Known APK problem

Volvo V40 II: brakes

On the Volvo V40 II the APK inspector finds brakes problems 60% more often than on cars of the same age: at 13–15 years 4.6%, against about 2.9% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Worn or rusted brake discs and pads, or uneven braking.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Ask the seller: When were the brake discs and pads last replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Volvo V40 IIs with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	V40 II	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
5 – 6 years	A	0.3%	0.1 – 0.8%	0.7%	0.4×	1,531
5 – 6 years	B	1.6%	1.1 – 2.4%	1.1%	1.4×	1,531
5 – 6 years	C	3.5%	2.7 – 4.5%	1.8%	1.9×	1,531
7 – 8 years	A	0.6%	0.5 – 0.9%	1.2%	0.5×	7,197
7 – 8 years	B	1.2%	0.9 – 1.4%	1.5%	0.8×	7,197
7 – 8 years	C	3.6%	3.2 – 4.0%	2.6%	1.4×	7,197
9 – 10 years	A	0.6%	0.5 – 0.8%	1.5%	0.4×	9,389
9 – 10 years	B	1.5%	1.3 – 1.8%	1.5%	1.0×	9,389
9 – 10 years	C	4.1%	3.7 – 4.5%	2.7%	1.5×	9,389
11 – 12 years	A	1.2%	1.0 – 1.5%	3.0%	0.4×	8,306
11 – 12 years	B	1.8%	1.5 – 2.1%	1.8%	1.0×	8,306
11 – 12 years	C	4.4%	4.0 – 4.9%	2.8%	1.6×	8,306
13 – 15 years	A	2.2%	1.7 – 2.9%	3.7%	0.6×	2,445
13 – 15 years	B	2.0%	1.5 – 2.6%	2.0%	1.0×	2,445
13 – 15 years	C	4.6%	3.8 – 5.5%	2.9%	1.6×	2,445

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 13–15 years

Model	Brakes	Vs. national
Volvo V40 II	4.6%	1.6×
Volkswagen Passat B7	1.3%	0.3×
Škoda Superb II	3.6%	0.9×
Volvo V70 III / XC70 II	1.9%	0.5×
Volvo V60 I / S60 II	2.4%	0.6×
BMW 3-serie F30	1.8%	0.5×

Looking at a Volvo V40 II? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Volvo V40 IIs of the same age.

All weak spots of the Volvo V40 II · Brakes: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Volvo V40 II often have brakes problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 13–15 years the inspector found a brakes defect on 4.6% of inspected Volvo V40 IIs, against about 2.9% of all cars of the same age (1.6×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the brakes on a used Volvo V40 II?

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know