We were able to use a cable tie to fix the top clip (I snapped it while trying to fix the bottom clip) and the bottom clip. The head rest seems to be back to working fine. If I knew how, Id post a photo of the finished repair just to show others watching this how its been done. It would have been good to see if we were drilling in the right place. Thank you so much for posting this. Was the only fix we could find on google.
Thanks for this mate! Cable ties worked a treat, we even had the top plastic pinch point snap on us and were able to drill a small hole and cable tie both top and middle points to secure headrest locking mechanism. I’ll see if my Mrs can attach a photo so people can see the finished product. Thanks for the ‘heads up’ 😅
Nice one Aaron....got exactly the same issue with a row 2 nearside (uk) seat headrest....before starting to take apart i thought i would check youtube and came across your video.now to get started.
This worked amazingly, thank you for doing the research and creating the video! I was able to fix my XC90 3rd row headrest in less than an hour because of your help. I used a zip tie through the square hole where the broken plastic was located and wrapped around the top of the headrest, works like new!
Thanks for the video as one of my 3rd row seats was exhibiting the same problem. So I followed the instructions, pulled the headrest apart and found that there was nothing wrong with it! The spring in question was still in place where it should be. So, investigating further (this is a 2007 XC90 by the way, Oz delivery) I noticed that there is a sliding grey plastic sleeve on the chrome LHS headrest support. As the seat back is raised, so too does this sleeve and it engages a lever which actuates the locking latch. Why this was not moving up as the seat was raised is my next problem and that means probably a major disassembly of the seat back. Not too inclined to do that. However, a temporary work around is in place where the I raise the back, lock the headrest in the upright position and then from the rear, manually slide the sleeve upwards until it engages the latching mechanism. Lowering the seat back down disengages everything as normal. So my advice is, if you have this problem, before slicing into the headrest to pull it apart, make sure the sleeve is lifting enough to engage the latching lever. BTW I ziptied the two halves of the polystyrene cushion together rather than glue them as original in case I need to pull it apart - yet again.
Brilliant problem diagnosis and repair solution. However, I would have used a piece of stronger wire instead of the delicate zip cable tie. How long has your repair lasted?
10mm m4 bolt, 2 nuts and 2 small washers.. Slide a Washer on bolt, through the headrest, tighten a nut, then a washer , finally a nut. Spring will be secure. Couple of drops of thread lock on the last nut.
I drilled hole where broken off plastic was.... Screwed a screw in there with a head.... Put spring wire over then tighten the screw down.... The metal screw will last longer than any cable tie.
Thanks! I'm half way through this project. Any further ideas about the cable tie, or any update on whether it worked? I'm planning to put the tie up through the OTHER hole (the spring goes through) and that hole where the piece broke, as a loop to hold the spring in place. Then I guess I'll use hot glue to put the foam back together.
Update...now a year or so later I'm happy to say that the cable tie fix worked and headrest is still functioning like it was when new. After implementing the fix as described in the video, the headrest all went back together very neatly. The polystyrene was hotglued back together, the headrest cover reinstalled and it looks and works like it should
Thank you for taking your time researching and demonstrating this method of repair, saved me hours of time and a headache. Sweet as...
We were able to use a cable tie to fix the top clip (I snapped it while trying to fix the bottom clip) and the bottom clip. The head rest seems to be back to working fine. If I knew how, Id post a photo of the finished repair just to show others watching this how its been done. It would have been good to see if we were drilling in the right place. Thank you so much for posting this. Was the only fix we could find on google.
Thanks for this mate! Cable ties worked a treat, we even had the top plastic pinch point snap on us and were able to drill a small hole and cable tie both top and middle points to secure headrest locking mechanism. I’ll see if my Mrs can attach a photo so people can see the finished product. Thanks for the ‘heads up’ 😅
Nice one Aaron....got exactly the same issue with a row 2 nearside (uk) seat headrest....before starting to take apart i thought i would check youtube and came across your video.now to get started.
This worked amazingly, thank you for doing the research and creating the video! I was able to fix my XC90 3rd row headrest in less than an hour because of your help. I used a zip tie through the square hole where the broken plastic was located and wrapped around the top of the headrest, works like new!
Thank you for posting. You my friend is what the volvo community is about
Thanks for the video as one of my 3rd row seats was exhibiting the same problem. So I followed the instructions, pulled the headrest apart and found that there was nothing wrong with it! The spring in question was still in place where it should be. So, investigating further (this is a 2007 XC90 by the way, Oz delivery) I noticed that there is a sliding grey plastic sleeve on the chrome LHS headrest support. As the seat back is raised, so too does this sleeve and it engages a lever which actuates the locking latch. Why this was not moving up as the seat was raised is my next problem and that means probably a major disassembly of the seat back. Not too inclined to do that. However, a temporary work around is in place where the I raise the back, lock the headrest in the upright position and then from the rear, manually slide the sleeve upwards until it engages the latching mechanism. Lowering the seat back down disengages everything as normal. So my advice is, if you have this problem, before slicing into the headrest to pull it apart, make sure the sleeve is lifting enough to engage the latching lever. BTW I ziptied the two halves of the polystyrene cushion together rather than glue them as original in case I need to pull it apart - yet again.
Thanks. I have a broken headrest and this will help me repair it. Thanks again.
Thank you for videoing this fix. I have the same issue with my 2007 S60 and believe this should resolve it. Thanks.
Brilliant problem diagnosis and repair solution. However, I would have used a piece of stronger wire instead of the delicate zip cable tie. How long has your repair lasted?
Still working fine to this day!
10mm m4 bolt, 2 nuts and 2 small washers..
Slide a Washer on bolt, through the headrest, tighten a nut, then a washer , finally a nut. Spring will be secure.
Couple of drops of thread lock on the last nut.
Thanks for posting this.
I drilled hole where broken off plastic was.... Screwed a screw in there with a head.... Put spring wire over then tighten the screw down.... The metal screw will last longer than any cable tie.
Hell yeah. Thanks!!!!
Thanks! I'm half way through this project. Any further ideas about the cable tie, or any update on whether it worked? I'm planning to put the tie up through the OTHER hole (the spring goes through) and that hole where the piece broke, as a loop to hold the spring in place. Then I guess I'll use hot glue to put the foam back together.
Hi, yes the headrest is still working perfectly, no further issues
Update...now a year or so later I'm happy to say that the cable tie fix worked and headrest is still functioning like it was when new. After implementing the fix as described in the video, the headrest all went back together very neatly. The polystyrene was hotglued back together, the headrest cover reinstalled and it looks and works like it should
The problem with mine is it won't fold down when I wanna fold seat down
I think volvo recalled on this problem