[ktbos]

@PTRL HD , can you take a close up pic of the 3rd row floor? I am wondering if the WeatherTech floor liner/mats go up the wall or not. It seemed odd to me that the Volvo OEM ones don't go up the wall. So snow/water tends to pile up there and cloud overflow onto the carpet area if the 3rd row seats are used all the time. See red area in pic! View attachment 152906

The headrest comes really close to touching that wall where the red squiggle is. I suppose you could get something thin in there but maybe it'd be too thin to not flop around.

 

[satrya]

The headrest comes really close to touching that wall where the red squiggle is. I suppose you could get something thin in there but maybe it'd be too thin to not flop around.

The generic floormat I used ends up being snug enough that it won't flop, partially because there's excess material that goes under the 3rd row floormat (so it is pinned down at the bottom) and it is also secured at the top via the space under the 3rd row seat. And it is thin enough not to rub the folded 3rd row headrest.

But I agree, you definitely don't want to source the heavy duty floormats for this.

 

[Paddlepop]

dongle to replace middle seat

Using the info from @imbilly and the info I reported in my prior post, I put together a dongle that fools the car into thinking there is a middle seat installed. It is easily removed and replaced with the actual seat. Although the middle seat isn't quite popped in and out, it means that I have the flexibility to install it for a particular drive and then remove it again. And should some Volvo service ever require the actual seat to be installed, I can put it in for that service. Below are steps I took to do the install. If you choose to copy, anything you do to your car is all on you - no warranty implied, no liability, etc..

First, the parts. I got a tab housing 31268398-0 for $9.02 from my local Volvo parts counter. This is a match for the purple connector housing on the bottom of the middle seat. Interestingly, the replacement tab housing is gold colored and doesn't include the pin terminals inside the connector - I needed to order them separately. That part number is 30728366-3 and I needed to order 4 of them. It's nice that Volvo includes the wire on the terminal so I didn't need to do my own crimping but it is pricey for a crimped pin with a wire - $11.32 for the set of 4. My parts counter also added in some splices which would be nice if I was doing a repair but unnecessary for this project.

For the resistors, I used a 2.2 Ohm 1/2W resistor and a 1K Ohm 1/2 W resistor. And for the case, I used a small Uxcell box. It wasn't ideal because it had holes on either end but since I was planning to cut out one end and since it snapped together nicely, I figured the remaining hole would be no big deal. Besides that hole would be a place for magic smoke to come out if I am wrong about my prediction in my prior post about the SRS system not firing when there is no seatbelt connected! Now for the build.

The first step was to modify the new tab housing to more closely match the original one. The new tab housing is used in many different applications and has the potential for 6 pins. But only 4 are used in this application and without the pins, the spring clips get in the way of inserting the connector. So I removed the one that isn't going to be used - that's the one in the top in the following picture. The original purple one in the car only had the middle spring clip pair but there's no need to remove the other spring clip pair. Here's the connector new out of the package.

I used a small screw driver inserted in the open end and dug underneath the metal base that is seated in the plastic. Using a small strong screwdriver works because I could get it at the edge of the clip and twist with enough force that it grabbed the edge and lifted up. Then with the screwdriver under the clip to raise it out of the plastic seat, I used needlenose pliers to grab on to the spring clip part and pull it out. Here is the connector after I removed the spring clip pair.

Next up is to do some testing with the resistors and the terminal wires. Here are the terminal wires out of the package.

After stripping the ends off and twisting the resistors on to pairs of them, here's what I had.

Now, before proceeding with the build, I wanted to check to make sure I had the right resistors set up for the right pins so I put the pins in directly to the connector in the car. Note that the connectors have some play so I needed to make sure that they connectors weren't touching which would mess up the test. Also, when putting these in, the car has to do a full boot up. I found that just turning the ignition off, plugging them in, and turning it back on didn't do the trick. I needed to start with the pins removed, turn off the ignition, open the door, close the door, and then wait for Sensus to turn off. Then I could put the pins in and restart the car and on the clean boot up, they were recognized. Here's the picture of this test and note that I have marked with white tape the wires that go to the middle pair with the 2.2 Ohm resistor. (I kept repeating to myself "marked wires go to the middle, marked wires go to the middle.)

After confirming that there was no more SRS warning on the display when I started the car (yay!!), I clipped the wires down to size, retwisted the resistors on to the ends and soldered them together. Then I folded things together into these tidy bundles.

Next, I installed the terminals into the housing. Again, making sure I was putting the correct one in the correct slot. Then back to the car with the gizmo to test it. It didn't work! It took a bit for me to figure out the problem. After inserting the terminals into the tab housing, you need to push the red plastic bar (see first picture) down to make it flush inside the housing. And since one of the terminals I had installed hadn't fully seated, the red plastic bar wouldn't press down. I fixed the terminal seating and then pressed down the red plastic bar and connected the new dongle to the car to test it again. Success! Here are pictures of the dongle so far next to the connector in the car and then again with it attached.

Next, I used some heat shrink tubing to cover over the resistor & wire bundles. Then it was on to the case. I cut out the end of the case on the top and bottom the appropriate amount. I discovered the hard way that the case is a more brittle plastic than I expected so if I had it to do over again, instead of just hacking at the case with a utility knife, I'd probably break out the Dremel and take my time. Then, I needed to shave down the tab housing base so it would fit. One side of the housing has a ridge on it that I shaved off up to the nub that sticks out further. That wasn't enough trimming for it to fit in the case so I shaved some of the width of the housing still on the side that had had the ridge. Eventually I got it to the right width where it would fit into the case tightly but not enough to deform the case.

Here is the dongle (with shaved plastic bits around it) fully assembled.

Here it is in the car ready to connect it.

And connected.

And ready to stuff under the carpet.

And now under the carpet.

All I need now are some car mats that come close to matching the originals and cover up the bolt holes and carpet seams!

This is amazing. Is it possible by any chance that I can pay for one of these dongles. I’m happy to pay a premium as I’m not familiar with all these electronics or things that are mentioned here. I have 4 kids under 5 so accessing the 3rd row requires my wife to take off the isofix seat all the time. It’s super cumbersome…

 

[ktbos]

This is amazing. Is it possible by any chance that I can pay for one of these dongles. I’m happy to pay a premium as I’m not familiar with all these electronics or things that are mentioned here. I have 4 kids under 5 so accessing the 3rd row requires my wife to take off the isofix seat all the time. It’s super cumbersome…

Wow, yes, you have every reason to avoid tilting those middle side seats forward.

The parts are cheap and it doesn't take long for somebody comfortable with soldering to do this work. But if you were to pay somebody to make you one, it'd mean a commercial enterprise modifying safety systems in a car. I can't imagine the cost of the liability insurance to make even just one. My best suggestion is that you find somebody near you that you know and who wouldn't charge you (therefore no commercial agreement).

You could just keep the middle seat folded and figure that young kids will enjoy climbing over it to get in.

 

[Songhai Ng]

Deleted

 

[theclutch]

l learn this the hard way I removed the seat without the resistor and don't have time to buy resistor to finish it and a couple day later my AC keep turning on even though the engine is off and a month later I decide to put the seat back so I can take to the dealer to see what the problem was and before I have about l to go to the dealer I realize the AC is fixed. So finish your job before your Volvo going crazy..

The AC turns on "by itself" when the temperature inside the cabin gets too hot. This is a setting as shown in your manual.

...The parts are cheap and it doesn't take long for somebody comfortable with soldering to do this work....

One really doesn't have to create a fancy connector to do this. Although elegant, it's totally unnecessary when the resistors fit very snugly into the existing connector already. You insert the resistors, tape it up and then tuck it under the carpet and never see it again. See below from previous posts.

I've been getting a lot of requests for the resistors lately. I figured I'd post a pic of what they look like and how they attach for future reference.

It's pretty straight forward to remove the middle seats. There are four hex blots on the floor around corners. Once you remove them, unplug the green connector shown in this picture, and the seat is ready to be moved.

If you leave the connector unplugged, there will be SRS airbag error on the console every time we start the car. ...

Once connected and verified no more SRS message. Wrap it up with electrical tape.

Push it under the other seat so we don't step on it.

Cover it with carpet and enjoy the safest minivan

 

[Songhai Ng]

Deleted

 

[Pforbes]

Trip is done, car has been cleaned. Well, at least somewhat. Here's the picture. All in all, looks pretty good, I think. A little odd with the winter mat profile shaped for fitting under the middle seat - should be easy to solve with a generic black car mat. And you can just see a bit of green poking out from the bottom sides of the two center seats - that is an electric connector which would normally be protected by the middle seat and if I plan to keep the middle seat out, I'll find a way to cover that over to keep feet from kicking it while passing through.

Where did you get the mat to cover middle of walk through area??

 

[ktbos]

Where did you get the mat to cover middle of walk through area??

The picture you quoted doesn't have the mat covering that middle area. That's just the regular carpet that was under the seat and if you zoom in you can still see the bolt holes and seam.

Later I did get a mat to cover it which is the regular mat, not the rubber mat and it does a better job of covering the middle but still not complete. Pretty sure it was this part number: 32288264 from Volvo Parts Counter: Buy Genuine Volvo Parts & Accessories Online | Volvo Parts Counter

 

[Glennda5id]

If you buy the Volvo offical floor mats for the 6 seater they will have the mide cover. I purchased the weather versions which are rubber, but the middle seat section is regular carpet. Looks stock especially if you add the lower seat frame covers.

 

[Machupo]

This is all the more relevant for those of us who want the dark expression exterior and the 6-seat configurations (impossible in the MY23 configuration guide). Thank you for sorting this!

 

[kiwiswede]

Just made a successful conversion in New Zealand! So thankful I found this thread.

I had my doubts that I had created the dongle successfully (not very handy myself), but just to test it I left it removed and sure enough the SRS warning came on the dash. Waited for the system to fully shutdown (no screens on on the center screen or dash) and plugged the dongle back in and the warning was gone when I started it back up!

To contribute to the thread I can say that the bolt that worked for the side panels for me was labeled as an M8x16 at the hardware store. Don't know what any of those letters or numbers mean but it was about 2cm long and fit perfectly.

 

[satrya]

Just made a successful conversion in New Zealand! So thankful I found this thread.

Glad to hear.

To contribute to the thread I can say that the bolt that worked for the side panels for me was labeled as an M8x16 at the hardware store. Don't know what any of those letters or numbers mean but it was about 2cm long and fit perfectly.

Metric screws start with M; 8 is the 8mm diameter of the screw around the thread; 16 is the 16mm length of the threaded part of the screw. Together with the head, it adds to the 2cm (=20mm) length you mentioned.

 

[razl]

Bump! I didn't get any traction on my "has anyone removed the third row" thread so thought I'd ask the second row removal experts here - has anyone removed the third row? Is it doable? Is it reasonably easy to put back? And are there any electronics issues/quirks?

I'm going on a camping trip in the near future and could use the couple of extra CuFt (3-5?) that I'd get if it was worth doing. Appreciate any input!

 

[ktbos]

Bump! I didn't get any traction on my "has anyone removed the third row" thread so thought I'd ask the second row removal experts here - has anyone removed the third row? Is it doable? Is it reasonably easy to put back? And are there any electronics issues/quirks?

I'm going on a camping trip in the near future and could use the couple of extra CuFt (3-5?) that I'd get if it was worth doing. Appreciate any input!

I haven't done the removal but I can tell you that the removal of the middle seat did confuse the electronics until I added in the dongle to fake it out and that it appears from the way the seat belt sensors work for the 3rd row that there would be a similar expectation of the sensor that the seats would be in place. I.e. when somebody buckles in the 3rd row, I'm pretty sure I see that on the dash in the same way that I see it when somebody buckles in the 2nd row. So I would expect the electronics situation to be similar for the 3rd row. And as such, I don't know that you'd really be gaining enough space to warrant the effort of pulling the two seats out and dealing with the two dongles that would be needed (and that's even assuming that the electrical requirements are the same). I'd definitely go with a rooftop carrier for additional cargo before trying to strip out the insides to make room for cargo.

 

[razl]

@ktbos good info, I've already got a cargo box on top so I'm about maxed out there (and can't do one on the back due to size restrictions on the autotrain). I realize this is for relatively small gains, was hoping maybe someone said "it's easy, 4 bolts and that's it!". Haven't heard that yet so thinking, like you said, likely not worth the hassle.

"No honey, you can't take more than you did last year!! Even that was too much!"

 

[IvanIvanIvan777]

Hello everyone. I just purchased a 2022 XC90. Does anyone know if the part numbers and Resistance still apply? I’m concerned more about the dongle. Someone said Volvo doesn’t sell it anymore?
I would be happy to pay someone that could make the dongle for me and ship it if so.

 

[dgomes]

The car hasn't changed much up until 2022, specially in the interior and overall systems and functionalities, so I would suppose the same procedure, part numbers and hacks still apply.

 

[IvanIvanIvan777]

Someone a few comments up said Volvo doesn’t ship certain parts anymore.

 

[satrya]

Someone a few comments up said Volvo doesn’t ship certain parts anymore.

The only parts from Volvo are the OE connector housing and the cosmetic parts covering the exposed side on the lower side of the outboard seats. So, even if those aren't available, it's not going to make the conversion impossible.