NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2000–2013

Volvo V40 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 72 owner complaints for the Volvo V40, covering model years 2000 to 2013. The 2000 model year drew the most complaints (50), 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 V40 VIN

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

5 recall campaigns on file
72 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
6 model years with data (2000–2013)

most complaints: 2000 (50 for that model year)
top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (31 complaints)
latest recall 04V493000 (reported Oct 14, 2004)

4 complaints reporting a crash (5.6%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
1 complaint reporting an injury (1.4%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Volvo V40 complaints by model year

6 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2000 model year has the most complaints: 50 of 72, or 69.4%. Next come 2001 (11) and 2002 (4). The fewest are for 2013, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Volvo V40 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Volvo V40 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting an injury
2000	50	2	1
2001	11	1	0
2002	4	0	0
2003	2	0	0
2004	4	1	0
2013	1	0	0
All model years	72	4	1

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

Most-reported Volvo V40 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 31 complaints (43.1% of all 72), followed by Engine and Engine Cooling (13) and Suspension (7).

Components named most often in Volvo V40 complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Volvo V40 complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	31	43.1%
Engine and Engine Cooling	13	18.1%
Suspension	7	9.7%
Electrical System	6	8.3%
Vehicle Speed Control	5	6.9%
Exterior Lighting	4	5.6%
Power Train	4	5.6%
Structure	4	5.6%
Unknown or Other	3	4.2%
Wheels	3	4.2%
Air Bags	2	2.8%
Seat Belts	2	2.8%
Steering	2	2.8%
Visibility	2	2.8%
Equipment	1	1.4%

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 V40 recalls

5 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name V40, newest first. The 5 campaigns cover model years 2000 to 2004. The 2004 model year appears in the most campaigns (3).

5 recall campaigns

Volvo V40 recall campaigns covering each model year
2000: 1 campaign	2001: 2 campaigns	2002: 1 campaign	2003: 2 campaigns	2004: 3 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 04V493000
Reported Oct 14, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Model year 2004
On certain passenger vehicles, the non-return valve may crack due to a poor weld causing a vacuum leak.
Consequence:
If this occurs, more brake pedal force may be required to stop the vehicle and/or may experience a rough engine idle, which could result in a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the vacuum hose. The recall began on November 29, 2004. Owners should contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 03V474000
Reported Nov 17, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum
Model year 2000
On certain passenger vehicles, water can enter the electrical brake vacuum pump, causing the pump to fail.
Consequence:
This could result in loss of power assist and an increase in needed brake pedal force, which could result in a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the pump with a new and improved version and move the pump to a new location. Owner notification began on March 15, 2004. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 03V424000
Reported Oct 24, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline
Model years 2003–2004
On certain sedans and station wagons, there may be a fuel leak from the fuel rail due to inadequate welding.
Consequence:
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy:
Dealers will install a v-clamp to the fuel rail. Owner notification began on January 28, 2004. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 03V284000
Reported Aug 1, 2003
Equipment › Other › Labels
Model years 2001–2004
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." The second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.
Consequence:
This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Remedy:
Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual may be provided. If the owner wants to take their vehicle to a Volvo dealer for installation of the guide, it will be performed at no charge to the owner. Owner notification began on December 19, 2003. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 01V169000
Reported May 21, 2001
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Model year 2001
Vehicle description: sedan and wagon passenger vehicles. A diode in the electronic climate control system may have a reduced service life.
Consequence:
If the diode fails, the heater fan stops operating and the defroster function is affected.
Remedy:
Dealers will install an adapter with a diode fitted to the heater fan motor. Owner notification began June 11, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
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 V40 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Volvo V40 have?

NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recall campaigns for the Volvo V40, covering model years 2000 to 2013. The most recent, 04V493000, was reported on October 14, 2004 and is filed under “Service brakes, hydraulic”. The 2004 model year is covered by the most campaigns (3).

Which Volvo V40 model year has the most complaints?

The 2000 model year, with 50 of the 72 complaints in NHTSA’s file (69.4%). The next are 2001 (11) and 2002 (4). 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 V40 complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 31 complaints, or 43.1% of all 72. Engine and Engine Cooling (13) and Suspension (7) 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 V40?

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 V40 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 72 complaints, 4 report a crash, 0 a fire, 1 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.

Volvo V40 complaints by model year

Most-reported Volvo V40 components

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

Volvo V40 recalls

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum

Fuel System, Gasoline

Equipment › Other › Labels

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner