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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

I've been having problems with the front seats in my 1991 - 245 ever since I purchased it three years ago. Namely both upper parts of the front seats were a little rotated to the inside. After looking into the brickboard archives I suspected to be the seat foam, failing from overweight :-)), especially since the previous owner was as big as me. Still it was curious since I had no such problems with the 1979 - 244.
Last week though I had to deal with the problem since the upper half of the left seat back part broke completely and was held in place only by the textile material.
To my surprise I found that it was not the seat foam (actually the foam was in pretty bad shape but not completely broken so I managed to repair it), but the metal structure of the seat had colapsed. Three of the seat metal joints gave in and the fourth was about to. More than that I found out that event the structure of the bottom gave in, having one complete fracture and three incomplete. As you will see in the pictures, all fractures in the metal are not on the welding but very close to it, it's metal fatigue as I see it.
This happened to both seats ( on the other seat the fractures were incomplete)and while I can understand it on my seat, for it carries 100 kilos (220 pounds) the other seat is usually taken by my wife, and she weights only 45 kilos.
Beeing curious about it I removed and checked the other seats of my old 244 - manufactured 12 years earlier, to find out that these were in perfect shape, no fractures, just as they left the factory in 1978.
Here are the images:
http://img17.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc210&image=137_PICT2885.jpg
http://img5.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc182&image=d24_PICT2886.jpg
http://img10.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc76&image=20a_PICT2883.jpg
http://img21.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc49&image=aaa_PICT2874.jpg
http://img7.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc129&image=60e_PICT2875.jpg
http://img22.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc133&image=460_PICT2880.jpg
http://img22.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc128&image=6c8_PICT2881.jpg
http://img16.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc186&image=e6b_PICT2882.jpg
http://img9.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc41&image=a8a_PICT2884.jpg
--
1991 Volvo 245; 1979 Volvo 244








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

Since some have had problems with the posted pics I made a page just for this.
http://users.rol.ro/vlmoldov/240seats/
--
1991 Volvo 245; 1979 Volvo 244








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

My 1990 also has the same problems, especially the rotation to the inside. The metal strips on the bottom have also broken. The foam has some damage, but you can tell the problem is with the steel. I think this should be a recall, but it will never happen. At least until someone is hurt in an accident due to structural failure of the seats...








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

This needs to be pointed out to Volvo, as they will surely be held liable in court cases in event of injury due to fatigue. Was this car in a prior accident which could have resulted in seat frame damage?








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

The car has never had any major accident. I found the same fatigue marks on inner door panels, in places that could not have been exposed to any accidents. But those are just door panels, so... If anyone feels the need I can post pics of that too.
--
1991 Volvo 245; 1979 Volvo 244








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

Interesting - I have a 1990 with a seat problem I've so far been ignoring as I assumed it to be foam and/or spring failure. My seats have the same type and color cloth covering as yours - so looks like I need to check soon.








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

My '89 240 has the same problem - seatbackss leaning towards the middle








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240 front seats problems - metal structure fatigue !!! 200 1991

just figure id chime in, im in the same boat with my 1990 244, I have this awful lean in the drivers seat as well, it makes me feel like one of those ricer pukes sitting gangster lean lol. no offense to any rice lovers on here
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94 850 n/a blah! 89 240, 90 240







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