Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
90,965 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Steering behavior
1
50.0%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Air Bags:Frontal
1
Steering
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Air Bags:Frontal
1
Steering
1
Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Steering: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
1
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
2011
2
Complaints over time data
Category
Count
2011
2
2011: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
THE STEERING LOCKED ON OUR 2004.5 VOLVO S40 T5 AS MY WIFE AND 6 WEEK OLD DAUGHTER WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY UNDER POWER. NO ERRORS WERE REPORTED WHEN THE CAR STARTED, BUT THE WHEEL LOCKED (AND AN ERROR WAS DISPLAYED) AFTER THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHEN SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. SHE WAS THEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND MOVE BACK TO HER PREVIOUS POSITION. CLEARLY A SAFETY SENSOR DID NOT DO ITS JOB. LEADING UP TO THIS EVENT WE HAVE HAD OCCASIONAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK…
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
100.0%Usable mileage2 / 2 records
100.0%Valid incident date2 / 2 records
100.0%Valid filing date2 / 2 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 2 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
2004
2005
2006
2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
541.7%ODI 10102071
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. *AK (VOLVO S40 2005) *SC *JB
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.*AK
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE IN THE MORNING THE FIRST TRY RESULTS IN LOUD SHAKING AND SHUTTERING. SOUNDS LIKE CAR IS NOT RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS, OR HAS BAD TIMING. INITAL PROBLEM IS THAT HOOD INSULATOR FASTENERS ARE COMMING OFF WHICH COULD COME IN CONTACT WITH ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT AND CASUE ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO DEALER TWO TIMES. DEALER SAID THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. PROBLEM OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TWO DAYS.
DT:THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THREE WEEKS, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE WAS. THE CORPORATE OFFICE CONTACTED HER TODAY AND TOLD HER THAT AS SOON AS SHE FOUND OUT SOMETHING SHE WOULD CALL HER BACK. *AK
I OWN THE 2005 S40. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 2.5 MONTHS THAT MY CAR HAS JUST DECIDED NOT TO START. THE FIRST TIME, IT HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED AND I DROVE ABOUT 20 MINUTES TO A GAS STATION, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT DECIDED TO START. I TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY BACK TO DEALER AND THEY KEPT IT FOR A DAY AND SAID NOTHING WRONG. IN THE MEAN TIMES, A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE NST TIME THE CAR FAILED TO START, I THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING FIRE-LIKE SMOKY, BUT FIGURED MUST BE MY IMAGINATION. SO THE SECOND TIME, I…
TWO ISSUES: 1) CAR STALLED ON THE 495 BELTWAY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT LIT AND CAR WOULD NOT START. A VOLVO TEMPORARY SW FIX WAS APPLIED TO THE COMPUTER TO FIX 2) OEM LICENSE PLATE BOLTS ON THE FRONT OF CAR A VERY SHARP AND CAN CAUSE HARM TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY
STARTED CAR WHEN PARKED IN PARKING SPACE, AND CAR WENT FORWARD WHEN SHIFT LEVER WAS IN REVERSE. MOVED SHIFT LEVER THROUGH 'GEARS' TO REVERSE TWO MORE TIMES. THREE TIMES CAR MOVED FORWARD WHEN LEVER WAS IN REVERSE. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND RE-STARTED CAR, THEN CAR WOULD GO BACKWARDS WHEN IN REVERSE. *JB
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. *NM
THE STEERING LOCKED ON OUR 2004.5 VOLVO S40 T5 AS MY WIFE AND 6 WEEK OLD DAUGHTER WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY UNDER POWER. NO ERRORS WERE REPORTED WHEN THE CAR STARTED, BUT THE WHEEL LOCKED (AND AN ERROR WAS DISPLAYED) AFTER THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHEN SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. SHE WAS THEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND MOVE BACK TO HER PREVIOUS POSITION. CLEARLY A SAFETY SENSOR DID NOT DO ITS JOB. LEADING UP TO THIS EVENT WE HAVE HAD OCCASIONAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK…
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2006: 0 complaints · 2010: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2006
0
0
0
2010
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2006
0
0
1
2010
0
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Air Bags:Frontal
Steering
Air Bags:Frontal
—
0
Steering
0
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
2 patterns with matching reports.
Steering assistance concerns
1 mentions · 50.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 102,929 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10411674 · 102,929 mi
THE STEERING LOCKED ON OUR 2004.5 VOLVO S40 T5 AS MY WIFE AND 6 WEEK OLD DAUGHTER WERE BACKING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY UNDER POWER. NO ERRORS WERE REPORTED WHEN THE CAR STARTED, BUT THE WHEEL LOCKED (AND AN ERROR WAS DISPLAYED) AFTER THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHEN SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. SHE WAS THEN ABLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND MOVE BACK TO HER PREVIOUS POSITION. CLEARLY A SAFETY SENSOR DID NOT DO ITS JOB. LEADING UP TO THIS EVENT WE HAVE HAD OCCASIONAL INCIDENTS WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK…