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Volvo S40

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Comments

  • s40owners40owner Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 S40 and have had the same problem - get in the car, turn the key - nada. They checked the readout, and the ignition switch barrel was faulty. It has been replaced and worked fine for 1 1/2 months, but now I have the same problem. They are looking into it, I'll keep you posted with results.
    By the way, I have found that if you lock and unlock the car (from the outside) and/or wait several minutes, then it will start.
  • newvolowner2newvolowner2 Member Posts: 4
    That is unbelievable. You have a newer model and your S40 is doing the same thing. Why is Volvo still in business, while manufactoring these cars? I took it to the Volvo dealer and they thought it was a loose battery cable. They tighten it and it worked for a while.
  • dmeans91dmeans91 Member Posts: 1
    According to my Bently manual, for a '91 volvo 240, the speed sensor is located on the transmission bell housing, next to the engine. Good luck getting to it: I'm trying to figure it out myself at the moment. I might just tow it to a mechanic to perform the job. The part, btw, is $123.00 at volvopartsdirect.com
  • mannyfreshmannyfresh Member Posts: 10
    Has anyone purchased or thought of purchasing an EVOLVE aerodynamic kit for their s40. If so, any thoughts on that????
  • newvolowner2newvolowner2 Member Posts: 4
    So S40 owner, have you heard anything back from Volvo mechanics about your 05 ignition problems.
  • volvos41volvos41 Member Posts: 1
    I had the exact same problem on my new s40. I've had a 2005 t5 for less than 2 weeks and it's been in the shop for a total of 5 days already. There have actually been 3 problems -- the first: the stereo turned off/presets were erased (this required 2 visits to upgrade the software properly.

    On the 2nd visit, I had the dealer look at the other problems -- the 12v power outlets in the car stopped working on the 4th day I had it and the ignition problem described above (start,stall, start, run).

    When I picked up the car I asked the mechanic what they had done to fix the ignition problem. He replied -- Nothing. He advised me that I needed to use 87 Octane from a brand-name gas station. I explained that I had filled the tank with 87 Octane from Exxon. He just shrugged. I explained that my internet research led me to believe that there were many people having the exact same problem. He admitted that was so and that Volvo had no fix for it but that they were working on software upgrades that would be out in 2 months. Evidently they are blaming the issue on the summer gas blend now for sale at gas stations in my area because it evaporates in the line/injector.

    In my state, 4 visits to fix an unresolved problem triggers action under the lemon law. I'll be stating as much when I contact the dealer this week seeking relief.
  • batman702batman702 Member Posts: 12
    Looking to buy an s40 T5, premium pkg, audio pkg, climate pkg. Dealer had sticker at 29995. Looking to lease it and the discount on it was 3500. putting the monthly payments at 397 a month. Putting 2500 down. Is this a good deal? I was trying to go towards invoice which was listed on line at 25300, but they will not budge. Salesperson said this is a luxury car in a higher class, it's a volvo. Also on a lease can one ask and possibly get say..... a better wheel pkg than what's on there? Can you bargain on a lease as much as a purchase? Is there a trade $ for the wheels on it? Thanks for the reply.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    Well, I come up w/ $31,550 for an S40 T5M w/ those packages.
    Invoice of @$29,700.

    You can put anything you want on a leased car, you just can't residualize it so it has a dramatic effect on your payment.
  • bfullerbfuller Member Posts: 2
    I bought a demo (6K miles on it) 2005 S40 T5 last month and it's been in the shop twice already and has had other problems I have not taken it in for. I love the car, but am concerned it will be a problem.
    1) The passenger airbag light came on and told me to get serviced immediately - I took it in and they said it was just a software solution. They fixed it and has not been a problem since.
    2) The CD player does not work occasionally when I switch from radio to CD - I have to turn it on and off, or take the CD out and reload. Really annoying, but happens only occasionally. I have taken it in for that.

    Here are some issues I'm having that I don't think relate to manufacturer problems, any suggestions are appreciated.
    a. smell inside the car, at first I thought a smoker had driven it before I bought the car. The dealer replaced the cabin filter and sprayed some stuff into the vents. This helped for a few days, then it came back. It sort of smells like cigarettes, but also like just musty odor. Could it be bacteria in the air compressor, or a blocked A/C drain? Does anyone know where the A/C drain is located so I can see if it is functioning? Any other thoughts. This is really bugging me!!

    b. the car seems to want to pull to the left sometimes. The dealer test drove and said it seems fine, but at low speeds it sometimes can pull pretty strong to the left at higher speeds it seems to go away. Could it be a brake pad sticking, alignment, out of balance wheel, or something else? Any thoughts? Thanks.
  • i_sell_volvosi_sell_volvos Member Posts: 1
    I know you've already rulled out torque steer...Have you considered the high crown many low-speed roads have?
  • carguy83carguy83 Member Posts: 5
    Our 2004.5 S40 2.4i has the musty odor smell too. It seems to happen more when the fan is on but AC is off. Actually I recently smelled it some with even the fan "off". When we had the car in last for the oil change and software upgrades I thought they did something about the smell and it might be a little better, but its definitely still there and still annoying. I don't know what is causing it but it seems to be a common problem for S40s.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    We've had our 06 S40 T5 for a month now, just over 500 miles on the car. Yesterday we were out and about, cranked the car to leave, drove about 100 yards and it died. Would not refire. Had to have it towed to the dealer, luckly my sister was following us in her Camry (insert comment about Toyota reliability here) and was able to take us 40 miles home! Not a stellar start for this car. It replaced a PT Cruiser that saw the shop twice in 52000, both for warranty repairs. I'm guessing it is a software issue and easy to fix. But the inconvience is huge. Talked to the dealer this morning and he is out of loaners which I find unacceptable. Should I insist on a demo to drive in the interim??
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    The problem was a fuse for the fuel pump. Car was returned to us by noon yesterday. Great service from the dealer, Volvo @ Gwinnett Place. Any time you are without one of your cars still ranks high on my inconvienience list though. If this is a one time deal, then no problem, but a car that goes back to the dealer at ~500 miles does leave a little concern in the back of your mind.
  • l_s40t5l_s40t5 Member Posts: 2
    I know this has been addressed many times on this board, but I was wondering if there is any news on the "stalling" issue with the S40. I have had mine for three weeks now. I love the car - couldn't be happier with my purchase or the service at my dealer. Occasionally I have the stalling problem if the car has been sitting a while. I live downtown and walk to my office, so when the car has been sitting for a day or so, it sometimes will stall and/or start with a high pitch grinding noise. I am curious to see if anyone has had any success in eliminating this problem with other S40s. Any advice? Thanks.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    As you can see from my above post, we had a similar, but not exactly the same issue with ours. While I thought it was fixed, my wife says this morning, it did not fire on the first try. It did fire up with no unusual noises though. Leads me to believe we have not seen the last of the service dept. I asked the dealer yesterday if he upgraded any software while he had the car and was told that there were none needed. Have read a few discussions in here about regular vs premium or mid grade gas and that being at the root of the stalling or poor starts. We've been using premium since we purchased a month ago. Any comments from anyone else regarding this? We really love the car, but continued issues no matter how minor and easily fixed are not acceptable.
  • s40vss60s40vss60 Member Posts: 1
    Please help. I am interested in purchasing a volvo for the first time. I like the new look of the S40, which is similar to the s60 look. I like the safety that volvo has. My concerns are the look of the S40 vs S60. I am a younger but not a recent grad. and do not want to be in a mommy car nor do I want a compact car that is cramped. It seems that the prices for a 2002-2004 S60 are close in price to the 2005 S40, depending on options etc. What is the difference in gas milage, comfort, future resale etc. Waste of initial depreciation of a 05. Will the S60 look change? Thank you for any tips and advice.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    Unfortunately we had to have our S40 towed again last night. My wife had trouble starting the car after we picked it up from the dealer so I was planning on taking it back. Last night, I went to move it out of the garage and take it for a spin and it sputtered and died and would not restart. Will update soon. Did get a loaner from the dealer, a V70.
  • l_s40t5l_s40t5 Member Posts: 2
    This news isn't the greatest I have ever heard. Sorry to hear you had it towed again. I am wondering if my problems are just beginning and if my s40's problems will become progressively worse. Has your car always died when driving, or did it just start? I'm trying to figure out where mine is at on this timeline. It's unfortunate that so many cars are having this problem from a manufactuere known for its durability. I also use premium (93 oct) in my s40, but assume maybe I should try using the cheap stuff since I have read that may be a factor in solving the problem. Any advice from your dealer? I'll be taking mine in soon to talk about/ look at this.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    Our's just started the problem on Sunday. I have not asked my dealer about the octane rating. The owners manual is pretty explcit about using premium, but I believe that is tied more to the engine perfomance. I plan on asking, but I'm afraid I'll receive a "party line" answer. As I said earlier, we have just over 500 miles on the car and it is driven daily, jut not far, if that helps with your timeline. We will see what the outcome of this is, but I am not comfortable with my wife driving this car on a daily basis until the dealer comes up with root cause for this. She already said last night that she's scared to drive it on the highway. Can't say that I blame her, but getting rid of it is not an option right now. I hate to start thinking about lemon law's, but I think we are one visit away from that going inot effect. Once I have a resolution, I'll post it and you may want to consider having your dealer check for it at your next service. I really hate this because we loved the car for its uniqueness and balance of luxury and perfomance.
  • bonsbons Member Posts: 45
    S60 will get a new design for 07 model, it will interesting to see what it will look like as the current 05 S60 is by far the most unique and distinctively stylish car on the market (even though it was introduced 5 years ago). S40 design will be the same (with little minor changes) for the rest of the decade. Personally, I think Volvo's design is among the most classy and stylish. Just drive both and see how you feel
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    Personally, I like the S40 very much...it's got a very long wheelbase compared to it's short overall lenght. This makes it a fairly roomy and very nippy car. The S60 doesn't add enough interior space for its greater mass/bulk.

    I also think the short overhangs give the 40 a very dynamic look. I'm into just my first week selling them,but the S40 is by far one of my favorite Volvos.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    The dealer has diagnosed the problem as a bad fuel pump module and is replacing under warranty, of course. I e mailed Volvo Care and received a satisfactory response. They had even contacted the dealers service department and new the situation with the car which I impressed me. In any event, I'm looking forward to getting the car back and continuing to enjoy it. While troubling, this experience has not soured me on the car or Volvo and certainly not my dealer. I expect we'll be motoring along happily again soon.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    Still do not have the car back. After the fuel pump module was replaced the car died again on the dealers test drive and had to be towed back to the dealer. The problem has now been diagnosed as a bad fuel pump. Don't know how the diagnostics work, but I think that would have been the first place I looked, but oh well. Dealership has been great. It would have been very easy for them to give us the car back yesterday and have us deal with the subsequent problem. Plus, I'm kinda enjoying driving the V70 loaner car. Very roomy and surprisingly peppy even though its not a T5.

    Can't wait to get the car back and here's to hoping this is the end of the issues.
  • bfullerbfuller Member Posts: 2
    What are you planning to do about the smell? I can't take the smell any longer and if it is resulting from bacteria in the A/C, then I am concerned about respiratory infections. I did notice that my car does not vent water when the A/C is running, so I'm thinking the condesate drain may be blocked. I've also heard that bacteria can build-up in the coils and cause a nasty smell (I saw somewhere that BMW's are known for this problem).
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    I know the owners manual states to use 91 octane, but is this just for perfomance reasons? I've heard that if regular is used it can cause some issues that Volvo may not protect with the warranty. Given the current state of gas prices, I certainly would gve up a few ponies to save a few $$$. Thanks.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    It is recommended for performance reasons.
    However, since the difference between reg unleaded and prem is usually 20 cents/gal you will only save $3.00 per tank.
    Hardly worth it. There are other ways to save money, like maintaining the proper tire pressure and limiting the time the car sits idling, combining trips etc.
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    Thanks volvomax. I suspected it was for performance reasons. Gas is droppping ever so slowly so it is not worth the saving.

    BTW, we got ours back from the shop today after being in for a week and a half to diagnose and replace the fuel pump and fuel pump control module.
  • trevs40trevs40 Member Posts: 2
    i have a s40 year 2000 my car stalls after it miss fires and struggles and then stops after a second or two is starts ok and it will go all right for a day or two
    can any one surgest what could be wrong as i need my car for work every day oh by the the way i live in the uk
  • trevs40trevs40 Member Posts: 2
    i have the s40 and its started to stall but first it miss fires stuggling with the revs
    and then stalls after a second or two it fires up ok and might last a day or three
    can any one over the pond help me please
  • au94au94 Member Posts: 171
    trev, best answer is to let the dealer put it on the computer and read the fault codes. Ours is an 06 and we had a faulty fuel pump and fuel pump control module.
  • islebabeislebabe Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I am new to this forum and I was wondering if someone could help me out. About 6 months ago I purchased this car and to this date it only has a little over 4300 miles on it. From the first day I got the vechile I had problems with it, the 1st minor problem was that the 3rd brake light that sits on the window had moisture it so the dealership told me to bring it down so they could take a look at it. So I did drive it about 60 miles to the dealership and all they said they did was open that area and wiped it down and said all is fine. About 2-3 weeks later the stereo system starting to not work, so then again had to take it down and they service said that there was a misfire in the code and all they did was reset it. Keep my eyes on that situation even when I brought it home it did it a couple times again. And now it brings me to the situation I am at now which is I had to take my Volvo in last thursday 10/20/05 because the check engine light had come on that tuesday. So I dropped it off at the dealership and they told me that they will have an answer for me on Monday 10/24/05 when I called them they still did not know what was wrong with my vechile but they did say they had a specialist looking at it. So how long does that take? Don't they have a machine to help they with that? Well any ways following day I called and they said they had to change out my spark plug and some other things in the engine already. I was puzzled for a new car these things shouldn't be changed yet, correct? So finally service manger calls me up and said that the reason the check engine light came on is due to bad fuel and caused the check engine light to come on, but based on talking to him he was not sure if that was the actual cause of it. I am at my wits end and need some advice. Is a week long enough to have the car fixed and if not have a answer to the problem. If not do I have a right to request the dealer to give me a new vechile? I am tired of the games they are playing with me.
  • guntekguntek Member Posts: 3
    Hi, I have a 2001 S40. 67000 miles.
    Problem: car starts fine in the morning, I go to office, after 4 or so hours I try to start it again and I have to crack it a couple of times to start the engine. This has been happening for the past two weeks. Last week the car would not start at all. took in to the dealer, they replaced the idle control valve, cost me $370. Idle problem fixed but still have the start issue. Any ideas. This never used to happen. I thought the dealer would be able to fix the problem but they don't seem to be the experts they claim to be.
  • guntekguntek Member Posts: 3
    Please get the extended warranty, it is worth it. My S40 has had a lot of issues since the 50000 mile warranty and I have already spend close to $1500 on it. All sorts of small problems. And every time you take it in the dealer charges $95 just to put it on the computer to check it out. So please get it.
  • guntekguntek Member Posts: 3
    If you can get a new vehicle, you should. I don't know if volvo will do that but give it a try. I have had three Volvos. One of them gave me trouble from the get go and it is still giving me trouble. The other one (2001 s40) has just started to give me trouble. It has a of small problems and this is second time I am taking it in in one week. So make sure the dealer doesn't screw you. I highly recommend getting the extended warraty as from my experience alot of the trouble starts immediately after the 50,000 miles are up. The dealer that I took it to still has not found the what is exactly wrong with my s40. I thought they were experts, but from my opinion they are not.
  • newvolownernewvolowner Member Posts: 2
    Went to Volvo dealership to have Hotsoak issue addressed on my 00' S40. Problem addressed with volvo specialist, car will not start after beeing driven and motor is hot. Will start after it cooled off. However, after it is hot, sometimes i can put the gear in Neutral and it starts. RPM sensor has been changed. Problems still persists. The specialist turned the ignition off after being driven for several miles. Car started right up. Stated that no codes were found after dianostic test. I get into the car and drive to work. Turn ignition off and tried to restart car, nothing. No sound. Waited twenty minutes, car started right up. Can someone tell me what this problem sounds like, if they have heard of similar problem.
  • 1sttimebuyer1sttimebuyer Member Posts: 4
    I've noticed a lot of postings related to start problems in Volvo S40s. Is there anyone who is having this problem who owns the 2.4i? Does everyone who reported a problem drive a T5? I am interested in purchasing a 2.4i, so I would really love to get some feedback! Thanks!
  • madatvolvomadatvolvo Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2000 VOLVO S40 i purchase this car used with 28,000
    miles , daily i put about 100 miles into it , i really like the engine performance , but what i hate about this car is that its to dam sensitive if you use the wrong type of gas for a while the check engine light comes on , ive owned this car for about 1 1/2 year since then ive replaced the breaks 3 times rotors once , transmission revolution sensor once that ended costing me $600.00 , well the problem that ive started haveing lately is my car takes a long time to start i have to crank it for several seconds before it starts i lived like this for 3 weeks i replace every thing you name it , come to find out it was something very simple "fuel pressure regulator" since they replaced it havent had a problem since car feels that it has more power when it starts , i was told by the repair person that this is a common problem with volvo's ,i hope this helps someone , i just wished that i knew what the problem was before i spent $800.00 in parts ,
  • meusemanmeuseman Member Posts: 18
    You mentioned the transmission revolution sensor was replaced...on our 2001 S40 with 60K, about 10% of the time that we accelerate from <5mph to 25-30mph, the car hesitates between 2nd and 3rd. the RPMs jump to 4500 and then it wil catch and shake the car. did you have this problem too?
  • ryanrryanr Member Posts: 1
    Hoping someone can offer some advice on what I should do about my 2005 S40. I have taken it to the shop 5 times in the last month pretty much all for the same problem. I leased the car 7 months ago and up until last month it has been a great car. I had an issue with what sounded like something in the balancing of the tires in the front end and told them exactly what the symptoms were and there was also something going on with my cd player as well... that needed to be fixed. Well, they managed to fix the cd player but couldn't get the car to recreate the sound I heard coming from the front end. For a second I thought maybe I was hearing things, but when passengers were in the car and heard it I new it was definitely there. So, I took it back in for an oil change the next day and asked them to please look again. This time when I picked it up they said they found something with the right strut and that I'd have to make an appointment to have it replaced... the car was back in 2 days for what was suppose to be only a couple of days. That couple of days turned into 3 weeks do to a back order on the parts. Turns out that the wrong struts were placed on the car in assembly. How does that happen??? I was also told how the old struts pretty much fell apart when being removed??? Needless to say, that has not fixed the initial problem... the noise is still there plus a few new ones. I brought the car in yesterday and this time took a drive with the shop foreman who heard it right away??? I am in awe with this whole experience and not sure what steps I should take or have the right to take. Do I have the right at this point to ask for a new car???
  • harold7harold7 Member Posts: 2
    I had same problem on a different make. It only did it on a very hot day (90 Plus)after a/c was running. It was the camshaft position sensor, which will not show up as a code (check engine light). When it won't start pour water on sensor to cool and see what happens.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,927
    Well, i'm not an expert or an attorney, but I believe this would technically be considered their 2nd attempt at fixing the problem. You'd have to check the lemon law in your state, but many indicated the dealer has 3 tries to fix a problem. If its not fixed after the 3rd, then you can pursue a buyback through the lemon law.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • thejmanthejman Member Posts: 1
    Hi i have a volvo s40 2001 to with 45500 miles on the clock bought it second hand worked fine 2 days later i had the same starting problem as you, then the third day it just would,nt start, towed it to the garaged they changed the FUEL PUMP and it worked a charm.
  • cutecrcutecr Member Posts: 1
    I've been reading a lot of these messages and have been seeing that ppl have been having problems with the fuel pumps. Does anyone know if the 06's are better and if it's worth getting it with all the problems that everyone has been encountering? Thanks
  • newvolownernewvolowner Member Posts: 2
    Hey thanks for the information.....i will check it out today. Wish me luck. Do you know whether or not the Crankshaft position sensor can be switched out without Volvo doing it. Are there any timing factors associatied with changing the Crankshaft position sensor?
  • reactormanreactorman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 s40 with 100,000 miles on it and its been a great car with no problems. I went to replace the trunk light bulb and in the process of removing the bulb I noticed some sparks. Since then the interior lights don't work,the information center in the dash resets every time the ignition is turned off and the radio antenna doesn't raise. I've checked the owners manual it doesn't list fuses for any of these items. I cheeked every fuse under the dash and they appear to be ok, I also checked all of the fuses in the engine compartment that are the same type as under the dash and they all appear to be fine. The fuse box in the engine compartment has a group of three fuses for the radio that reguires special tool as well as codes for the radio.The radio still works but with reduced reception could the lights and information center be tied to the radio fuses.I would appreciate anyones input on these problems as I'm not a fan of dealerships I much prefer to do as much of my own maintenance as possible.
  • deccaxdeccax Member Posts: 1
    Hi this is my first post here.
    I am the owner of 2000 Volvo S40. So far I getting several problems through out the years I own this car. Now, I am facing big issues, similar to transmission problem which is going to cost my arms and legs. This is problem, the car runs very slow at below 30 MPH, I steps on the gas paddle but it just can&#146;t go fast as before. When it hits about 30 MPH it will run fine without problem. Does anyone had similar problem or anyone know how much it cost to fix the problem?

    Many thanks,

    =D=
    :cry:
  • lsimlsim Member Posts: 7
    just saw your message and I a owner of a 2004.5 t5 s40 and had the exact problem and more. In fact, 10 more problems which kept me a frequent costumer in the repair shop. Disgusted, I wrote a letter of complaint to the Volvo "costumer complaint center" and my car was labeled a lemon! They gave me an upgraded s40T5 awd 2005 at absoulutly no extra cost. With some persistance and constant follow through this story is amazing but true. Although, I don't have any problems with 2005, currently at 3500 miles and it drives awesome in our recent snow storm (10"), I still have a bad feeling about this car. Can't put my finger on it and you can take this info. for what it's worth. Best of luck
  • lbiggie2lbiggie2 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 05 T5 AWD and I'm looking for some feedback from other owners just on what to do with the car and if anyone else has experienced the same thing as me. Starting at around 700 miles, my brakes started squeaking extremely loudly upon backing up in the mornings. I've brought my car in probably 4-5 times now and each time they've "updated" it or tried to fix it and the car is still squeaking. The squeak is so loud that I could wake up my neighbors and the problem is driving me nuts. Has anyone else had this happen and what suggestions would you give on what to do about it?

    thanks
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    How often do you spray down the calipers?
    Brake dust is probably getting trapped between the pad and rotor.
    Once a week when you are cleaning your wheels you should spray the cailpers.
  • exo425exo425 Member Posts: 15
    Hi,
    i have an 05 S40 2.4i w/ sport package and it does this as well. i brought my car in for routine maintenance and told them to check this problem. they replace the rear calipers as well as the pads on the brakes. they should replace these under warranty.
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