2001 VOLVO S40 Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO, MODEL S40. DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE EXPERIENCED A STALLED CAR ENGINE -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT. WHEN THE STALL HAPPENS, I MUST FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR TO RESTART THE ENGINE AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS THOSE ALREADY REPORTED TO THE NHTSA FOR OTHER VOLVO MODELS FOR THE YEARS 1999 TO 2001. *JB

A 1010 WINS NEW STORY ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT I AM HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH MY VOLVO S40 VIN#: [XXX]. I LOSE SPEED AS I AM DRIVING AND THE ENGINE FEELS AS IF IT IS GOING TO STOP AT ANY MOMENT. THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE IS 2001. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75-80 MPH AND REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATING VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION JERKING OCCURRED, THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THERE WOULD BE A BURNING OIL SMELL, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT RELEASE AND WOULD STICK INTERMITTENTLY, THE STEERING WHEEL SQUEAKED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SQUEAK, AND THE SPEAKER WAS ERRATIC. *SC TRHE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED. *JB

BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE CAR FOR THE FIRST FEW APPLICATIONS. PEDAL DOES NOT FADE. EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE REQUIRED. SOME OTHER YEARS OF THIS MODEL ARE BEING RECALLED FOR THE SAME COMPLAINT. NO CRASH, INJURIES OR ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF FAILURE.*AK

REAR BRAKE PADS NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT 13,500 MILES. THIS IS UNUSUALLY EARLY AND WHEN I STATED THAT I WAS UPSET VOLVO SAID "THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE S40 PADS BEING TOO SOFT." ALTHOUGH, THEY STILL MADE ME PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT.THEY SAID VOLVO WAS MAKING THE NEW PADS BETTER BUT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO EARLY THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW LONG THEY WOULD BE LASTING. *AK

I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE CAR WAS A LEASE THAT I HAD JUST AGREED TO BUY THAT MORNING, SO I CALLED VOLVO CONSUMER AFFAIRS THE NEXT DAY (4/16/04) AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT TO THE SMYTHE DEALERSHIP SO THAT THEY COULD SEND AN INSPECTOR TO INVESTIGATE. I ALSO TOLD VOLVO THAT I HAD NO INTENTION OF BUYING THE CAR ANYMORE SINCE THE CAR WAS DEFECTIVE. I LEFT THE CAR AT THE SMYTHE DEALERSHIP ON 4/17/04 AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE SITUATION AND THAT VOLVO WOULD BE SENDING AN INSPECTOR. I CALLED VOLVO ON 4/19/04 TO LET THEM KNOW THE CAR WAS THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE 10 DAYS TO INVESTIGATE. IT TOOK VOLVO UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE TO GET BACK TO ME WITH RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. I FOLLOWED UP WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY GAVE ME SEVERAL DIFFERENT EXCUSES LIKE THEY DID NOT KNOW THE CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT THE DEALER MISTAKENLY SENT THE CAR TO MILWAUKEE. IN THE END ONCE THEY FOUND THE CAR AND INVESTIGATED, VOLVO TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THAT IT WAS PRODUCT FAILURE BECAUSE THE CAR HAD PASSED THROUGH TOO MANY HANDS. I SAID THAT IT WAS THEIR FAULT IT PASSED THROUGH TOO MANY HANDS. I ALSO SAID AN AIRBAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY UNLESS THEIR IS IMPACT. THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS UNTRUE AND SOMETIMES THEY DEPLOY DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE SENSORS. I THEN SAID THAT SENSORS ARE ALSO PART OF THE PRODUCT AND IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH A SENSOR IT IS PRODUCT FAILURE. THEY SAID THAT EXTERNAL FORCES COULD AFFECT THE SENSORS, SO IT IS NOT PRODUCT FAILURE. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE FAILURE EXCEPT TELL ME THEY WOULD PAY FOR MY DISPOSITION FEE AND OVERAGE MILES IF I LEASE ANOTHER VOLVO. WHEN I HAD DECIDED TO BUY THE CAR IN APRIL, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY EITHER OF THOSE, SO BASICALLY VOVLO IS DOING NOTHING FOR ME BECAUSE IN THEIR OPINION THE INCIDENT WAS NOT PRODUCT FAILURE. *AK

WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM ONLY OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF FOR ALONG PERIOD OF TIME. *AK

MY 2001 VOLVO S40 HAS A LITTLE OVER 16,000 MILES. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND TWICE AT MY EXPENSE. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER S40 IN THE HOUSEHOLD WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF BRAKES NEEDING REPLACEMENT FREQUENTLY. I HAVE NOTICED ALLOT OF PEOPLE ON INTERNET SITES WITH S40'S COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FREQUENT BRAKE REPLACEMENT PROBLEM. I DO BELIEVE THERE IS SOME SORT OF BRAKE PAD DEFECT OR DESIGN DEFECT ON S40'S. THERE IS NO REASON WHY OWNERS OF THESE CARS SHOULD BE CONSTANTLY REPLACING BRAKE PADS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS COMPLAINT FOR ME AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS. *NM

I HAD MY VOLVO S40 INTO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM (KEYSTONE, PA) 5 TIMES FOR A SQUEAK IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. EACH TIME WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T LOCATE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD HEAR THE SQUEAK. ON THE 6 VISIT THEY GAVE US A LOANER AND TOOK THE CAR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN CALLED US AND TOLD US THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM.... THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALL THOSE VISITS AND THEY JUST FIGURED OUT IT WAS THE BRAKES PLUS THE CAR ONLY HAS 14,000 MILES. WHAT KIND OF SMALL, LIGHT SPORTS CAR NEEDS REAR BRAKES AT 14,000. THIS CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN BY MY WIFE TO HER JOB THAT IS ABOUT 5 MILES AWAY. AFTER ALL THIS MESS I WILL BE TRADING IN MY S40 AND NEVER RECOMMEND OR PURCHASE A VOLVO AGAIN. SO MUCH FOR VOLVO'S REPUTATION. I READ OTHER PEOPLE'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKES ON THIS SITE AND IT ONLY STRENGHTHEN THE CONSUMERS CASE ABOUT THE BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK