NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2004–2010

Volvo S40N recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 15 owner complaints for the Volvo S40N, covering model years 2004 to 2010. The 2005 model year drew the most complaints (12), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Volvo S40N VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
15 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
4 model years with data (2004–2010)

most complaints: 2005 (12 for that model year)
top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (6 complaints)
latest recall 10V255000 (reported Jun 8, 2010)

0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Volvo S40N complaints by model year

3 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2005 model year has the most complaints: 12 of 15, or 80.0%. Next come 2004 (2) and 2006 (1).

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Volvo S40N complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Volvo S40N complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2004	2	0	0	0	0
2005	12	0	0	0	0
2006	1	0	0	0	0
All model years	15	0	0	0	0

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Volvo S40N components

top 10 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 6 complaints (40.0% of all 15), followed by Vehicle Speed Control (4) and Engine and Engine Cooling (2).

Components named most often in Volvo S40N complaints (top 10)

Components named most often in Volvo S40N complaints (top 10)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6	40.0%
Vehicle Speed Control	4	26.7%
Engine and Engine Cooling	2	13.3%
Air Bags	1	6.7%
Electrical System	1	6.7%
Fuel System, Gasoline	1	6.7%
Power Train	1	6.7%
Steering	1	6.7%
Structure	1	6.7%
Visibility	1	6.7%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Volvo S40N recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name S40N, newest first. The only campaign, 10V255000, covers model year 2010.

1 recall campaign

Volvo S40N recall campaigns covering each model year
2010: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 10V255000
Reported Jun 8, 2010
Steering › Gear Box › Shaft Sector
Model year 2010
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 C30, model year 2010 S40 and V50 vehicles equipped with 6 speed manual transmissions. The gearshift lever stud assembly may not have been tightened to the correct specification during assembly. If the gearshift lever cable or stud assembly becomes loose, it may not be possible to engage, disengage or shift gears.
Consequence:
This condition can increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will torque the gearshift lever stud assembly to the correct specification free of charge. The safety recall began on June 14, 2010. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552 or customercare@volvoforlife.com.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Volvo S40N questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Volvo S40N have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Volvo S40N, covering model years 2004 to 2010. The campaign, 10V255000, was reported on June 8, 2010 and is filed under “Steering”.

Which Volvo S40N model year has the most complaints?

The 2005 model year, with 12 of the 15 complaints in NHTSA’s file (80.0%). The next are 2004 (2) and 2006 (1). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Volvo S40N complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 6 complaints, or 40.0% of all 15. Vehicle Speed Control (4) and Engine and Engine Cooling (2) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Volvo S40N?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Volvo dealer.

How many Volvo S40N complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 15 complaints, 0 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Volvo models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Volvo VIN decoder with every Volvo model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Volvo XC90 2003–2025 · 35 recalls · 1,521 complaints
Volvo S60 2000–2025 · 40 recalls · 1,264 complaints
Volvo S80 1999–2016 · 27 recalls · 954 complaints
Volvo V70 1996–2016 · 22 recalls · 933 complaints
Volvo XC60 2009–2025 · 36 recalls · 647 complaints
Volvo S70 1995–2002 · 6 recalls · 593 complaints
Volvo S40 2000–2011 · 12 recalls · 491 complaints
Volvo XC70 2001–2016 · 19 recalls · 417 complaints

All Volvo models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.