Hi Volvo Boffins

A few days ago I noticed my driver's door wouldn't stay in it's opened position. I checked the hinges to see that the check strap (as Haynes calls it) was neatly sheared off at its base (the bit that is fixed to the car body itself).

The bad thing is that the base plate which it was fixed to is welded and not bolted to the car, so fixing that looks like a real bummer! :blush:

Any advice on this one, please?

Thanks very much.

Get it re-welded, then!

:)

Hi,

I had the same problem on my 96 850 GLT (UK spec RHD). The only real way to have it repaired properly is to remove the door inner pannel and have it welded - Sounds like an expensive job but it really isn't! A decent welder can have it sorted in an hour or so. - I took mine to Motor Medics in Norwich (UK) as they are volvo specialists and they say it is a particularly common problem - the door usually starts to click badly as warning sign. Worth getting sorted as MMs told me the doors can jam open if the check strap is faulty. N.B. the check strap can only be properly repaired with the door removed from the body - Don't let anyone tell you otherwise - My 850 had a previous repair done on the same door check strap whilst the door was still fitted and it made a real mess and made fixing properly much harder! - I paid around £100 Sterling for the repair which to me is good value - Hope this is helpful

Thanks very much for that, 850meister! (I live in Chelmsford, though...).

I tried undoing that torx bolt, which bolts the two together, to try and make some space for the door to open/close properly without jamming it, (because its now hanging freely in the closed position) but, boy, its absolutely tight!!. Any ideas how to loosen such tight nuts?

Thanks very much, guys.

It is supposed to be tight in the first place. But have you wd-40-ed the nuts first? Other than that, a good solid turn would be needed to break the 'bed'...

Hi ampanbear

I have decided to take it to my garage and have it welded back on, thanks. Will let you know how it goes....

:thumbsup:

Interesting, I have never seen one break, though I have seen plenty of the actual strap break (easy enough to replace)

I have seen it once, knows one who still wants to wait for it to really break, and read/heard of it a few times.

It's not a common issue, and I guess it pretty much boils down to HOW the owner treats the car... (Sometimes, even I can get a little rough on it, myself...) :haha:


But rough is GOOD. She's barking for more...
*WooF*