Volvo design disasters

[difflock54]

Headlining failures. Sagging.
Not all the Volvo models are easy to recover and look professional. as are others. i.e. S40/V40 1998-2003
Why did they persist in using clearly inferior foam backing board which adhesive has no show of sticking onto long term when the foam turns to powder.
Many newish models of cars have headlinings direct fixed to longlife rigid yet flexible boards or integral that look just a good and much longer lasting than the glue fixed cloth option.

[hausmeister]

I agree, the interior on my s70 is falling apart: dashboard falling apart, tears in the seat, door panels un-glueing themselves... I'm still happy with the car, but this is not on par with the overall quality.

[Ben850]

I cannot really add to what has been put forward, only accentuate one word for most of the failures I have encountered.
Polymers. (Thank you for the future Mr. Robinson.)
Oh, and rubber/foam/adhesives.
Ok, plastic tubes, guides runners clasps covers, casings (wire and otherwise).

There is almost no degradation in any metal body, or chassis part on either my '93 Sedan or '96 Wagon.
The "Green" innovative plastics had not the same insight for longevity.

[jacobharding]

Has anyone come across a cup/can that actually fits in either of the cup rings? Soda cans drop right through and rest on the switches and most coffee cups drop in about an inch before getting snug so they remain terribly top heavy. The only thing I have found to fit nicely are the 14.9 Oz. cans of Guinness.

Oh, and the fuel pump is easy enough to get to. My only gripe there is you usually have to destroy the plastic ring in the process of removing it.

[jacobharding]

Who's idea was it to put just 1 intermittent speed for the wipers? A $30k+ automobile should not have just 3 lousy wiper speeds. That REALLY bugs me.

[precopster]

Who's idea was it to put just 1 intermittent speed for the wipers? A $30k+ automobile should not have just 3 lousy wiper speeds. That REALLY bugs me.

Quite right!! Have you seen the VW relay replacement that fixes this?

[850 LPT]

Who's idea was it to put just 1 intermittent speed for the wipers? A $30k+ automobile should not have just 3 lousy wiper speeds. That REALLY bugs me.

This is so true, I can't believe they never did anything to add more speed settings from the factory, very annoying.
Another annoying thing is that you have to push the switch up for intermittend, and down for regular wiper operation. I find myself constantly switching up and down when it doesn't rain that hard.
It makes so much more sense to have a switch setting down for intermittend, then further down for constant wiper speed. This is what other manufactuers do.

[shanegtr]

Who's idea was it to put just 1 intermittent speed for the wipers? A $30k+ automobile should not have just 3 lousy wiper speeds. That REALLY bugs me.

Well, they didnt change it for the S/V40 either Cripes even my 80 series landcruiser has around 5 different speeds for the intermittant wipers

[xHeart]

...
Another annoying thing is that you have to push the switch up for intermittend, and down for regular wiper operation. I find myself constantly switching up and down when it doesn't rain that hard.

Therapy for my fingers all spring, more arthritis pills coming. Lol.
It is pouring in this area.
Rain-X with new Volvo blades help windshield free of any... better visibility in pre-dawn drive.

[jacobharding]

I have seen other vehicles (GM for sure) that have the three wiper positions but then also have a separate variable switch to increase/decrease the the wiper speed when the stalk is in the intermittent position.