Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the airbags, brakes, and seat belts. The 10 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2019One recall on this model year told owners to stop driving until the repair was done.
Do not buy until you have dealer paperwork or a recall lookup showing it was completed for this VIN.
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/10 checked
2019 Volvo XC40: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/7
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2019's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2019 Volvo XC40. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 26–27 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2019 Volvo XC40, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Problems range from the airbag warning light coming on to a deployment that caused injury. In one low-speed crash, the knee airbag caused a severe lower-leg fracture. The warning light also comes on when the front passenger sits on a lumbar support cushion, which deactivates the occupant sensor. A dealer says the only way around it is disabling the sensor, which is illegal. Another report describes the airbag system failing at 2,400 miles. Another ties an airbag fault to a seat belt that does not tighten in sudden stops.
The brake pedal turns hard and unresponsive at freeway speed, the brake light comes on, and the car will not stop fully. A shop suspected the brake vacuum pump. In a separate fault, the front end shudders under braking at about 16,000 miles, and both an independent shop and the dealer found warped rotors on all four wheels just after the warranty ran out. The rear parking alarm and reverse auto-braking also fail to activate, and one owner backed into a parked car.
The front belts tighten suddenly with no hazard nearby, in one case while stopped at a light, bruising a passenger's neck. A crash report describes the opposite problem. The belt does not tighten and the driver-side airbags do not deploy when the car hits a wall during parking, and the driver reports sudden acceleration despite full braking. That crash left the driver treated for neck, arm, and leg pain. Both complaints involve injury.
After a minor front-end hit from a deer, the car shuts down into "Safety Mode" and will not move for about 2 minutes on a rural interstate. Limp-home power returns only after that. A separate fault involves the gear shifter knob coming off the lever. A dealer found it held on with glue. It was reglued and came off again after a car wash. The car also fails to shift into gear.
The IntelliSafe system brakes hard with nothing ahead, repeatedly, including after a dealer repair attempt. It also misreads passing traffic as a rear collision and cinches the seat belt hard enough to injure the driver's chest. In another report, Pilot Assist steers the car into the opposite lane and changes lanes on its own at 1,450 miles. Dealers cannot find a cause and offer no remedy.
The check engine or emissions light keeps coming back. Reports describe repeat dealer visits in which the same part is replaced twice and the software is updated and fully reloaded, yet the light returns. Another car under 20k miles sets code P0422, an evaporative emissions system fault. These reports involve warning lights and emissions faults, not loss of power or stalling.
Automatic emergency braking triggers when the car hits standing water while accelerating. The car swerves out of control and strikes roadside objects. In another report, the car speeds up on its own while slowing to about 20 mph. Warning lights and beeps go off, and the steering wheel turns by itself. The problem happens many times, yet the shop finds no fault codes and blames a glitch. Both reports describe loss of control.
Excerpts from complaints XC40 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Earlier today I submitted a complaint, NHTSA Tracking Number 11498747. Would it be possible to send this back to me as I would prefer to modify it? Please do not post it now. Thanks, Craig Wenger wengerca@msn.com 910-471-7653
Filed with NHTSA, December 2022
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2019 ranks third for owner complaints among 5 XC40 years, close to the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2019 is the second model year of the XC40's first generation (2018–2024).
Volvo updated the XC40 for 2023, so a 2019 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2023 (not on a 2019)
Recall repairs are free at any Volvo dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2019 Volvo XC40 vehicles. The brake pedals may not have been correctly riveted, allowing the pedal to move out of position, possibly reducing braking performance.
Risk: Reduced braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volvo has notified owners advising them to stop driving their vehicle. Cars will be inspected on-site or towed to dealers and the brake pedals will be replaced as necessary, free of charge. Volvo began contacting their owners on August 23, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R59899.
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.
Risk: If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29998.
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. As a result, the GPS will not provide location information to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.
Risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.
Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2019 Volvo XC40 vehicles. The rear seats may not have rear seat back lock strikers, allowing the seat back to move forward during certain hard braking conditions or a crash.
Risk: If the seat back moves forward during hard braking or in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and install the seat back lock strikers if they are missing, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89898.
Cars shoppers compare with the Volvo XC40, with their own 2019 checklists.
2019 owner complaints, side by side
