Correct Removal of Driver Side Door Handle Blank Out Buttons?
 

On my 1991 Volvo 940 Turbo, I'm having a beast of a time removing one of the driver's side door handle "blank buttons" so I can get something out behind the A pillar trim. It's very loose and I can see the white clip and solitary screw holding it on, but it just won't budge, hard as I dare pry. Are there any reference pictures of the clip or any way I can remove it without breaking it?

not sure what you mean by 'blank buttons' ? in the interior door handle pocket where the latch handle works, there's two 1/4 turn plastic buttons, you turn these 90 degrees and they should just lift out, then the trim around that grab area comes out with a bit of convincing (I forget if you have to lift out the window switch panel before or after you remove this trim piece). once that pocket trim piece is out, you remove the speaker grill by pushing it 'forward' til it unhooks then lifts off. there's 3(or is it 4, I'm writing this from memory) plastic clips at the bottom of the interior door panel, best way I found to remove those is to make sure the flat part of the clip is level with the ground, then use a small flat screwdriver to pry the clip straight down, once you get one out you'll see how it works. also, remove the little red lens from the door safety marker ligth below the latch, and unscrew hte lock knob. now the door should swing 'in' at the bottom, and lift off the window sill, then reach behind it and unplug the speaker, window switches (or maybe they stay in the door, I forget), and the panel should be completely free from the door.

but, the A pillar trim, thats not even ON the door, thats on the chassis frame around the windshield. so I'm really confused ??

I'm sorry if I wasn't very clear. The best reference I could dig up quickly, without going down to the car and taking a picture is this. You can see two screw cover trim pieces that would be to the left of the driver's side - that's what I'm referring too. One is very loose but won't pop off, the other I haven't tried just yet.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/...e67ba9d7_b.jpg

OH, the covers for where a driver side GRAB handle might have gone ?

yeah, one of mine is very loose, but I'm afraid to take that trim piece off, as I'm afraid it will shatter. I put some gummy stuff on the back of the loose cover and stuck it back in place so it doesn't rattle.

afaik, those caps are screwed from the back to the trim piece, so you'd need to remove the whole trim piece, which AFAIK is held in place with spring clips.

Well, if I don't have to mess with them, that's fine with me. The previous owner adhered some sort of maintenance minder or security paper (like for park passes) clip halfway down under the A pillar cover trim. I see where it slides into the next piece of trim by the headliner, but am unsure of how to loosen it enough to remove that annoying clip.

the clear plastic clip against the windsheild? thats stock from the factory on all 7/9's... its for parking permits, garage tickets, and such. very handy, so they don't fall into the defroster vents or whatever, I wish more cars had those.

To get those caps off, loose as they are, take a flat screwdriver, and firmly pry the lower edge of the cap off--it should unclip itself from the white plastic base, it shouldn't break as long as the pressure is applied to the very edge of the cover cap. The base is attached to the molding with a single torx that comes loose over time. Just tighten the torx and snap the cap back on. Do not overtighten or the base will crack. Or you can put another handle there...

Yes, I have always thought the clear plastic clip was a great and useful idea.

I had no idea that was stock. No wonder it seemed so securely attached. I'll leave it be, in that case. Still, I'd like to tighten up that screw cover, so I'll try the suggestion I received. Thanks!

By the way, I have to say I'm much more impressed with the quality and durability of the plastics in this '91 940 over my previous '88 240. Overall, the fasteners and map pockets, etc, seem much higher quality.

yeah, the 7/9 interior is way nicer than the 240, which was designed in the 70s, afterall, and was really only a minor evolutionary upgrade of the prior 142/144/145 family dating from the 1960s...

I love the lines of hte early 145's

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...een_vr_TCE.jpg

After re-building the interior of a 245 and a 745 turbo I'm kinda mixed as to which has the nicer interior.

The 740 had thicker plastics, many more luxurious touches that modernized it a bit, at the same time you have to contend with sagging headliners and silly felt inserts on the doors. Some of the controls up front are a little cramped (e-brake, cup holders, fuse tray).

On my car I had to re-insert factory tabs where the PO had used exacto straps, that eliminated most of the rattles barring the rear tailgate (a weak point on these).

The 240 is much more spartan with even arm-rests being optional, their headliners are some sort of tough plastic. Once you have an arm rest there will be more space up front for your e-brake movement. Their door panels may have basic arm rests (the rear rests are a joke), but they wont "pucker".

The 240s door pockets were a poor attempt at updating the interior, older 140s got a leather pouch of sorts that fit much better, while 240s earned a hasteful box.

cup holders?? no cup holders on my 740 or any 940 i've seen, unless they were aftermarket.

I happily put up with the cramped access to the 7/9 fuses in exchange for using proper blade fuses instead of the antique ceramic fuses used on the 240.

Volvo cupholders were a dealer accessory, I have them in all my cars--work great!

Volvo 740 940 Console Armrest Lid w Cup Holders Beige Color GD5 | eBay

oh yeah, I have one of those armrests in my wagon, forgot it had cupholders in it, hahahahah, as I hardly never use them, my motor-mug and water bottle are both too big to fit.

I forgot about those ceramics, accessing the fuse box in a 240 can be awkward (thanks to being mounted low down), but messing with those fuses can be a nuisance (let alone finding quality replacements).

The door pockets in 240s can hold narrow bottles but little else, I've found the cheapest cup holder setup to snag a set from a Ford Taurus and rest them in the lower compartment (no real mounting needed).

I usually end up using my holders to hold spray bottles when I'm cleaning interiors, maybe a bottle of water, rarely much else.

If you have access to a 3D printer in your area (many universities have them and charge a nominal fee to use), I would suggest printing a couple of these out for your 240: Volvo 240 cup holder by Blippy - Thingiverse

You download the file, send it to the printer, and VOILA! A couple days later you pick up some 3D-printed cup holders that clip right to your dash for the price of a cup of coffee.

I had some printed a few months ago and they work great.

hope they weren't printed out of PLA, or the first hot day that comes along, they'll be drooping like hot wax. printed ABS is more durable, but also harder to print.

Here I am 6 years later finding this. Worked perfectly.