Most common 2004 Volvo S40 problems
Share of the 48 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo S40 complaints by model year
Best S40 years: 2010, 2011, 2009. Years to avoid: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2004. Compare all years →
2004 Volvo S40 recalls (6)
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.
Remedy: Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
On certain vehicles sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, reoccurring,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the pem and install it in a new location to prevent corrosion. The recall began on February 20, 2008. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Fuel system, gasoline
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with t5 turbo engines, the polyamide tube in the fuel line is sensitive to the extreme temperatures that May occur in the area where the turbo/exhaust manifold is located.
Remedy: Dealers will change the fuel line material to teflon free of charge. The recall began on June 5, 2006. Owners May contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain passenger vehicles, the non-return valve May crack due to a poor weld causing a vacuum leak.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline
On certain sedans and station wagons, there May be a fuel leak from the fuel rail due to inadequate welding.
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
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.
What 2004 Volvo S40 owners say
Brakes
I got new car in nov 2003 of the year 2004 model. It feels like one has to put foot on brakes all the way to apply. It is progressively getting worse. In dec 2005, while existing from highway we meet an accident as it did not stop where it was suppose to stop. Volvo dealer top the break fluid during maintenance. But did not solve the problem. We got new brake pads from Volvo dealer and changed along with brake discs in 2009. But, it did not solve the problem. In the morning, it will not break unless one has to put foot on pedal few times. Again in 2015 we got brake pads from other auto part shop of high quality but it does not solve the problem. In addition, I smell gas but could not locate any leak of fuel. Also, steering wheel is very hard and we took to Volvo few times but it is the same.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Volvo S40. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle rapidly accelerated automatically. The vehicle would not slow down when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact had a difficult time pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road. The vehicle behind her notified her that the vehicle was on fire. Flames appeared while attempting to pull over the vehicle. The police department was notified. The vehicle was towed to her residence and then to the Volvo dealer. The tires and other equipment were damaged by the flames. The vehicle is currently being diagnosed by the dealer. The failure and current mileages were 65,000.
Air bags
Tl contact owns a 2004 Volvo S40. While driving less than 50 MPH, the contact crashed into the rear of the preceding vehicle. The passenger side air bag deployed, but the driver's side air bag did not. A police report was filed. The driver was transported to the hospital and released with no major injuries. The manufacturer stated that they performed a complete safety inspection on the vehicle prior to selling it to her, and the diagnostic did not indicate any failure with the air bag. The failure and current mileages were less than 40,000.
During a frontal drivers side crash the drivers side airbag did not deploy causing injury to the driver. However the passenger side airbag did deploy, but no passengers were present at the time of the accident. The impact of the crash was mostly drivers side. I also believe the braking system failed since my car failed to slow like a car should during braking.
Electrical system
Tl contact owns a 2004 Volvo S40. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle rapidly accelerated automatically. The vehicle would not slow down when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact had a difficult time pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road. The vehicle behind her notified her that the vehicle was on fire. Flames appeared while attempting to pull over the vehicle. The police department was notified. The vehicle was towed to her residence and then to the Volvo dealer. The tires and other equipment were damaged by the flames. The vehicle is currently being diagnosed by the dealer. The failure and current mileages were 65,000.
The key does not turn all the way to turn the ignition - it's locked after turning I and ii (not to III). I had to have the car towed. I could have been stranded in an unsafe area. I called Volvo customer service, but I was told it's not under warranty anymore. I went to youtube as to how I could fix it and found out quite a fee S40 owners have similar problems. I was told that the cost to fix this would run about $1000. I found a way to get around making it work by removing the steering cover, pull the ignition switch with a screw driver. Without the key on the ignition, it still poses a safety issues because what if the steering locks while I am driving? Another issue is the suspension: the car feel as if it's falling apart. Twice we spent over a thousand for each occurrence. I'm quite certain there have a few complaints on similar issues. …
2004 Volvo S40 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 23 |
| 1.9L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Volvo S40 a good car?
Based on 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 S40 rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the S40 at the same age. It is one of the S40 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Volvo S40?
The brakes — 12 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about pedals and linkages. Next are the air bags (11) and electrical system (11).
How many recalls does the 2004 Volvo S40 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2004 Volvo S40, the most recent from November 8, 2010 (navigational system(global positioning system)). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volvo S40?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2011 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2004. See the full Volvo S40 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Volvo S40 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 40% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.