Driver's door fault

I have a 97 V70 AWD which has behaved well for the eight years and
70,000 miles I have owned it. Just recently, it has begun to develop
some odd faults. Tonight, for example, my wife arrived home and
announced that the driver's door "would not open". (It opened and closed
perfectly normally for me earlier today.)

On going to the car and pulling open the door, I found that it would
open, but only about twelve inches (30cm). At that point it was just as
though the door had reached its end-stop - pulling on it gently would
not persuade it to open any further. It closes and locks OK, but on
re-opening, it will again only open about twelve inches.

Any ideas on what the problem might be, and on how I get to cure it? I'm
too old to have to use the passenger door and climb over the armrest to
drive the thing from now on!

Other suggestions gratefully received!!

Bill

"Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> skrev i en meddelelse
news:GLb3l.27380$(E-Mail Removed)2...
> Any ideas on what the problem might be, and on how I get to cure it?
> I'm too old to have to use the passenger door and climb over the
> armrest to drive the thing from now on!
>
> Other suggestions gratefully received!!
>

I'd check the door stopper, I had a similar problem with my '98 V70,
only I couldn't close the door, it was raining heavily and the car
couldn't fit thru the garagedoor with the door halfway open - guess if I
was soaked before I dismounted the bad doorstop.
--
Brian Sørup
Volvo V70 2,5T Aut.

Hi Bill,

I too have a '97 850 AWD with a door that "wouldn't open", but mine wouldn't
open at all. I discovered that it was locked, but I hadn't locked it.
Gremlins?? Since you've had your car for eight years I'm sure you've run
into this problem by now, and solved it............. I'd had the car only a
few weeks at that time; still only one year now.

Again at a gas station I unlocked all the doors, checked around under the
hood, went to fill up and found the fuel filler door locked! and all the
other doors. Fortunately I had the keys in my pocket. Of course, as you
will know, this is another of Volvo's "Drive Safe" tricks. If you park the
car unlocked and walk away, not to worry, the Volvo will take care of
itself........ by locking the doors...... Yes, I know you can "fool" this
little scheme, but I still make a point of pocketing the keys when I switch
off. BTW, my car has no remote.

Re the door stop, I had trouble with that too. It broke. The moral is keep
it well lubed.

Andy I. ('58 445 wagon; '65 122S wagon; '67 121 2-dr. (Import); '74 145
wagon; '74 142; '86 245 wagon; '93 245 wagon "Classic"edition; '97 850 AWD)




"Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:GLb3l.27380$(E-Mail Removed)2...
:I have a 97 V70 AWD which has behaved well for the eight years and
: 70,000 miles I have owned it. Just recently, it has begun to develop
: some odd faults. Tonight, for example, my wife arrived home and
: announced that the driver's door "would not open". (It opened and closed
: perfectly normally for me earlier today.)
:
: On going to the car and pulling open the door, I found that it would
: open, but only about twelve inches (30cm). At that point it was just as
: though the door had reached its end-stop - pulling on it gently would
: not persuade it to open any further. It closes and locks OK, but on
: re-opening, it will again only open about twelve inches.
:
: Any ideas on what the problem might be, and on how I get to cure it? I'm
: too old to have to use the passenger door and climb over the armrest to
: drive the thing from now on!
:
: Other suggestions gratefully received!!
:
: Bill

Bill wrote:
> I have a 97 V70 AWD which has behaved well for the eight years and
> 70,000 miles I have owned it. Just recently, it has begun to develop
> some odd faults. (Snipped)
>
> Bill

OK, so after wrestling with the thing for an hour trying to get the door
open/door strap off, in the end I gave up and went to the local Volvo
garage.

They initially told me they might have to weld a plate inside the door,
if they found the old strap had distorted its mounting - likely cost
UKPounds 300 (Ouch!). In the end though, they charged me UKPounds 20 for
the part, and 55 for labour.

Still a lot just to be able to open and close a door, but much better
than 300!!

Many thanks to Brian and Andy for their suggestions.

Bill

"Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsgc4l.27677$(E-Mail Removed)2...
: Bill wrote:
: > I have a 97 V70 AWD which has behaved well for the eight years and
: > 70,000 miles I have owned it. Just recently, it has begun to develop
: > some odd faults. (Snipped)
: >
: > Bill
:
: OK, so after wrestling with the thing for an hour trying to get the door
: open/door strap off, in the end I gave up and went to the local Volvo
: garage.
:
: They initially told me they might have to weld a plate inside the door,
: if they found the old strap had distorted its mounting - likely cost
: UKPounds 300 (Ouch!). In the end though, they charged me UKPounds 20 for
: the part, and 55 for labour.
:
: Still a lot just to be able to open and close a door, but much better
: than 300!!
:
: Many thanks to Brian and Andy for their suggestions.
:
: Bill

Hi Bill,

Glad to hear that you have a functioning door again. The costs intrigue me.
When I had my door stop replaced by the Volvo dealership the part cost
$72.70 (£40.40)!! It must have had to be transported around Tierra del
Fuego to get here (B.C. Canada). On the other hand, labour was only $6.40
(£3.50). I guess you had to have extra work done.

Andy I.

Andy wrote:
> "Bill" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> newsgc4l.27677$(E-Mail Removed)2...
> : Bill wrote:
> : > I have a 97 V70 AWD which has behaved well for the eight years and
> : > 70,000 miles I have owned it. Just recently, it has begun to develop
> : > some odd faults. (Snipped)
> : >
> : > Bill
> :
> : OK, so after wrestling with the thing for an hour trying to get the door
> : open/door strap off, in the end I gave up and went to the local Volvo
> : garage.
> :
> : They initially told me they might have to weld a plate inside the door,
> : if they found the old strap had distorted its mounting - likely cost
> : UKPounds 300 (Ouch!). In the end though, they charged me UKPounds 20 for
> : the part, and 55 for labour.
> :
> : Still a lot just to be able to open and close a door, but much better
> : than 300!!
> :
> : Many thanks to Brian and Andy for their suggestions.
> :
> : Bill
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> Glad to hear that you have a functioning door again. The costs intrigue me.
> When I had my door stop replaced by the Volvo dealership the part cost
> $72.70 (£40.40)!! It must have had to be transported around Tierra del
> Fuego to get here (B.C. Canada). On the other hand, labour was only $6.40
> (£3.50). I guess you had to have extra work done.
>
> Andy I.
>
>
Over in the UK labor charges vary from about 32 GBP an hour at your
local jack of all makes garage to around 90 GBP an hour at the main
dealer. £3.50 sounds like you have a good local garage..

Steve h