The 2003 Volvo S40 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 235,474 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS, THERE MAY BE A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL DUE TO INADEQUATE WELDING.
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
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.
CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.
THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A LETTER/PACKAGE CONSISTING OF THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND IN CERTAIN CASES, THE CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL MAY BE PROVIDED. IF THE OWNER WANTS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR INSTALLATION OF THE GUIDE, IT WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. …
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Engine light stays on. I have had 2 mechanics check it out. They don't know why the light is on. I am very concerned about the fuel line problem.”
“The rear strut/shocks continue to break/crack over and over. I have gone through 3 new struts and shocks and they continue to break. I also have gone to the junkyard and all of the s40 and v40's have all of their struts/shocks broken. I've witnessed over 6 s40 or v40's like this now. My car has…”
“Prior to latest incident, the car had occasionally gone into "limp" mode, sticking in 3rd gear but drivable. That problem would go away after a day or so. Local shop couldn't find anything definitive. Bigger problem was yesterday evening's loss of throttle control and multiple electrical issues.…”
“Prior to latest incident, the car had occasionally gone into "limp" mode, sticking in 3rd gear but drivable. That problem would go away after a day or so. Local shop couldn't find anything definitive. Bigger problem was yesterday evening's loss of throttle control and multiple electrical issues.…”
“Prior to latest incident, the car had occasionally gone into "limp" mode, sticking in 3rd gear but drivable. That problem would go away after a day or so. Local shop couldn't find anything definitive. Bigger problem was yesterday evening's loss of throttle control and multiple electrical issues.…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo s40. The contact stated that while sitting at a traffic stop, the vehicle accelerated abnormally. The contact had his foot on the brake pedal and then had to shift into neutral to get the vehicle to slow down. The contact pulled the vehicle over, shut off and…”
“I returned to my car and found that I could not turn the ignition switch and as a result of the security system my car was totally inoperative. The car had to be towed to the nearest dealer, where it was diagnosed with a broken ignition switch, specifically the device that reads the chip in the…”
“My 2003 volvo s40 has been driven fewer than 70,000 miles. All volvo recommended service has been performed by certified mechanics and is documented. My volvo dealer determined that the transmission had to be replaced. It is not at all reasonable to have a catastrophic transmission failure at only…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2003 Volvo S40 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.