How do I get the armrest cover off? (2007 XC70) Topic is solved

leapdragon · Post by **leapdragon** » 30 May 2021, 18:36

Hi all,

I'm rehabilitating a new-to-me 2007 XC70. All the usuals—PCV, tranny, hoses, etc.

So far, the thing that's got me absolutely stymied is the armrest cover on the center console. The current cover is too worn for my tastes, so I've picked up a new vinyl cover from eBay. So far, so good.

Except I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the cover off.

I've seen pictures of it off—four screws. The first two are easy, they're both T25 near the hinge. However, I can't figure out how to access the two screws at the side farthest from the hinge. They are not exposed.

There are two buttons on either side of the armrest. From the photos of the cover bottoms I've seen, the screws are approximately in-line with those, though set in toward the middle a bit farther. However, what I see when I look there at the armrest is smooth plastic. Presumably the screws are under the plastic and are somehow removed through a hole somewhere.

There are two little rubber "feet" that I thought may be hiding access to screws, so I popped them out, but they appear not to have screws behind them, just holes.

Anyone have a guide on how to get the cover off of the 2007 armrest? Any help appreciated.

Post by **DonnVa** » 30 May 2021, 20:51

I just replaced mine a few weeks ago. I took the whole center console out. There are screws you have to access from below by turning it over. I believe I watched a Peppermint video on it. I’ll see if I can find it if someone doesn’t beat me to it.

leapdragon · Post by **leapdragon** » 30 May 2021, 21:20

Yikes! But at the same time you're not the first person to suggest the whole console may have to come out.

To be clear, I don't need to get the armrest itself out, just the leather cover on top of it. Does it really require removal of the armrest to get the top shell off? That would seem excessively poor design, especially when I can get the part next to the hinge completely loose just by undoing those T25s. But if that's what it takes, that's what it takes I guess.

It's just the two screws at the tip farthest from the hinge that I can't figure out. Will I gain access to those somehow if the whole armrest comes out?

For reference...

That image shows the cover removed. I can get the two screws on the side opposite the button holes, but I seem to have no access to the screws at the other end. I'm not in front of the car now to try to imagine how it all fits together but what I'm imagining is that there must be screws on the thin rear end of the armrest that are blocked by the hinge/console and that removing those will enable the armrest to "slide off" of the plastic shell part currently blocking the holes?

There is a part of me that is tempted just to drill througb the plastic...

Yeah, if you (or anyone?) has a video for the armrest style with the two buttons on the sides, that would be helpful!

leapdragon · Post by **leapdragon** » 30 May 2021, 21:33

Some more photos to illustrate.

#1:

I'm trying to separate "A" from "B".

I can get the bottom two T25s off, no problem ("OK"). But there are two screws at the other end and none of the holes seem to lead to them, including the holes.behind the two rubber nubs.

Post by **DonnVa** » 30 May 2021, 22:26

I was stuck on that as well. What I bought was the assembly with the hinge. I couldn’t figure out how to just replace the leather. It’s really not hard to remove the console and then you get to clean that whole area under it. You might even make 50 cents. Lol

Post by **matthew1** » 30 May 2021, 23:00

leapdragon wrote: ↑30 May 2021, 21:33 Some more photos to illustrate.

Hi leapdragon. Those photos are in an inaccessible location. Please use the Attachments function.

Post by **DonnVa** » 31 May 2021, 06:52

Here’s the Peppermint video.

leapdragon · Post by **leapdragon** » 31 May 2021, 07:20

Sorry for the broken photos! Let's try again.

Here's (someone else's) photo of the piece I'm trying to remove. It's a frequent sale item on eBay and elsewhere, so obviously it's removable somehow, and as you can see in the photo, it's held in place by four screws:

Problem is, I can't figure out how/where to loosen the two screws next to the buttons. (Or in the above photo, next to the button holes.) They do not seem to be exposed.

Here is a shot from my armrest illustrating what I'm trying to get off. I'm trying to get piece "A" separated from piece "B" so that I can take off the old vinyl and replace with new vinyl that I already have here:

When I take out the two screws on the opposite side from the buttons, that end can pull away by a good inch. I'm so close! It's just those two screws by the buttons that I can't figure out how to remove.

Here is the bottom of the armrest. You can see the two screws I can get out ("OK"). But where are the other screws?

I thought that taking the little rubber nubs out on the button end would reveal them, but it just revealed empty holes. :-/

I know I'm missing something simple, but I need help to figure out what it is.

Post by **DonnVa** » 31 May 2021, 07:31

Yup, I stalled at that as well. Instead of spinning my wheels on those two screws I took out the whole console. I vacuumed the carpet under it and cleaned the coffee and soda goo off the console plastic hidden under the cup holders.

leapdragon · Post by **leapdragon** » 31 May 2021, 07:43

Totally hear you DonnVa, but at the same time, there has *got* to be a way. I mean, Volvo will happily sell you the cover separately:

https://usparts.volvocars.com/p/Volvo_2 ... 96087.html

The bloody-minded part of me doesn't want to concede to a simple armrest when I have done multiple PCVs, timing belts, etc. Gaaah!