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What to check: Volvo S40

Ranked across all years of the Volvo S40, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 18.3% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 9.0%

LeaksRuns high on this modelLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 7.8% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.8%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 6.1% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 3.3%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 5.9% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.4%

Headlamp lensesRuns high on this modelCheck for condensation inside the headlamps and for cloudy or yellowed lenses. Both attract MOT trouble, and moisture inside a sealed LED unit generally means a whole new lamp.Recorded on 5.3% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 1.1%

Coil springsLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 6.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 5.0%

Underneath, with a torchGet down and look at the sills, the subframes and the rear suspension mounting points. Flaking scale and bubbling matter; light surface rust does not. On older cars this is the one check that finds the fault that scraps them.Recorded on 5.5% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 4.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 33.1% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 20.9%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 14.6% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 11.4%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 3.7% of tests at age 10-15 · class average 2.6%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start a diesel from cold and listen for turbo whine or watch for blue-grey smoke on load.Whining or smoke points at a tired turbo, expensive on the 1.6 TDCi and 2.0D.

Check the dash for a DPF or EGR warning light, and ask when it last did a proper motorway run.A lit warning or a car that's only done short trips means a regen or filter bill is likely coming.

Ask for cambelt and tensioner receipts on any D5 diesel, don't just trust the service book interval.No recent belt change on a car past 60k miles is a gamble, failure wrecks the engine.

Try the key in the ignition a few times and check the steering wheel doesn't fight the lock.Sticking or resistance is the early sign of the key/steering lock fault owners report.

Drive over some rough tarmac or speed bumps and listen for knocks or creaks from each corner.Clonks point to worn bushes, top mounts or anti-roll bar links, the model's known weak spot.

On a Powershift automatic, check for a gearbox fluid and filter change in the history and feel for hesitation pulling away.No record of the service, or a jerky start, suggests the clutch packs are already stressed.

Feel for cold air from the vents and check the air conditioning actually blows cold within a minute.Weak or warm air suggests a leaking condenser, cheap enough to check now, annoying to find out later.

Full Volvo S40 reliability report