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Volvo S40Model year report

2008 Volvo S40 Problems

Complaints
16filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,265miles, 13 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.4L 5-cyl FWD · 20 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2008 Volvo S40 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2008 Volvo S40. The part named most often is electrical system, with 4 complaints (25% of the total), followed by engine (4) and steering (4). 13 of the complaints include a mileage, and 8% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,265 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 158 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the navigational system(global positioning system) and 56 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Tires (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “My serpentine belt broke on 6/6/2014 and was replaced. On 6/20/2014 I was driving about 60mph on the interstate in chicago, il when my vehicle stopped accelerating and eventually stopped. This nearly caused an accident on the interstate, but I was able to pull to the left shoulder before being struck. I had to have the vehicle towed to a shop where it was determined that when the serpentine belt broke, shards of that belt went in to the timing belt area. This is due to a flawed design on my make of Volvo. …”

NHTSA complaint #10605931, filed 2014-06, 69,900 miles

Engine: “After buying the vehicle on 7/9/21, the car started having problems with the cooling system. I took it to a repair shop and they said the cooling system was overfilled. The air problem continued. I took it back to the dealership who said they fixed it but it continued. I contacted the prior Manufactuer service center who informed me the computer chip was recommended to be replaced when the dealer had it serviced but they declined, causing all the electrical and cooling issues. …”

NHTSA complaint #11428519, filed 2021-08

Steering: “I was driving on a main route at night around 730 and a car was trying to get in my line and I assume they did not see me. I tried to move to the left to get out of the way but my steering wheel was so tight I could not veer away from the curb. Due to this I have numerous repairs that need to be paid and my power steering was tight for several weeks, it was almost hard for a strong man to turn the wheel. I tried power steering fluid when I started to notice the problem and it did not help.”

NHTSA complaint #10678956, filed 2015-01, 79,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “While driving on the highway I set cruise control to 65. Within seconds I felt as if I were going very fast and I had accelerated to near 90 MPH. I turned cruise control off, stepped on the brake and when I let off the brake the car began to accelerate again. After the second time stepping on the brake the problem ceased. The same type of incident occurred again, only this time cruise control was not involved. Stopped at a red light, I stepped on the accelerator to make a right hand turn, the rpms immediately jumped and my car accelerated very quickly. …”

NHTSA complaint #10505181, filed 2013-04, 61,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

8% of the 13 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 69,000 and 100,000 miles.

0%0–108%10–250%25–5038%50–7523%75–10023%100–1508%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (13 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,265 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

2010201320155201720202022
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Volvo S40. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
S40 · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated4 / 5——4 · 11.1% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2008 Volvo S40 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
S40 AWD2.5L 5-cyl5-speed automatic182621$3,900
S40 AWD2.5L 5-cyl6-speed manual172520$4,100
S40 FWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed manual202823$3,550
S40 FWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed automatic202823$3,550
S40 FWD2.5L 5-cyl6-speed manual192823$3,550
S40 FWD2.5L 5-cyl5-speed automatic192722$3,750

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2008 Volvo S40 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 158 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 158 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volvo S40

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2011599,5002—24—Not enough data
2010976,0002—24—Not enough data
20091065,0003—23—Not enough data
20081675,2652—23—Falling
20072557,5002—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20065875,0003—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20056976,5003—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20044864,0006—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20031885,1062—22—Falling
20022745,0001—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20018467,0002—23Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200012273,4581—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Volvo S40 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2008 Volvo S40 have?

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2008 Volvo S40 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2008 Volvo S40 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 4 complaints (25% of the total), followed by engine with 4.

Has the 2008 Volvo S40 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Volvo S40 get?

The EPA rates the 2008 Volvo S40 (S40 FWD, 2.4L 5-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2008 Volvo S40 reported?

Among the 13 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,265 miles and the middle half falls between 69,000 and 100,000 miles; 8% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.