2000 Volvo S40 Brakes Problems

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND SEVERAL CARS. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, BUT DID NOT PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR ENGINE REVVED UP AND LURCHED FORWARD DESPITE ME ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE HEAVILY. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT FULLY DECOMPRESS CAUSING ME TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH 134,100 MILES. I NOTICED ABOUT 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THAT THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THE RPM'S WOULD REMAIN HIGH WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR WILL MOVE APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN ROADS ARE WET OR WHEN IT HAS BEEN RAINING, THE CAR IS DIFFICULT IN BRAKING AND THE BRAKES OFTEN "FREEZE" WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL CANNOT BE DEPRESSED. BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTS. ALSO, AT TIMES, THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUES TO REV WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES. LASTLY, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IT WAS INDICATED VIA A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT THERE WAS A MISFIRE WITH ONE OF THE SPARK PLUG COILS. ALL SPARK PLUGS AND COILS/IGNITION COILS WERE REPLACED, ENGINE LIGHT PERSISTED. AT THE TIME THE TEMP SENSOR AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED AS THE IGNITION COILS AND SPARK PLUGS DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE. WHEN A FOLLOWING DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED INDICATED THAT THE COOLANT TEMP SENSOR HAS LOW VOLTAGE. SOMETIMES THE CAR ENGINE WILL TURN, BUT THE CAR WILL NOT FULLY TURN ON AND I NEED TO WAIT ABOUT 10 MINUTES (OR UNTIL THE FAN TURNS OFF) BEFORE BEING ABLE TO ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. DUE TO THE ISSUES WITH THE CAR, THE CAR CANNOT GET AN INSPECTION STICKER, AND IT DOES NOT SEEM SAFE TO DRIVE. DUE TO MASSACHUSETTS CAR LAWS, WE CANNOT SELL THE CAR DUE TO LEMON LAW AND THE CAR IS WORTH MORE THAN SCRAPING. WE ALSO HAD A BROKEN AXEL AND COIL THAT WERE REPLACED AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE. *TR

IT WAS CLOSE TO 9PM. I HAD EXITED THE FREEWAY TO STOP IN A PARKING LOT TO CHECK DIRECTIONS. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, SO I GOT OUT TO WALK AROUND AND BUY A CUP OF COFFEE. I CAME BACK A FEW MINUTES LATER AND DROVE OUT OF THE LOT. THE ON RAMP WAS ABOUT 200 YARDS AWAY AND THERE WAS A RED LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION, SO I WAS ONLY MOVING AT AROUND 20MPH. I WAS THE ONLY CAR IN MY LANE, SO ABOUT 100 FEET AWAY FROM THE INTERSECTION I PRESSED DOWN ON MY BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE FOR SOME REASON IT THE CAR KEPT ROLLING. I TRIED AGAIN, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NO HELP AS I KEPT ROLLING. FRANTICALLY, I STOMPED HARD, FLOORED THE BRAKES, AND MY CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE, BUT THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE. I TRIED TO TURN TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, BUT AN INSTANT LATER I HAD HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG. I AM PRETTY GOOD AT MAINTAINING THE CAR AND IT HAD BEEN SERVICED AT THE VOLVO DEALER FAIRLY RECENTLY. IT'S ONLY GARAGED ABOUT HALF THE TIME, BUT I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO IT'S NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO AN EXTREME CLIMATE OR ANYTHING. THERE WAS A THUNDERSTORM THAT MORNING, AND THE ROADS WERE VERY WET EARLIER IN THE DAY, BUT THE STORM BROKE AROUND NOON: 7 OR 8 HOURS BEFORE I LEFT HOME THAT NIGHT. BY THAT TIME ALL OF THE ROADS HAD DRIED. *TR

BRAKE FAILURE, THIS ISSUE WAS ON A RECALLED PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY RESOLVED. *JB

BOUGHT A NEW 2000 VOLVO S40 IN APRIL OF 2000. THE CAR NOW HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT....LIGHT DRIVING BY MOST STANDARDS. AT 18,000 MILES REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $400. FRONT AND REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ANOTHER TIME SINCE THEN. ON 9/21/05, I HAVE NOW ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AT A COST OF $600. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF OTHER DISCUSSIONS ONLINE FROM OTHER 2000 VOLVO S40 OWNERS WHO ALSO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE CAR RUNNING THROUGH BRAKES EVERY 15-20,000 MILES. *JB

THE DRIVER NOTICED WHILE IN COLD WEATHER WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMING UP THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE RECALL REPAIR DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. IT CONTIUNES TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND MY LEAD TO INJURY OR EVEN A DEATH.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03-V-474-000 FOR REPLACEMENT OF ELECTRICAL BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MANAGER. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER#03V474000 REGARDING THE ELECTRIC BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. THE DEALERSHIP STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT THE RECALL. *NM

2000 VOLVO S40 NO BRAKES UNTIL CAR IS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER LETTING IT WARM FOR A FEW MINUTES. I HAVE ALREADY ROLLED INTO NUMEROUS INTERSECTIONS DUE TO NO BRAKES. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND IT WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

POWER BRAKES DON NOT WORK WELL

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER USED A HIGHER BRAKE FORCE THAN USUAL, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $800.00. *AK *MR MAINTENANCE RECORD SHOW THAT ROUTINE SERVICE INCLUDING REAR BRAKE PADS AT 19580K MILES, AT 41416K MILES, FRONT PADS AT 28312K MILES AND WAS INCLUDE IN THE REPAIRS FOR INCIDENT 56739K MILES. *SC

I HAVE VOLVO S40 2000 WHICH I PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 1999. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO SERVICE REGULARLY, IT WAS SERVICED WHILE IN WARRANTY BY THE ROYAL MOTOR SALES WHO SOLD ME THIS CAR. ON THE SECOND SERVICE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND THEY HAVE TO CHANGE NOT ONLY BRAKE PADS BUT ALSO ROTORS AND SOMETHING ELSE, I ENDED UP PAYING $1000+ FOR THAT "SERVICE". INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH I HAVE BEEN TOLD AT DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY CAR KIND TO HAVE REAR BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT QUICKLY AND THEY HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 5000-7000 MILES (NO INFORMATION ON THAT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, EITHER NOBODY WARNED ME ABOUT THAT ON THE FIRST SERVICE, BETTER YET THEY DID NOT EVEN CHECKED REAR BRAKE PADS NOR TELL ME HOW MUCH OF IT LEFT). NOW WHEN MY WARRANTY IS OVER I NOTICED VERY LOUD METALLIC BANGING NOISE THAT COMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TOOK THE CAR TO INDEPENDENT VOLVO MECHANIC SINCE I DO NOT TRUST DEALER ANY MORE. MECHANIC FIXED ACTUALLY 2 DIFFERENT PARTS THAT WERE MAKING SOME NOISE. I PAID $330 AND TOOK MY CAR HOME, JUST TO FIND THAT LOUD NOISE IS STILL THERE WHEN I WAS GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND MECHANIC ORDERED YET ANOTHER PART WHICH ONLY CAME 2 WEEKS LATER. NOW MY CAR IS AT THE MECHANIC'S WHO CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THERE MORE PARTS TO BE CHANGED AND THAT HIS FRIEND AT DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT IT IS VERY COMMON WARRANTY REPAIR ON MY CAR KIND. WELL THEY GOT LUCKY IN MY CASE, I AM OVER ON MY WARRANTY BY 2000 MILES. BUT WILL I BUY VOLVO EVER AGAIN? - NO WAY!!! WILL I SUGGEST TO ANYONE TO BUY A VOLVO? - ONLY TO SOMEONE I DISLIKE!. *LA

2000 VOLVO S40 WOULD NOT STOP WHEN APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES. *TS THE CONSUMER FELT THAT SHE HAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE BETWEEN HER VEHICLE AND THE OTHER VEHICLE TO STOP BUT THE VEHICLE JUST WOULDN'T STOP. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE OTHER VEHICLE. SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE BRAKE PUMP WHICH DESCRIBED THE FAILURE THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED. THE CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL EXPENSES INCURRED. *NM

2000 VOLVO S40 WOULD NOT STOP WHEN APPLIED PRESSURE TO BRAKES. *TS SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE BRAKE PUMP. THE CONSUMER IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGES INCURRED PRIOR TO NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL. RECALL 03V474000. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THE REAR BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE. THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST FOR ALL REPAIRS WERE $545.61. *AK ALSO THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *CB *JB

THE RELAY THAT CONTROLLED THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED.*JB

THE RELAY THAT CONTROLLED THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED.*JB

BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY CAR ARE WEARING PREMATURELY, AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS ARE WEARING MORE QUICKLY THAN THE FRONT. MY CAR HAS ONLY 14,171 MILES ON IT AND I ALREADY HAVE TO REPLACE THE PADS, I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SIGN OF EITHER DEFECTIVE PADS, OR A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT IS FAILING TO GIVE THE PROPER WARNING OF THE WEAR, THUS PLACE THE DRIVER AT RISK FOR ADDITIONAL COMPONENT FAILURE, AND RAISING SAFETY CONCERNS. DT

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB