Every old Volvo makes some creaks and groans, and it's part of what gives them their unique and beloved character. Ignoring my shaky dash (which I've almost tuned out by now) my '00 Volvo XC70 used to have a terribly obnoxious tailgate cover. I used a repair kit that was able to remedy this issue in about 30-45 minutes.
Tools needed:
- Volvo Tailgate Panel Repair Kit - Scan Tech 8619383
- Philips Screw Driver and/or Power Drill
- Pliers
- Vice Grips
- Glue
Presuming it's still attached
Remove the smallest and in fact only other piece attached to the bottom of the tailgate by pulling backwards away from the window. It, like everything else in this post, has plastic tabs you want to remain intact so be careful. Next, work the bottom portion of the tailgate off of its mounts. This area is held in by the arrow shaped clips shown below. This is best done by hand as you want to pull the clips out and down at the same time. As you can see for this demonstration I broke one of them.
Depending on how broken everything is the tail gate it may fall free at this point. If not push up in the direction of the tailgate hinge to free the remaining top clips.
The top clips are most likely the problem children of this whole assembly. They sit pressed into fairly thin housings. They are also made of plastics that degrade and as you probably know break over time. With the panel off remove all of the old clips, if they seem recoverable keep them as spares. They can be easily removed by twisting 90º and pulling straight out. The silver parts in the kit serve to reinforce any remaining plastic left on these supports. Bend the clips to conform with the existing supports, using the vice grips and pliers on the new metal supports helps prevent further injury to the tailgate. With the new mount formed properly use your screw driver or drill to secure the mounts on the panel. Here is where I used glue under the metal to supplement some missing plastic and give me some more confidence in the long run. Setting the screws at a downward angle can help create enough space for both the other screws and new clips.
Place the four clips with the arrow head and square base in the into the slots on the tail gate. They simply slide into place.
Hands and Face
Re-fit the panel starting with the top. The panel should be offered up uniformly to the car. This can be a bit tricky as its a long piece and for the most part you've got to work blind. I like to use my head to hold it near the car while adjusting its position on the car. Fish the lock through its hole and then align the clips on the metal tailgate with the panel in your hands. Press firmly until the clips are secure on at least one of the four so you can have it help hold the panel up. Work your way around and get the top portion situated and secure. With the top in place use your hands to pull the bottom portion around the end of the tailgate and press firmly to insert the lower clips. Re-fit the small plastic cover removed at the beginning and your done.
