Third row seat remove/install 850 wagon

[erikv11]

Removing the third row seat, 1996 Volvo 850 wagon

I couldn't find a good online guide for this job, there are some videos that are kinda a hassle and the really nice DIY from ozbrick.com seems to have finally disappeared. So I carefully documented removal from my wrecked wagon. I also took some pics to help visualize the steps, not all of them are ideal but they help.

The majority of this job involves removing the seat belt by detaching at the three anchor points (1, 2 and 3 in pic) and the seat belt buckles (4 in pic):

Fig 1 seat open.jpg (230.57 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

PIC

Here is the procedure:
(1) Tilt rear (second row) seats forward so you can work in the cargo bay.

(2) Remove 3rd row seat belts. This requires several steps:
- Remove the plastic seat belt “vent” at the wheel well. It tilts up and toward the window like a hinge, and then lifts right out.

Fig 2 vent_1.JPG (218.66 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 2.5 vent_2.JPG (200.62 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 3 vent_4.JPG (145.46 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

- Under the “vent” insert, there is a silver bracket that couples together the two trim pieces. Remove the 2 screws (torx T25) and remove the bracket.

Fig 4 silver bracket T25s.JPG (189.12 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

- Detach seat belt anchor #1, at the roof: remove the 14 mm bolt (keep the thin, yellow nylon washers on the mounting bolts), and then the anchor drops through the hole in the trim.

Fig 4.5 belt_anchor_misc.jpg (171.79 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

- Remove the plastic trim “cap” near the middle (#2) seat belt attachment, where the second row seat latches in. The cap has a long thick tab behind it and is a minor PITA to remove. Lift out slightly on the rear trim edge, then rotate the cap toward the engine and slide it forward slightly as you turn, and the cap will pop out. This gives you access to the mounting bolt for the second seat belt anchor, at the wheel well.

Fig 5 Cap_1.jpg (351.13 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 5.5 Cap_2.JPG (275.71 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 6 Cap_3.JPG (384.97 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 6.5 Cap_4.JPG (119.6 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

- Now you can remove the second seat belt anchor at the wheel well by unscrewing the 14 mm bolt; it may be tight I popped them off with an impact. Work the seat belt anchor out of the hole, now it is only attached at the floor.

Fig 7 anchor_2_bolt.JPG (291.07 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

- Flip up the third row seatback and detach the third seat belt anchor, at the floor (14 mm, use an open end wrench). Now you can remove the belt assembly from the vehicle.

Fig 8 seat belt on garage floor.jpg (245.52 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

(3) Flip the 3rd row seatback up and over, so the spare tire cavity is “open”.

(4) Remove the seat (lower) section of the third row seat: rotate the seat until it sticks straight up, and then lift it out of its pivot points.

Fig 9 seat down.jpg (251.95 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

(5) Remove the two floor sideboards, one on each side (a sideboard is labeled in the very first pic). They just pop up.

(6) Lift the narrow carpet strips on the side runners, and underneath them you will see the 2 bolts (10 mm) that attach the 3rd row seatback. Remove the 2 bolts and the thin metal strap they hold down. Do this on both sides.

Fig 10 carpet_strip.JPG (265.55 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 11 bolts 10 mm attach seatback.jpg (258.53 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

(7) Flip the seatback back down so it is laying flat (closed). Slide it a few inches rearward toward the hatch to release the metal tabs behind the board, then remove it from the car.

Fig 12 metal tab.JPG (255.81 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Also remove the latch guide in the back of the second row seat: with the second row seat up, push the trim down about ¼ inch, then it will basically fall right out.

(8) Under the carpet are a couple bronze-colored metal straps bent at 90˚, they act as baffles for the carpet. Remove them (12 mm bolt, 1 bolt per side).

Fig 13 baffle strip.JPG (209.84 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Fig 14 baffle strip.JPG (172.4 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

(9) In the spare tire well, detach and remove the 3rd row seat buckle assembly (2 bolts, 12mm).

Fig 15 3rd row seat buckle assembly.JPG (195.91 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

NOTE: if you want to stow a full-sized spare under the third row seat, which I HIGHLY recommend, then use a Dremel tool to trim off the metal protrusion on the seatbelt assembly, like this:

Fig 16 trimmed metal bracket.JPG (176.62 KiB) Viewed 8073 times

Install is reverse of removal.

So if you are picking up a third row seat, and you currently have just regular floorboards, here is the complete list of parts needed:
- seatback with metal tabs intact, make sure the latch pops out via the strap mechanism.
- seat bottom
- 2 seat belts, preferably labeled as passenger and driver side for clarity, each with three mounting bolts so 6 bolts total
- 2 slotted, plastic “vent” inserts
- 2 metal bridge brackets with 2 torx (T25) screws each, so 4 screws total
- 2 trim caps for the wheel well (optional: get side trim that has a hole pre-drilled, otherwise you can drill a hole in the car’s existing trim)
- 1 seat buckle assembly that mounts in the spare tire well, with 2 mounting bolts
- 1 plastic latch guide for the 2nd row seat (note – all second row seats can accept this trim piece, you just have to cut the carpet in the right place)
- 2 carpet strips, a right and a left
- 2 of the 90˚ angle baffles that go under the carpet strips, with 1 mounting bolt each

[matthew1]

I'm working on getting the missing images back.

[matthew1]

Fixed.

[abscate]

All the third seat heater images are missing.

[matthew1]

JRL, you got those?

[abscate]

It’s a conspiracy to conceal this desirable option, last seen in Iowa.

[yair]

Does anyone knows what's the part bumber for the plastic latch guide for the 2nd row seat? Mine is broken and I cannot find a diagram that will show it.

[abscate]

Yair - have you tried the Volvo parts Lisle website? I think it is the best for exploded views.

[yair]

I did. I haven't found a view that included this part.

[erikv11]

I recall pretty clearly reading posts from JRL that the latch guide piece was not available from Volvo. He was probably right then, which makes it unlikely it is available now. Junkyard.