The location of the cupholder above the window and seat heater switches has caused a major problem. A leaky Burger King cup in the cupholder dripped soda into the switches. Now, my rear windows are very balky in the up mode and the driver seat heater switch is shorted out in the "on" position. Who is the genius that put the cup holder above the switches and how much $$ will it cost to replace the above mentioned switches. Has Volvo realized their stupidity and relocated the cupholder or the switches yet?

I have run into this problem on numerous occasions. My fiancée loves those sweet drinks from Cinnabon and Baskin Robins. And a good 50% of the time either I knock the drink with my elbow or it just leaks out when I make a hard stop. Well the stuff in those drinks might as well be glue, because usually the next morning when I go to use the switches they are almost impossible to push down. And when you do push them, they stay down.

Well here’s my fix that I’ve been doing for four years now and it always leaves the switches working like new.

Take a washrag soak it with steaming hot water and wipe up any of the excess syrup from the switches. Rock the switch and at the same time fold the rag and wipe up the syrup in the switch crevice. Then squeeze out some of the excess hot water onto the switch itself letting some of it go down the crevice. Do this for each stuck switch. This way you don’t have to spend the time removing the switch and worry about breaking it in the process.

As I said, so far this has worked like a charm for me. I know most people don’t like the idea of letting water go down a sealed electrical part of the car, but so far so good. No other problems caused. Good luck…

Scott Kelly

Irwin:

Don't know how much this will help, but I've been told by my indie Volvo Mechanic that for the seat heater switches, that they fix them by removing them from the car and soaking them in a cup of hot water for a few minutes, and then draining/drying them. I haven't done this, but he says it works. I wouldn't recommend this to the window switch pack, though as there's a relay in there for the auto down driver's side switch and I don't know what hot water will do to that. The theory is sound, however for soaking the switches. As long as you make sure they are dry, you should be fine. I've had a seat heater switch break and I dissassembled it -- it's fairly simple inside but for the really small easy to lose parts. I wouldn't dissassemble the switch itself, but I'd soak it (maybe distilled water?) and see. After all, if you can try and save that money, why not?

I didn't soak it, however, when I broke my seat heater switch. I bought a new one and replaced it because he didn't tell me about that trick until after I had replaced it. I made the mistake of pulling the entire center console up. You don't need to do this. There's a small notch at the back of the rocker switch (towards the rear of the car) when it's in the 'off' position. With a small screwdriver and some patience, you should be able to pry it up and replace it from above. As for the window switches, that I don't know.

Hope this helps.

the window switch can be replaced the same way. Just take a scrwdriver and pry it up. Unplug and put the new one in.

You can sometimes fix those sticky switches by spaying contact cleaner or penetrating oil into them (without removing anything) and move the rockers back/forth. I've had good luck doing that.

But yes, poor design indeed and although the S/V/C 70s had door mounted switches instead, the newer models now have them right in front where they just spill into your CD player or climate switch assembly.

Apparently this is only a US related problem as I've been told that in Europe, they don't use them at all.

Why don't you blame Burger King for a change?

You shouldn't take cupholders for granted. This is a Euro car, after all. In Europe the very idea of eating and drinking is pretty foreign. And mind you, accident rates are lower, too.

Blaming Vlovo in the light of the above is senseless.

I, for one, have never used cupholders in my S70 in over a year and couln't care less whether any of my cars has them, cause when driving, I usually am busy going around slow moving cars often operated by drivers either eating, or drinking, or reading newspapers...

Just wondering, what's next to come - portable built-in toilets? microvwave ovens?

Cheers,

Vadim.

> Why don't you blame Burger King for a change?

> You shouldn't take cupholders for granted. This is a Euro car, after

> all. In Europe the very idea of eating and drinking is pretty

> foreign. And mind you, accident rates are lower, too.

In Europe very idea of changing your underwear and taking showers is pretty foreign but that doesn't justify the location of the cup holders. Volvo shouldn't of had any cup holders if they couldn't find a proper location.

Ken, you made my day.... I can't stop laughing...

> In Europe very idea of changing your underwear and taking showers is

> pretty foreign but that doesn't justify the location of the cup

> holders. Volvo shouldn't of had any cup holders if they couldn't find ...

Where does your knowledge come from? Please shed some light! Aren't you confusing Europe with a trailer park? Or maybe you are subject to Republican propaganda too much?

The fact stays - a leaky Burger King cup would result in trashing some or the other area of your car, no matter where the cupholder is.

I actually read that in the Boston Herald. I can't remember the exact #s but they said that many Europeans only change their underwear once a week. I am subjected to the media propogand and now I have to decide between Bush and Gore. Cup holders are a byproduct of our stressed out too busy society. Fifteen years ago no cars had cupholders in America

Yes. In 1998, they moved the window switches to the door and the seat heater switches up by the ash tray. Then along comes the S-40, with the cup holder over the radio! Go figure. Any way, the window switch pack is about 170 plus labor. Try hitting the switches with window cleaner and work the switches back and forth. It usually frees them up.

I agree with you. This is not a smart place to put the switch. I changed the switch myself. It is easy.

You go to http://www.volvospeed.com/ and find the instruction on how to replaced the transmission shift lock microswitch. This will tell you on how to remove the panel where the switch are located.

Do not try to repair the switch. I tried this. It did not work and it is almost impossible. You have to replace the whole "switch panel". This is very easy and no special tools are required.

I got the switch panel from Verrigni Marine Inc. from Boca Raton, Florida (tel: 800-888-6586 or 561-338-8844). The price was $128.50 (31 March 2000).