VolvoS402012Overview/volvo/s40/2012/base/

2012 Volvo S40

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 S40.

The 2012 Volvo S40 stands as a late-stage iteration of the nameplate, arriving at a pivotal point in the vehicle's quality trajectory. Reviewing the model's complaint history from 2000 through 2011 highlights a dramatic shift in long-term durability, with reported issues plummeting from a peak of 134 in the year 2000 to a record-low of just 5 in 2011. Consequently, this model year sits at the apex of the S40's reliability curve, inheriting a thoroughly refined foundation that means fewer documented problems for researchers to analyze and a stark contrast to the nameplate's troubled early years.

Model year201220112010200920082007200620052004

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the S40 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.5–7.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.50 sec — 2006 T5 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2006T5 Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-56.50 sec14.90 sec218 hpAWD
2005T5 Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-56.70 sec15.00 sec218 hpFWD
2005T5 Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-56.80 sec15.10 sec218 hpAWD
2005T5 Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-56.90 sec15.20 sec218 hpFWD
2005T5 Sedan 2.5L Turbo I-57.10 sec15.30 sec218 hpAWD

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
146
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 146 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
35526.1.82026-04-23EngineThis is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform…
37809.1.12026-04-07Unknown Or OtherThis is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to…
192452025-12-06Unknown Or OtherThis is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.
85012025-04-10Exterior LightingThis is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a…
S103032025-02-21Unknown Or OtherVolvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific S40. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2012 S40 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.