2000 VOLVO S40 Complaints

IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE LOST TOTAL BRAKING ABILITY 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER IS SIGHTING A BROKEN T-CONNECTOR ON A LOW PRESSURE HOSE AS THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED THE REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. AFTER 3RD TIME, WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE WITH A BRASS T-CONNECTOR, WHICH TO DATE THEY CAN NOT FIND. THEY CONSIDER THE CAR SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE BRAKES WORK CURRENTLY, HOWEVER THEY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING THE LAST 2 TIMES. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN PLACES WHERE NO ACCIDENT OCCURED. I DID ROLL THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH, STOP SIGN ON THE FIRST TWO OCCURANCES. DEALER WILL NOT REVEAL IF THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, PARTS DEFECTS OR SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN THIS AUTOMOBILE. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD BUT VOLVO SEEMS TO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING BRAKES WENT OUT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

REAR BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE WILL WEAR OUT EVERY 12000 MILES, THERE IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT'S COASTING. WHEN APPLING GAS VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, LIKE IT IS NOT IN GEAR.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD SLOW DOWN, BUT WOULD NOT STOP, CAUSING TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD TO HAVE BRAKES REPAIRED. THIS WAS THIRD TIME.*AK

REAR LEFT BRAKE PADS WORN THROUGH AT 26,000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THIS SITUATION IS NORMAL ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PADS CAN BE WORN ON CARS THIS QUICKLY. I HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ALSO. IN ADDITION, I LIVE OVER 100 MILES FROM MY NEAREST DEALER AND REPLACEMENT PADS ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE PARTS STORES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, CANNOT LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM, PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP IN A PARKING PLACE (1-2MPH), THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WITHIN 2 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB, SPINNING THE FRONT WHEELS FAST ENOUGH TO DIG 2 DEEP TROUGHS IN THE GRAVEL, AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL 10 FEET BEYOND THE ORIGINAL PARKING SPACE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER SUFFERS ONLY MINOR SORENESS THANKS TO THE SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARKING SPACE AND THE WALL. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DEFECT IN THE S40. TWO OTHER CUSTOMER REPORTS EXIST CONCERNING A RUNAWAY THROTTLE ON THE VOLVO S40: 879358 & 878201.*AK

DEALER/MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT NO KNOWN PROBLEMS EXISTED, BUT NHTSA HAD COMPLAINT ODI ID 879358 SINCE 7/1/2000. NO SAFETY DEFECGT LISTED. *AK