Knee bolster under glove box - 99 S70

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 16 Feb 2013, 13:26

I just successfully replaced my leaky heater core and o-rings! Took about an hour, two after cleaning the windows inside really good and vacuuming the carpet. But, much better to do it myself than the $300 labor that my local shop wanted. During the process I remove the passenger side lower dash cover. I was expecting to have to remove the knee bolster that is under the dash cover. But, it was not there. So, sometime in it's life the knee bolster was removed and not put back on. My question in all this is what does the knee bolster actually do to protect the passenger? Does it basically keep a persons knees from going up into the under dash area?

Post by **precopster** » 16 Feb 2013, 14:06

The knee bolster is only fitted to the driver's side.

Post by **rspi** » 16 Feb 2013, 19:40

They are on the passengers side as well. It protects the passenger's knees from the parts that can be pushed into their legs in the event there is a bad accident. So, the bolster would hit their legs and protect them from parts like the fan motor, ac evaporator, etc.

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 16 Feb 2013, 21:00

That's what I figured it did for the protection of the passenger. The video I watched of the heater core replacement on IPD showed removing it. And when I got into it and didn't find one, I wondered. May try to find one in the junk yard.

Post by **precopster** » 16 Feb 2013, 22:45

Well what do you know!!

This is an area that the Aussie market missed on as my 2000 V70 hasn't got one as I just did the evaporator 2 months ago; perhaps it was pulled also.

Post by **jimmy57** » 16 Feb 2013, 23:28

The law changed and it was no longer fitted. 98 was the last year. If you have the RH storage shelf below the glove box you never had a corrugated bolster. You want to wear your belt and not have the bolster act to stop your knees and keep you positioned for airbag.

Post by **precopster** » 17 Feb 2013, 02:00

Jimmy it never ceases to amaze me on the breadth of your product knowledge. I have the storage compartment in mine (and so did my recently written off '99V70)

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 18 Feb 2013, 05:42

Thanks for that bit of info on the 99's not having the knee bolster.

Post by **stephansvolvo** » 01 Mar 2014, 14:42

I want to remove the current lower portion and replace it with the style that has the sweet little cubby area. I did notice that the 2000 I pulled it from doesn't have the bolster. And I need to install the "new" blower. So I was thinking of removing it. I understand it WAS a safety feature but also know that seat belts work way better to position your body for airbag impact.
Is the bolster, for the lack of a better word, cosmetic?

Thanks

Post by **abscate** » 02 Mar 2014, 05:43

If you wear your seatbelt religiously, it's cosmetic.

By religiously, I don't mean just on Sunday.