Fuel System complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Check engine light came on and has stayed on. Stalled out in traffic, turned the car off and it restarted and I continued. Happens two more times. Initial start up has a delay in the engine turning over. Gas pedal is slow to respond to acceleration. Verified at a garage with code reader. Suspect faulty wiring (corrosion) to fuel pump needing PEM replacement. No warning prior to first incident around 02/2022. I have had the check engine light reset on multiple occasions and each time the light comes back on within 2 days. Safety has been a concern at multiple times. Entered VIN number with Volvo, a Volvo dealer, and nhtsa.gov with no help in resolving issue.
Check engine light came on and stays in. Vehicle always sputters to start, acceleration is sometimes slow to respond, has stalled out on a rare occasion usual on hills. I'm afraid someday I might be involved in a crash because of a lack of acceleration.
The contact's wife owns a 2005 Volvo S40. The contact stated the vehicle was difficult to start for several days. Eventually, the failure progressed and the vehicle was not able to start. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was repaired by the contact, a previous Volvo technician. The contact stated the failure was due to the pump electrical module being located out of the vehicle. The contact spoke with the dealer. The contact referenced The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo S40. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump electronic module had failed due to rusting and corrosion. The fuel pump electronic module was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA campaign number 08V033000 (fuel system, gasoline). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. Additionally, the vehicle was originally sold in the state of california and had been driven in the state of michigan the past 6 years. The failure mileage was 147,000.
Car is stalling out while driving down the road engine light came on when put on machine error given is fuel pressure. The fuel pressure was checked and was at correct pressure for the car. I have replaced fuel censer and car ran fine for 2 days then same issue with same error the fuel controller has a corroded pen I tried to call Volvo they are telling me there is nothing they can do when I can clearly see the year make and model have had a recall for the exact issue that I am having with this car. The recall number in your system is 08V033000 I normally would just get the car fixed but this is a major issue it seems the location of the controller needs to be moved to prevent this from happening again. This is a car my 16 year old daughter drives so you can understand my concern with vovlo not wanting to correct this
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.
I was driving when the car start to accelerated by itself, accel pedal went to the floor. I could not keep a car even by the hand brake, so as it was jumping ahead. Then the car began to blow black and white smoke out under the hood. Some how I turn off the engine, took the key and run away from the car in the middle of the traffic road. Green liquid under the car. It died on the road. Police came, the car towed. After several days of checkout : t/3.8 checkout and replaced t-stat, temp sensor, t-stat housing gasket; bg coolant flush ; pcv; engine vent; engine mechanical; bg power steering; bg brake after a week I got the same--jumping, not stable, accel pedal goes to the floor. Internal short in cyl 3 and 2 coil and fouled sparkplugs t/1.5 replaced coil pack for cyl 3 and 2 and replaced sparkplugs.
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 …
Related recalls (3)
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Volvo S40 years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (20), 2006 (9), 2004 (8) and 2001 (6) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 29% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Volvo S40 fuel system problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 08V-033 (fuel pump, Jan 28, 2008); 06V-137 (fuel system, gasoline, Apr 24, 2006); 03V-424 (fuel system, gasoline, Oct 24, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Volvo S40 fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles; 9% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the delivery › fuel pump (8 mentions), followed by the fuel injection system › fuel rail (2).
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.