Problems · NHTSA complaints
2000 Volvo V40 problems
Owners filed 50 complaints about the 2000 Volvo V40 with NHTSA between May 2000 and Jul 2011. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (23).
Complaints
50
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic23
- Engine and engine cooling10
- Suspension7
- Electrical system5
- Vehicle speed control4
- Exterior lighting4
- Power train2
- Steering2
- Wheels2
- Structure1
- Visibility1
- Other / unknown1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
7
8
7
11
3
1
3
2
4
0
2
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 7 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
23 reports1 crash1 related recall
“BRAKES FAILED COMING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. ABLE TO STOP CAR BY USING EMERGENCY BRAKE. COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. BROUGHT TO BE SERVICED. MECHANIC REPORTED THAT IT WAS FAILED LEFT FRONT BRAKE HOSE DUE TO SPRING SUPPORT RUBBING THROUGH. THIS HOSE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. MECHANIC ALSO REPORTED THAT RIGHT FRONT BRAKE HOSE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF SAME REASON. AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS HAS BEEN SCHEDULED AND PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. HE FEELS THIS WILL BE A DESIGN ISSUE. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
10 reports
“2000 VOLVO V40 - VERY WELL MAINTAINED, 2ND OWNER, APPROXIMATELY 83,000 MILES. I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE CAR WOULD SURGE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE A/C ON AND WHEN I HAD STEADY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR (I.E. ICRUISING AT A STEADY SPEED). THE SURGE IN RPM'S WOULD BE RHYTHMIC, VERY SUBTLE (100-200 RPMS) AND CONTINUE INDEFINITELY UNTIL I TURN THE A/C OFF - AT WHICH TIME THEY WOULD CEASE. THEY WOULD SOMETIMES RESUME WHEN I TURNED THE A/C COMPRESSOR BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY OVER THE PAST MONTH (IT'S JUNE IN CT, MY STATE OF RESIDENCE) AND WOULD NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME I RAN THE A/C - BUT ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE A/C COMPRESSOR WAS RUNNING. THEN A REMARKABLE THING HAPPENED TODAY - WHILE CRUISING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITH THE A/C COMPRESSOR ON - THE CARE SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY SURGED IN A WAY THAT IT HAD NEVER DONE PREVIOUSLY. THE INCREASE IN RPM'S WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT INTO THE NEXT LOWEST GEAR. FORTUNATELY, I HAD ENOUGH SPACE BETWEEN MY CAR AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TO ALLOW ME TIME TO RESPOND WITHOUT HAVING AND ACCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPM'S STARTED SPIKING TO ALMOST 4,000 THEN…”
Suspension
7 reports
“FAILURE OF UPPER STRUT MOUNT BUSHINGS CAUSING LOSS OF SUSPENSION / STEERING. REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME ON 2000 V-40 VOLVO. RECENTLY VOLVO OFFERED A NEWLY DESIGNED HEAVY DUTY MOUNT AT THREE TIME THE REPLACEMENT COST DEMONSTRATING THAT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MOUNT WAS SEVERELY UNDER DESIGNED. *TR”
Electrical system
5 reports
“VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY IS IN NEED OF NEW BRAKE PADS. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT. *AK. CONSUMER STATES PREVIOUSLY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, LOOSE PARTS INCLUDING A WHEEL AND AIR CONDITION FAILURE. *YD”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO V40. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED WHEN THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AND DROVE OVER A PLASTIC TRASH RECEPTACLE, CERAMIC POT AND THEN CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A NEARBY HOUSE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY AND THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF THE HOUSE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE REAR BUMPER COMPLETELY DETACHED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/04/11*LJ UPDATED 3/22/12 *CN”
Exterior lighting
4 reports
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.