Volvo S40, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
12,682 Volvo S40s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 57.7% of initial MOT tests, 14.6 points below the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific S40? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Volvo S40 at the MOT
57.7% of 15,238 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the S40 515th of 575 models.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Where S40s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Volvo S40 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (6%), coil spring fractured or broken (5.4%) and joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (4.7%).
The MOT page lists every common S40 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The S40's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.25% of S40 failure items
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.24.2% of S40 failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.14.4% of S40 failure items
Volvo S40s in the UK
12,682 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 78% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- −78%from 58,627 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2008half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2008 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 5,59631% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Volvo S40s since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 58,627 |
| End of 2015 | 53,212 |
| End of 2016 | 47,994 |
| End of 2017 | 42,690 |
| End of 2018 | 37,767 |
| End of 2019 | 33,268 |
| End of 2020 | 29,493 |
| End of 2021 | 25,860 |
| End of 2022 | 22,711 |
| End of 2023 | 19,541 |
| End of 2024 | 16,591 |
| End of 2025 | 13,994 |
| End of June 2026 | 12,682 |
How old they are
Licensed Volvo S40s by year of first use.
A further 61 were first used before 1998.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 37 |
| 2012 | 1,195 |
| 2011 | 1,264 |
| 2010 | 1,591 |
| 2009 | 1,901 |
| 2008 | 2,194 |
| 2007 | 1,329 |
| 2006 | 1,173 |
| 2005 | 975 |
| 2004 | 761 |
| 2003 | 455 |
| 2002 | 283 |
| 2001 | 212 |
| 2000 | 136 |
| 1999 | 82 |
| 1998 | 81 |
S40 engines and fuel
1.6 litre engines made up 42% of Volvo S40 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.0 litre at 27%. Petrol accounts for 53% of licensed S40s and diesel for 47%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 15,234 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed S40s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,665 | 53% |
| Diesel | 5,993 | 47% |
| Gas | 24 | 0.2% |
Volvo S40 recalls
32 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volvo S40. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every S40 is affected.
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Dec 2013 R/2013/156
Exhaust sleeve may detach
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It has been established that the securing process for the exhaust tail pipe sleeve may not be to specification and result in the tail pipe sleeve detaching. This could cause an issue for other road users.
- Remedy
- Recall all affected vehicles and secure the exhaust tail pipe sleeve.
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Apr 2013 R/2013/046
Loss of drive
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that the right hand driveshaft may not have been manufactured to the correct specification. This can ultimately result in the failure of the drive shaft. This will be identified to the driver by noise and the loss of drive.
- Remedy
- Recall all affected vehicles and replace the right hand driveshaft.
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Dec 2011 R/2011/163
Fluid may leak into wiring harness which may cause fire
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A number of Volvo C30S40V50 and C70 may experience a problem with washer fluid leaking inside the washer pump unit through the wires into the central control electronic module. This can impact on a number of different features of the vehicle but in the worst case it may lead to a fire.
- Remedy
- The solution is to replace and then modify the wiring harness for the washer fluid pump. In addition to this the washer pump connector will be inspected for any signs of corrosion and the washer pump will be replaced if necessary
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Sep 2011 R/2011/127
Clutch pedal mechanism may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The rod connecting the clutch master cylinder and the clutch pedal may break. It may not be possible to disengage the clutch. In worst cases this may happen suddenly with no warning to the driver. If this happens bring the car to a safe stop using the engine and switch off the ignition.
- Remedy
- Replace clutch master cylinder with a new metal push rod in-place of the plastic one.
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Jun 2011 R/2011/075
Brakes may not perform as expected
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The cover on the top of the engine cover could chafe against the brake vacuum hose. If this occurs it may lead to a vacuum leak in the brake booster system and a gradual reduction of brake booster assistance. The will lead to the brake pedal becoming harder to push than normal and increased force would be required to stop the car.
- Remedy
- Inspect and replace the vacuum hose if necessary. The hose will also be fitted with a safety net to prevent chafing in the future.
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Mar 2011 R/2011/031
Support member may crack
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that stress cracks may occur in the offside main support member within the engine bay which could affect the vehicle structural performance if it is involved in an accident.
- Remedy
- Recall affected vehicles for the inspection of the subject member and report findings to Volvo Car UK Ltd; who will then decide on the level of the repair.
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Feb 2011 R/2011/019
Fire may occur
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Volvo quality follow-up procedures have identified an issue on a number of model year 2007 C30 S40 and V50s relating to the engine cooling fan control module. Under certain operating conditions water intrusion could occur into the control module causing a short circuit which in very rare instances could result in a fire in the engine compartment.
- Remedy
- To install a water shield and a cable harness with relay in order to control the engine cooling fan module power supply.
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Dec 2010 R/2010/233
Passenger seat may not be fitted correctly
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- It is possible that the driver's and passenger's front powered seats may not be fitted with the front stop lug. The lug restricts the movement of the seats and if not fitted it is possible to position the seats too far forward or backwards. This could increase the chances of injury should the vehicle be involved in an accident.
- Remedy
- Recall all affected vehicles to inspect for fitment of the lugs and if found to be missing fit new lugs.
Other Volvo models
The most-tested Volvo models in 2025, against the S40's 57.7% MOT pass rate.
Volvo S40 FAQs
How many Volvo S40s are there in the UK?
12,682 Volvo S40s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 5,596 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Volvo S40 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 57.7% first-time pass rate for the Volvo S40 across 15,238 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Volvo S40 had any recalls?
32 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Volvo S40. The most recent was published in December 2013. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Volvo S40?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Volvo S40's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an S40?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Volvo history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Volvo VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.