Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | ||||||||||||||||
| 03V474000 | VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. | from 05/03/1999 to 05/12/2000 | V (Vehicle) | 36000 | 03/15/2004 | ODI | VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. | 11/17/2003 | 11/24/2003 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain passenger vehicles, water can enter the electrical brake vacuum pump, causing the pump to fail. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | This could result in loss of power assist and an increase in needed brake pedal force, which could result in a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace the pump with a new and improved version and move the pump to a new location. owner notification began on march 15, 2004. owners should contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Volvo recall no. 129.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||||
| 52129 | 03/01/2004 | 10006036 | Water may enter the electrical brake vacuum pump, causing the pump to not function. recall campaign 129 brake vacuum pump modification. service manager bulletin. *tt | 04/12/2004 | |
| 520011 | 03/01/2004 | 10006037 | Corrective action to replace the vacuum pump with a new pump of a modified design. this new pump will be placed in a new location to prevent water intrusion. service bulletin. *tt | 04/12/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | ||||||
| PE02009 | VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. | 01/29/2002 | 09/10/2002 | BRAKE POWER-ASSIST | ||
| Allege a loss of brake power-assist, which results in higher than normal pedal effort | ||||||
| EA02026 | VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. | 09/10/2002 | 11/21/2003 | VOLVO S40/V40 MY 2000-2001 | 03V474000 | |
| In a november 6, 2003 safety defect report, volvo indicated that they will conduct a safety-related defect recall of the 2000 model year (my) subject vehicles (about 36,000 vehicles).volvo will also conduct a service campaign of about 31,000 2001 my subject vehicles.odi investigated both the 2000 and 2001 my vehicles and determined that the 2001 my vehicles experienced substantially lower rates of failures based on the number of owner reports and warranty claims submitted to odi.odi believes that the proposed action is sufficient to resolve this investigation's safety issues. for the crashes, in addition to the 22 submitted by volvo, odi found 10 additional crash allegations in the owner reports, field reports, and warranty claims submitted by volvo.of these 32 crashes, odi believes that 10 are clearly related to the alleged defect, and 5 appear to be related.of the 17 remaining cases, two did not involve a crash and the other 15 could not be directly connected to the alleged defect.odi will supplement this resume with a closing report and additional technical details concerning the defect. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | |||
| 01/31/2004 | 3 | ||
| 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. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 04/13/2012 | 151278 | ||
| 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 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. | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 3/6/2007. volvo s40 2000. contact has a concern with the brakes and the headlights.*mc the headlights and brakes failed. *jb | |||
| 09/24/2003 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 09/21/2005 | 1 | 04/08/2000 | |
| 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 | |||
| 03/07/2005 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 03/04/2004 | 44191 | 5 | 03/09/2000 |
| I own a 2000 volvo s40. we just had our fifth trip to the dealer to correct knocking noise/rattle in the front suspension. problem started at 44,191 miles. now at 59,800. two sets of control arm bushings and two sets of sway bar bushings replaced. noise returns within 2000 mi of service. also, i have had the rear brakes go out at 17,500 miles. pads wore thin and cut into the rotors. that one cost $335. also, air conditioner went out at 9000 miles. i paid the extra money to get a volvo because i keep my cars for a long time. (i also own a 18 year old audi 4000.) i bought volvo for one word: reliability. i have found that volvo does not stand behind their products. this s40 is hugely expensive to maintain. i am making far too many trips to the dealer to keep trying to get defects fixed. *jb | |||
| 1 | 01/15/2000 | ||
| When engine is cold, and the brakes are applied driver has to apply a lot of pressure to brake pedal to stop the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 06/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle serviced for brake noise. no action taken by dealer. *ak | |||
| 06/02/2003 | 14469 | 1 | 01/08/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 08/25/2002 | 1 | ||
| When the brakes were applied, the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance.*jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 02/26/2004 | 30000 | 1 | 05/01/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 12/05/2003 | 56739 | 1 | 07/01/2000 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/26/2002 | |||
| While driving and with no warning brakes went out. this could have caused an accident. cause unknown. dealer notified.*ak | |||
| 07/02/2002 | |||
| Rear brakes on the vehicle will wear out every 12000 miles, there is extended stopping distance. also, a squeaking noise when applying brakes. contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak | |||
| 10/25/2001 | 1 | ||
| While traveling approximately 30 to 40 mph applied pressure to brake pedal in an effort to stop vehicle, but brake system failed to respond for approximately 6 to 7 seconds. dealership has examined vehicle and replaced rear discs and brake pads. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak | |||
| 06/21/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| Rear brakes go on average at 8,000-16,000 miles, which is unacceptable. i also have conitinuous problems stopping my car, which the dealer says the cannot duplicate. the problems are not related to the rear brakes needing replacement. i believe it is more a hydraulics problem. there is a bulletin out there for the problem, but dealer states does not apply to my car. i have found aver 50 other people with the same problem that i will refer to this site. as for gas consumption, it may or may not be a safetly issue. mileage was 21 mpg, dropped to 16.5. dealer messed with trip computer to make me think my mileage improved, however upon my division skills it is still the same as when i took it in. this deceptive practice doesn't make me very happy that they just repaired my rear brakes. *ak | |||
| 1 | 06/01/2000 | ||
| No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/22/2001 | 1 | 04/01/2001 | |
| Volvo claims splash pan design is not at fault but several original owners have had problems. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 4 | 05/01/2000 | |
| Vehicle failed to stop and wife entered intersection. dealer and volvo agreed to buy back vehicle. owner agreed to purchase new vehicle and pay difference. volvo changed their mind. customer ordered to keep vehicle or trade it in. trade value was $17,000. customer lost $12,000 replacing it. no consideration from volvo. passed lemon law because it was fixed!!!. *ak | |||
| 08/04/2000 | 1 | 05/01/2000 | |
| Volvo has designed this car with a separate vacuum pump which can fail or have a fuze blow and disable the abs and leave the car with only a mechanical brake. volvo has refused to discuss this situation with me. | |||
| 03/23/2000 | |||
| When applying the brakes in cold weather, pedal becomes very hard, causing extended stopping distance. dealer confirmed vacuum pump motor was not working due to blown fuse. *ak *ml | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | |||
| 02/26/2002 | |||
| When applying brakes vehicle would slow down, but would not stop, causing to loss of control. *ak | |||
| 01/23/2001 | 3 | ||
| When applying brakes they would make a grinding noise. took vehicle to dealer, and had to have brakes repaired. this was third time.*ak | |||
| 09/06/2001 | 1 | 01/13/2000 | |
| Both headlights almost simutaneously went out while driving. dealer notified, and made repairs. *ak the dealer replaced both bulbs,at 16766 the brakes were replaced, the dealer suggested that since asbestos has been removed from brake pads that the brake life is shorter. nlm consumer suggest that manufacturer design a back up lighting system in case of headlight failure. *tt | |||
| 09/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| Rear brakes needed to be replaced at 16,000 miles of wear. dealer was notified and repairs were made. *ak nlm letter regarding volvo's response attached. *tt | |||
| 07/10/2001 | 1 | 12/20/1999 | |
| Crunching noises on applying the brakes while driving. clanking noise on backing up. dragging and tugging feeling while driving. all 4 brake linings were worn and needed to be replaced very early. mainly perform local driving. there was very little warning that brakes were wearing prematurely. | |||
| 1 | 05/22/2000 | ||
| The consumer applied the brakes abruptly and geared the transmission down to low, the brake pedal was hard indicating a loss of vacuum, there was no shoulder for the consumer to get onto therefore the consumer hit the vehicle in front of him, there were no injuries. nlm | |||
| After vehicle has been parked over night or parked for 6-8 hours brakes will not engage. brake pedal becomes extremely hard and resists when applied. cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 4 | 05/06/2000 | |
| Brake indicator light flashed on. dealer stated brakes were leaking, and consumer lost brake power. *ak the vehicle was sold because of the problem. *yh | |||
| 1 | 10/14/1999 | ||
| Defective brakes. *slc | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC | |||
| 10/25/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2000 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/25/2001 | 1 | ||
| While traveling approximately 30 to 40 mph applied pressure to brake pedal in an effort to stop vehicle, but brake system failed to respond for approximately 6 to 7 seconds. dealership has examined vehicle and replaced rear discs and brake pads. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak | |||
| 01/25/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| After 3 months, brakes felt rough, hard, and developed noise when going slow, then constant squeak. *ak | |||
| 03/08/2001 | 1 | 05/01/2000 | |
| Rear brake pads on my car are completely worn down to metal and the metal is cutting into the rotors, this is on both rear wheels assemblies. i took the car to the dealer to have them replaced iunder warranty and was told this could not be done since i had over 12,000 miles onthe car, even theoughthe car is only 10 months old. my car is not safe to drive without rear brakes, though the dealer let me drive away anyway. my problem is this, the volvo dealer, two diferent service managers, and volvo north america customer service have informed me that this situation is normal and they experience this type of problem with many customers on a weekly basis. if this it indeed true, then why would volvo not make a notation in the owners manual, under the maintenance section, to check brake pads on a frequent basis. i have followed the maintenance requirements to the 't', which clearly states that brake pads should be inspected at 7,500 and 15,000 miles. if as volvo suggests, the pads are not expected to last 15,000 miles, why in the world do they not notify owners of this dangerous situation? this is about the most absurb thing i have ever heard of. being a mechanic myself, i find this situation to be unbelievable. i have a hard time understanding why a manufacturer can stand there and tell me that i should not expect to get more that 12-15,000 on a set of brake pads. according to the service representative that i spoke to at volvo na, volvo is aware of the situation and working on finding a suitable replacement pad that will past longer. in the meantime, my family and i have been placed in a precarious situation, as well as thousands of other consumers, due to volvo's ineptitude, and general lack of concern for consumer safety. i am driving a car that i bought, because of it's safety reputation, then come to find out it could be a death trap if the rear brakes fail. i am also caught in a catch 22 with volvo. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - CALIPER | |||
| 10/02/2001 | 1 | ||
| Dealer replaced rear brake pads and said problem was related to a corroded caliper. dealer took no action to address the corroded caliper, (27679 miles). *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - PADS | |||
| 10/10/2003 | 8000 | 1 | 10/28/1999 |
| 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 | |||
| 01/30/2002 | 1 | 11/01/1999 | |
| Rear left brake pads worn through at 26,000 miles. i have also been informed this situation is normal although it seems hard to believe that pads can be worn on cars this quickly. i have followed their maintenance requirements also. in addition, i live over 100 miles from my nearest dealer and replacement pads are not available through automotive parts stores.*ak | |||
| 06/12/2001 | 06/01/2000 | ||
| We purchased this volvo s 40 on june 22, 2000 and have already had to replace the front and rear brake pads although the vehichle has less than 30,000 miles on it. the rear rotors had to be replaced as well due to the rear pads wearing out completely in approximately 22,000 miles. our understanding is that the brake pads on most vehicles last approximately 50,000 miles or more. when we complained, we were told by union park maintenance and sales that the brake pads on the volvo s 40 are not expected to last more than 15,000 to 20,000 miles. my husband and i consider this premature brake pad degredation to be built-in obsolence and expect better from volvo. when we addressed our complaint to a sales manager at union park we were told to get in line with other s 40 owners, leading us to believe this is a widespread problem. to date, volvo has not acknowledged the problem or our complaint.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - ROTOR | |||
| 10/10/2003 | 8000 | 1 | 10/28/1999 |
| 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 | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DRUM | |||
| 06/21/2001 | 1 | 10/01/1999 | |
| Rear brakes go on average at 8,000-16,000 miles, which is unacceptable. i also have conitinuous problems stopping my car, which the dealer says the cannot duplicate. the problems are not related to the rear brakes needing replacement. i believe it is more a hydraulics problem. there is a bulletin out there for the problem, but dealer states does not apply to my car. i have found aver 50 other people with the same problem that i will refer to this site. as for gas consumption, it may or may not be a safetly issue. mileage was 21 mpg, dropped to 16.5. dealer messed with trip computer to make me think my mileage improved, however upon my division skills it is still the same as when i took it in. this deceptive practice doesn't make me very happy that they just repaired my rear brakes. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 07/22/2002 | 3 | 06/01/2000 | |
| In the last 6 months i have lost total braking ability 3 times while driving. the dealer is sighting a broken t-connector on a low pressure hose as the problem. contacted the regional customer service. after 3rd time, without root cause analysis they said that they would replace with a brass t-connector, which to date they can not find. they consider the car safe to drive since brakes work currently, however they failed without warning the last 2 times. i was lucky enough to be in places where no accident occured. i did roll through a toll booth, stop sign on the first two occurances. dealer will not reveal if this is a design defect, parts defects or something specific in this automobile. this car is not safe to drive on the road but volvo seems to not take it seriously.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | |||
| 12/16/2002 | 1 | ||
| The relay that controlled the master cylinder was replaced.*jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST | |||
| 01/12/2004 | 18 | 0 | 01/05/2000 |
| Power brakes don not work well | |||
| 11/23/2001 | 3 | 07/10/2000 | |
| Defect exists with vacuum seal on brake pump. when vehicle is cold there is no pressure on brakes, and pedal goes to the floor, but vehicle will not stop. vehicle has been checked by dealer 3 times. *ak | |||
| 03/15/2000 | 50 | 02/01/2000 | |
| Brakes don't engage when car has been sitting overnight or for more than 6-8 hours | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||
| 09/24/2003 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 02/16/2005 | 40000 | 6 | 05/01/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 09/08/2004 | 2 | ||
| Consumer received recall 03-v-474-000 for replacement of electrical brake vacuum pump. no parts were available. spoke with a service manager. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Brake pad failure was premature due to the added brake force that was necessary to stop the vehicle. *ph the brake pad rivets were scraping the rotors. the consumer needed to use extra force to apply the brakes. the consumer requested a rebate for the amount of repair. *sc the consumer received a recall letter in the mail regarding the issue. recall #03v474000. *jb | |||
| 04/05/2004 | 80000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 10/09/2007 | 55000 | 10 | |
| Brake failure, this issue was on a recalled problem that has not been properly resolved. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - SWITCHES - BRAKE WARNING | |||
| 08/01/2000 | 4 | 05/06/2000 | |
| Brake indicator light flashed on. dealer stated brakes were leaking, and consumer lost brake power. *ak the vehicle was sold because of the problem. *yh | |||