2002 Volvo S40

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHILE REVERSING AND THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE IN REVERSE. THE MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED A SECOND TIME WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V493000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL A DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING THE RECALL BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 10/04/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES ON HIS VEHICLE. WHEN HE BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SINK TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. INITIALLY, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE MASTER CYLINDER, WHICH WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS THEN INFORMED, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL. HOWEVER, HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 10/05/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER SLOWED DOWN CAUSING A CRASH. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACTS VEHICLE HAD FRONT END DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED ALL OF THE LEFT FRONT LIGHTS, THE HOOD, THE BUMPER AND THE FENDER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,900.

TYPES OF RECURRING ISSUES WITH VOLVO S40: HEADLIGHTS, DRIVER FRONT WINDOW MOTOR, EARLY BRAKE PAD WEAR. HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED 2-3 TIMES A YEAR AT CONSUMER'S COST. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF VOLVO DEALER THEY REPORTED THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO LIGHTS BEING USED DURING DAYLIGHT. THEY CHECK ELECTRICAL AND REPORTED NO ISSUE. HAD BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR ISSUED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. VOLVO DEALER REPORTED VOLVO ROTORS WERE BUILT THIN AND SOFT. COST OF BRAKE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS CONSIDERED REGULAR WEAR. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. FIRST REGULATOR WAS REPLACED IN JUNE 2005, THEN FEBRUARY 2006 AND NOW MAY 2007. MAY 2007 REGULATOR WAS AT THE COST OF THE CONSUMER AS WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND WARRANTY ON PART ONLY LASTS 12 MONTHS EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN APPARENT PROBLEM.*AK

I WAS SLOWING DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE FOR MY EXIT AND MY STEERING WHEEL STARTING SHAKING SEVERELY TO THE POINT THAT I WAS BARELY ABLE TO CONTAIN IT THIS WAS WHEN I DECIDED TO TAKE MY S40 TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAD NOTICED SOME SHAKING PREVIOUSLY BUT WASN'T SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND SINCE MY CAR HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED I FIGURED ANYTHING SERIOUS WOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND PADS. MY MILEAGE SEEMED RATHER LOW FOR MY ROTORS TO BE SHOT SO I ASKED WHY THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED AS I WORK FROM HOME. I WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO LACK OF DRIVING. THE DEALERSHIP COVERED THE ROTORS UNDER MY WARRENTY BUT CHARGED ME FOR THE BRAKE PADS WHICH MADE NO SENSE AS I WOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED NEW PADS IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ROTORS BEING SHOT.*AK

THE REAR BRAKE PADS ON MY 2002 S40 VOLVO WORE OUT AT ABOUT 21 THOUSAND MILES AND RUINED THE ROTOR. ACCORDING TO VOLVO CORP. THIS IS BECASUE THE GOVERNMENT IS HAS PROHIBITED THEM FROM USING ASBESTOS IN THE BRAKE PADS. VOLVO PUT NOISE MAKING "SQUEALERES" ON THE INSIDE PADS BUT DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES THE OUTSIDE PADS WEAR OUT FIRST CAUSING A RIVIT ON THE PAD TO CONTACT THE ROTOR AND RUIN IT BEFORE THE PADS CAN BE REPLACED. ACCORDING TO THREE VOLVO SERVICE MANAGERS IT IS NORMAL FOR THE PADS TO WEAROUT AT BETWEEN 15 AND 20,000 MILES.I HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO OF AMERICA BY EMAIL ON TWO OCCASIONS TO ADVISE THEM OF THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR BRAKES THEY ADVISED ME THEY COULD OFFER ME NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PREMATURE BRAKE FAILURE AND WOULD FILE THE INFORMATION .*AK