Located in the heart of Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood, our company was founded in 1980 by Larry Hebert, a dealership technician and then-service manager, who had worked in the industry since the early 1960s.
Larry's fair pricing and honest service has spread through word-of-mouth referral by his loyal customers. Larry retired in 1995. Warren Moy, the current owner of Larry's Independent Volvo Service, is committed to offering the same quality, integrity, and customer service that Larry's customers have grown accustom to!
Operating as usual
If your Volvo misfires or idles rough, or if you hear a clunk when you first put it into gear, it may mean that you have weak motor mounts and need new ones. This is fairly common with Volvos, as the engine mounts on these cars are prone to wear and tear.
Did you know Volvo worked with Peugeot and Renault to produce an engine? The PRV engine was a petrol V6 engine sold between 1974 until 1998. The companies worked together and owned equal portions of their creation.
Volvo is creating production lines that can build most of their models on the same production line, regardless of size or complexity. They are using what they call Scalable Product Architecture, or SPA.
Volvo owners love their cars and love to keep them. The Volvo High Mileage Club requires 150,000 miles minimum in order to join. There are Volvos in this club with over 1,000,000 miles on them!
The Volvo B30 engine was first introduced in 1968 as a straight-six engine with overhead valves. It was used from 1969 until 1975 for the 164 series sedan and was also found in the military Volvo C303.
While the Volvo is known for its powerful heaters, the heater fan, located deep behind your dashboard, is prone to failure. If you do not have heat anymore in your car, it’s time to have your heater motor replaced.
To the men who founded the Volvo brand in the 1920s in Sweden, quality was of the utmost importance. This approach to making cars is still adhered to today, with the Volvo setting safety standards in the U.S. market.
The Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid is the world’s first diesel-powered plug-in hybrid. It can go all electric for city driving, with a range of up to 50 km. Or it can go diesel when you want 285 horsepower.
By increasing fuel efficiency, and introducing electrification, Volvo cut their overall CO2 emissions by six per cent. They now have seven models that emit less than 120g of CO2 per kilometer.
Did you know Volvo was the first to make side airbags? They also were the first to make it standard equipment in 1996 and part of the overall Side Impact Protection System which transmitted the force an accident from the doors and to the safety cage.
The Volvo logo features the ancient chemical symbol for iron in its center; a circle with an arrow pointing diagonally upwards to the right. The diagonal band across the radiator was added to keep the chrome badge in place.
Volvos are popular cars all over the world, but their biggest customer is the United States. In second place is Sweden, followed by China, Germany, and The United Kingdom, rounding out the top 5.
A common problem encountered with Volvo involves a malfunctioning of the check engine light. This can be triggered by a number of things, including the O2 sensor code. The problem may be minor, but it still needs to be checked out sooner rather than later.
The Torslanda Volvo plant in Sweden is still one of the company’s largest cars and SUVs production site. It opened in 1964 and was followed in 1965 by the company’s second largest production site in Ghent, Belgium.
Before the Volvo’s introduction of Geartronic the automatic transmissions were made by the ZF Friedrichshafen company. As the transmissions switched to manumatic technologies Volvo teamed up with Japanese developers Aisin.
Some Volvo history: Volvo is from the Latin “volvere” and means “I roll” and the first model of Volvo was named “Jakob”. Built to withstand the harsh winter climate in Sweden, Volvos came in both closed top and cabriolet models.
Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin was the inventor of the three point safety belt which became a standard for all Volvo cars. He also made his design patent open to other car manufacturers for free in the interest of safety.
Volvo cars include safety solutions such as the Pedestrian Detection, with full auto brake, and City Safety, an automated braking system that can stop the car traveling at lower speeds to avoid collisions.
Volvo with its 140 series that it introduced in 1966 came up with a “tri-digit system” which entailed the first number identifying the series and the second number listing the number of cylinders the engine contained. The final number listed the number of doors that particular Volvo had.
Part of properly maintaining your Volvo involves having the air filter cartridge changed according to the recommended maintenance schedule. The cartridge should be replaced with a new factory fitted one to protect the engine and maximize fuel economy.
If your low tire pressure light comes on the dash of your Volvo, pull over immediately and inspect the damage. It may be a good idea to change the tire and have it inspected, as a tire below 18psi may be irreparable.
One of Volvo’s longest used engines was the straight-6 engines first introduced in 1929. They were used in all six-cylinder cars and taxi cabs and were made up of a cast iron block and seven main bearing in a side-valve engine.
Did you know that Volvo is committed to sustainable development comprised of Economy, Environment and Social Responsibility? This includes their vision for safety that by 2020 no serious injuries or fatalities will occur in a new Volvo car.
It is recommended that you stick to the recommended schedule of routine service and inspection of your Volvo. This should include a diagnostic check of your passive and active safety systems, scheduled maintenance service, and a systems check of your on-board computer monitoring system.
One of the best ways to avoid extensive (and expensive) repairs on your Volvo is to have all routine inspections and maintenance performed according to the recommended schedule. Letting minor things go will only lead to more major issues down the road.
The popularity of Volvo’s PV651 introduced in 1929 with six-cylinders helped the company largely expand. It was able to by its own engine supplier and its first factory; by 1931 the company was making returns to shareholders.
Did you know that the Volvo company has been responsible for several breakthroughs in vehicle safety over the years? This includes everything from the first laminated windshield, to adjustable seatbelts, to side impact released air bags.
A 1966 Volvo 1800S, owned by Irv Gordon in New York has nearly 3 million miles on it, by far the highest mileage Volvo officially listed. How many oil changes does that come out to?
The very first Volvo driven off the assembly line was the Volvo ÖV 4 introduced on April 14, 1927. Interestingly, the ÖV 4 was replaced with sturdier, enclosed automobiles that were more durable in Sweden’s cold climate.
Volvo’s new engines are called Volvo Environmental Architecture, or VEA. These engines offer higher performance than their six-cylinder engines yet they consume less than their four-cylinder engines.
The car with the most miles on it is not the 1990 Honda Accord driven by Million Mile Joe, but rather for a red 1966 Volvo P1800 driven by Irv Gordon. The car has nearly three million miles on it and its original engine.
We hope you’re really good at mimicking the sounds your Volvo makes. You may sound silly when you’re doing it, but giving a mechanic an accurate sound description makes it easier to diagnose the problem.
If you have a Volvo that has a persistent SRS failure indicator light on, it is imperative that you do not ignore it, as this involves a critical safety system in your car. However, the problem may not be serious and in fact nothing more than a dashboard light that needs to be changed.
If you have recently tuned up your Volvo and your check engine light comes on, it may be your camshaft position sensor. This common problem is one that you must address, as it could lead to failure in the VVT unit, which controls your car's cam during acceleration.
Loose steering in your Volvo must be addressed right away. This is a common problem in many Volvos, as the bottom connection between the steering column and the steering rack is prone to wear.
6301 Beacon Ave S
Seattle, WA
98108
| Monday | 8am - 5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 5:30pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 5:30pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5:30pm |
| Friday | 8am - 5:30pm |
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