Used Volvo S40 review and buying guide (2004 to 2012): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Volvo S40 should you buy?

A later S40 is the safer buy, because a cluster of faults sits on the early cars. Pre-2007 model year 2.0 diesels needed their brake vacuum pump modified to the later spec, early T5 petrols can burn their inlet valves, and the plastic electronic key can jam in the dash on early cars. Whatever the year, the engine matters as much: the 1.6 diesel is a poor choice for short-trip driving.

Cars up to the 2007 model year with Teves ABS can throw an ESP warning light that means a new ABS control unit and pump. It's age-related and doesn't touch cars with Bosch ABS. There's also a no-start fault where the steering column lock jams, the lights come on and the engine won't crank; one report says it mostly hit cars up to 2005.

The last cars, built up to the end of production in 2012, have their own snag. A recall covers 2011 and 2012 cars whose right hand driveshaft wasn't made to the correct specification and can fail, first with noise and then a loss of drive. On a car from those years, ask to see that the shaft's been replaced.

Which Volvo S40 engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

There's no engine with a clean record here, and the 1.6 diesel is the one to avoid if you mostly drive round town: its diesel particulate filter struggles on short trips, with owners reporting trouble between 44,000 and 50,000 miles. Its cambelt is officially due at 108,000 miles or 10 years, though specialists suggest 72,000 miles or 7 years, and the end of its plastic dipstick can snap off into the sump.

The 2.0 diesel has a string of complaints against it: wheel bearings, the EGR valve, air conditioning, software and electrical faults. The 2.4D and D5 have inlet manifold swirl flaps that can break off from three years old. On diesels with the 6-speed manual, the narrow gate makes it easy to pick reverse when you want first, so check you can find first cleanly from a standstill.

The petrols aren't spotless either. On early T5 engines the inlet valves can burn out, and the dealer bulletin that dealt with it didn't catch every car, so ask whether the work's been done. The 5-cylinder petrol automatics got a free software update in summer 2005 to improve economy and gear changes; without it, they can be thirsty and change gear poorly.

What should you check when viewing a used Volvo S40?

Don't hand over money until you've seen the dash with the ignition on. Some sellers unplug the engine ECU so no warning lights show; once it's plugged back in, an 'ECU off' message stays up whether the car's on or off. An ESP light on a car up to the 2007 model year can point to the ABS unit fault. On a 1.6 diesel, a DPF or engine light, or one that stays on after a service, means filter trouble.

Start it several times. Warning lights with an engine that won't crank point to the steering lock fault, and one owner of a 2.0D got a 'turn steering wheel' message before the dealer replaced the lock. Check the electronic key goes in and comes out of the dash cleanly, and that the parking brake holds the car on a slope, as a 2006 service action adjusted it on some S40s.

On the drive, listen for wheel bearing rumble and any noise from the right hand driveshaft, and check the air conditioning blows cold, since one report says the condenser traps road salt and corrodes. Ask for receipts for swirl flap work on a 2.4D or D5, the cambelt on a 1.6 diesel, and proof the driveshaft recall was done on a 2011 or 2012 car.

Washer fluid can seep through the pump's wiring into the central electronic module, and thousands of S40s were recalled for a new pump harness because it upsets a range of the car's electrics. Cars built from 2010 to 2012 were also recalled because the sleeve on the exhaust tailpipe wasn't fixed on properly and could drop into the road. Ask for proof the recall work was done on both.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Volvo S40 cost to run?