At a glance

Reported mileage200,260 mi

LocationGa, USA

ColorGray

Last listed price$700

Open recalls2

Vehicle identity & specifications

Make

Volvo

Model

S40

Year

2003

Trim

Base

Body style

Sedan/Saloon

Vehicle type

PASSENGER CAR

Engine

1.9L 4-cyl 170 hp

Cylinders

4

Fuel type

Gasoline

Transmission

Automatic

Doors

4

Assembly plant

BORN, NETHERLANDS

Manufacturer

VOLVO CAR CORPORATION

What's a 2003 Volvo S40 worth?

What comparable 2003 Volvo S40 vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.

Low

$500

Typical price

$1,365

High

$2,999

Most 2003 Volvo S40 listings fall between $500 and $2,999, from 17 comparable cars.

Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.

See this car's exact value →

Full vehicle history report

$14.99 USD · one-time

What a full report checks for VIN YV1VS27583F988265

⚠️ 2 open safety recalls — shown above, free 🔒 Title & brand records 🔒 Accident & damage history 🔒 Salvage, total-loss & theft 🔒 Odometer & owner count 🔒 Liens & market valuation

A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.

📜 Title status Clean, salvage, rebuilt, junk, flood or lemon

🏷️ Title brand history Every brand ever applied, by state

🧾 Number of owners How many registrations on record

🛞 Odometer readings Reported mileage over time

🔎 Rollback check Mileage inconsistency / tamper flags

💥 Accident & damage Reported collisions and damage events

🚧 Total-loss records Insurance total-loss declarations

♻️ Salvage & auction Salvage-yard and auction history

🚓 Theft records Reported / recovered theft events

🏦 Liens & impounds Outstanding liens or impound records

🏷️ Sale & listing history Past marketplace and dealer listings

💰 Market valuation Estimated value for this exact spec

Unlock full report — $14.99 → or get up to 20 reports a month for $19.99/mo → One-time purchase · permanent access · VIN YV1VS27583F988265

Safety recalls 2

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS, THERE MAY BE A FUEL LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL DUE TO INADEQUATE WELDING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A V-CLAMP TO THE FUEL RAIL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

NHTSA Campaign #03V424000 · 24/10/2003

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN PASSENGER CARS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WAS NOT INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES AND, IN CERTAIN CASES, THE OWNER'S MANUAL ISOFIX INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A LETTER/PACKAGE CONSISTING OF THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND IN CERTAIN CASES, THE CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL MAY BE PROVIDED. IF THE OWNER WANTS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR INSTALLATION OF THE GUIDE, IT WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE

NHTSA Campaign #03V284000 · 01/08/2003

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Common problems & what to inspect

Based on 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Volvo S40, here are the most-reported problem areas — and exactly what to check before you buy.

🔥 1 involved a fire

Power Train 6 reports

🔍 Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.

Electrical System 3 reports

🔍 Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

Suspension 2 reports

🔍 Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.

Vehicle Speed Control 2 reports

🔍 Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.

Fuel System 2 reports

🔍 Sniff for fuel odor, check for leaks, hard starts or stalling, and confirm the fuel gauge reads correctly.

Engine 1 report

🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.

Pre-purchase checklist

Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.

Owner complaints 21

Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2003 Volvo S40.

ENGINE

Engine light stays on. I have had 2 mechanics check it out. They don't know why the light is on. I am very concerned about the fuel line problem.

NHTSA ODI #11439636

SUSPENSION

THE REAR STRUT/SHOCKS CONTINUE TO BREAK/CRACK OVER AND OVER. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS AND THEY CONTINUE TO BREAK. I ALSO HAVE GONE TO THE JUNKYARD AND ALL OF THE S40 AND V40'S HAVE ALL OF THEIR STRUTS/SHOCKS BROKEN. I'VE WITNESSED OVER 6 S40 OR V40'S LIKE THIS NOW. MY CAR HAS FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THIS AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I…

NHTSA ODI #11156873

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDLE THROTTLE SETTING (EG STOPPED AT LIGHTS) BECAME UNSTABLE, O…

NHTSA ODI #11066109

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND FOUND THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND AS A RESULT OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM MY CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERATIVE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH, SPECIFICALLY THE DEVICE THAT READS THE CHIP IN THE KEY HAS FAILED AND WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY KEY. CURRENTLY THE CAR …

NHTSA ODI #10496925

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, SHUT OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT IT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED T…

NHTSA ODI #10463577

POWER TRAIN

MY 2003 VOLVO S40 HAS BEEN DRIVEN FEWER THAN 70,000 MILES. ALL VOLVO RECOMMENDED SERVICE HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND IS DOCUMENTED. MY VOLVO DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOT AT ALL REASONABLE TO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT ONLY 70, 000 MILES. I FEEL VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR …

NHTSA ODI #10369952

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATED BY ITSELF, ACCEL PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I COULD NOT KEEP A CAR EVEN BY THE HAND BRAKE, SO AS IT WAS JUMPING AHEAD. THEN THE CAR BEGAN TO BLOW BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SOME HOW I TURN OFF THE ENGINE, TOOK THE KEY AND RUN AWAY FROM THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC ROAD. GREEN LIQUID U…

Fire · NHTSA ODI #10348314

TIRES

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ON FEB 12, I HAD A PERIODIC MAINTENANCE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT MY TIRES WERE BAD. I HAD ONLY HAD THE TIRES A SHORT WHILE SO I BROUGHT THE CAR TO WHERE I BOUGHT THEM (SEARS) AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE TREAD WAS GOOD BUT THERE WAS ROT BETWEEN T…

NHTSA ODI #10317937

+ 13 more complaints on record.