1G (1995-2004) S40 Forum

Feature my ride Mark forum as read and return

my car has evolved, it keeps trying to start itself, even when the key is not in the ignition. Has anyone else had this trouble?

the big end bearings are going on my s40 it's only done 85k miles so surprised it's happened. not run it low on oil or had leaks. been regually serviced so guessing it's one of those things. anyway. just asking wether to replace the bearings at £75 a set, or if i'd need to replace the crank as well or if it's easier to just replace the whole engine for a second hand one. hesitant to do that as it's more expense and time. i'll check the crank if i do the bearings in case of damage.

hi guys

just driving home with my wife and my clutch pedal went lower and lower to the floor. also my brake fluid light came on , managed to limp the car home and opened the bonnet

open brake reservoir to fing its dropped to the minimum mark, then looked under the car abd saw fluid on the underside, naturally assume its brake fluid, also assuming this is a clutch master cyllinder problem which is leaking

i then done a search for a local spares dealer i know and looked for my car year etc only to find there is no part listed as a master cylinder does this mean i havent got one so it cant be leaking?? but something is leaking and as it is now dark here i will have to wait till morning to investigate further
in the meantime i came back on here to search for a s40 forum and i found you guys here

any help would be great has anyone ever had this problem before

many thanks in advance
gary

Hi,

i just purchased my first volvo, but it seems have a misfire, i changed the coil and lead on cylinder 2 and 3 and changed the spark plugs aswell, no real difference,

so then i got a compression test done on all cylinders, cylinder 3 failed, the mechanic told me it's most likely a damaged valve, and told me its gonna be very expensive,

anyone have any ideas,

car is 1998 S40 2.0T SE,

any help appreciated,
Cheers

Hello,

My 2001 S40 has issues! When I turn the AC or air on, it typically blows EXTREMELY hot air, no matter what the temperature is outside and no matter what I turn the temperature to inside the car. The blower itself works fine. After about a half hour or so, the air seems to come through at the proper temperature I have set it at. What is happening?!

Hi,
I have just spent the day fitting a tow bar to my Volvo S40.
I now need to connect the wires for the tow, bar but I don't have a wiring diagram for the rear lights.
I know I could just connect the wires at the back of the light units, but I has hoping to hide all the wiring behind the plastic trim beneath the boot catch and for this I need to know what colour wires I need to connect to.
If anyone could help me out with a wiring diageam, I would be very greatfull.

Thanks,
Brian

Hi All,

I have a 2004 S40 with a HU-555 radio system. I'm looking to install an aftermarket indash cd-player with iPod ready. I was at one of the local electronic stores and was told that replacing the factory head unit requires a special mounting kit that they could not order for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on an indash cd player that I can replace the factory HU-555 with or where I might find a mounting kit that will allow me to swap the radio?

Thank you!

Hi All,

I have a 2004 S40 with a HU-555 radio system. I'm looking to install an aftermarket indash cd-player with iPod ready. I was at one of the local electronic stores and was told that replacing the factory head unit requires a special mounting kit that they could not order for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on an indash cd player that I can replace the factory HU-555 with or where I might find a mounting kit that will allow me to swap the radio?

Thank you!

any1 have any idea wot size my door speakers r and if there r any good direct replacements out there where i dont need spacers
cheers guys

was driving my s40 home a while ago when a loud rattling thumping came from under the bonnet. i checked and heard a it coming from the top back right of the engine. i drove slowly home and had it checked by a local garage today. they agreed it was either one of the hydraulic tappets failing or a big end bearing clanking. but the ratlle doesn't sound like a bearing and the noise and vibration's stronger on top of the engine. is it the tappet? i'm checking it tomorrow to see if any have failed or gone spongy. car drives and idles fine just low on power especially at low and full acceleration. not used it since it went noisey. any special precautions with the tappets to note? any advise is greatly recieved.

My washer pump quit working on my 2000 S40. All the lines look fine and pump doesn't make a sound. Does anyone know if there is a relay for this pump or have any instructions on how to replace it?

Thanks!

hi, can anybody help, I have a loud ticking noise from behind the passenger side of the dash when I have the recirculating switch off.

hi peeps
i have i T reg s40 2lt and when cold it starts like a bag of ****
when it goes over it sounds like the electrics go mental and theres a clanking sound
thought it might be starter motor but thought wouldn't it do it all the time?
or maybe just something simple like spark plugs?
thanks in advance

Hello everyone,

My first post and I am hopping for some solutions.

2000 Volvo s40 gas. There was a great storm in my area and my car window was open. Water went inside the car and the car was dead. Replace my ECU and immobilizer. Before these changes the car would display the immobilizer light on the panel and would not even crank. Now it does not display the immobilizer light and the car cranks without starting

Now the car would crank for couple of times and then would die. Also, when the codes were pulled, VGLA would not communicate with the dealer computer.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

Hello everyone. I am looking to flush the coolant on my 2002 S40. Neither the online or paper manual that I have for this car illustrates how to do this. On previous cars I remember having to do the following:
1. unscrew the radiator drain plug (on the bottom of the radiator) and drain
2. unscrew the coolant drain plug somewhere on the engine block
3. place a hose on the engine block hole from step 2. and gently force the rest of the remaining coolant in the engine block to drain (drains out of the radiator plug)
4. once all of the fluid coming out of the radiator is clear you pretty much know you are done flushing. I've also done it so that you flush with water for a little while and then close the plugs, run the car for a few minutes and then proceed to flush entirely as in step 3.

After removing the plastic cover in the undercarriage I have located the radiator drain plug. Could anyone confirm if the process above is correct for a 2002 S40 and furthermore point out where the engine block coolant drain plug is located?

Thank you all for your help. If you have an actual article/resource for this please forward the url/etc.

Here in Thailand its becoming increasingly harder to get 91 to 95 octane petrol at all. There's several factors in the scarcity of these fuels, and i'm now forced into looking into alternatives like the growing Ethanol based fuels.

I'd like some expert advice here, because up until now my S40 has run perfectly, and by using Ethanol I don't want to ruin a good thing.

What would be the best way to make this conversion? Is it installable easily on my end or would it mean adapting under the hood? What would be the longterm effects on engine wear?

All the best for the holidays and thank you for your time.

Hi, I got stuck in the snow and the car stalled, when I sterted it again I had a flashing arrow and the engine light came on. The arrow has gone off since but the engine light is on, is there any way to reset it or do I have to make a trip to the dealer for diagnosis? ............thanks.....

Hi, please can anyone give me some advice,my 1996 Volvo S40 2ltr's horn stopped working te other day. I have checked all of the connections going into it and they seem fine, does anyone have any suggestions please?
Look forward to any replies,
Stuart.

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone else has run into this little problem. The clips that run along the side of the front window from the roof have popped off while i was driving (heard a loud bang on the roof although nothing hit the roof), when i looked outside, the clips came off... anyone know why this couldve happend and is it common?

thanks.

can someone please tell me the location of all the speakers in a MK1 S40, and their sizes?

cheers

Hey, I just acquired a 2000 S40 1.9t...cost me 2 days of remodeling work at a friends house, but I can't wait to start driving it! it's in great condition, no flaws inside or out, and is fully loaded with 39,000 miles.
The reason I got it so cheap was that, supposedly, the cams froze and the engine quit...He never took it to anyone to have it looked at, just came to a conclusion from over-the-phone conversations with various mechanics....sounds to me like they were all just trying to get him to come in a pay them 4 or 5 grand to swap the engine out, because I had a friend of mine ( who is experienced with all types of engines, even volvo) look at it, and he told me that the timing belt was broken; and the rest of the engine checks out ok.

Now, my question...I have the new belt, and I will be installing it with his help. how do I set the cams before I put the belt on? I know that the volvo does not use the TDC method that many other manufacturers use, so how and what do I need to do??

Any help would be cool, because I would like to be able to actually drive this thing!

THanks

i just bought a volvo s40 (1997 model) for $6,500AU. excluding stamp duty etc.

it is my first car! i am 19 so it is about time i got one. was holding out for a quality car to come along.

the car has 184,000km so i was wondering is that too much? i have always assumed volvo's are good make cars so i kind of disregarded the high km factor.

problems:
the cars drivers seat has many cracks all over it as it is leather - plan on covering it with sheepskin, and the steering wheel has similar dints and scratches - plan on buying a nice leather cover.

some of the exterior paint is a bit dodgy near the roof (sun damage i guess). and the cloth lining on the interior roof droops down a little bit at the back.

but the main problem is that the door handles (made out of plastic) look so old and worn out (they are disgusting)! how do i fix them? the previously mentioned problems arent too bad and can be fixed or covered up - but what do i do about door handles???

i want this car to be spic and span!

here is a pic cos i am happy with my purchase



also, there are 2 buttons near the gearstick. one has an 'S' on it and the other has a 'W' on it. when i press the 'W' button, an arrow lights up on the dashboard. what is this? i dont know what either buttons do..

Hey guys,

Some S40 parts for our cars are at a store called www.coolhwiponline.com I know the owner through an s40 enthusiasts board and he's a very nice individual.

He just started up so shipping is free on all of his products plus he has a lot of discount codes available on a variety of OEM and performance products.

Hello Everyone! I seem to have a fairly serious problem with my vehicle ...the symptoms are; After travelling for 2 mins the vehicle starts to struggle and the dash displays the warning triangle, with the Lambda symbol. STOP is also illuminated as well as the red temperature warning on the engine display.
After stopping the vehicle and letting it cool down I have checked the coolant and it only takes a pint or slightly more to return to normal levels.The fan is also kicking in even though the coolant is still only luke warm!
After leaving the vehicle for a while I take it out for a spin again and it fires up okay and runs smoothly enough, but before reaching normal operating temp I receive the STOP instruction on the dash. The vehicle will not start at all and will only start when the engine temp drops to 60 degrees C- also, when the fan stops!
My suspicions are that it is a temperature sensor, but these problems also coincide with when I refuelled the vehicle. Is this a possible contaminated fuel issue or would I not encounter these problems? If it is a sensor which is the most likely culprit!

Hi Guys,

Just found this forum, i have just purchased a Volvo S40 for my wife, the problem is....

The passanger fog light glass is broken on the front...........

Can anyone tell me the best place to find a replacement, i cant see to see anything online and how easy is it to replace/fit........ the year of the S40 is 2000.......

Thx in advance for any help or advice.

Update : Called the volvo garage today and they quoted me £100 to replace and fit ???? is that the norm or can i find it cheaper elsewhere ? he said you cant just replace the glass and that i would need a whole unit ??????????

I've been having issues with the latch being engaged on the gas cap cover on my S40. Locking and unlocking the car does nothing. The manual release is inside the trunk. Pull that and it rarely works. Last night was the final straw. I had to get my son to a championship ice hockey game. Stopped to get gas 14 miles from the rink- the car said I had 15 miles left in the tank. I couldn't get the door open to fill up the tank. I took the chance and drove 55 mph the whole way to the rink- made it on fumes. My wife met me there and after about 30 minutes of playing with the door and manual release, we finally got it open. Any suggestions? is it a big deal to just bend the latch on the door so that the bar won't engage? Thanks for any help!

Want to replace my rear brakes on my 2000 S40 next weekend, but want to make sure I have all the right tools before.

Any special tools I need, I've heard someone mention a tool to screw the piston in??

Also, what brand of pads/calipers/rotors does everyone recommend for my car?

Lastly, any tips or issues that I might run into would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Am I the only one on the face of the planet that owns a 2 litre Volvo S40 that is NOT turbocharged??! I can't find any details or specifications on the internet. Mine is a '97 model. Does anyone know where I can find these, or is there anyone else on this forum that owns a 2 litre N/A S40?

My door elctrics arnt behaving as they should.

The mirror doesn't warm up even though I can still alter the possition of it ( the left mirror warms fine) the window is slow to rise

The speaker doesnt work although It doesnt look like theres any damage to it, ( the tweeter on the right works fine)

I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on the problem before I start taking the door appart. It could be something simple like a loose block connector but as I dont know where they might be (I'd be greatfull for the help)



Thanks very much

Stu

Hi all

I have had a 2.0L, 4cyl naturally aspirated Volvo S40 for about a year, and I'm getting sick of how sluggish it is. Does anyone have any simple ideas that they could share for me to be able to extract more power out of the engine? I wanted to put an aftermarket exhaust on it, but I don't want my car to look and sound too much like a 'ricer'. Will a different air filter or ECU upgrade help, and if so where can I find it on the internet? Much appreciated!

So a few weeks ago I bought a fog lamp kit from www.myswedishparts.com. I installed the lights and they wouldn't work. I called them and they told me I must have wired something wrong. It's pretty much impossible to wire wrong since all you do is plug them in. After doing a search I found that the car needed to be taken to a dealer to get the lights programmed to be turned on. The people at www.myswedishparts.com insisted that 2000-2004 doesn't need software updates. Did the update at local dealer for the cost of $83 (1 hour labor minimum charge). I e-mailed myswedishparts and found out exactly what their service is like. I am going to copy and paste my e-mail and their response.
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I recently purchased a fog light kit from you for my 2004 S40, 1.9T. Your web site states that the 2004.5 and up require a software to turn the lights on. When I installed my kit my lights wouldn't work. I called you and someone told me that the 2000-2004 shouldn't need an update for the lights to work. I did a google search and found out that the 2000-2004 models did indeed need to be turned on by computer. I called my nearest dealer and they confirmed that I needed to bring it in to be programmed. I ended up driving to the dealer which is an hour away and I was charged for 1 hour of labor at the cost of $83 an hour. I feel I was ripped off by your company because the website does not state I needed a software and your service advisor also insisted that I didnt need an update. Please contact me about this problem.
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[I]Mr. *****, if that dealership did a software upgrade it must have been for some other reason than a simple foglight installation. If they tell you; you had to have a download to have foglights they are liars. I will send you proof in numerous emails that Volvo makes no such requirement. A 2000-04 S40 does not need software. Your dealership is lying to you. Now, these are hard words so I want to be careful that you understand what I am saying. To add foglights to a 2000-04 S40 does not require a software download. I called Volvo just to confirm. If you accidentally sparked a wire during the installation of the foglight kit which required a software download to fix-that is another situation. Maybe the dealership fixed the problem and you assumed it was a software fix. Maybe while fixing the foglight issue you needed a software download for another issue. I say all of this to be carefull of accusing a dealership of lying. If they tell you the software was required to add fog lights they are either lying or ignorant of the facts. Thank you for the inquiry, we appreciate our customers and desire to help. L.T. Taylor Ecommerce Manager MySwedishParts.com Order Tips! Please provide VIN# in step 2 of checkout to ensure order accuracy when placing orders. The link(s) we send you may have another vehicle in the description but this only means that part fits multiple applications.[/I]

S40 2.0i Sport 2001 .
Engine management light on. Code has been read by volvo : ECM-0044.
Anyone have the list of Diagnotic codes and things to check for as per the volvo VADIS system.

Need to know what to look as with regards this fault. The technician said it could be a one of many things, I would like to check out some of these before I take the car in.

Thanks for any info.

I have a 1998 S40 with approx. 165,500 miles on it- the cambelt was last changed at 81,438 miles.

So I have driven approx. 84,000 miles or so since the last change.

I found out today that it is meant to be changed every 80,000 miles- Is that correct?

If so is it not safe to drive it now until it is changed?

I have it booked in for Friday to have the belt changed BUT I want to know if it would
be best to leave it parked until I have to take it to the garage?

I obviously don't want my belt breaking and destroying my engine as I have already done 4,000
miles extra if the every 80,000 miles change is correct?

So I would appreciate some advice! Thanks!

Just got my S40 T4 a week now and the other evening during hard acceleration the "Fault in Electronic System" light flashed very briefly.Is this somethig i need to look into or was it a normal occurance.

Hello everyone...new here. I've been surfing through all the threads and have already found a lot of answers! Great site! I've already got plans to integrate my ipod now!

I have a 2001 S40 1.9T SE. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold starting...or the same about the outside temp. The first time you turn the key over (and you can hear the fuel pump cycle up and stop), you turn over to the start, and it will crank and crank and not fire. Turn it off and then repeat and it instantly fires. It does this seriously 99% of the time consistantly.

Any idea as to why this happens?

The other thing, and this may and may not be related is that it seems like I've lost a lot of power, and it really takes a lot to spool the turbo.

No codes are being thrown, gas economy is great (averaging 33mpg mix city/hwy)
and I'm only burning maybe 1/3 qt. of oil between oil changes at 90K miles.

Thanks!

hi all,
im looking for suspension coil springs for the rear of my 2001 s40. i dont want to lower the car so the usual upgrades found online are out... im looking for original volvo springs online if possible. anyone any ideas ???

hi all . i need help with my s 40 hope u could give me some ideas pls,
well the problem i have noticed is when im doing 70 on a motorway in a stright line
the car dose not have a solid grip to the road and with a bit of wind it is all over the lane pls give me some answers thanx a lot