Volvo S40, V40 Recall R/2002/053: Brake Vacuum Pump Concern, Who Is Affected And What To Do
- Urgent
- How serious
- 14 May 2002
- Launched
- 1,551
- vehicles in the UK
- R21125
- Manufacturer’s campaign code
Volvo recalled S40, V40 vehicles built between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2000. The brake vacuum pump may fail and cause a reduction in brake servo assistance. The dealer will fit a modified brake vacuum pump. You won't usually pay for it.1
What’s Wrong
The brake vacuum pump may fail and cause a reduction in brake servo assistance. This will make the brake pedal heavy to operate.
DVSA's Original Wording
Concern: BRAKE VACUUM PUMP CONCERN Defect: The brake vacuum pump may fail and cause a reduction in brake servo assistance. This will make the brake pedal heavy to operate. Remedy: Fit a modified brake vacuum pump.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The Risk
The recall notice describes the concern as: brake vacuum pump concern.
The Fix
The dealer will fit a modified brake vacuum pump.
Are You Affected?
S40, V40 built between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2000 may be included. Volvo estimates 1,551 vehicles in the UK. Enter your registration to check, then confirm by VIN with Volvo, because not every car in the date range may be included.
Which Car Is It?
Choose the make and model so we can match recalls to your car.
What To Do Now
- Check your car by registration above, then by VIN with Volvo.
- Book with any franchised Volvo dealer, quoting the campaign code R21125 or the DVSA reference R/2002/053. See how to get a Volvo recall fixed.
- Follow the letter's instructions until the repair is done. See can you drive a car with a recall?.
Related Recalls
| Launched | Vehicle and fault | Severity | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| S60, S60CC, S80, V40 and 6 moreThere is a risk for trapped air to be in the cooling system which may result in insufficient cooling of engine components | Low | R/2020/210 | |
| S60, S60CC, S80, V40 and 6 moreThere is a risk for trapped air to be in the cooling system | Low | R/2020/205 | |
| S60, S60CC, S80, S90 and 10 moreThe engine's plastic inlet manifold may melt and deform | Urgent | R/2019/180 | |
| S60, S60CC, S80, V40 and 7 moreSmall cracks on the inside of a rubber fuel hose | Urgent | R/2018/377 | |
| S60, S60CC, S90, V40 and 6 moreOne or more airbags may fail to deploy in the event of a collision | Urgent | R/2017/002 |
This is one of 175 Volvo recalls in DVSA’s data. The Volvo recall launched before it was R/2001/074 on 14 Jun 2001, for possible failure of demist/defrost system. The one launched after it was R/2002/054 on 14 May 2002, for auxiliary drive belt concern. You can also see every Volvo recall, all recalls launched in 2002 and brake recalls across every make.
Source: DVSA recall R/2002/053, launched 14 May 2002. Data updated 15 October 2026. How we grade urgency.
Sources
- The Code does not itself say repairs are free. GOV.UK guidance says "You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall." gov.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.