John Davies
May 22nd, 2003, 22:38
I have recently had correspondance with Volvo re. the short seatbelts fitted to 940s (this seems to be a problem with other models also) and also the lack of seat adjustment,
For any who are intersted it appears below, resorted into chronological order.
The car in question is a 1992 940 estate.
> Dear Sirs,
>
> We have purchased the above car for my wife, as a replacement for her
> elderly 240. I however find I cannot drive it safely and comfortably -
the
> seat doesn't go back far enough, and the seatbelt clip needs another 6" to
> meet the socket. (My wife is 5' 0" and yet still finds she needs the seat
> nearly 1/2 way back!)
>
> If I have to drive the car - without a seatbelt at present - the headrest
> (non ajustable) digs into the top of my shoulders, and my head is only 1 -
> 2" away from the roof (perhaps due to a sunroof being fitted).
>
> I therefore went to my Volvo agents and tried out several cars in the
> current range to see if this problem affected other models - only the s80
> seated me anything like comfortably, although the dealer did not have the
4 x 4 available which might just have been suitable.
>
> I am undoubtedly large - over 6 foot and 21 stone - but I have owned and
> driven many cars - Austin A55's, A60's, Volvo 144, 244, 245, 240's, ford
> fiestas,escorts etc. in perfect comfort and with a seat belt on, often with
> adjustment to spare on both seat and belt.
>
> My own Volvo 240 would permit me to grow another few inches, and the belt
> would probably still fit me comfortably if I put on a few more stone!!
>
> Seat belt additions are available to lengthen the standard belt from various
> manufacturers but all of these would require a length of belt to be bolted
> to the anchorage point and join to the existing belt with a nut and bolt.
> As the anchorage for the belt is on the seat, the resultant joint would sit
> on my right thigh - hardly a good idea in the event of an accident.
>
> It seems therefore that to drive this one particular car - or any modern
> Volvo car - I will have to get a medical exemption allowing me to not wear a
> seatbelt, be slightly cramped due to lack of seat adjustment and remove the
> headrest - this seems a strange thing to have to do with a car from such a
> safety conscious manufacturer. Nor am I alone - according to the Volvo
> Owners Club website there are others with the same problem.
>
> I am hoping there are modifications available from yourselves such as a
> longer belt and a modified headrest.
>
> Whether there are or not, please, please, please, would you design cars with
> just a few more inches of seat adjustment, adjustable headrests and with
> longer seat belts. It would make all the difference. Failing this, I and
> other larger drivers will have to look elsewhere - a tremendous shame for
> those of us who love Volvos.
>
> I look forward to your response.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Davies
>
-----
From: "Customer Relations, Volvo (.)" <custcare@volvocars.com>
To: John Davies
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 3:17 PM
Subject: 221466 Davies
> our ref 221466 Please Quote on all correspondence
>
> Thank you for your e-mail below (now above!) I am sorry that you find your car's seat
> belts too short for you and that the seat position which you prefer is not
> conducive to driver comfort, despite utilising the fully adjustable
backrest
> and seat cushion positions. There is no doubt that seating is a
determining
> factor for the comfort of the driver, largely because a good deal of
> information from the road goes via the seat to the spine and is
transmitted
> to the brain. It would be fair to state that the design of all car seats
> represent a compromise solution to afford comfort to people of varying
> heights, builds and preferences and I was concerned to hear that your own
> experience of Volvo seats has been so disappointing.
>
> The longest seat belts are already fitted to your car. Safety is a very
> important consideration at Volvo and we fit the optimum length of belt
> needed to prevent serious injury in the event of an accident. Under
impact,
> passengers will automatically be thrown forward and the belt will stretch
> slightly, we believe that the length of belt provided offers the greatest
> security to the occupant.
>
> As long as it has not been done already, it is possible to increase
rearward
> adjustment of the front seats by approximately 3cm (not a lot I grant you
> but perhaps better than nothing). For instructions on how to do this your
> dealer will need to refer to Service Information Bulletin Section 8, Group
> 85, No 936 dated August 1992.
>
> I have taken on board your comments about our current cars. You may be
> interested in some background with regard to the design of our seats and
> head restraints. For more than a decade, Volvo has been studying the
problem
> of whiplash injuries in collaboration with medical experts. These studies
> have formed the basis of the development of Volvo's car seats and head
> restraints. Volvo's principle of equipping its cars with high, fixed head
> restraints which are close to the head has received acclaim in a number of
> independent international studies as it is believed that they offer the
best
> protection from whiplash injuries on the market at present. An entirely
new
> seat concept has been developed within this project, appropriately named
> WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) and all current Volvo cars are fitted
> with these seats.
>
> In principle, this is briefly how the seat works. In a rear impact, the
> occupant of the seat is forced back against the backrest and head
restraint,
> at which point the WHIPS system is activated. The entire upper body and
head
> is cushioned in a balanced, gentle manner as the backrest and head
restraint
> move backwards in a parallel movement to reduce the force to which the
body
> is subjected. In this way the distance between the head and the head
> restraint is kept as short as possible, so minimising the risk of whiplash
> injury. When this initial process is complete, the backrest is tipped
> backwards/downwards while absorbing energy and counteracting recoil.
>
> I am sure that the designers in Sweden do look at differing personal
> statures when designing and testing our cars and that they will be working
> towards a car that suits all sizes perfectly. I do hope that you find
> suitable seat positions for both you and your wife and that the rearward
> adjustment offers a solution to the seatbelt situation.
>
> Veronica Knight
> Customer Relations Consultant
From: John Davies
Sent: 20 May 2003 21:15
To: Customer Relations, Volvo (.)
Subject: Re: 221466 Davies
Dear
Thanks for your response.
The seat has indeed been moved by the 3cm. However, the belt, and headrest,
remain a problem.
I take your point about shortening belt travel so as to minimise injury for
the average person, and the usefulness of fixed headrests but as far as I
can see if I have to remove a headrest and not wear a belt to drive a car
then that car is not as safe as it could be - at least for me.
Why not have adjustable headrests - and longer belts - available as an
option? Indeed, if all headrests had a second slot a few centimetres lower
then this could be adjusted by dealers upon purchase to suit a drivers'
size. This would cost virtually nothing in production costs and like the
seat runner modification you mention need not be publicised so that the
average motorist would still drive a Volvo with the headrest at the normal,
intended, position. This would ensure that your larger drivers are also
catered for, and could travel in safety.
I have owned Volvos for many years now but unless more is done to cater for
the larger driver at the design stage I may not be able to buy another
unless the diet works .....! A great shame. Meanwhile I will endeavour to
keep my trusty 240 going!
Thanks for responding nonetheless.
Regards,
John Davies
our ref 221466 Please Quote on all correspondence
Thank you for your e-mail. I will bring your comments to the attention of the design teams in Sweden. A programme of research and development ensures that our products constantly evolve to keep pace with our customers changing needs and demands. However, you will appreciate that whilst individual requirements are influential, they cannot be guaranteed to evoke a change in design strategy. I do hope however that you will be able to remain as a Volvo owner for many years to come - one way or another.
Veronica Knight
Customer Relations Consultant
For any who are intersted it appears below, resorted into chronological order.
The car in question is a 1992 940 estate.
> Dear Sirs,
>
> We have purchased the above car for my wife, as a replacement for her
> elderly 240. I however find I cannot drive it safely and comfortably -
the
> seat doesn't go back far enough, and the seatbelt clip needs another 6" to
> meet the socket. (My wife is 5' 0" and yet still finds she needs the seat
> nearly 1/2 way back!)
>
> If I have to drive the car - without a seatbelt at present - the headrest
> (non ajustable) digs into the top of my shoulders, and my head is only 1 -
> 2" away from the roof (perhaps due to a sunroof being fitted).
>
> I therefore went to my Volvo agents and tried out several cars in the
> current range to see if this problem affected other models - only the s80
> seated me anything like comfortably, although the dealer did not have the
4 x 4 available which might just have been suitable.
>
> I am undoubtedly large - over 6 foot and 21 stone - but I have owned and
> driven many cars - Austin A55's, A60's, Volvo 144, 244, 245, 240's, ford
> fiestas,escorts etc. in perfect comfort and with a seat belt on, often with
> adjustment to spare on both seat and belt.
>
> My own Volvo 240 would permit me to grow another few inches, and the belt
> would probably still fit me comfortably if I put on a few more stone!!
>
> Seat belt additions are available to lengthen the standard belt from various
> manufacturers but all of these would require a length of belt to be bolted
> to the anchorage point and join to the existing belt with a nut and bolt.
> As the anchorage for the belt is on the seat, the resultant joint would sit
> on my right thigh - hardly a good idea in the event of an accident.
>
> It seems therefore that to drive this one particular car - or any modern
> Volvo car - I will have to get a medical exemption allowing me to not wear a
> seatbelt, be slightly cramped due to lack of seat adjustment and remove the
> headrest - this seems a strange thing to have to do with a car from such a
> safety conscious manufacturer. Nor am I alone - according to the Volvo
> Owners Club website there are others with the same problem.
>
> I am hoping there are modifications available from yourselves such as a
> longer belt and a modified headrest.
>
> Whether there are or not, please, please, please, would you design cars with
> just a few more inches of seat adjustment, adjustable headrests and with
> longer seat belts. It would make all the difference. Failing this, I and
> other larger drivers will have to look elsewhere - a tremendous shame for
> those of us who love Volvos.
>
> I look forward to your response.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Davies
>
-----
From: "Customer Relations, Volvo (.)" <custcare@volvocars.com>
To: John Davies
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2003 3:17 PM
Subject: 221466 Davies
> our ref 221466 Please Quote on all correspondence
>
> Thank you for your e-mail below (now above!) I am sorry that you find your car's seat
> belts too short for you and that the seat position which you prefer is not
> conducive to driver comfort, despite utilising the fully adjustable
backrest
> and seat cushion positions. There is no doubt that seating is a
determining
> factor for the comfort of the driver, largely because a good deal of
> information from the road goes via the seat to the spine and is
transmitted
> to the brain. It would be fair to state that the design of all car seats
> represent a compromise solution to afford comfort to people of varying
> heights, builds and preferences and I was concerned to hear that your own
> experience of Volvo seats has been so disappointing.
>
> The longest seat belts are already fitted to your car. Safety is a very
> important consideration at Volvo and we fit the optimum length of belt
> needed to prevent serious injury in the event of an accident. Under
impact,
> passengers will automatically be thrown forward and the belt will stretch
> slightly, we believe that the length of belt provided offers the greatest
> security to the occupant.
>
> As long as it has not been done already, it is possible to increase
rearward
> adjustment of the front seats by approximately 3cm (not a lot I grant you
> but perhaps better than nothing). For instructions on how to do this your
> dealer will need to refer to Service Information Bulletin Section 8, Group
> 85, No 936 dated August 1992.
>
> I have taken on board your comments about our current cars. You may be
> interested in some background with regard to the design of our seats and
> head restraints. For more than a decade, Volvo has been studying the
problem
> of whiplash injuries in collaboration with medical experts. These studies
> have formed the basis of the development of Volvo's car seats and head
> restraints. Volvo's principle of equipping its cars with high, fixed head
> restraints which are close to the head has received acclaim in a number of
> independent international studies as it is believed that they offer the
best
> protection from whiplash injuries on the market at present. An entirely
new
> seat concept has been developed within this project, appropriately named
> WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) and all current Volvo cars are fitted
> with these seats.
>
> In principle, this is briefly how the seat works. In a rear impact, the
> occupant of the seat is forced back against the backrest and head
restraint,
> at which point the WHIPS system is activated. The entire upper body and
head
> is cushioned in a balanced, gentle manner as the backrest and head
restraint
> move backwards in a parallel movement to reduce the force to which the
body
> is subjected. In this way the distance between the head and the head
> restraint is kept as short as possible, so minimising the risk of whiplash
> injury. When this initial process is complete, the backrest is tipped
> backwards/downwards while absorbing energy and counteracting recoil.
>
> I am sure that the designers in Sweden do look at differing personal
> statures when designing and testing our cars and that they will be working
> towards a car that suits all sizes perfectly. I do hope that you find
> suitable seat positions for both you and your wife and that the rearward
> adjustment offers a solution to the seatbelt situation.
>
> Veronica Knight
> Customer Relations Consultant
From: John Davies
Sent: 20 May 2003 21:15
To: Customer Relations, Volvo (.)
Subject: Re: 221466 Davies
Dear
Thanks for your response.
The seat has indeed been moved by the 3cm. However, the belt, and headrest,
remain a problem.
I take your point about shortening belt travel so as to minimise injury for
the average person, and the usefulness of fixed headrests but as far as I
can see if I have to remove a headrest and not wear a belt to drive a car
then that car is not as safe as it could be - at least for me.
Why not have adjustable headrests - and longer belts - available as an
option? Indeed, if all headrests had a second slot a few centimetres lower
then this could be adjusted by dealers upon purchase to suit a drivers'
size. This would cost virtually nothing in production costs and like the
seat runner modification you mention need not be publicised so that the
average motorist would still drive a Volvo with the headrest at the normal,
intended, position. This would ensure that your larger drivers are also
catered for, and could travel in safety.
I have owned Volvos for many years now but unless more is done to cater for
the larger driver at the design stage I may not be able to buy another
unless the diet works .....! A great shame. Meanwhile I will endeavour to
keep my trusty 240 going!
Thanks for responding nonetheless.
Regards,
John Davies
our ref 221466 Please Quote on all correspondence
Thank you for your e-mail. I will bring your comments to the attention of the design teams in Sweden. A programme of research and development ensures that our products constantly evolve to keep pace with our customers changing needs and demands. However, you will appreciate that whilst individual requirements are influential, they cannot be guaranteed to evoke a change in design strategy. I do hope however that you will be able to remain as a Volvo owner for many years to come - one way or another.
Veronica Knight
Customer Relations Consultant