Re: rear seat headrest removal (whitemule1994)
WhiteMule,
I got your PM but I figured I would go ahead and post here. There may be someone else who would like to do the same thing.
Unfortunately it isn't as easy as just removing the head rest.
The plastic trim piece that one sees under the head rest is also what holds the leather down and the head rest mechanism is what holds the plastic bezel on. So what I did was buy the headrest sans foam and leather cover from Volvo. I think I paid about 60 bucks. Part number is 8626511. Once you get the part take a hack saw and cut the two chrome rods off that hold the head support. Fully extend the rods and click them into place then cut them flush with the black plastic body of the mechanism. To remove the original head rest and install the one you just butchered, carefully pry up the plastic bezel. Loosen the two small pieces outside of the support rods first. I use a screw driver but you might consider one of those plastic trim spoons. If you lift up on the corners you can see how they are clicked into the body of the rest. Kind of hard to describe exactly how it works. I'll try. At this point I should also mention that all of my perspectives are from the rear behind the seat. You can see where there are long extensions of the bezel going down into the seat. If you will wedge a screwdriver or a more appropiate tool between them and the seat back and push toward the front of the car they should pop loose. Once you get the two outside clips loose the center is fairly easy. Once completely loose wiggle it off of the two chrome rods. Take a 10mm deep well socket with about a 3" extension and loosen the two nuts that are now exposed if you look straight down into the opening you have created in the seat back. These two nuts are what hold in the head rest. Put the new one in, install and tighten the nuts, place the bezel back in place but do not snap it down until you fished the pull-strap through the slot. Once that is done it will snap right back in place. Pop the pull-strap out and the cut ends of the rod should fall down out of sight. Voila!
WhiteMule,
I got your PM but I figured I would go ahead and post here. There may be someone else who would like to do the same thing.
Unfortunately it isn't as easy as just removing the head rest.
The plastic trim piece that one sees under the head rest is also what holds the leather down and the head rest mechanism is what holds the plastic bezel on. So what I did was buy the headrest sans foam and leather cover from Volvo. I think I paid about 60 bucks. Part number is 8626511. Once you get the part take a hack saw and cut the two chrome rods off that hold the head support. Fully extend the rods and click them into place then cut them flush with the black plastic body of the mechanism. To remove the original head rest and install the one you just butchered, carefully pry up the plastic bezel. Loosen the two small pieces outside of the support rods first. I use a screw driver but you might consider one of those plastic trim spoons. If you lift up on the corners you can see how they are clicked into the body of the rest. Kind of hard to describe exactly how it works. I'll try. At this point I should also mention that all of my perspectives are from the rear behind the seat. You can see where there are long extensions of the bezel going down into the seat. If you will wedge a screwdriver or a more appropiate tool between them and the seat back and push toward the front of the car they should pop loose. Once you get the two outside clips loose the center is fairly easy. Once completely loose wiggle it off of the two chrome rods. Take a 10mm deep well socket with about a 3" extension and loosen the two nuts that are now exposed if you look straight down into the opening you have created in the seat back. These two nuts are what hold in the head rest. Put the new one in, install and tighten the nuts, place the bezel back in place but do not snap it down until you fished the pull-strap through the slot. Once that is done it will snap right back in place. Pop the pull-strap out and the cut ends of the rod should fall down out of sight. Voila!
