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Could you describe the problem with a bit more detail? What causes the pain in your case? What would be your most comfortable seating position and what's getting in the way?
The following procedure can take a few hours, but you may want to start with the seat in it's most basic setting. Down all the way, not tilted, lumbar support completely 'soft', etc.
And then work with every adjustment separately: first start by disregarding the steering wheel and pedals, slide the seat all the way to the back, sit in the seat and only adjust the angle of the seat back. Can you get a comfortable seating position? Make sure you sit in the seat for a while, so small irritations become noticable..
Now put the lumbar support on fully 'hard'. Feel better or worse after a while? The lumbar support pushes your lower back forward, causing your shoulders/neck to tilt a little more. May be uncomfortable to you or not. Try adjusting it to a middle setting and again see if it's better or not. The fact that there is a lumbar support doesn't mean you have to use it!
Once you have a basic setting that's comfortable even after sitting in the seat for an hour or so, then you can start including the seating position relative to the pedals and steering wheel.
Don't adjust the seat angle or the back angle anymore. Now only move the seat as a whole forward-backward or up-down to get the best position for your hands and feet.
Again I don't know what is or isn't comfortable to you, but the most relaxed seating position is usually described as follows:
- arms at a 90 degree bend at the elbow with your hands at a 'quarter to three' position on the wheel.
- you should be able to grab the top of the steering wheel with a fully exteded arm, but *without* moving your shoulder away from the seat back
- as to your legs, you should be able to depress any pedal completely to the floor without locking your knee (aka. fully extending your leg).
- related to this: while sitting normally you should have some room between your leg just above the knee and the seat cushion. Your knees should also be slightly bent, like your arms.
Try not to fiddle with different seat adjustments at the same time as this will make it very confusing to get a good seting position. Work on one adjustment at a time.
This may result in a different driving position than you are used to. It can feel a little odd at first, but if this position doesn't cause you pain then you quickly get used to the new position and after a few weeks it's 'normal' to you.
Try to resist the temptation to start adjusting back to your 'familiar' driving position quickly again, because you know that will cause you pain. See the new position through for a while and only make little 'tweaks' to stop any problems you may notice after more extended drives.
The following doesn't really help you, but in case you sell your Volvo it may give an indication for cars to avoid..
Interesingly enough are Volvo seats designed to reduce the chance of whiplash (even before the WHIPS system became standard) by moving the headrest closer to the back of the head as on many other cars (Same goes for SAAB by the way..) as it has been proven that the distance between headrest and head is a major factor in getting whiplash during an accident.
It's also exactly the reason why Volvo keeps fixed headrests. and it seems to pay off if you read this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2304761.stm
The VW/Audi/Skoda headrest problem is notorious. They have many adjustments, but simply can't be set up properly.
Hope this helps a bit..
Bye, Arno.
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