2010 Volvo S40Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 9 owner complaints about the 2010 Volvo S40, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)

Safety recalls2Free fix at dealers Owner complaints91 with a crash, fire or injury Top problem2Air bags

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 17, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2010 Volvo S40 has problems

9 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

2Air bags1 crash/fire/injury

2Structure

2Visibility/wiper

1Seat belts

1Wheels

1Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury

1Power train

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Air bags	2	1
Structure	2	0
Visibility/wiper	2	0
Seat belts	1	0
Wheels	1	0
Electrical system	1	1
Power train	1	0

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2010 Volvo S40 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

no report yet

Seats

Recall 10V-591 · Nov 22, 2010 · 7,420 vehicles

Risk. POSITIONING OF THE SEAT BEYOND THE INTENDED MAXIMUM CAN CAUSE INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE PASSENGER IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)

Recall 10V-566 · Nov 8, 2010 · 416 vehicles

Risk. AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volvo.

Best & worst years

2010 vs. every other S40 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the S40 median. How we score

12284 27 18 48 69 58 25 16 10 9 5

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

NHTSA crash tests

2010 Volvo S40 safety ratings

2010 Volvo S40 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2010 Volvo S40 frontal crash test, NHTSA

Frontal crashNot rated

Side barrierNot rated

Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% risk)
Stability control: Standard
Forward collision warning: No
Lane departure warning: No

In owners' words

What S40 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I got into a car accident today. The electrical wiring is constantly giving out and I had no idea my airbags wouldn't work until today when they did not deploy. My car hit the other car enough to move it several feet and no airbags.
Complaint 11569920 · Feb 5, 2024

Own a 2010 S40?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.