There are 6 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2004 Volvo S40in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
HAVING A COOLANT LEAKAGE, CRASH MODE AND SAFETY ALARM SYSTEM CHECK KEEPS COMING ON...WHEN CRASH MODE COMES ON...CAR JUST SHUTS OFF.
MY VEHICLE DOORS LOCK UP AND CAN'T BE UNLOCKED DUE TO FAULTY LOCKS. NO WAY TO GET DOOR OR DOORS TO UNLOCK. WHICH CAN CAUSE DEATH IF INVOLVED IN A ROLL OVER, SUBMERGED, OR ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS. IT CAN BE ANY DOOR ON THE VEHICLE. ON MINE IT'S MY REAR PASSENGER DOOR WHICH MY CHILD SITS NEXT TOO IN HER CAR SEAT. I'VE READ MANY OTHER VOLVOS HAVE THIS ISSUE AND VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A VOLVO DEALER MECHANIC THAT THESE S40 ARE VERY KNOWN TO HAVE THIS ISSUE. FOR MY EXPERIENCE OF THIS HAPPENING IS JUST DRIVING HOME AND PARKING. TRIED TO GET MY DAUGHTER OUT AND IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE KEY FAUBOURG, THE POWER LOCK SWITCH AND TRIED PULLING ON HANDLE AND NOTHING UNLOCKS THIS DOOR. I READ THAT THE LOCK ACTUATORS ARE THE CAUSE OR ITS THE WIRING HARNESS. I ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THE TRUNK. ONLY THE KID NAPPED CORD WORKS TO GET THE TRUNK TO OPEN. PLEASE GET VOLVO TO FIX ALL THERE ACTUATORS BEFORE KIDS OR ADULTS GET TRAPPED AND KILLED CAUSE OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR, HE START GOING FASTER WITHOUT PRESSING A GAS PEDAL WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE THE CAR TURN OFF, I PUT THE GEAR CHANGING ON PARK AND START THE CAR AGAIN, THE RPM START GOING CRAZY, THE CAR HAVE ONLY 30000 MILES. *TW
I WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT WHEN ALL OF THE GAUGES IN MY CAR WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I HAD NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS READING, NO ENGINE HEAT METER, THE MESSAGE CENTER WAS OUT, NO TURN SIGNALS. THIS IS A 2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM VOLVO IN 2004. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME 60 MILES ON AN EXTREME;Y DARK ROAD WITH NO SAFETY GAUGES- I COULDN'T CALL FOR ROADSIDE AS I WAS ALONE AND AM A WOMAN- I WASN'T GOING TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO WAIT FOR ROADSIDE. I WAS TOLD BY VOLVO THAT IT WAS THE DDM MODULE AND THE WIRING HARNESS- MY ELECTRICAL /COMPUTER SYSTEM WENT BAD. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE IN A BRAND NEW CAR? FURTHERMORE, I WAS 1,000 MILES OVER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY OF 50,000 MILES- THUS VOLVO CHARGED ME $1,645.00. WITHIN IN MINUTES OF DRIVING THE CAR AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED- THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD THAT MY SOFTWARE HAD TO BE UPGRADED AND MY THROTTLE CLEANED? I BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN THESE CARS ARE NO GOOD. *NM
THE VEHICLE HAS THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. DASHBOARD, RADIO, CLIMATE CONTROLS TURN-OFF BY THEMSELVES. WIPERS ACTIVATE BY THEMSELVES. SRS WARNINGS ARE DISPLAYED. FUEL DOOR BUTTON DOES NOT ACTIVATE. IGNITION WILL NOT ACTIVE SO CAR WILL NOT START. *JB
2004 VOLVO S40 EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. *MR THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS INTERMITTENT. AT NIGHT THERE WOULD BE NO REAR TAIL LIGHTS. THE RIGHT FRONT PARK LIGHT AND THE YELLOW SIDE MARKER LIGHT HAD GONE OUT AS WELL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CEM. THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY LASTED 8 MONTHS. *SC
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026