Hey everyone,
I'm new to Volvo and am close to pulling the trigger on purchasing a V40. It's 2000 model year, 1.9T, 97,000, seems to have most, if not all options. The car seems to be in good condition. The seats are some wear but aren't cracked or torn. The trim on the a-pillars is wrinkling or coming loose. Normal cosmetic wear on the outside. I'm mostly concerned with mechanical since I can do most of the cosmetic myself with the exception of exterior paint and body work. I have a friend who works as a mechanic at the Volvo dealership here in San Diego and he's going to look at the car with me tonight. I'm pretty excited about getting the car. I've never had a Volvo before. I've had 5 Mercedes and 2 Volkswagens but never a Volvo.

What are some things I should look for? What are some things I should expect?
It seems to me headliner falling or sagging seems to be a pretty common problem with Volvo. What is the best way to fix this? Are there any DIY mods to address these issues?

Thanks for your help.

 

I have some headlining issues more towards the rear of the vehicle and early evidence in front where the drivers sunvisor recesses flush.
Repairs (reglueing attempts) dont really work and dont look too flash in the end.
The headlining needs to be fully removed and the backing board scraped of the failed foam backing to give a good base for glue fixing new foambacked headlinig fabric.
S40/V40's are harder to do as the headlining is extended and moulded fully out to the door seals as opposed to V70's or 850 wagons that have a removeable plastic perimeter trim and a centrally positioned backing board finished in the fabric. The trim overlaps to give a good finish.
I still need to have mine done but it costs over $600 here in NZ for a professional job so its on the one day 'to do list'. I want it to look spot on so I wont try it myself.
To add to the task my V40 has a sunroof which would further complicate things for a first time attemptor.
Best of luck if you give it a go yourself and let us all know your procedure as I haven't seen a specific and detailed V40 headlining writeup on this forum or the other forums either.

 

Hi, I'm somewhat in the same boat, only I boarded the ship! My GF moved in a couple months ago and brought with her a 2000 V40 with 226k on the clock that had been a gift from an old friend. To begin with, it wouldn' start until about the third try (no residual fuel pressure, bad check valve in the fuel pump), wouldn't stop (poor brake repairs in the past), shook like the engine was going to come through the firewall, the list goes on. So far I've replaced all four motor mounts, the timing belt set, the VVT gear & exhaust cam seal, replaced one torn hose from the intercooler to the idle air valve, the fuel pump, front & rear pads & rotors, the front washer pump, all the blades and a host of small detail items. It's gone from being one step from the crusher to a nice little daily driver for her, to the tune of about $1,500.

Now, the sad thng about this is that the original owner really took great care of it, and spent a bundle over a period of about 180,000 miles. My GF has the entire ownership & service history, from the day it was first sold until her friend bought it for $1,500. Over a period of about nine years and 195,000 miles the first two owners paid nearly $17,000 in maintenance and repairs at two Volvo dealers in So Cal (Carlsbad & San Diego). The second owner simply couldn't afford to keep it repaired & maintained, then it fell into the hands of a host of shade tree mechanics with big hammers and strong air wrenches. Essentially, the car had to be bought twice to keep it on the road. I've had a long career in the auto industry, including being an ASE Master tech. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this thing, or the kind of prices the dealers charged the owners. I can keep it on the road for her, but I'm more of a mind to get it detailed & selling it before we flush more money down the drain on it. Sad, it's a nice little car but if Volvo hangs its reputation on stuff like this, well, no wonder their sales tanked.

 

Congrats on the purchase. Here are a couple of typical issues to be aware of:

1) The rear brakes are high maintenance - be sure to check that the handbrake arm is not seized where it meets the caliper. Be sure to check the slider pins on the rear brake calipers (that they are not punctured and have fresh grease in them).

2) Get your mechanic friend to pop off the timing belt covers so that you can take a peak at the VVT gear - make sure it is nice and dry. VVT gear failures are very common on this vehicle.

3) Get your PCV system inspected immediately. If it is clogged it will put outward pressure on the engine causing all sorts of grief it not addressed (blown seals, leaky gaskets, etc)). See link for instructions on how to replace if necessary (big job)



4) check your anti-roll bar links front and rear - if they look old and tired, replace 'em. They are cheap.

5) Check the state of the two rear springs. They fail quite commonly and many don't notice until 30,000km's have gone by.

6) VERY IMPORTANT: Check you lower radiator clip for rust. if it looks old and tired, replace it asap as a failure only gives you very limited time to stop the car before your engine is toast. See link for details.

Warning , S40/V40 4 cylinder petrol owners. - Volvo Owners Club Forum

7) Be aware of cheap fixes for a faulty A/C control panel. If it begins to act up, step 1 is to replace the resistor under the glove box. Step 2 is to pop open the ccm and resolder the POTS (a google search will give you more info on this). don't let anyone tell you that you need a new $700 CCM...it is not required. Let me know if you need help on this one. Have done it all.

8) Hone your DIY skills. Volvo forums are awesome places where you can learn and litterally save thousands of dollars!

9) Only use volvo sparkplugs and immediately get an OEM volvo thermostat

10) Always replace your oil based on a very conservative schedule (say every 3000 miles). find out if synthetic has been used. If it has not, DO NOT start using it!

Here's a good article on what to be on the look out for when buying a V40:

1996-2004 S40 & V40 Buyer's guide - What to look out for? - Volvo Owners Club Forum

Oh - one last thing, do NOT pull too hard on the door handles. They are notorious for breaking. We get lots of ice-storms up here and I've broken two trying to get into my car after one.
Hope this helps.

 

Dear Forum members;
I am going to replace an engine in V40 T4 with aut. transmission. Replacing engine is coming from manual transm. car. Anything to be aware of ? It is my first work with V40, but are pretty familiar with engine work in general.
Advice and replies are most welcomed !!!
Both cars/engines are 2000 mod, 1,9 l / 200 hp.
rgds. Bjorn (Norway)