The S40 began its production life in Europe in 1995, but didn't arrive in the U.S. until the 2000 model year. The 2001 model year S40 -- Volvo's luxury sedan -- came fitted with a 1.9-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produced 160 horsepower. Volvo recommended changing the oil in the turbocharged engine at least every 7,500 miles. Despite the engine's high-tech systems, changing the oil in the 2001 S40 is a relatively straightforward task.
Drive the Volvo S40 for about 10 minutes to warm up the oil, and park the vehicle on a flat surface.
Open the S40's hood and remove the oil filler cap, located on the center of the valve cover, by unscrewing it and pulling it from the engine.
Raise the front of the vehicle, using a floor jack, and position jack stands under the S40's subframe. Lower the Volvo onto the jack stands.
Crawl beneath the front of the S40, and find the oil pan on the bottom of the engine. Position a drain pan under the drain plug in the oil pan. Loosen the drain plug, using a combination wrench. Wrap your hand with a clean, lint-free cloth to protect it from hot oil, and continue loosening the drain plug by hand. Once completely loose, quickly pull the drain plug from the oil pan.
Allow all of the oil to drain from the pan until just slow drips of oil come from the oil pan. Pull the copper washer off the drain plug, and clean the drain plug's threads, using a clean, lint-free cloth. Install a new copper sealing washer onto the drain plug, and hand-tighten the drain plug into the drain pan. Tighten the drain plug to 26 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and a six-point socket.
Slide toward the passenger's side of the vehicle and remove the bolts securing the plastic splash guard under the engine, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the splash guard down, exposing the oil filter behind it. Position the drain pan under the oil filter. Loosen the oil filter using a ratchet and an 86 mm oil filter cup. Allow all of the oil to drain from the filter, and remove the filter by hand. Place the filter in the drain pan.
Wipe any debris off the oil filter-mounting surface and the oil filter stud on the engine with a clean, lint-free cloth. Place a small amount of new 5W-30 engine oil onto your fingers, and coat the O-ring on the base of a new oil filter with this oil. Hand-tighten the oil filter onto the oil filter stud until the O-ring contacts the oil filter-mounting surface. Tighten the oil filter to 19 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and an 86 mm oil filter cup. Set the splash guard back in place and tighten its retaining bolts with a ratchet and socket.
Raise the S40 off the jack stands, using a floor jack, and pull the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the Volvo to the ground.
Insert a funnel in the oil filler hole and pour 5.7 qts. of API-certified 5W-30 engine oil into the engine. Allow the oil to settle for about 3 minutes. Pull the engine oil dipstick out of the engine, and wipe the oil off the end of the stick with a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the oil dipstick into the dipstick tube and remove it again. Verify that the oil level is near or slightly above the top line on the dipstick. Add more oil as needed.
Reinsert the dipstick into the dipstick tube. Remove the funnel from the oil filler hole, and tighten the oil filler cap into the filler hole. Start the S40's engine, and allow it to idle for 2 to 3 minute -- check for oil leaks as it idles. Shut the S40's engine off. Allow the oil to settle for about 3 minutes. Remove the dipstick, and wipe oil off the dipstick, using a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the dipstick, and remove it again. Verify the oil level is between the two lines on the bottom part of the dipstick. Add more oil as needed.
Insert a funnel into an empty oil bottle, and pour old oil from the drain pan into the empty bottle. Once the bottle is full, remove the funnel and close the bottle's cap. Repeat this step until you transfer all of the old oil from the drain pan into the empty bottles. Take the bottles of oil and the old oil filter to a used oil-recycling center. Some auto parts stores take old oil free of charge.
