The steering locked on our 2004.5 volvo s40 t5 as my wife and 6 week old daughter were backing out of our driveway under power. No errors were reported when the car started, but the wheel locked (and an error was displayed) after the car was in motion. She stopped the vehicle when she was unable to turn the wheel. She was then able to put the car into drive and move back to her previous position. Clearly a safety sensor did not do its job. Leading up to this event we have had occasional incidents where the steering wheel would not unlock after entering the key. Lightly moving the wheel side to side and repeated key entries would resolve the issue. A motor now runs in the steering column when trying to unlock the wheel. This is a different sound then we experienced when the issue could be resolved. I am very concerned about this incident because the lockup occurred while the vehicle was in motion. This could have resulted in a potentially fatal crash had it occurred on a sharp turn or on the freeway. Please investigate this critical safety issue. I have a video of the issue available if this will assist your investigation.
The worst 2004 Volvo S40N problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags1
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags1
- Steering1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2004 Volvo S40N 13
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: 12V Battery Testing Method
- Complimentary upgrade C00009 description.
- Rubber cushion
- Engine Control Module (EMS) Software (MSW) Information – August 2022; Improvement List (Change Log)
- The Deutronic DBL-1200 is an advanced battery maintainer/charger with the flexibility to be updated as...
- ICUP/Google Built-In Diagnostic Operations
- Vida qr
- Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS)
- Battery Charger/maintainer requirement
- Warranty, customer pay and/or internal repairs performed must be verified by a punched time flag on the...
What 2004 Volvo S40N owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Srs warning light on defective occupant weight sensor.
Compare the 2004 Volvo S40N
Other model years
Questions about the 2004 Volvo S40N
Is the 2004 Volvo S40N reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2004 Volvo S40N, close to a typical S40N model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Volvo S40N?
Airbags, with 1 complaint. Next is steering (1).
How many recalls does the 2004 Volvo S40N have?
No recalls on record.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2004 Volvo S40N?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history