Volvo 480 Club Europe

So, as many of you may know, the 480 Launched as a sort of "Wow product". It was a very Un-Volvo Volvo, and so introduced an awful lot of new things. It's easy to forget in this age of touchscreen nonsense, that things like heated seats and mirrors were something normally associated with Luxury cars.

I've a theory, that, as the car didn't sell as well as Volvo imagined, and as some ideas didn't work out, the bean counters got involved to see how the profit margin could be stretched to make up for the loss of sales. Here's a list of features that got removed from later models, some more quickly than others! Where there's photo's are missing, I'll come back and edit them in.

1. Underbonnet lamp

You can still see on some bonnets where the light should have been fitted.






2. Auxiliary gauges

Why fit them as standard when you can remove them and sell them as an accessory?

3. LED's in the front seat belt buckles.

These lit up to show you where you needed to plug your belt in.

4. The softclose ashtray

Its kind of a double blow here... The original ashtray is identifiable by a small textured square in the middle, where as the later ones had a large upper lip to grab. Pressing the textured square very gently opened the ashtray. A double blow because the ashtray itself was also illuminated from above, rather than relying on the faint glow from the cigerette lighter illumination





5. Seat Fabrics

The early seats had either a red pin strip or a blue pinstrip. But did you also know that the fabric was "handed"? Obviously all replaced with a standard Jacquard fabric.

6. Carpet.
The early carpet was also much thicker. With the "new" interior, the more luxury carpet was replaced with a fuzzy felt grey one, and the luxury one reserved for the turbos/leather options.

7. Lumber controls.
The early cars also had the lumber arrow indicators highlighted in white so they were easily seen.




8. Seat sensor
The passenger seat had a weight sensor, that would work with the LED in the seat belt, so it wouldn't light up if no one was sat in the seat.



9. Trip button
The trip meter button had a white dot on the end of it.

10. Rear console
The rear cubby was lockable. This then went to be a "turbo only" feature.





11. Dual rear foglamps.
On UK cars, the NS one became a dummy lens around 1988. (and no, the lamps aren't identical, they are handed!)

12. VEM.
The earlier cars have the push button Ventilation system - This was replace with a much simpler slider and cable arrangement (unless you had airconditioning)

13. Full Speed Wipers
The Wipers automatically going to full speed on full throttle didn't last long....

14. Bulb Failure
The bulb failure system originally covered all major lights and was then changed to monitor just the brake lights

Very informative list Jeff! Although, you missed a couple

15. Digital clock/Stopwatch
Disappeared from all models around 1990, the digital clock also featured a rather nifty (but pointless) stopwatch function.


16. Illuminated heater control dial
Was removed so quickly that I'm pretty sure only the pre-production cars had this feature.


17. Coloured pop-up light surrounds
Replaced with black unpainted plastic somewhere around 1990/91

18. Light grey steering wheel
Not sure why they removed this so quickly, but VERY early cars (87 & 88) had a light grey plastic steering wheel. Was replaced with the black plastic wheel not long after the 480 went on sale.


19. 480 'S'
Technically you could include this as it was essentially a cut down version of the ES, with no moonroof, info centre, alloys or front foglamps as standard.

20. Footwell illumination
Footwell lights for both front footwells. Again, removed very soon after. Under the dashboard, there will be black plastic blanks for where they should have been fitted.

Still, it's not all bad news for owners of the later cars! Early ES models didn't get the moonroof (not even as an option), but later ones got them as standard. Later cars also got the red blinking LED for the alarm, all models post 1993 received a third intrusion bar in the doors, as well as a driver's airbag. Electric aerial, seat map pockets, rear seat headrests, UK info centre measurements and the ability to close all the windows by just holding the key in the drivers door lock were later additions as well.

I would include all of the prototype feature changes, but there's enough for a whole other thread in itself...

WillC9303 wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 19, 2022 2:27 pm

Very informative list Jeff! Although, you missed a couple

16. Illuminated heater control dial
Was removed so quickly that I'm pretty sure only the pre-production cars had this feature.

Not a pre-production per se; All Fan controllers are illuminated by a single bulb. However, I suspect the one you have a picture of is the pre-prod version.

I know when I got my car it was fitted with an electric aerial, but I think by September 88 that was standard. I know my car has a great deal of these features, but curiously it is sans locking rear storage box. I would adore a light grey steering wheel however, it just looks superb

Looks good, but could be a bit of a so-&-so to keep clean, don't you think?
Unless one joined the yellow-glove brigade.

Oooh, can I add one!?!

The Turbo inlet manifold no longer being powder coated black for later models.

Any speculation as to whether the run-out models (i.e. Celeb and GT) got a few extras here and there to clear out the parts bins? My GT spent most of its life in the original owner's garage, then a brief stint at an independent dealer, then me, and it came with a soft-close ash tray and a white dot trip button on the cluster. Entirely possible that someone changed them before I got it, maybe the ash tray got damaged for example, but changing the trip button just because seems like a lot of effort to go to.

A question regarding the phasing out of "overtaking wipers"

My '91 ES had this from factory, which i believe takes the signal to switch to constant from the oem throttle position sensor reading 100% and telling the CEM *bonkers* but anwyay, because I'm a heathen and use standalone management on my engine i have lost this function and now intermittent wipers are just constant, same speed as level 1 constant, could i replace some components and gain back intermittent wipers by using parts from a later car... and in which case what...? i probably have all the parts required but did not know this was a phased out thing!

cranna21 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:38 am

A question regarding the phasing out of "overtaking wipers"

My '91 ES had this from factory, which i believe takes the signal to switch to constant from the oem throttle position sensor reading 100% and telling the CEM *bonkers* but anwyay, because I'm a heathen and use standalone management on my engine i have lost this function and now intermittent wipers are just constant, same speed as level 1 constant, could i replace some components and gain back intermittent wipers by using parts from a later car... and in which case what...? i probably have all the parts required but did not know this was a phased out thing!

Fraser nothing as fancy as a signal from the throttle, it was switch on the throttle cable at the bulkhead

prone to failure , all it did was 'make' when the throttle spring thingy was over come by the other spring!

so I guess you could just splice into the CEM to in effect switch to 'fast speed' if you added a brake pedal switch at a suitable location inside the cabin?

WRDendy wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 10:42 am

Any speculation as to whether the run-out models (i.e. Celeb and GT) got a few extras here and there to clear out the parts bins?

Both the GT and Celebs used left over non-moonroof shells. They also had other options such as sill protectors and front spoilers that I can only imagine weren’t that popular. The Two-Tone also had sill protectors and the front spoiler, as well as the optional leather steering wheel. Again, I can only speculate these were left over parts, and that’s why they were included.

Alan 480 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 12:36 pm

cranna21 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:38 am

A question regarding the phasing out of "overtaking wipers"

My '91 ES had this from factory, which i believe takes the signal to switch to constant from the oem throttle position sensor reading 100% and telling the CEM *bonkers* but anwyay, because I'm a heathen and use standalone management on my engine i have lost this function and now intermittent wipers are just constant, same speed as level 1 constant, could i replace some components and gain back intermittent wipers by using parts from a later car... and in which case what...? i probably have all the parts required but did not know this was a phased out thing!

Fraser nothing as fancy as a signal from the throttle, it was switch on the throttle cable at the bulkhead

prone to failure , all it did was 'make' when the throttle spring thingy was over come by the other spring!

so I guess you could just splice into the CEM to in effect switch to 'fast speed' if you added a brake pedal switch at a suitable location inside the cabin?

Hi Alan, oh never seen any sign of that on my bulkhead from memory - either under the peddle or on the cable itself! it could be pure coincidence that its happened at the same time but i was sure that this came from throttle position sensor from reading somewhere, perhaps mis-informed!

looking at HBOL and it lists

'H 19 full throttle switch'

onto pin C4 of the CEM line 1250 on the upto 1991 coloured wire SB-Br

as part of the REAR wiring harness!!!

IMO

The 480 is a shitty built Volvo.

I had 5 over the years... I look back and remember how I loved and hated them all. The dashboard plastic is so bad on a 480. It's an insult to the brand.
My 940 turbo is built like a tank. That is a real proper Volvo.

VolVo 480's are a cool looking little sporty car with plenty of go if chipped (turbo)

However it's a rubish built Volvo. I am guilty of killing 2 by scrapping and 1 by crashing it. Also guilty of modding the car for going faster.

It could have been a better car. Such a shame.

The 460 was much nicer inside for a 400 series. Think about that for a moment.

martinholmesuk wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 22, 2022 4:40 pm

IMO
The 480 is a shitty built Volvo.
The 460 was much nicer inside for a 400 series. Think about that for a moment.

ah yes I think this is the point of this thread ;-0

The first 480 (E reg) I had was well built and (aside from the dash surround) was pretty decent cf similar vintage, carpet vs fuzzy felt etc?

for what it's worth the drivers seat on my C30 was worn out at 18000 miles, and the replacement was in the same state after 35000 miles, so clearly a rubbish design/material?.
front wheel bearings only lasted 25000 !! (poor design letting water into the hub)
front bushes AKA 'void' bushes really lived up to their name, lasting barely 35000

many folk change cars after two or three years so that's all the bean-counters are worried about.

martinholmesuk wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 22, 2022 4:40 pm

VolVo 480's are a cool looking little sporty car with plenty of go if chipped (turbo)
.

I would counter that it is not just turbos but also ES non-cats as well, my 1.7 B18E is a raspy little engine that really shifts, it surprises me after so much time not driving it

Not all features have been deleted because accountants wanted it.
Some were just giving too much trouble in aftersales and were deleted out of simplicity. Or should I say, were so poorly designed you'd be better off without it
- bulb failure only on brake lights (too many false alarms)
- popup relay (switching headlights on only when the popup motor has stopped, leaving people with faulty wiring or faulty headlight motors in the dark)
- passenger seat seatbelt detector
- full speed wipers (and AC off) on full throttle (if you have lost intermittent: reconnect two loose connectors near the throttle pedal)
- cable operated ventilation controls are WAY more reliable than the button and vacuum controlled VEM, so those became only available with AC
By model year 1989 most of these error-prone things were deleted and most electronic problems were ironed out by 1991 (phase 2)

Options are also heavily dependent on market, in The Netherlands a moonroof is quite a rare option, definitely not standard.

Funny thing is though that the "analogue" dash with fuel and temperature gauges instead of infocentre computer is less reliable!

I want to add a couple more bean counter casualties.
- rear light clusters stamped with "1985" as production year do not deteriorate in UV light. Apparently production models used a cheaper plastic and we all know the result.
- up till 1993, the main board of the instrument cluster had two extra, unconnected tracks to the infocentre computer: +12V from the illumination and ground. Apparently a switch with lighting was designed but never made it to production.
- John de Vries told me he proposed to put the side repeaters on the mirrors. Volvo rejected the idea on cost grounds.

brinkie wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 28, 2022 8:48 pm

Not all features have been deleted because accountants wanted it.
Some were just giving too much trouble in aftersales and were deleted out of simplicity. Or should I say, were so poorly designed you'd be better off without it
- bulb failure only on brake lights (too many false alarms)
- popup relay (switching headlights on only when the popup motor has stopped, leaving people with faulty wiring or faulty headlight motors in the dark)
- passenger seat seatbelt detector
- full speed wipers (and AC off) on full throttle (if you have lost intermittent: reconnect two loose connectors near the throttle pedal)
- cable operated ventilation controls are WAY more reliable than the button and vacuum controlled VEM, so those became only available with AC
By model year 1989 most of these error-prone things were deleted and most electronic problems were ironed out by 1991 (phase 2)

Options are also heavily dependent on market, in The Netherlands a moonroof is quite a rare option, definitely not standard.

Funny thing is though that the "analogue" dash with fuel and temperature gauges instead of infocentre computer is less reliable!

I want to add a couple more bean counter casualties.
- rear light clusters stamped with "1985" as production year do not deteriorate in UV light. Apparently production models used a cheaper plastic and we all know the result.
- up till 1993, the main board of the instrument cluster had two extra, unconnected tracks to the infocentre computer: +12V from the illumination and ground. Apparently a switch with lighting was designed but never made it to production.
- John de Vries told me he proposed to put the side repeaters on the mirrors. Volvo rejected the idea on cost grounds.

Hi .

I got so curious about the part :
- up till 1993, the main board of the instrument cluster had two extra, unconnected tracks to the infocentre computer: +12V from the illumination and ground. Apparently a switch with lighting was designed but never made it to production.
what was supposed to light up ?

have a nice day

cranna21 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 21, 2022 11:38 am

A question regarding the phasing out of "overtaking wipers"

My '91 ES had this from factory, which i believe takes the signal to switch to constant from the oem throttle position sensor reading 100% and telling the CEM *bonkers* but anwyay, because I'm a heathen and use standalone management on my engine i have lost this function and now intermittent wipers are just constant, same speed as level 1 constant, could i replace some components and gain back intermittent wipers by using parts from a later car... and in which case what...? i probably have all the parts required but did not know this was a phased out thing!

Hey Fraser. The connectors will be in the footwell, near the bulkhead, where the throttle cable goes through. It is a small and a large spade connector which you just join together to make the CEM think the car has less than wide open throttle. This connector is ONLY for the wiper speed and air con controlled by the CEM, nothing to do with the engine management computer which does indeed use the throttle position switch in the engine bay. Originally the throttle cable had a very poor little contact switch in it which doesn't last and later throttle cables don't have this. I've only had this feature work on one '89 ES.

A good way of joining them is an old speaker connector, if you have one already with larger and small spades on which would have been for paralleling a tweeter to.

Cheers James, i'll have to have a hunt for that ! ive never ever clocked it before !