Me an my husband was driving the car an it started to run hot so we went an got the part to go on the car an when when we got back to my father in law house the car cut off an started to smoke real bad then went into flames an when we first got the car we got everything fix on it an then when you plug the montior to the the car it said we had ten codes up there an they was the same codes that was on the car an we know we had got everything fix on the car an we was still having problems with the car no we out of a car cause it went into flames.
The worst 2001 Volvo S40 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes27
- Engine17
- Electrical10
- Acceleration9
- Airbags7
- Fuel system6
- Visibility6
- Body5
- Lights4
- Transmission4
- Wheels3
- Seat belts2
- Steering2
- Seats1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Volvo S40
Recalls 2
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 03V284000 · Recall details
Equipment: appliance: air conditioner
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: sedan and wagon passenger vehicles. A diode in the electronic climate control system may have a reduced service life.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 01V169000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2001 Volvo S40
Defect investigations
Volvo s40/v40 my 2000-2001
In a november 6, 2003 safety defect report, volvo indicated that they will conduct a safety-related defect recall of the 2000 model year (my) subject vehicles (about 36,000 vehicles).volvo will also conduct a service campaign of about 31,000 2001 my subject vehicles.odi investigated both the 2000 and 2001 my vehicles and determined that the 2001 my vehicles experienced substantially lower rates of failures based on the number of owner reports and warranty claims submitted to odi.odi believes that the proposed action is sufficient to resolve this investigation's safety issues. For the crashes, in addition to the 22 submitted by volvo, odi found 10 additional crash allegations in the owner reports, field reports, and warranty claims submitted by volvo.of these 32 crashes, odi believes that 10 are clearly related to the alleged defect, and 5 appear to be related.of the 17 remaining cases, two did not involve a crash and the other 15 could not be directly connected to the alleged defect.odi will supplement this resume with a closing report and additional technical details concerning the defect.
EA02026
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Volvo S40 188
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test
- This is a TJ text only
- This is a Technical Journal
- This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application
- Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch...
- This is a Technical Journal: Vehicle/Connectivity report checklist
- Information about valid Software partnumbers to order and download Software for "PDS" Pre-Delivery Service
- This is a Technical Journal: 12V Battery Testing Method
- Complimentary upgrade C00009 description.
- Rubber cushion
2001 Volvo S40 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20 | 29 | 23 |
What 2001 Volvo S40 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I bought a 2001 volvo s40 from tom blevins owner of popples garage. The odometer quit working as soon as I bought it. The key would get stuck in the ignition and would have to be left in the ignition. The drivers side window got stuck in the down position because of a faulty controller. The hood hydraulic arm that holds the hood up when it's raised does not work and has to be propped up with a wood block. Headlights and turn signals do not work. There are more problems to discuss but I am out of space.
Ignition key will not turn past position 2 allowing for engine starting. The vehicle with stationary in park.
I've contacted volvo and demanded my money back and they refused, this is my next step before taking them to court for a measily 2,500. This car has caused me a headache unlike any other, the electrical system fails in this car and passes through it malfunctioning one thing after the next, my back window went up and down on its own, heating and cooling systems do whacky things which ruined the car making it overheat even after shops replace sensors and radiators, the main safety concern which volvo is suppressing is that the electrical ghost also affects the braking system and accelerates, this is a main concern when you're on an expressway especially, it accelerates and you cannot hold the brake down hard enough to slow down, and it'll do it at random, and I know this is a problem with this year volvo because I have a 1990 when it was volvo and not bought my an american company and that car is perfect, and a cop talked to me for about an hour just before these bigger issues started happening, he'd owned a dealership and said this year volvo has nothing but problems, and at that time I knew he was onto something because the air and heat buttons were doing all kinds of strange things, I was even in an accident once, a little fender bender thankfully just on a side street, my car wouldn't slow down and it skidded all t he way to the light and I dented someone's bumper, they let me slide because their car was a jalopy, but I've had this same electrical failure happening on expressways at various speeds
Car caught fire without warning as I was driving it. Car had 93,000 and had passed va inspection in august. I pulled over and called 911. By the time the fire department arrived 3 minutes later, entire engine was engulfed in large flames. The temperature gauge never indicated the engine was running hot. Usaa removed the vehicle, and I don't know whether they will inspect it for cause, but I suspect an electrical malfunction.
The vehicle is unable to pass inspection. The following parts were change air cleaner assembly, air cleaner sensor, fuel system filter, fuel system vent hose, fuel system ground strap, fuel system cover, fuel system gasket and fuel system pump sender assembly. My son had 3 tickets for no inspection. I research the vehicle and it stated that people pay volvo $150.00 to pass the inspection. The mechanic reported that he did work on another volvo s40 2000 and when a complaint was placed the volvo fix the problem. I bought another vehicle because I cannot effort to keep getting tickets and paying to replace everything on my vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volvo s40. The contact stated that the heater fan stopped operating and the defroster function was affected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 01v169000 (equipment). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,000.
While driving brake warning light went on.brake pedal got soft & slowly went to floor. When vehicle was checked it was discovered that the brake lines to rear brakes had rusted through and were leaking fluid. Master cylinder was almost empty. The brake lines on this car are supposed to be made of a rust resistant nickel/copper material but they rusted through.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volvo s40. The contact was traveling 40 MPH and crashed head-on into another vehicle. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained head and neck injuries. The police were notified. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the contact was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000. The VIN was unavailable.
My car vibrates whenever I reach 60 MPH and continues to vibrates if I try to accelerate but stops when I decelerate. I was told it could be a balance problem but why would the whole car vibrate? I was also told it may be worn or old motor mounts, which I believe that more than it being a balance problem. I just need to know for certain so I know what to have replaced and how much I may have to spend.
Compare the 2001 Volvo S40
Other model years
Questions about the 2001 Volvo S40
Is the 2001 Volvo S40 reliable?
Owners have filed 84 complaints about the 2001 Volvo S40, 3.4 times a typical S40 model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2001 Volvo S40 year score?
The 2001 Volvo S40 scores 29 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volvo S40: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Volvo S40?
Brakes, with 27 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles. Next is engine (17).
How many recalls does the 2001 Volvo S40 have?
2 recalls, covering equipment.
What year does the Volvo S40 have bad brakes?
The Volvo S40 model years with the most brakes complaints are 2000 (52 complaints), 2001 (27 complaints) and 2004 (12 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2001 Volvo S40 get?
Official estimates for the 2001 Volvo S40 range from 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.9L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20 city and 29 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2001 Volvo S40?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history