Used 2005 Volvo S40 Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Fun car. Buggy with age.
cygnuspix, 05/30/2014
2005 Volvo S40 T5 Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
45 of 46 people found this review helpful
I have my '05 T5 (FWD) since day one - just a hair over 9 years now (and is an auto transmission, but somehow not an option here). I still love getting in to it twice a day for a 30 mile commute. The fuel economy is tough to beat, averaging 32MPG. However, it is fussy and likes to be babied to avoid issues. My fuel pressure sensor failed, causing tremendous ride issues, but no error code was generated, therefore the dealer threw up their hands at the issue, and wanted $450 parts/labor to replace it. The part is $50 on Amazon.com, and takes 1 hour to install. If you feel the car lose power or otherwise ride rough, look into changing this sensor!
Some important issues to be aware of
harry, 03/30/2017
2005 Volvo S40 T5 Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
There is a known design defect where, if the sunroof drains that run down the doors of the car clog, water drains into the interior of the car from the lower part of the doors. Absolutely ridiculous. You need to regularly clear the drains with compressed air. My interior is ruined as a result of water damage. Also, 2005 models don't come with an auxiliary jack or bluetooth, and you can't put an aftermarket CD player in. You're looking at around $1000 to replace the CD player at the dealership if something goes wrong. It also seems the only problems I've had with the car required me to go to the dealership for repairs.
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Good car but...
letodo, 11/13/2014
2005 Volvo S40 T5 AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
26 of 28 people found this review helpful
Safety- big win here- got swiped by a Lexus LX trying to get into my lane- nothing but a tiny scratch. Rear ended by a Honda- the front bumper of the Honda was torn off but I only had a small scratch. Performance- no, it is not a BMW 3 series but it does 80% of what the BMW does for $10,000 less (compared with same options). Ride is a bit harsh. Reliability- flawless since I got it... until recently. Ignition switch, engine motor mount, engine speed sensor all failed at once. Parasitic draw from trunk wiring 2 months prior to that. Running costs- expensive (more on that below)
Worst car I've ever owned
sgtcheesenols, 10/04/2013
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.4L 5cyl 5M)
32 of 36 people found this review helpful
I have owned a Mitsubishi and 2 Hyundais in my lifetime, and taken all of them beyond 100K miles. They all had minimal issues, and 2 of them are still running with their new owners. At 50K miles, this Volvo began having a myriad of issues. I spent over $6K fixing it, and finally gave up. I had to replace the Dashboard A/C vents, the A/C compressor, the ceiling carpet, the brakes, both engine mounts, among other things. I finally gave up! The quality and reliability of this vehicle is horrible enough to make me never want to buy a Volvo again. Buyer beware if you plan
LOVE this car!
volvodrvr2, 09/18/2014
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.4L 5cyl 5M)
41 of 47 people found this review helpful
I bought this car used a year and a half ago and after much debate while searching for a car, I am still 100% in love with my S40. The "high" maintenance bills (it did need the timing belt replaced for being over 100k - $700) and "Volvo" stigma were intimidating at first, but now that I've had the car I know it was still a solid choice. It's got all the features I wanted, gets good gas mileage and is a great looking car. 30k on it in my year and a half of ownership (now 135k) and it still runs like a champ!
Expensive to fix
Carrie, 06/06/2010
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.4L 5cyl 5M)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I love how this car drives, and that it feels safe. However, just like the other reviews I have had several issues with this car. Several recalls, after 3 years the A/C broke and will cost an astronomical amount to fix. It blows hot air in summer, but it doesn't need a recharge. Engine blew at 88K, since it was past its warranty Volvo said too bad. It was their fault as they missed the oil leak that wore out the timing belt and thus broke the pistons in the engine. Word to the wise, save all of your maintenance records if you buy this car, as Volvo will surely look at it if you try to dispute a malfunction and they keep horrible records. Good Luck if you buy this one!
2005 Volvo S40 T5 FWD Great and fun car!
khyelton, 03/03/2011
2005 Volvo S40 T5 Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
22 of 27 people found this review helpful
I just turned 16 and my parents bought me this car for my first car. I have had it almost a year now, and it has almost 100,000 miles on it and it is just as great as the day I drove it off the lot. It handle's great on country roads, and even better on interstate's which is where I usually drive. It gets a combined average 25 MPG. I use 93 octane (premium) fuel and it seems to get better gas milage. I haven't had any problems out of this car! It has been a great car, and look forward to driving it for another 10 years. Just had an oil chage, new brakes, tires, and detailed, and it is good as new! I have never had any trouble out of this car! It's an amazing car!
05 s40 is a money pit
CB, 03/09/2016
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.4L 5cyl 5M)
12 of 14 people found this review helpful
Ive had a slew of issues and high cost repairs on this car. From struts, to transmission issues, gear module, etc. Every car needs service, what makes Volvo "special" is it takes a Volvo specialist to make necessary repairs and usually at high cost. A 2 yr lease is probably the way to go if you desire a Volvo, purchasing one will be a forever quest in high cost maintenance.
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Great Alternative Sports Sedan!
Dylan, 11/24/2015
updated 06/01/2021
2005 Volvo S40 T5 AWD 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl Turbo 6M)
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
For the past year I have been pulling my hairs out trying to determine what my next car would be. I am a car enthusiast so naturally I have a lot of favorites pulling at my heartstrings which means choosing a vehicle to replace my dependable 2005 Civic would be very difficult! I laid out the criteria I wanted: powerful engine, AWD drivetrain, compact, reliable daily driver. Sure there are some great cars that meet these like the Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi EVO, or entry-level Audis, but the truth is I wanted to own something more unique because I like to stand out. The aforementioned competitors are a lot more common are starting to feel oversaturated in the world of car culture. Not many AWD compact sedans exist, so naturally the Volvo S40 appeared to be my only option. I went for it on a whim and ended up with a beautiful 2010 R-Design with the ever-exciting T5 engine of course! So far, I am not really disappointed. The car does everything I wanted it too and even a bit more. I'm not 100% satisfied with the way it looks as it is a dated (2004, 08 refresh) design. I don't understand why Volvo dramatically updated the C30 and C70 styling but left the S40 kind of bland for its last 3 years... However, it is still a nice looking vehicle with cute yet aggressive proportions. Interior looks amazing though! A lot of people harken it to IKEA as a joke, but they aren't too far off. The interior is sleek, modern, and beautifully simple. The materials are wonderfully rich and well put together. It feels like you're in a much more expensive car with all the great driver amenities and the excellent climate control and booming stereo system. Trunk space is a little small compared to my last car (especially the opening) but it is sufficient for hauling most things. I will say the rear seats can be kind of cramped with the front seats extended backward. The car is awesome to drive. Not quite as fast as a WRX or EVO, but has potential to run with them with a few easy modifications. The T5 engine is noisy, but in the good sort of way that it gurgles in the low RPMs to remind you how sporty it wants to be. The S40 AWD handles really good and flat and so far has proven to have some great traction on slick surfaces. The brakes feel a little bit grabby and fade under hard braking, but do the job. The seats work well to keep you comfortable, even though the car's great handling comes at a cost of being very stiff and it likes to jar itself over small bumps in the road. Overall a very impressive car so far! I have not had any issues except for the oil cooler which the previous owner damaged on a curb. It was only a $120 fix locally and I am no longer dripping oil from it. 2016 Update: Since purchasing the car a little over the year ago it has had a plethora of maintenance issues and expensive repairs. when the car hit 94,000 miles, my PCV box failed (a common issue on these cars, but Volvo only extended the warranty on < 2008 models so my 2010 was not covered) The repair was costly and as a result of changing oil pressures, it caused my leaky cam seals to finally burst and now the car has a critical oil leak. The cam seal repair requires removal of the timing belt and water pump so prepare to do all of those replacements at once for a quoted dealer cost over $2000. I'm not sure all S40s would have this problem... but if your PCV box fails, it is likely you will experience similar issues with oil pressure drops and leaks. Also, the car randomly started having stalling issues when you shift too quickly into drive. Kind of an annoying problem that I have not found a fix for yet and left the volvo dealership puzzled... All in all, it has been an extremely costly car to own. I recommend the s40/c30/v50 only for the dedicated Volvo owners. Find one with less than 75,000 miles on it and you'll be okay. But I can't quite call the car "unreliable" because it starts up 100% of the time and despite all of these issues, it drives like nothing is wrong! The car doesn't seem to be bothered! I think a lot of people confuse "reliability" with "durability" when talking about Volvos. They are the latter. 2017 Update: For as much as I loved the driving experience of the car, it wasn't worth putting up with the constant breakdowns. I'd compare this car to many German luxury cars of the era and how some of its complexities only lead to a bunch of problems later in its life. High mileage and out-of-warranty, this car is a bit of a hassle. I was spilling a lot of cash to keep it running and when the AC finally died in mid summer, that was the last straw. Combined with the timing belt/cam seal repair, fixing the AC and that was going to be $4000... not worth it when the cars value had already dropped to about $8k. Though parting with the S40 was sad, I ended up trading it in for a 2014 KIA Rio SX (which has been fantastic so far!!) and I haven't really looked back. I do believe the S40 is a good car, but you are taking a gamble with reliability.
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Ist Volvo
Cope200, 09/02/2004
2005 Volvo S40 2.4i Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.4L 5cyl 5M)
14 of 18 people found this review helpful
Had two problems less than 250 miles. Air bag light came on and Climate Control actuator made noise. Dealer was prompt and courteous in fixing both problems. Really enjoy driving the car. Very secure to the road.
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