Volvo S40
Registered from 1996 to 2013.
About this model
The Volvo S40 is a series of subcompact executive cars marketed and produced by the Swedish manufacturer Volvo Cars from 1995 to 2012, offered as a more mainstream alternative to the compact executive Volvo 850 and later the Volvo S60 to compete in a lower pricing bracket. The S40 was more or less positioned against premium-leaning small family cars like the Volkswagen Jetta, as well as some mass-market large family cars.
From the Wikipedia article Volvo S40, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2008 1.6 petrol. 410 of 1,584 tests failed, 26%.
Better than 53% of 2008 cars. The typical one fails 26%, across 922 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 50% | 205 |
| Lights and electrics | 40% | 162 |
| Brakes | 29% | 120 |
| Tyres and wheels | 23% | 94 |
| Body and structure | 17% | 69 |
| Visibility | 13% | 55 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Suspension — 50% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Brakes — 29% of its failures
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
- Tyres and wheels — 23% of its failures
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- Lights and electrics — 40% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
- Body and structure — 17% of its failures
- Visibility — 13% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 160–180k miles this one fails 33% of its inspections, against the 30% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40–60k miles | 20% | 20% | 132 | |
| 60–80k miles | 22% | 24% | 202 | |
| 80–100k miles | 28% | 27% | 448 | |
| 100–120k miles | 27% | 29% | 385 | |
| 120–140k miles | 27% | 29% | 213 | |
| 140–160k miles | 27% | 30% | 92 | |
| 160–180k miles | 33% | 30% | 55 |
1,527 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 80k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.
Specification
| Year | Measured |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.6 diesel · 113 hp · 1449 kg · 2640 mm wheelbase · 4.2 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2011 | 1.6 diesel · 111 hp · 1442 kg · 2637 mm wheelbase · 4.1 L/100km (NEDC) |
| 2010 | 1.6 diesel · 1420 kg · 2640 mm wheelbase · 4.2 L/100km (NEDC) |