Recalls & faults: Volvo Mk.2 S40 (2004-12)

Recalls: Volvo Mk.2 S40

Overview

Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.

Recalls: Volvo Mk.2 S40

• In May 2006, a recall was issued for model year 2004 to 2006 Volvo S40 vehicles fitted with the T5 engine. For these vehicles, the fuel line connecting to the engine was sensitive to extreme temperatures that may occur in the area where the turbo/exhaust manifold is located. As a result, the fuel line may leak after parking the vehicle. The recall involved the replacement of the fuel line with a component which withstood these temperatures (PRA 2006/8474).
• In April 2008, a recall was issued for front wheel drive model year 2008 Volvo S40 vehicles in the VIN range 391077 to 391907. In some of these vehicles, the incorrect wheel studs were fitted to the rear wheel hubs. In rear cases, the wheels may become loose during particular forms of low speed manoeuvring (PRA 2008/10001).
• In July 2008, a recall was issued for model year 2008 and 2009 Volvo S40 R-Design vehicles in the VIN range 0363521 to 0442033. For these vehicles, the driver’s floor may was too long and could interfere with the R-Design accelerator pedal. In certain circumstances, this interference could lead to the accelerator pedal remaining fully open (PRA 2008/10172).
• In June 2010, a recall was issued for model year 2010 Volvo S40 vehicles fitted with a 2.5-litre engine, manual transmission and in the VIN range 497461 to 514357. For these vehicles, the ball joint and cylinder pin on the gearshift lever may be mounted with an incorrect torque, which could lead to the ball joint coming loose. As a result, the driver may be unable to change gears which could create an unsafe driving condition. However, the driver would be able to stop the vehicle by depressing the clutch, brake and turning off the ignition (PRA 2010/11719).
• In December 2010, a recall was issued for model year 2010 and 2011 Volvo S40 vehicles in the VIN range 461283 to 539442. For these vehicles, the front power seat stop lugs may not be assembled to specification. As a result, the maximum allowable seat travel may be exceeded and the positioning of the seat beyond the intended maximum can cause increased risk of injury to the front passengers in the event of a collision (PRA 2010/12228).
• In March 2011, a recall was issued for 2011 model year Volvo S40 vehicles in the VIN range 541586 to 542670. For these vehicles, the right side support member in the engine bay may be cracked. In this situation, the front structure of the car may be adversely affected, reducing its safety performance (PRA 2011/12425).
• In April 2011, a recall was issued for 2011 model year Volvo S40 vehicles fitted with a headlight cleaning system and in the VIN range 530029 to 544424. For these vehicles, the headlight cleaning pump may affect the washer fluid level sensor. As such, the driver may not receive information on the instrument panel when the washer fluid level is low, constituting non-compliance with the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989, ECE R45 (PRA 2011/12502).
• In May 2015, a recall was issued for model ‘year 2008’ to ‘model year 2011’ Volvo S40 vehicles that had six-speed manual transmissions. In these vehicles, the clutch cylinder rod may break such that it may not be possible for the driver to disengage the clutch. The clutch cylinder rod could break without warning to the driver and pose an accident hazard to the driver and other road users. The recalled Volvo S40 vehicles had serial numbers (i.e. the last six digits of the VIN) in the range 379552 to 546435 (PRA 2015/14692).

Problems and faults: Volvo Mk.2 S40

Overview

This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.

To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.

Problems and faults: Volvo Mk.2 S40

• The battery may drain overnight if the ‘infotainment’ system prevents the central control module from entering ‘sleep’ mode.
• Noise from the power steering pump may be due to it coming into contact with the air conditioning accumulator.
• The remote central locking system may only work intermittently because a screw in the unit becomes loose and electrical connections are affected.
• The climate control air conditioning system may blow hot air when cold is selected or all the flaps may close off airflow – these problems are due to a fault in the climate control module software which needs to be recalibrated.
• The anti-theft alarm may be activated while driving and an ‘alarm service required’ message may appear on the driver information centre; if so, the central communications module requires replacement.
• For models with 16-inch wheels, noisy front brakes may be fixed by installing a bigger caliper.
• Rear brake noise may be fixed by fitting revised brake pads.
• For some vehicles, the harness connector inside the A-pillar could get wet and corrode – this could be prevented by pre-emptively replacing the connector or packing it with grease.
• Unwanted noises may come from the speakers if an auxiliary music player is used. A revised cable for the wiring harness was subsequently released to fix this problem, though the audio module may also require replacement.
• If the audio system stops playing music and the display freezes, yet the problems stop when the car is restarted, flashing the control module may resolve the problem.

Problems and faults: Volvo S40 T5

Volvo S40 T5: PCV diaphragm rupture (B5254T3)

For the 2.5-litre B5254T3 turbocharged petrol engine, the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) diaphragm – located in the oil filter housing – may rupture. Symptoms of a ruptured PCV diaphragm include:

• A high-pitched, whining/whistling noise that increases with engine speed. This noise is caused by excessive crankcase pressure escaping via the oil seals. For reference, this noise stops when the dipstick is removed (since removing the dipstick releases back pressure, see video below);
• A lack of boost pressure in low gears;
• Excessive oil consumption;
• High oil pressure at idle;
• Blue smoke from the exhaust; and,
• Illumination of the engine warning light.

To fix, the air filter housing assembly needs to be removed so that the oil filter housing can be replaced. Sometimes, the breather hose from the assembly to the block may be damaged and also require replacement.

If the PCV diaphragm has ruptured, the vehicle should not be run until the oil filter housing is replaced since doing so could damage the camshaft or crankshaft oil seals and cause oil leaks. If an oil leak occurs at the timing belt end, the timing belt and seals must be replaced. If, however, an oil leak occurs at the crankshaft’s main oil seal, then the gearbox must be removed, the seal replaced and, in extreme cases, the clutch replaced.

It is understood that Volvo and Ford (for the XR5 Turbo) subsequently introduced an uprated diaphragm which had an additional vent on the diaphragm cover, though failures of the updated diaphragm do still occur. Failures are more common in low mileage vehicles that:

• Have been used to drive short distances since the engine does not reach its operating temperatures; and,
• Reside in high humidity environments.

Volvo S40 T5: cracked cylinder liners (B5254T3)

The 2.5-litre B5254T3 engine had an open deck block and steel cylinder liners that were press-fitted into the block. For standard B5254T3 engines, however, there have been rare cases of cracked cylinder liners (also known as sleeves). Symptoms of cracked cylinder liners include:

• Misfire when cold;
• Loss of coolant;
• Excessive white smoke; and,
• Rough running on start-up.

Engines that have been modified for greater power are considered more vulnerable to cracked cylinder liners (particularly beyond 240 kW) due to the following factors –

• Excessive boost pressure;
• Aggressive ignition timing from poorly developed aftermarket tunes; and,
• Coolant leaks that have not been rectified (see also ‘coolant leaks’, below).

It has also been suggested that cracked cylinder liners were most common for pre-April 2008 engines, though cracked liners have been observed in all years of B5254T3 engines.

For B5254T3 engines to produce more than 300 bhp (224 kW), OEM Denied recommends a ‘block mod’ in which the cylinder head is removed and stainless steel shims are fitted in the expansion gaps between the cylinder liners. Although this does not guarantee that cracked cylinder liners will not happen, OEM Denied has not seen this occur in the vehicles they have worked upon.

B5254T3 engine: solenoid boost valve

For the 2.5-litre B5254T3 turbocharged petrol engine, the solenoid boost valve is susceptible to failure. If there is a lack of performance and the boost gauge boost doesn’t go beyond a quarter of the dial, this is indicative of a failed solenoid boost valve. If the valve is operating properly, the dial on the boost pressure gauge should go beyond halfway before settling down in the middle.

Volvo S40 T5: coolant leaks

Volvo S40 T5 vehicles are susceptible to coolant leaks from –

• The thermostat housing at the cylinder head side gasket. Specifically, the leak occurs at the bottom corner and a mirror is required to see it;
• The turbo coolant feed and return; and,
• The radiator top hose joint at the back of the engine on the gearbox side.

The coolant hoses may also experience internal delamination as the vehicle ages. Where internal delamination has occurred, the hoses will appear swollen in size.

Volvo S40 T5: suspension

For the Volvo S40 T5, the following suspension components may wear prematurely:

• The front anti-roll bar drop links;
• The rear bushes on the front wishbones bushes (oil-filled).

It is recommended that the oil-filled bushes be replaced with more durable polyurethane bushes.

Volvo S40 T5: clutch does not return

For the Volvo S40 T5, the clutch pedal may not fully return to the ‘up’ position. This may be due to:

• The seal from the original slave cylinder tearing and becoming stuck in the clutch line – this usually occurs after the clutch has been replaced. To fix, the clutch line has to be removed, blown out with compressed air and then have clean brake fluid poured through it. The brake fluid should flow easily and consistently in both directions; or,
• In the case of hard driving (during or after), hydraulic fluid may boil and cause air bubbles to form. To fix, the clutch should be bled and high boiling-point DOT 5.1 fluid used.

Volvo S40 T5: air conditioning

• During full throttle acceleration, the air conditioning compressor clutch is designed to shut down to reduce accessory losses;
• The air conditioning may stop working due to failure of the air conditioning compressor clutch – this is caused by the spacing shims expanding and preventing the clutch from fully engaging. A common symptom of this fault is the air conditioning blowing cold for 10-15 minutes and then blowing hot; and,
• The air conditioning may stop working due to a refrigerant leaking from the compressor shaft seal.

Volvo S40 T5: drive shafts

For the Volvo S40 T5, the OEM drive shafts have a ball-type CV joint for the outer and a tripod style joint for the inner – this design enables the shafts to have some ‘in and out’ movement with suspension articulation. However, hard acceleration from rest will quickly destroy the original drive shafts.

In contrast, aftermarket drive shafts tend to have inner and outer ball type CV joints which restrict the ‘in and out’ movement. As a result, however, most aftermarket shafts cause vibrations during driving as they lock up on themselves.

As Volvo S40 T5 vehicles age, the CV boots can split – these need to be replaced promptly or grease will be flung out of the driveshaft as it rotates and the shaft will require replacement.

Volvo S40 T5: front wheel bearings

For the Volvo S40 T5, the front wheel bearings are:

• A complete hub and bearing setup;
• An interference press fit into the knuckle with no retaining clips; and,
• Not serviceable.

Over time, the hub assembly can start to ‘walk out’ of the hub. When this occurs, the gap between the ABS trigger wheel and the sensor is too great for the sensor to get a reading so it causes the ABS and TC warning light to illuminate; vehicle performance is also greatly reduced.

Volvo S40 T5: other problems and faults

• Difficulty starting the vehicle and poor engine performance – including entering ‘limp home’ mode – may be due to the Power Control Module (PCM) cluster gateway not closing properly and draining the battery; reprogramming the PCM should fix the problem.
• Engine vibration, ‘engine malfunction’ warnings and entering ‘limp home’ mode may be due to a fault in the throttle body switch which requires replacement. In the interim, stopping the vehicle, turning the engine off and waiting five minutes should re-set the switch and enable the journey to be completed.

AustralianCar.Reviews thanks OEM Denied for their contributions to this page.