2006 Volvo S40: brake failure

Filed May 9, 2020 · Electrical · CA

After a long period of rain, water pooled on rear driver and passenger floor. Windows would not function, door locks would not function, turn signals didn't work. Instrument panel flashed warnings of engine problems, brake failure, airbag problems. Often lost entire panel while vehicle was being driven on highway, measurements going dead. This has been going on for months and is getting worse.

Filed Oct 8, 2012 · Electrical · NC

Driving in rain, brake failure message began flashing on dash, then airbag failure. Slowed to a stop and turned off car, turned back on and drove slowly home. Messages continued to flash. Drove to service center and messages were no longer flashing , mechanic said it would need to be active to find problem. Same scenario many times since and the problem has become worse, driving down highway and messages appear then all gauges on panel fail and go to zero, windows fail, blinkers, brake lights fail, entire instrument panel went dark. Back to mechanic, he drove it same thing happened then stopped before returning to shop so could not diagnose.extremely dangerous as several times driving in rain and in high traffic areas and on freeways with high speeds and then in construction zones bumper to bumper with no brake lights or ability to use turn signals. Has been out for five to thirty minutes at a time then appearing to work again before repeating the same failure problem. Never any warning, it just happens suddenly. To mechanic again, codes read and printed out pages of signal failures, none active at time so unable to determine problem. Check engine light has also appeared and when checked nothing active found at time other than pages of signal failures in system.

Filed Dec 7, 2010 · Electrical · 71,000 miles · MI

My 2006 volvo s40 has had numerous and intermittent electrical issues including gauges that go haywire, false airbag failure or brake failure messages, locks that don't engage or disengage and traction control that seems to stick or malfunction. On a few occasions the speedometer and RPM readout go completely dead while I'm going 70 miles per hour on the highway. These issues are intermittent but they tend to be more pertinent during the winter months, and on december 6, 2010 all these false readouts were happening one after another, followed by a "reduced power" reading and the engine briefly decelerated. Volvo dealers have been unable to diagnose or fix the issues in the past and I'm hesitant to spend hundreds more only to be told that "no codes were found."

Filed Jun 1, 2009 · Electrical · 59,121 miles · CA

Several times I took my volvo s40 to the dealership before my warranty expired on the problem with starting my car. When inserting the key in the ignition nothing worked. Now the warranty is expired (59,000 miles) and no one at the volvo dealership "recalls" our many conversations! After trying to start it several times and calling a tow truck for a jump, still nothing. It displayed the message "brake failure stop car safely", "anti-skid system failure", "reduced engine performance", "power steering failure", sbs airbag failure". The car stopped, I could not restart the engine and the messages kept repeating in random order. The car will be towed to volvo and they will see what's going on! I have read this same complaint in many different volvo forums. You would thing there would be a recall on whatever this problem is. I found out that ford made this particular year!

Filed Sep 8, 2008 · Electrical, Engine · 11,500 miles · 00

My 1 1/2 years old volvo s40 did this twice, shortly after starting it and moving it for a couple of miles. It displayed the message "brake failure stop car safely", "anti-skid system failure", "reduced engine performance". The car could not go more than 15 MPH. After parking it, I could not restart the engine and the messages kept repeating in random order. The first time that I took it to the dealer they said that they changed the computer message module (the mechanic carried a box with many plugs in it, just to show me what it looked like). But just after 500 miles, the problem re-appeared. Now the car is in the repair shop, and people do not know what to do with it for two weeks.

Filed Aug 7, 2007 · Electrical · 23,000 miles · IL

1. Severe summer thunderstorms and rain. 2. Drove approximately 1 mile and right blinker stayed solid green after turning. Drove about a mile further onto highway entrance ramp and car indicator lights flashed ABS brake failure and air bag failure, then all car instruments (gas gauge, speedometer, tachometer, etc) failed for about five minutes. Instruments came back on but ABS brake and air bag failure continued to flash for about 1 more minute. Drove directly to dealership. 3. Service department took the car right in and applied grease to the harness connector which should alleviate problems as they are known to get wet and corrode. Please note this is a 2006 model as I have read on the website that the 2004 model has the exact same problem. Additionally, driver side door locks and power windows intermittently inoperable leading up to this failure. Had a scheduled appointment to remedy this situation but brought the car in early as the car was inoperable without instruments.