Volvo calls for ‘genuine’ commitment

Volvo Car UK strongly recommends that all repairs on Volvo vehicles are performed by Volvo-trained technicians using only Volvo genuine parts according to Volvo methods.

Volvo has issued a statement calling for the safe repair and replace of its windscreens.

This is part of its vision of having no one seriously injured or killed driving a Volvo by 2020.

With this is in mind it’s urging repairers to use only Volvo genuine parts, which are designed according to Volvo Cars’ detailed specifications, tested both separately and in interaction with other parts, and produced according to Volvo Cars’ quality assurance routines.

The statement read: A Volvo genuine windscreen is manufactured to the same specifications as the windscreen originally assembled in the car, and offers perfect fit, exact tolerances and maximum precision. Aftermarket alternatives that don’t meet these exact specifications may affect the car’s passive safety technology as well as active safety functions such as City Safety.

‘The windscreen is a critical component for the structural strength of the car’s body. The replacement process needs to be very thorough and carried out with Volvo-specified materials to retain the designed properties. Using Volvo-specified adhesives will bond the windscreen to the same strength as when the car was assembled in the factory. This is crucial for the function of the passenger airbag (which is designed to use the windscreen as support when it is deployed), as well as for the overall rigidness of the car’s body.

‘The windscreen is vital for the function of about 20 safety systems. This is due to the ASDM (Active Safety Domain Master) located inside the upper edge of the windscreen. The camera and radar in the ASDM are used together or individually to enable the safety functions to operate, and they are sensitive to the optical and geometric tolerances, glass thickness and mass of the windscreen. The safety system’s software is fine-tuned for each windscreen variant and demands extremely stringent optical tolerances to function as intended. Using aftermarket variants that don’t meet Volvo Cars’ stringent specifications may compromise the function of the systems.

‘Cars with a graphic Head-Up Display (HUD) are equipped with a specially engineered windscreen to achieve a good-quality projected image. The inside and outside of the windscreen are not parallel but angled towards each other, so the windscreen is slightly thicker at the upper edge than at the lower edge. Installing the wrong type of windscreen will result in double images of the projected information.

‘After a windscreen replacement, it is necessary to calibrate the camera and radar unit (ASDM) to ensure the safety systems function correctly. This is done using a special tool and activation via Volvo Cars’ branded diagnostics system. Replacing the windscreen should always be done by Volvo-trained technicians using Volvo methods and all the necessary components and systems to ensure that everything is put back in working order.’

It concluded, ‘A secure way to preserve the safety, performance and integrity of a Volvo is always to use Volvo genuine parts combined with Volvo knowledge, training and specialised equipment.’

 

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