Body Glass, Moldings, Etc

Body Glass, Mirrors, Moldings, Water Leaks, Etc.

Volvo Maintenance FAQ for 7xx/9xx/90 Cars

Cleaning and Lubrication. Remove door panel (see Trim section). Using a light grease such as Superlube, grease the sliders on the window jack, and also grease the gears; hit the pivot points in it with good spray lube. There are some bolts which hold the window jack to the door - tighten them. They have been loose, to varying degrees, on every door I have opened thus far. You will be so amazed at how easily the window goes up, you may even be motivated enough to do the passenger side! See the Switch section for preventive maintenance on the window switches. [NA Abdullah] In my case crud, soot, dried grease and the sort practically jammed the regulator gear at the motor. Lack of usage I think also contributed. I find it interesting compared to other makes of car that the Volvo motor will not turn or make any noise if encounters significant resistance. It just stops silently. The moment I unbolted mine from the assembly it was working fine. I have cleaned all regulators since then and not only are my windows working better but I've saved myself a couple of motors.

Tighten Regulator Bolts. [Tip from Art Spon] Here is an ounce of prevention for power window motors and mounts. I have recently had the pleasure of replacing a window motor and regulator. This is not a lot of fun, but a lot of gratification when complete. Anyway, remove your door panels and tighten all four bolts that hold the motor/regulator. This will prevent it moving, torquing and breaking the stupid plastic mounting plate for the regulator. [Editor: I would use Loctite on these since they are subject to vibration.] Also, lube everything up. Mine wasn't expensive ($50) but it could have been prevented. Window Regulator excl Motor

Problem Diagnosis. [Tips from Darius] To diagnose window problems, start with the switch. When you depress either the window or driver's door switch with the key on position KPII, does the motor operate? If not or if it is quite slow, then the switch is bad. Switches are much more prone to failure than either the motor or regulator. When you depress the switch, can you hear the motor running? If so, your problem is the regulator, not the motor. When the window goes up or down, does it make a clunking noise? Your problem may be the plastic slide clips or loose mounting bolts. If it does not stop appropriately, then the regulator may be worn.

Useful Tools. [Darius] If you need to work on the regulator or motor, buy a small "dentist's mirror" which makes it possible to see into tiny, hidden spaces.

Window Motor Slow. [Symptom:] My 95 960 was recently parked outside in the cold and the next day the right rear window would only go down a few inches and very slowly. After a couple of days it would go down to where it's supposed to go but very slowly and it seems like the motor is struggling. I called the service manager at volvo and he said just to spray some lubricants in the window channels. Well problem is I can't see any channels. I took the door panel off but the inside surface of the door had a cover glued on to it. Is there anyway to lubricate the channels without tearing the cover off. Also does anything else in there need to be lubricated?

[Response 1: JT Charger and Gary Heston ] The window channels are at both ends of the glass, one towards the front of the car, the other towards the rear of the car. With the window down, spray white lithium grease, a light penetrating oil or silicone spray, down inside the rubber seals, then make the window go up & down several times.

[Response 2: H H Hansen] With the window at its lowest point, push the up button and watch the window to see if it tips when it first starts up. If it is you have a loose fastener on the window regulator. I have had this on two different volvos. The plastic water shield to is stuck on with a tack strip: just start at a corner and peel up slowly. Then check for any loose bolts or nuts.

[Response 3: Steve Ringlee] Remove the door panel, peel off part of the water shield and lube the window channel and mechanism with spray white lithium grease or Superlube. Replace the water shield, which as noted is glued on with tacky adhesive at the edges.

Window Won't Close [Inquiry:] The driver's side window just started not closing flush, causing wind noise. If I open and close it several times it will finally close tight and in alignment and I will not hear or feel the wind. The motor seems to work great and there is no catching, just the window seems to be mis-aligned a little. What caused this and how can I fix it. The noise comes in right at the upper corner above my ear.

[Response: Rob Bareiss] Your forward window track has worn to the point that it's not guiding the window straight anymore. You can try putting the window down, taking apart the door, and bending the metal track a bit backwards. It's welded into the door. The other course of attack would be to replace the felt/rubber window guide, which is probably all worn right at the top front inside the door, just below the mirror. Also involves opening up the door panel. There is a little bit of adjustment in the regulators, but not much, and in my experience not enough to always fix this problem. It's almost like the door's too long for the glass.

[Response: Tom Irwin] I've found that the Volvo White Teflon Brake lube is DANDY inside the window track.

[John Sargent] Take the door panel off. The three 10mm head nuts which hold the electric window regulator may be loose, or will need to be loosened and the fit of the regulator adjusted. The holes in the door are larger than the studs, and allow adjustment

[Steve Irwin] After removing the regulator, I found the center 'pivot' of the "X" to be badly worn. I ended up brazing a 'fender washer' into the support, reaming the hole to fit the old bushing, and reassembling the whole works- this was not an easy fix, and I wouldn't do it again, but it's working great now. I suggest watching that center piviot with a light & mirror while you rock the assembly in the tracks. If you see any slop there, start looking for a servicable replacement.

[NA Abdullah] Try removing the door panel and cleaning the regulator, which can become gummed up and will stop the motor.

Window Motor Won't Stop at the Top. [Inquiry] My power window drivers side does not stop at the top anymore. It tries to drive the last 1/4 inch and bends the big geared arm and makes a hell of a "scrunk" noise. I removed door panel and tightened all nuts. I lubricated all moving parts. No change: it is like the stop switch needs adjusting. I could not figure out how the motor knows to stop turning. If this continues it will destroy the gears.

[Response: Rob Bareiss] 740 driver's window regulators all have troubles like this. Nothing stops the motor. It just runs into the top stop, and tightens up against the window seal, or if it's bent the arm fouls the motor mounting plate in the regulator. Every one in the junkyards is gone, because they go bad so often. The replacement regulator is better, but doesn't look anything like the original: it's mostly plastic. There are some adjustments possible by sliding the motor and regulator around in the mounting holes in the doors. You should be able to get it to at least seal up fairly well, but sometimes you can't adjust them enough to avoid a gap. Save your $$ for a replacement regulator.

[Response: Tim] More than likely you need a new regulator. The gear is worn on the last gear tooth and it is causing the regulator to make a nasty racket & wear out further gears (ie causes a popping sound) - The motor won't stop properly. [Darius] Try to buy an integral motor-regulator unit, which is easier to remove. When changing the regulator, there is no need, btw, to remove the window glass; just use duct tape or something to hold it up when the regulator is removed.

Motor Won't Stop at the Bottom. [Inquiry] The drivers window motor will not turn off when the window is all the way open. The motor cuts out and then back on. [Response: Dick Riess] The stop on the mechanism is most likely broken. What worked for me was to glue a strip of half-inch plastic into the bottom of the door so that the window would bump on it. This takes the place of the metal stop and has worked for at least 4 years. You do need to take off the inner door panel to do this.

Power Window Noise or Movement While Operating. [Inquiry] Front power window when going up or down seems to be catching and binding..there is a rubbing type sound..what is the fix for this? [Response: Tom Irwin] Your blue plastic guide blocks in the lateral channel are either very dried out or are broken. Possible the rear channel guide has come loose too. Both are very common failures. Remove the door panel. Once inside, look at the bottom metal piece that the glass settles into. At about mid-position, the two blue plastic guide blocks are clearly visible. They push on over pins and are held with spring clips. Yours may be in pieces already. ANY Volvo dealer will know what "Windows Blocks" are, $10 bux says they have a bucket of them behind the counter. Lube the tracks while you are at it: I've found that the Volvo White Teflon Brake lube is DANDY inside the window track. [Tip: Bill Garland] Just fixed a clunking sound that my 740 driver's side window mechanism made when I closed the window. It occurs just as the window is finishing being closd. I removed the door panel as per the brickboard faq (thanks!) and saw that one of the plastic sliders (shaped like a tuning fork) was broken. Fixed that and greased everything up but the clunk remained. After much pondering I noticed that under the metal clip on one of the sliders that I could see easily was a red plastic washer (p/n 1334889-1) between the clip and the slider. The slider / clip that I had replaced had no washer. It must have disintegrated. So I added a metal washer and Voila! Clunk gone!

Glass Moves Sidewise in Operation[Symptom:]The electric window on the drivers side of my 1990 740 wagon shifts left and right a bit, and when you roll the window up, sometimes it does not fully seat on the back side, and I get a lot of wind noise. To fix it, I roll it down, and roll it back up while pushing the glass towards the back of the car. [Diagnosis:] I think the problem is the plastic roller in a plastic rail (the one which is more or less under the door lock knob).

Diagnosis. [Tip] Before removing the motor you may want to test the leads with a 12 volt source to see if the window moves up or down. If it doesn't then you'll need a new motor and possibly a new switch also. Does the window move with either the front master switch or just the rear or neither? If neither and the motor works with a new 12 volt source then the master switch or less likely the rear switch is at fault. In my case, the motor and the switch failed.

[Inquiry:] The plastic plate that the power window motor mounts to was broken in two places...Where can I get a new plastic plate and how much will it be? Also what is the trick to getting it off of the regulator?

[Response 1: Bob Haire] You're referring to a large heavy (not heavy duty enough) plastic plate that is the main part of the regulator in some 700s. Everything bolts to this thing. Strangely, on later cars some of these are metal and some are plastic as evidenced by the ones I took off an 87 740. Failure of this assembly is a common problem (due in part to bolts working loose) and Volvo switched to a metal assembly due to the premature decrepitude of the plastic ones.

[Response: Sven/Darius] To get the whole thing out, first take the door trim off. Then raise the window to full upright position and secure it there. Unclip the three clips that hold the regulator scissor arms in place. Pop the two bottom regulator retainers out of the plastic sliders that are mounted in the bottom of the window metal strip. You'll break the top lip of the retainer but it will be ok. Unbolt the three or four bolts holding the motor/regulator in place. If you have rivets, drill them out with a 5/32 inch drill bit. With a little cursing and wrestling, the whole thing comes out through the big lower opening. Remove the old motor, bolt it onto the new regulator, reinstall. All should be well without having to remove the window. If you have to remove the window,it is held on to the scissor-like appendage by two clips, facing the outside of the car. Angle it slightly to remove.

Window Tinting. I had two cars tinted; my current had tinting from PO when I bought it. If you go for it, do it top-of-the-line, or not at all. None of these jobs have bubbled (all professional), but the one in my 245 is much cheaper material than what I would have spec'ed: it's somewhat dark, and it scratches really easily. Higher-quality films have a higher ratio of visible/UV light transmission: that is, they reject more of the frequencies that heat your car and wreck its insides, while letting you see better. On two cars, I've had titanium film used. It gives the highest UV/vis filtration ratio, looks grey, and is available in three darknesses. Even Sue's car, which has the middle darkness, does not strike the viewer as obviously tinted. When her A/C works, (she has a white 244), the car, even in Florida, can be used as a meat locker. My tan 245, after sitting outside, on a hot, humid day, the A/C can barely keep up. But wagon/paint color make a difference. Also, a good, strong film is a safety feature. I have been emailed that even Volvo's side/rear windows are not laminated, as is required of windscreens here in the US, and of all windows in more advanced countries. A good film will stop bits of glass from flying about.

[Inquiry] How do I remove old window tint film? [Response: Yvan] Grocery-store ammonia is the solvent for tint removal (but use it outside, preferably on a windy day; very bad fumes). Usually tint will come off in big sheets once you get started. Just take your time. For tint installed below the window rubber trim, remove to within one inch above the rubber line then peel the remaining bit from the window using a razor blade and a syringe filled with ammonia that is deposited in the crack. The ammonia will loosen the film (about 15-20 minutes) and you should be able to peel it up from below the rubber. The remaining adhesive comes off easily with ammonia-based window cleaner and a razor blade. [Tip] See http://www.tintcenter.com/articles/bt_removal.html

Replacing Window Glass in Track. [Inquiry] How do I put the front drivers window glass back in track. The window has somehow came out of its door hinge side track. Took off panel, but have no ideas on how to get it back in.

[Response: Bob] Release the two clips that mount the window to the track, and pull the regulator mountings out of the mounting at the base of the window. Now, tilt the rear edge of the glass upward and front downward till it clears the tracks, re-insert the glass in the track while tilting glass back to horizantal. Once everything is back in place and clips reinstalled, roll the wi

[Tip from Tom F] To fix a loose side window, I had removed the window and the window lift, reinstalled the window into the lift with a little 3M gasket cement, and attempted to put the lift back into the plastic guides. Impossible! It looked different from the Haynes photos. There was nothing to remove or drill out to allow the necessary maneuvering. I removed the window and was able to remove the lift from the window, luckily, because the glue didn't fully cure. First, make sure you mark the location of the lift on the window before you clean all the grime off. Then, the easiest way to reinstall the window is by putting the window into the lift, with the lift installed on the plastic guides. It was a little awkward but I was able to fully seat the window into the lift.

Replacement Windshield. [Notes from Bernard Paulson:] It happened to me a few days ago. Saw that iron rod flying through the air, lifted by the rear tire of the car in front of me, right toward my head. It hit the hood and then went right into and half-way through my windshield. Even the glass shops believed that someone has shot at me. After all, this is L.A. Didn't bother to check with Volvo. Used my brains and connections instead in my attempt to find the most reasonable QUALITY windshield. Interestingly, I found out that the windshields for 88 and up 765s are of a different size than the "regular" 700 windshields (no kidding).

Finally found what I was looking for. A brand new, safety windshield, tinted, with shade, and European E11 seal etched it, certifying it as one that meets toughest European standards (yes, the DO check stuff like that). The parts number is FW575. I paid $145.00 installed plus $8.25 tax, and having paid a total of $153.25, I once again cannot confirm that it is expensive to keep a "Luxury Volvo" on the road.

Removing the Old Windshield. [Tips (edited) from Zee on replacing windshield glass in 240 series cars; 740 are similar. Note the cautions] As for "special tools" to remove the old glass, I use a length of thin piano wire. You can also use an A or D brass guitar string. Simply remove the chrome trim & rubber gasket combination. The glass "floats" on the buytl-rubber sealant. Slice through the plastic clips along the edge of the window. (Some clips you can pry out using a small screwdriver. Most you can't. Just don't twist the tool, or you'll crack or chip the glass) Insert a strong wire or thin screw driver at the top and bottom of the window, near the centerline. Poke through the sealant, making a pathway for inserting the piano wire. Pass the piano wire in, then across the inside of the glass, then out the opposite hole. Now you have the wire inside the glass, through the sealant, with two ends sticking out, top and bottom, center.

Use vise grips and gloved hands on each of the wire ends or attach the wire ends to pieces of wood. Pull the wire toward you -- from the center of the glass toward the side -- while working the wire back and forth, like you're doing an upper body workout on a ski machine. Repeat on the other half. Go completely around and then some, as it may try to re-stick itself. Pay close attention to what the string is doing inside the car: it can cut into the dash pad or other trim if you are not careful. This method is cheap, reliable and effectively separates the glass from the sticky sealant.

Now, to take out the window, push evenly with gloved hands from inside the car. Begin near the top of the window, and it will naturally stand up for you. When the glass is loose, gently pull it away from the opening. Don't force it or it will crack. There will be places where it is still partially stuck, cut them free with a putty knife or the guitar string. Have an assistant waiting to hold it steady until you come out to help lift it clear of the vehicle, or tilt it forward onto an old blanket laid upon the hood. Any sticky goo on the body work can be removed with carburetor cleaner or acetone.

Preparing the Surface. I removed the thin plastic interior trim piece at the top of the window opening. This piece covers the front of the headliner. It is help in place with 5-6 spring slips which are facing forward. You will get the headliner soiled from your sealant removal, so mask it off. In fact, to avoid getting the sealant goo and particles from falling into the car, I found it useful to mask off the entire window opening from inside using newsprint or craft paper taped to the interior.

I have read where others used acetone to remove old butyl rubber sealant. I found with "pinching" off as much as I could using paper towels, followed with gently "smooshing" using a putty knife, I was able to rub off the rest with a rag or paper towel, and paint thinner. You will not be able to do this if the sealant is urethane, so trim away the old urethane to leave a 1- to 2-mm-thickness on the surface. Do this using a flat razor blade, which will give you a smooth cut and no loose material. You want to provide a fresh, clean surface of urethane on a rust-free substrate for the new urethane to bond to. Remove any rust using a wire brush and a rust-removing primer such as POR-15 Metal Ready. Don't use any Bondo filler on the pinchweld area because it is structurally weaker. Let the urethane sealant fill any gaps. Prime any remaining metal in the 3/4-inch area where the urethane bead is to be located at the edge of the pinchweld with self-etching or epoxy primer; let it dry, then cover it with masking tape. Then coat any rust beyond this using a rust stopping paint, like POR-15 and the correct topcoat. After refinishing, remove the tape to expose the primed-only area where the urethane will go. Prepare this area with a pinchweld primer that's compatible with the urethane windshield adhesive to be used. Use the black pinchweld primer that glass specialists use to enable the new urethane to stick. Don't apply the pinchweld primers until just prior to the glass installation.Apply the primer using a wool or foam applicator. Apply the pinchweld primer only to surfaces where the original trimmed-down urethane bead isn't present. Do not apply it over the top of any existing urethane.

The primer must be fully dry so all solvents are out of it. You don't apply POR-15 or topcoats here because solvents can continue coming out of them for 60 to 90 days, and you'll likely install the glass sooner than that. Another reason is the urethane topcoats are designed to resist chemicals from biting into them, and they may not get proper adhesion.

Installing the New Windshield. Glass shope nowadays use urethane glue to fasten the new window, not least because it adds structural rigidity to the windshield assembly. It comes in tubes, like caulk, and costs about $12 per tube. Buy two tubes. The pinchweld area on the 240 series is nearly 3/4" wide all around the window opening. It's also about 1/2" deep along the outer radius.

One suggestion I received privately from a glass shop pro who saw my installation question here on the RWD forum (check the archives, too!), was that you would be better off to install the clips and install the chrome trim to the glass and install everything as a unit. He said to dry-fit the assembly first, marking the outline of the trim onto the body to aid in centering things for real. It will take a couple of shims along the bottom during the dry-fit. You can use masking tape around the chrome trim such that by carefully slicing it along the outer edge, the excess will remain on the body of the car, giving a perfect outline for centering the assembly. Another idea someone had was to get a couple of those rubber suction cups and an assistant to help position the glass. Evidently you only get one chance to do it right.

The only question I still have is exactly where in the width of the pinchweld do I lay the sealant (either kind) so that it keeps water out of there. On one hand, it seems good to place it along the inside radius of the weld to assure no water penetration behind the glass to the interior. This looks like it would leave a considerable gap between this caulk and the outer radius. (I don't know how much the window flattens out the sealant when it is pressed onto it.) On the other hand, it also seems good to place it along the outer radius, where the weld curves up 90 degrees to meet the body surface. (Looking at this, you'll see what I mean). This troubles me because I am less confident the sealant will adequately fill toward the inside and seal the glass against water penetration. It was not much help to look at the old window for help. Someone had put two more sealants around the edge, while leaving the original Buytl-rubber in place. Before I actually do mine, I plan on stopping off at my local glass shop and asking some questions.

Windshield Leaks: Installation Safety Tip. [Tip from http://www.SouthwestAuto.com] If you have replaced your windshield and have noticed water or air (wind noise) leaks, a serious safety deficiency may exist on your Volvo. In the past some windshield installers have incorrectly used aftermarket butyl tape to reseal or install replacement windshields. This material can fail leaving the windshield no longer securely bonded to the body of the car. In an accident or even an emergency stop any contact with the windshield can cause it to separate from the body of your Volvo. Newer technology urethanes correctly installed using primer on both the glass and body flange, produce a bond as good or better than the original factory installation.

Rubber Edge. [Inquiry] The rubber on my front windshield came loose at least part of it and I pulled on it and then the trim came loose....so I took it all off. My question is can I just replace the rubber trim that was hard and most of it was broken anyway or do I have to replace the metal pieces. I will probably take it to a glass shop to have it done if it is too difficult. [Response: Bob] The metal trim and rubber strip are sold as an assembly and are not available separately.[Response: Rob Bareiss] I would get the windshield replaced with the later style. You won't have to deal with the half-chrome/half-rubber trim stuff anymore. The newer windshields ($10-20 more?) for a 91/92 740 or the 940 should have the black trim glued permanently to the edge of the glass. Should eliminate the troublesome clips and trim pieces. My 88 has maybe 1/2 of the rubber left... I figure it's doing ok for its age. It's due for a windshield this year, I can't stand looking through it any more when the sun is low in the sky. If you need anything for the installation, the windshield shop should be able to tell you, and you can get it either from the dealer (they still sell everything for these cars) or the glass shop if they have it available. Visit the glass installers to see what they recommend, I'm sure they've dealt with every imaginable situation before.

Replacing Trim. [Jay Simkin] You definitely do not have to remove the windshield in order to remove the metal/rubber trim strips. Removing the trim takes "fingertip sensitivity": there is little maneuvering room, and if force is applied, the mounting clips will be broken and the trim strips bent. These trim strips are not cheap. In short, it takes finesse - not brute force - to do this. In terms of tools, you will need a metal putty knife, with the edges "blunted" [Brian Oliver] It's just an exercise in patience. Be very careful when using any metal tool that you don't lever against the windshield itself and crack it. The trim itself is expensive, so try a scrapyard. The rubber-coated steel trim on our 94 940 rusted out very early. I found a 740 Turbo in a scrapyard with the dark grey version of the older s

Attachment Clips. You can get new push-pin style clips at the dealership for so little cost that you don't need to worry about damaging them. I recommend replacing the attachment clips. They usually break when trying to install new trim. The clips and trim on the sides and top of the glass are relatively easy to replace. The clips on the bottom are a bit tricky and if not extremely careful, you can crack the glass. [Erik] To remove these trim strips, lift an end and gently pull or slide it to one side keeping it level to the floor. For side pieces slide them down the windshield towards the ground. Do this outside or in a spacious area so you don't bend the moulding in case you have too little room: it bends very easily. You're bound to break some of the small attachment plastic clips since they get brittle as your car ages.

Vibration Outside the Car: Trim Strip. [Inquiry] I have a 1990 740Gl standard transmission, 174,000kms. Perfect car, EXCEPT for the high speed rattling noise that seems to come from the area around the dash, but outside. It sounds like a new year's eve noisemaker, except the sound is metallic. It occurs only at speeds above 60kms. per hour, and is intermittent- could happen several days in a row, then not for weeks/ It could last a few seconds, or an entire highway trip. Sound can be almost imperceptable, or quite deafening.

[Response: Dave Stevens] This is a known problem area for circa-1990 740's addressed in a Volvo TSB. The "official" explanation is that misaligned plastic clips holding the window trim allow the trim to get caught by the wind and vibrate at high speed. You can isolate which piece of trim is the culprit by temporarily covering with a strip of tape to see if the vibration goes away. The passenger side trim seems to be a common area. The "offical" solution is to rotate the rectangular plastic clips a little with a trim tool to improve tension. It might also be a good idea to shoot a little RTV under the clips to hold them in position in case any of the clips have broken fingers.

Replacing Fixed Rear Door Glass. [Tips from Jay Simkin] To replace the small triangular piece of fixed glass in the rear doors, follow these instructions:

Remove the door panel. Put a strip of masking tape along the door and up to the moldings to avoid scratching the paint as you gently pry the trim up. Remove the outside door trim (bottom first then sides then top) with a putty knife bent about 45 degrees a half inch from the edge. Go slowly as it is held by pressure and road grime only. Bending it will annoy you when you try and reinstall it. Unclip the holders of the window to the lift mechinism. Remove the rubber molding that surrounds the rollup window. Remove the rollup window. There is a metal pillar between the fixed and movable windows held by a rivet holding it to the top of the area that the top of the window seats in to when its rolled up. Grind it off with a Dremel tool and with a small punch drive the rivet up into the top of the door. There are one or two bolts or nuts in the door that hold the bottom of the metal pillar. The vertical pillar should now be able to move towards the front of the car releasing the front edge of a big rubber molding that surrounds the fixed window. Gently pull the pillar out. It requires a bit of turning and goofing around but it does come out without bending. Put the molding around the replacement glass and insert it into the area towards the front of the moveable window area. It will just fit as the front area is a tiny bit taller than the back. Go to the hardware store and buy some silicone grease. Otherwise you will spend much time trying to slide the window and molding towards the rear of the car. Unlike regular grease it won't degrade the rubber. Use little and try not to get it anywhere else as it doesn't clean up well. Now just slide it back to its old home. Put it back together. Replace the rivet in the vertical piller once you are sure everything fits nicely. When reassembling the outside trim the top goes first then the sides then the bottom.

Replacing Glass Molding Trim Strips. [Editor] The bright or painted trim strips with rubber seals, located at the bottom of door and body windows, are held on with several molding clips. If the rubber is coming loose, use some adhesive to re-secure it: you do not need to remove the trim strip to do this. Cyanoacrylate superglue works fine. To remove the trim strips, first cut any adhesive at the front of the strip securing it to the body. Then gently pull back the rubber and use a flashlight to locate the clips. Use a putty knife to press down on the clip enough to be able to pull the trim strip away from the body, clip by clip as you move toward the rear. You may need to have a helper lever the strip away from the body, being careful to place a thin strip of wood on the glass to avoid damage. If the rubber is shot, you will need a new molding piece from the dealer: they do not sell the rubber alone.

Water leaks can occur from several sources. Loose water shields, clogged cowl drains, and a plugged evaporator drain are covered in the Heating and Air Conditioning section.

Front Footwell Vent Covers. I assumed the 740 had a windshield gasket leaking problem and I had the windshield reset. That did not stop the water leak and wet carpet in the 740. It turns out that it is leaking, as others have reported, from the unused left air intake behind the panel at the driver's foot. This vent panel, a small plastic panel which has an air grille on it, covers a space between the inner and outer fenders. The water directed down from the cowl into this space is supposed to drain through the rocker panel but the rubber gasket on the plug could let it into the footwell. To discover it I ran a great volume of water through the air intake beneath the windshield and sure enough, after 10 minutes a small, but steady trickle of water was coming in. Unfortunately this has rusted the floor through to the outside. WARNING, if you have wet carpets, get it fixed, the floors will rust through in a very short period of time.

[Another Inquiry:] The problem is water leaking into the interior in the front footwell areas. The problem only occurred when the car was parked facing uphill. It turned out that runoff from the cowl compartment was directed into the car by a plastic tab on the plastic plates used to close off the footwell airvent openings.(Certain models like European 740's without A/C have fresh air vents in the sides of the front footwells.) After removing the plastic tab in the blanking off plates, the water leak stopped.

[Response:] [Gary] Remove right and left front outer kick panels. Remove plastic plug and remove any of the rotten adhesive backed foam seal. Apply silicone sealant to opening and back side of plug. Put plug back in and make sure plug is totally sealed. Then on drivers side pull back rug facing firewall and look up toward windscreen, find the rubber grommet that is supposed to seal water from coming in from just below brake booster area; seal the passenger compartment and engine side of this to stop water from entering and wetting the floor. Disconnect the battery negative terminal. Remove the passenger side kick panel and ECU computer, then the computer cradle. Pull out the plastic body plug and silicone this up like the drivers side.

[Another tip] Replace the plug cap for the fresh air intake with p/n 6848804; it comes with a new seal. It is a common problem. Break the old one out and pop the new one in. It should click in.

[Tip] If you have a tough time removing this plastic cover or fear breaking it, then don't remove it. It will break. Gently pull it away from the body and clean around it. Then hold it away from the body and fill the gap with silicone sealer. I used 35 year silicone window caulking. Let the plug go back in place, then remove the excess with your finger and make sure the silicone has sealed all way around.

Door Wiring Harness Covers. The wiring harness going from the body to the doors (electric windows, speakers etc.) has rubber protective sleeve. This had split open and since the entry point into the car is several inches lower than that of the door, and once it enters the car it no longer has the this cover, the split acted like an open funnel, and guiding water in. Open your doors and check the cover. Duct tape worked like a charm.

Firewall Grommet Failures. [Darius] Had a significant water leak on the driver's side, floor was all wet. Turns out the water was coming through the hole in the firewall where the hood latch cable goes through. The little black rubber sleeve had slipped out and there was an open hole there. The sleeve was in perfect shape so I coaxed it back in and now my problem is solved.

Other Leak Areas. Door Wiring Boots: Turns out the culprit was a split boot enclosing the power window, door lock, and speaker wiring. The split allowed water to enter the boot (a surprising amount at that) and was funneled into the car interior. Cowl Air Intake Seal: [Dick Riess] The sealing under the cowl air intake does deteriorate and I have seen leaks there. You need to take off the cowl vent to inspect. Clean and reseal. Rear Quarter Panel Weld Seams at Trunk Opening: [George Strauser] Water was leaking into my trunk at the body seams near the trunk seal where the rear quarter panels are attached to the body via spotwelds. There are seams just below the back window and further down toward the rear of the car. At the factory, these seams are sealed with a mastic compound that eventually dries out and cracks. Water gets in through the cracks, drips into the trunk and settles in the wells on the left and right sides of the trunk. I swabbed a bunch of touch up paint in the cracked areas until they were smooth again. Silicone would also work.

Windshield Seal Leaks. You may find a problem in the seal around the windshield that's causing a leak. I'll bet if you pull the trim up, you'll find rust. Ever replace the windshield? [Tip] See Popular Mechanics for information about locating air and water leaks.

Attach cloth tape to panel seams, molding seams, glass seams, body seams and any other protrusion seam that might create wind noise in the area of concern (see illustration). Road test the vehicle and note any changes in wind noise.
Remove the strips of tape one at a time. Road test the vehicle after removal of each strip, and again note wind noise.
When wind noise reappears, replace the last piece of tape that was removed. Remove a different piece of tape. Road test the vehicle again. Keep removing tape strips and road testing until the source area has been isolated.
Once the problem area has been identified, cut the strip of tape into several pieces and place them back over the area. Remove sections of the strip one at a time, road test and note wind noise. Keep removing tape pieces and road testing until source area has been narrowed down further.
When the exact source of the wind noise has been isolated, repair as necessary using butyl tape, body sealer or additional weather-stripping.

Rear Window Defrost Wire Repair.[How it works: Jim Holst] Each copper line across the grid is a path for electrical current to flow from one side of the window to the other. As the current flows through the copper line, it generates some heat which drives off the frost or fog. If a copper line is even scratched, the path for the current is broken. No current, no heat on that section. The unbroken sections can still work. Each line is fed current from the vertical strip on one side and grounded on the other.

[Inquiry:] An appropriate question for winter, and old stuff. I've got only two of the defroster wires working in the rear glass of my Volvo. What should I do to get the others back "online"? I appreciate your advice. [Response: Ceferino Lamb] I just fixed mine. Volvo sells an inexpensive kit to fix it (also available from most auto parts places; one is marketed under the Loctite name), but the instructions are incomplete. It's just a little bottle of metalized paint and a brush. Here's what you need:
. that kit
. a DMM (digital multi-meter)
. electrical tape
. razor blade
Look over the wires very closely, with enough light outside to reveal any defects. You're looking for breaks in the wires. If you seen any, fix them with a few coats of the metalized paint. typically, the breaks are often caused by corrosion near the sides, where we don't clean the glass as often. Use the electrical tape to mask off the glass on either side of the wire where you apply the metalized paint.
If you fix all the defects you can see, and that still leaves wires that don't work, break out the DMM and test the resistance in those individual wires. You're looking for areas in the bad wires that are "open" but the fault is not visible. [Response 2: Ross Gunn] Turn on the rear window heater, and with one voltmeter test lead on the heavy strip of conductor at one side of the glass, touch the other lead to the trace that you think has is a break. The voltage will either read 0 or 12V. Move the lead along the trace (towards the other lead if 12V, away from it if 0V) . When the voltage flops over to the opposite reading, you have found the break.

[Rear Defroster Grid Repair Tips from Charles Cramer] I just repaired my rear window defroster on my '87 245 about 2 months ago ( I've actually done this on about 4 cars). The job was relatively easy and the repair is working just fine. Here are a few suggestions/comments:

[Tip from James Stoney] I found an item that may be of help in repairing rear window defogger on glass wiring...The CircuitWriter a 7ml pen type unit that allows you to draw the line back in to being....part # S-CCW100P cost is $10.95 from Antique Electronic Supply http://www.tubesandmore.com Also may be available at local electronic supply houses.

Rear Window Defroster Failed. [Inquiry:] Last year my rear defroster worked. This year it doesn't. Switch light comes on and fuse appears good. With radio on AM, turning the switch on causes static. Is there away of checking the heat strips on the window?

[Response:] The static on AM is a good clue -- it says you have arcing somewhere. There's a relay that includes a timing function. Find the relay, pop the plastic cover and resolder the connections. Also check the contacts of the relay itself -- they may be burned. If it is the relay, at worst you'll have to buy a replacement. The resistive strips are all but bulletproof. Check the resistance at the window connections; it should be less than one ohm but not zero and not 10 ohms. Runs on about 10 amps (12/X=10, X<1ohm). Sounds like you may also have a broken connection somewhere. Check for voltage at one side of the window connections and a ground at the other; the voltage drop across the strip when it's switched on should be 12 volts. Fix appropriately [see above].

Mirror Motor. [Inquiry] My driver's side rear view mirror does not move when the motor is activated. If you push the buttons, you can hear the motor go, but the mirror only moves back and forth when you push it with your finger. It doesn't stay in place either. [Editor] The electric motor moves the mirror through two small rack gears controlling the X-Y axes of motion. The mirror glass has probably come unfixed from the motor because one or both of the little rack gears have broken. Given the cost of a motor from the dealer, look for a used mirror assembly and install the whole thing instead of replacing just the motor.

Replacement Mirror Glass. [Inquiry:] I stopped in a self serve wash today and broke my mirror glass. [Response: Rob Bareiss] Most windshield shops should be able to replace this glass for you, for 1/2 to 2/3 of the price of the dealer. Of course, if the car's got mirror defrosters, you might be stuck with OEM Volvo. Typically you'll wait 1 day for them to order the glass. Or try an online parts retailer.

Split-View Mirror. [Inquiry]Does the split-view (1/3rd wide angle, 2/3rd flat glass) driver's mirror exists for the 940's? [Response ] I just bought one from VLVworld.com. It was the drivers side mirror with the heater element. It is not listed as such on their site, and I was somewhat surprised (and pleased) when it came in, but that is what I received (1/3 wide, 2/3 flat). You may want to email/call them to clarify/confirm.

Mirror Glass and Housing Removal. [Inquiry:] How do I remove the mirror glass on my exterior mirrors?

Earlier Mirror Glass. [Response: Abe Crombie] The mirror comes off by using a vary narrow blade screwdriver and going up through the oblong hole on bottom of mirror and moving the retainer gear to the right. [Editor:] Reinstall by engaging the mounting lugs on the back of the mirror and moving the ring gear to the left.

Later Mirror Glass. [Editor:] Later Mirrors for 940/960/90: I followed instructions in the manual for the later version of the mirror glass without the little gear mechanism in the bottom slot: "pull straight out." After not very much pulling, the mounting gimbal to the mirror motor cracked apart, leaving me now with BOTH a broken mirror heater and a broken mirror motor unit ($$$).

SO: If you have a later 940/960 or 90, here's how to remove the glass correctly. Activate the motor so that one 940/960 Mirror Glass Locator Pins

corner of the mirror is way out. Using a flashlight, look inside at the mirror glass mount. You will see a little conical locator pin with two locking tabs on either side. Each corner of the mount has a similar arrangement. Unlock the two tabs with a narrow screwdriver and pull that corner of the mirror just far enough to keep the tabs slightly disengaged. Move the mirror to the next corner and do the same thing, keeping the tabs just barely disengaged. Do all four corners (which can take patience and dexterity) and gently remove the mirror, removing the heater connectors after you can pull it far enough away. This procedure keeps the fragile circular positioning ring, tied to the motors, intact. To re-install, just re-connect the electricals, line up the locator pins and push the glass back in place until all the tabs lock. A little dab of grease on each tab will help.

Mirror Housing Removal. [Inquiry] The paint on my side view mirrors is starting to chip away so I'm going to paint them the same color as the car I just need to figure out how to take them off first. [Response: Dick] Take door panel off (door panel does not need to be removed if mirror is manual adjust.) Remove triangular portion covering mirror mount if electric and if manual, remove it including flex handle. Unplug cable from mirror if electric. Unscrew 3 8mm (I think) bolts holding mirror. Mirror should be in your hands now.

Heated Mirrors. [Editor:] Testing Mirrors. To test the mirror electricals, activate the motor to expose the connectors on the inboard side of the back of the mirror. Use needle-nose pliers to slightly expose the metal connector on each. The blue one is powered when the rear defrost switch is activated: use a voltmeter to test at this point for 12volts and for no resistance on the ground tab (black wire lead.) If it is getting power and the ground is OK, then the glass heater is faulty or the connector is corroded; if not, then the relay or door wiring is bad. Resistance in the mirror itself (between terminals) is around 4 ohms. These mirror connectors easily corrode. It helps to remove them, deoxidize, and reinstall with silicone dielectric grease for protection.

Adding a Heated Mirror Kit. [John Sargent] All 700/900 cars except the 1984 760 have the wiring for heated mirrors.

All you need are the two heated mirror glasses and the switch. The switch for the heated mirrors has two symbols on it; one showing the rear window defroster and the other showing the mirror heater.

At one time, Volvo offered a kit. The heated mirrors are a direct replacement and the replacement switch replaces the existing rear defrost switch. [Editor:] All electric mirrors are heated and the electrical connectors are inside the door panels. It is reported that replacement mirrors from Volvo are all heated.