Rear seat handle replacement, Torslanda 1992
 

The plastic handle for releasing the rear seat has broken, all that remains is a bit of plastic which seems unconnected to anything. Someone on Ebay was making them using 3D printing, I ordered one but it never arrived so now I'm trying to source one, but also any information on how to fix it.

Has anyone pictures or diagrams please? I don't really want this to be a garage job, I'd much rather have a go myself if it's not too complicated.

I did make one once, but a long time ago so can't recall the details.
But the essence is that inside the seat there are two cables which connect to the spring-loaded release clips. You have to contrive a device that will pull both cables at the same time.
My device was a bit like the release handle on a garage up-and-over door, consisting of a rotating shaft with two levers at the back - rotating the shaft pulled both cables at the same time from different directions.

Sorry, I can't remember any more. You need to peel the seat cover off to get inside the seat to see just how it works.

I believe the mechanism gets broken because people don't appreciate exactly what it is doing. When the seat sticks and is reluctant to pull forwards clear of the fastenings, people assume that you need to pull the lever harder to release it. But it doesn't work like that. Pulling the wires doesn't actually pull anything - it simply moves a pair of spring-loaded locking plates out of the way so that the seat is then free to move clear.

You need to put more effort into pulling the seat forwards once the clips have been released, rather than simply putting more force on the clips and breaking the fragile plastic handle.

I believe they’re still available directly from Volvo, so speak to your local dealer. If they’re not particularly helpful, the dealers in Swansea and Tottenham in North London know how to order classic parts and are happy to post parts out.

If you want to integrate a stronger latch, then a latch from an earlier car is all steel and much stronger. I put one into my seat back in about…. 2003 or so, as I had one to hand and was a bit annoyed with the later plastic one having broken again. It’s not a perfect fit as it’s a bit wider and not quite as tall, so I needed to widen the hole in the back of the seat and it doesn’t quite cover the hole in the seat back carpet, but it works well and the slight gap in the carpet doesn’t bother me.

Here’s a thread with someone else experiencing the same issue and frustration.

With the benefit of hindsight (and as Clifford says above) it may be that the mechanism needed lubrication… but it was some time ago now and I can’t quite remember.

Of course having typed all that out, I realise finding an earlier seat latch might be a challenge now given that they’re much more rare… So that’s probably not a viable option any more.

In terms of fitting it, it’s not particularly complicated- fiddly, but not complicated and you won’t need any special tools, just needle nose pliers. Release the sounding trim that just clips on, then undo two screws to release the mechanism from the seat back, then pull it forwards to see how the wires clips to the back of it. Release the clips that hold the wires on and you will be able to remove the old mechanism. Then assembly with the new latch is the reverse of disassembly as the Haynes manuals were fond of saying.

Cheers

I think you're right about lubricating the mechanism, not something that occurred to me, especially as I only rarely need to lower the seat. The main problem though seemed to be simple plastic fatigue, the handle had become very brittle and bits began to break off.

I've just found this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/294950152...sAAOSw7vhiGfQv I assume it's correct, a bit pricey but complete unit, the newly-made ones look to be just the plastic handle.

Yep, looks like the correct one. £28 isn’t that bad… at least they’re available!

Cheers

How does one access the inside to fit such a new catch handle?

I've ordered one so if I succeed in fitting it I'll let you know, though there are doubtless people here who have done it and can offer instructions. It's not something I want to involve the garage in, purely because of cost, so I shall do it if I can, I'm always prepared to rise to a challenge!

My recollection is that you have to remove the fabric cover, which I think peels back from the bottom after releasing clips or staples, and then the metal frame of the seat is revealed.
It wasn't in principle difficult - just a matter of probing around and working it out as you go along :)

Somewhere here there must be an expert who can remember what he did.

As I said above, it’s pretty simple and doesn’t require any special tools.

Pop the rectangular trim off the outside off the latch with a flat bladed screwdriver

Undo the two Philips headed screw you can now see

Pull the latch gently towards you out of the backseat- it’s still connected to the cables

Note how the cables go on and release the metal clips holding them with needle nose pliers

Remove the cables

Remove old latch completely.

Hold the new latch in about the right place,

Attach cables

Replace metal clips

Screw back into position

Replace surrounding trim.

Cup of tea.