Used Volvo S40 saloon 2004 - 2012 reliability review

What should I look for in a used Volvo S40?

Higher mileage cars are actually more desirable than lower mileage ones if you’re buying a diesel. That’s because the diesel particulate filter can clog up on low-miles cars, and it’s very pricey to rectify.

The 1.8-litre Flexi-Fuel cars are best avoided – they were designed to be able to use E85 bio-ethanol fuel, but they have high CO2 emissions and fuel consumption and are therefore much more expensive to run than a diesel.

Is a used Volvo S40 reliable?

The 1.6-litre diesel needs a steady diet of high-quality engine oil, or it tends to ‘sludge up’ its head with waste oil. Both the water and diesel pumps on this engine are also weak points. And if there is any slack in the travel of the clutch pedal on manual gearbox cars then the master cylinder will probably need replacing.

Flickering warning lights on the dashboard usually mean that the connection to the engine’s computer, which runs behind the passenger footwell, has become loose.

On cars fitted with a sunroof check the carpets for any dampness as the drainage holes can become blocked, leading to rain water running down the inside of the window pillars.

If the car looks lopsided, or feels as if it’s leaning one way or the other during a test drive, the problem is most likely a cracked suspension spring.