELERATION. VEHICLE RESTARTED WITH SOME EFFORT. AT NEXT LIGHT, SITUATION REPEATED ITSELF - VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING DURING DECELERATION. PLACED TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL TO COAST WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART. VEHICLE RESTARTED ONLY WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PARTIALLY DEPRESSED CAUSING ENGINE TO REV UP. VEHICLE CONTIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132467 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10194749 · 2007-06-27 (June 27, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN IT WAS STARTED BY THE CONTACT. THE WINTER WEATHER DRIVING WARNING INDICATOR ARROW AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AN OFF. ON JUNE 23, 2007, THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE AND THE ORIGINAL BATTERY WAS WEAK. THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $1,000, WHICH D…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10194749 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10144777 · 2005-12-08 (December 8, 2005)
I BOUGHT A 2002 VOLVO S40 FROM AN INDIVIDUAL IN JANUARY OF 2004. IN A MATTER OF 3 MONTHS IN 2005, I HAD TO REPLACE MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES AND MY DRIVER HEADLIGHT 2 DIFFERENT TIMES. I CALLED THE VOLVO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT A BULB SHOULD LAST AROUND 2 YEARS. IN THE NEXT MONTH, MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN. I GOT UNDER THE HOOD TO REPLACE IT AS USUAL. WHEN I PULLED THE BLACK PLASTIC PIECE THAT CONTAINS THE MALE PART TO THE WIRE CONNECTION AND ACTS AS THE BULB SOCKET, IT WAS MELTED. IT WAS MELTED TO THE POINT THAT …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10144777 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191517 · 2007-05-22 (May 22, 2007)
TYPES OF RECURRING ISSUES WITH VOLVO S40: HEADLIGHTS, DRIVER FRONT WINDOW MOTOR, EARLY BRAKE PAD WEAR. HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED 2-3 TIMES A YEAR AT CONSUMER'S COST. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF VOLVO DEALER THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO LIGHTS BEING USED DURING DAYLIGHT. THEY CHECK ELECTRICAL AND REPORTED NO ISSUE. HAD BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR ISSUED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. VOLVO DEALER REPORTED VOLVO ROTORS WERE BUILT THIN AND SOFT. COST OF BRAKE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS CONSIDERE…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191517 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10105803 · 2005-01-05 (January 5, 2005)
I WAS SLOWING DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE FOR MY EXIT AND MY STEERING WHEEL STARTING SHAKING SEVERELY TO THE POINT THAT I WAS BARELY ABLE TO CONTAIN IT THIS WAS WHEN I DECIDED TO TAKE MY S40 TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD NOTICED SOME SHAKING PREVIOUSLY BUT WASN'T SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND SINCE MY CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED I FIGURED ANYTHING SERIOUS WOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND PADS. MY MILEAGE SEEMED RATHER LOW FOR MY ROTORS TO BE SHOT SO I ASKED WHY THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED AS I WORK FRO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10105803 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11055898 · 2017-12-21 (December 21, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT GETTING HER VEHICLE INCLUDED IN AN OPEN RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SHE OBSERVED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND SHE WAS CONCERNED OF A FUEL LEAK. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED BEFORE AND AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPECIFICALLY INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V033000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V137000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11055898 at NHTSA ↗