My daughter has a 1995 850. It is the base model w/out sunroof. The drivers side floor is getting wet. The car only has 72,000 miles. I am not sure if the windshield is leaking or the wiper arm. Has anyone ever had to replace the rubber/foam seal that seals the wiper arm from leaking? Anyone know if you can still buy this part. Anyone have a leak like mine.

Thanks

Scott

 

heater core

 

if it was the heater core I should smell antifreeze, and it would be low. There is no smell other them mildew starting. But I will look at that, I didn't know that the Heater Core was on the drivers side.

Thanks

 

I would say possibly the heater core as well.

 

Yup, if you have a failing heater core, coolant goes straight to the driver's side floor.

 

HEATER CORE, just took mine out today( wish I had more towels). Why? well the radiator was showing signs of corroding from the inside out(always put the very best coolant in the car, it will pay back big time) , so I bought a new Rad. but think well the heater core is just like the rad. but on the otherside. so the fire wall junction broke because of (oh we don't need coolant we live in FLA, so let's put water in it... BS) so pipes corrode to orings and plastic and you are left with crap.

BTW if going this route the biggest confussion I had was with seperating the pipes from the heater core because haynes seems to make it look like the screw head is facing the firewall but it is not the screw head is facing aft.

PS BTW. I'm blown away by how much sound proofing Volvo put in these cars. I've taken apart a few cars and this Volvo level is beyond my imagination. I mean WOW . maybe I'll post some picks of really great engineering that get's rarely a look. THE 850 is most probabaly theeee best car ever made.

 

+1!!!

Like others said, it's probably the heater core, unless you're truly not loosing any coolant (pull the carpet back and see if the liquid is green). If it not the core, my money is on the windshield seal; time for a new windshield.

But back to Bobec's comment; couldn't agree more! I have never seen a car that was actually designed to be so easy to work on, as much as the 850 is. If you do end up having to change out the heater core, it's like a 2 hour job; probably less than half that once you've done one before. What other car can you do heater core R+R that easily? Not too many!

 

At first thought I also agreed with the heater core. The lines come in right over the throttle pedal, down to the right of your foot then into the heater core. Any leak there will end up at your feet.

Second thought would be the windshield

Third would be the factory split loom that allows you to run wire or whatever through your firewall. If someone ran a power cable through that loom but did not put the rubber end on -and- had the wire angle up from the point of entry, any water that hits that wire will flow that water right into the cabin. As a general rule all wire run from outside to inside should dip down before it goes up through the hole so water travels away from the entry point not into it.

Aside from all this stuff...has it been raining where you are? If its been raining then maybe the heater core is not the culprit. If it has not been raining and your wet then the heater core it is.

 

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who replied to my post. I do not see any green and have not had a problem with low coolant. with that said I was talking to someone today and they recomended using some coloring and color som water a different color and pour it on the windshield to see if it is the windshield. just thought I would share this idea.

Thanks again everyone.