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2002 Volvo S40 Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Low

34 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.65 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Low03V284000

Equipment:Other:Labels

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & full details

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. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 19, 2003. 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.

Complaint volume

34 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
0Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 34 complaints. Severity Index 0.65.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System3 · 9%Exterior Lighting · Headl…3 · 9%Air Bags · Frontal2 · 6%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…2 · 6%Engine And Engine Cooling2 · 6%Power Train · Automatic T…2 · 6%Suspension2 · 6%Service Brakes, Hydraulic2 · 6%
  1. Electrical System — 3 reports
  2. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 3 reports
  3. Air Bags:Frontal — 2 reports
  4. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads — 2 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling — 2 reports
  6. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 2 reports
  7. Suspension — 2 reports
  8. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 2 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 1 reports
  10. Visibility:Windshield — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2000 (1) · 2001 (2) · 2002 · 2003 (2) · 2004 (6) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (3) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (2) · 2009 (3) · 2010 (2) · 2011 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.