2005 Volvo S40N Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 50%of 12 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 600miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Volvo S40N, 50% of the 12 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 600 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“On the 2005 Volvo s40 t5 automatic only, the brake pedal is dangerously close to the gas pedal. In fact, a size 9 shoe of medium width will barely fit on the gas pedal while touching the brake pedal. In addition, the brake pedal is about 1.5 inches higher than the gas pedal so many times the foot will be caught under the pedal. This is a highly dangerous design and is a safety issue. Other drivers have reported this but Volvo is not willing to retrofit the pedals. Please note that the non-t5 version does not suffer from this bad design nor does the manual transmission. …”
NHTSA complaint #10132017, filed 2005-08, 600 miles“I own a 2005 Volvo s40 and the gas pedal and brake pedal are too close together. This has caused an issue with my foot catching the brake from behind as I move my foot from the gas to the brake. And if I need to brake immediately and my foot hangs up this could cause a major accident.”
NHTSA complaint #10118100, filed 2005-04“Three attempts have been made so far to correct a brake problem. We are currently working on having the car services a fourth time in the course of 6 months, my car has been in the shop a total of three weeks.”
NHTSA complaint #10135031, filed 2005-09“The consumer stated that the distance between the brake pedal and the tunnel was 5.1 inches which did not leave enough room for his foot to maneuver. The consumer felt that this was a design defect. (Volvo s40 2005)”
NHTSA complaint #10102071, filed 2004-12Related service bulletins
- 10037240Oct 27, 2010Volvo: the abs light is on with four possible toruble codes.
- 10018775Jan 12, 200616 inch front brakes, squealing noise. New front brake pad and a larger brake caliper retainer have been introduced in production for vehicles with 16 inch brakes.
Brakes: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6 | 50% |
Other parts of the 2005 Volvo S40N
4 complaintsElectrical system
1 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 Volvo S40N
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology