centre air vent slats dangling

[idiotgap]

Hi, I'm new to volvo after buying nothing but mercs since 2007.

I bought a 2013 XC90 SE Lux on 63k miles with full main dealer service history last week and very much enjoying it.

I have a few faults I'm looking to get sorted and I've booked the car in with a localish Volvo indy next week for an appraisal to make sure the car is as good as it looks.

Problems right now are:
- booster cushion centre row centre seat is dislocated
- rear ashtray doesn't locate
- there was only one key with the car which is annoying and the user manual is also missing, I found a pdf version online though.
- volvo fit brink towbar keys turn but don't prevent the bar from being removed (brink will refurb for £60)
- the seatbelt in the middle row, driver's side wouldn't lock in place. Some lithium grease into the mechanism seems to have dealt with it, but it's still a bit temperamental
- both middle row side seatbelt buckles are a bit chewed up, is this a common thing?
- both middle row doorcards are dented and marked
- centre driver/passenger airvent was broken, on driver side neither left/right or up/down slats were operable

The airvent problem is the one I'm querying right now.

I managed to remove all the slats and replace them in situ restoring the left/right operation by relocating the thin bar which goes behind the slats and links them. The up down motion provided by the slats you can see on the face of the vent however doesn't work. They hang loose because there is no thin bar behind to link them.

Is there a way of buying just the thin bar or has anyone had any success fabricating one? Presumably the original has gone down the vent into the pipework, is it possible to retrieve an item once it's gone down there?

[oragex]

I think there is a plastic clip piece that indeed can fall inside. The one way is to go at breakers and source another one. Difficult to intall it.

Hang on the one key, a second one is rather expensive..

[SwissXC90]

- booster cushion centre row centre seat is dislocated
Relocate it

- rear ashtray doesn't locate
Fix it, maybe need a replacement ashtray (new or wreckers)

- there was only one key with the car which is annoying and the user manual is also missing, I found a pdf version online though.
Volvo can sell you a new paper version

- the seatbelt in the middle row, driver's side wouldn't lock in place. Some lithium grease into the mechanism seems to have dealt with it, but it's still a bit temperamental
Clean the seatbelt buckle and receptacle with hot water and detergent, then lubricate it

- both middle row side seatbelt buckles are a bit chewed up, is this a common thing?
Only if a dog was present in the vehicle....

- both middle row doorcards are dented and marked
Replace or accept them as they are

- centre driver/passenger airvent was broken, on driver side neither left/right or up/down slats were operable
Repair with new or second hand parts

[idiotgap]

Many thanks for the responses and ideas.

Originally Posted by oragex

I think there is a plastic clip piece that indeed can fall inside. The one way is to go at breakers and source another one. Difficult to intall it.

Hang on the one key, a second one is rather expensive..

Having dismantled the slats and put them all back in again, I'm not too worried about installation. It is fiddly but satisfying! Must remember to close the vent so nothing goes down the hole. I think I might dismantle good side and use the thin bar there as a template to fabricate one for the bad side using some excess plastic packaging like this guy did for the horizontal rear slats. Maybe try and find something in black.

(from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-QA9ZCcn4M)

I guess having paid decent money for a later car and intending to hang on to it, I might bite the bullet with the key and shell out for another one.

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

- booster cushion centre row centre seat is dislocated
Relocate it

It's broken but I'm going to check out with the indy which parts need replacement.

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

- rear ashtray doesn't locate
Fix it, maybe need a replacement ashtray (new or wreckers)

I'm sure this needs parts so will search out a dismantler.

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

- the seatbelt in the middle row, driver's side wouldn't lock in place. Some lithium grease into the mechanism seems to have dealt with it, but it's still a bit temperamental
Clean the seatbelt buckle and receptacle with hot water and detergent, then lubricate it

Good plan

[idiotgap]

I thought I should tie this thread off, perhaps it will help someone one day.

I have fixed the centre vent with a dremel, a screwdriver, and an old Mercedes Benz owners club membership card.

I took the passenger side vent apart, where the bar wasn't lost and used that as a guide to what I needed to make to mend the driver's side.



The blackest card I could find was an expired MB Club one.

I attacked it with a dremel and was able to copy the shape as near as necessary


Then it was just a question of reassembly. A flat bladed screwdriver was useful to prize the vanes out of the vent when dissembling it and to help align things when putting them back together again.