2001 Volvo S-Class service brakes, hydraulic problems

“I PURCHASED A VOLVO FOR THEIR REPUTATION ON SAFETY. SO WHY DOES OUR VOLVO HAVE AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM? I COULD BE AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR REVS UP TO 2000 RPM'S AND STARTS TO GO WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WITH ME ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THEN WHEN WE FIRST START UP THE CAR THE BRAKES DON'T WORK? THE CAR STILL ROLLS. WHAT'S GOING ON WITH VOLVO THEIR MAKING ME THINK THEIR JUST AS BAD AS TOYOTA! *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETAIN THE DRIVER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S40. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS COLD, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK UNLESS THE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED 6 TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE VACUUM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.”

“I BOUGHT A 2001 VOLVO S40 IN JUNE 2009. I NOTICED RIGHT AWAY THAT THE BRAKES DIDN'T SEEM TO WORK PROPERLY, AS THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS FAR TOO LONG. THEY ASSURED ME THE BRAKES WERE BRAND NEW. AFTER DRIVING IT A FEW WEEKS, I BECAME VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THE BRAKES BECAUSE I HAD COME CLOSE TO REAR ENDING SEVERAL PEOPLE. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND ASKED THEM TO DOUBLE CHECK THE BRAKES. THEY DID SO AND STATED THAT THEY WERE FINE. SO, I DROVE EXTRA CAUTIOUSLY FROM THEN ON. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY NEVER GAVE ME ANY DOCUMENTATION AND I NEVER ASKED FOR IT. THEY JUST CHECKED THE BRAKES AND SENT ME ON MY WAY, REASSURING ME THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ON DECEMBER 28TH, 2009, THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN COMING TO AN INTERSECTION. I WAS JUST BEGINNING TO SLOW DOWN (NOT EVEN TRYING TO STOP YET) AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT GO DOWN FURTHER. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, AND IT DID NOT RELEASE. I AGAIN TRIED TO PUSH DOWN THE PEDAL, AND IT DID NOT GO DOWN. I REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH MY SAME YEAR AND MODEL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS, BOTH WITH THE STOPPING DISTANCE AND THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE NEXT…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S40. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED LONGER THAN 2 HOURS THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,131 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 88000.”

“DRIVING 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AT 30 MPH, STEPPED BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP (CAR HAS ABS) CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. WENT INTO SPIN AND CRASHED OVER CURB, BREAKING BOTH PASSENGER SIDE RIMS AND GAUGING REAR TIRE. HAD TO BE TOWED; ONE WEEK LATER, CAR STILL IN SHOP. MECHANIC CAN FIND NO REASON FOR THIS...NO FAULT CODES ON COMPUTER, FLUIDS, WIRES, ETC ALL FINE. *TR”