2001 Volvo S40 2.4T review from North America

Service engine light is always on... never sure when it will come on again or what will be wrong when it does.

Seems to be a larger problem in the car that the service department can never quite find... and keep experimenting with solutions to the detriment of my wallet.

Air blower fan on heater works intermittently unless it's on setting #5.

Driver's seat doesn't 'lock' into place easily.

Steering wheel squeaks when you turn it.

Engine misfires when idling, making me wonder when it will just stall out.

Engine sometimes refuses to shift 'up' when accelerating until I let off the gas.

Engine sometime stalls out a bit when accelerating from a stop, making it unreliable for passing / merging.

CD player is very touchy, maybe to be expected in a car of this year (?)

It's too bad that this car has been in the shop so many times in the 7 short months I've owned it, as it's a really cute, fun car to drive. The interior is nice for a car of it's age and it's a comfortable ride. It has enough pep to be sporty, and enough cargo space to make it practical. The interior is a little tight in the back legroom area, but it's survivable for a compact sedan.

However, I've grown less confident in whether it will get me from point A to B with all of it's engine problems, stalls, and misfires.

The Volvo dealer keeps trying different things each time the service engine light comes on (once every couple of weeks) and says that it's a different 'code' each time... but I'm getting tired of dropping money into a used car when the problems with the engine don't go away, no matter what the dealer tries.

Don't like having a car with a mysterious illness. Am looking to trade it in for something more reliable.