Front bumper cover removal tips 1998 S70 T5

timetobakethedonuts · Post by **timetobakethedonuts** » 02 Sep 2025, 17:29

About five years ago, I tried to remove my front bumper cover while the bumper was on the car. I found 11 Torx screws along the bottom of the bumper support where tabs of the cover attached. I removed the 4 rivets in each wheel well that attach to the bumper cover, and pried the cover the best I could under the headlights. I got stuck in the middle of the top of the bumper support - there are three flat 1-1/4" wide tabs there that protrude into slots in the top of the bumper cover, and they were locked solid. I thought I might need to cut those tabs, and looked up the part the tabs are part of - # 9151587. This part is in the picture attached at the bottom. It was only $30, and I was told by Volvo it was hard to locate one. I set the project aside, not certain I was on the right track.

A video was posted in the interim that shows how to remove the bumper. https://tinyurl.com/2tkm5hrc I removed the bumper, hoping to learn more about the construction and simplify removal of the cover. Unfortunately, I got stuck at the exact same spot - there is no way to release the spring tabs at the center of the top of the bumper support. So, I cut them with a reciprocating saw, and tapped the remaining ends inward to release the slotted tabs of the cover. You release the 4 tabs on the left and right ends by prying with a screwdriver (11 total), and the bumper support and styrofoam can then be removed.

Since the ABS part that provides the attachment to the top of the bumper support is no longer available, this post may not be of the greatest use. But I wanted to let others know how this assembly is put together. The only idea I had for non-destructive removal of the part was drilling three small holes in the bumper cover where the locking tabs are, and using a tool to depress them.

Post by **scot850** » 02 Sep 2025, 18:38

For a 98- P80, it has been a while, do you not just remove the headlight wiper arms, remove the rivets from the fender liner on the bumper side, and then undo the 2 large bolts (likely rusted) and then pull the whole bumper off?

Like I say, it has been a while...........

Neil.

timetobakethedonuts · Post by **timetobakethedonuts** » 03 Sep 2025, 08:01

scot850 wrote: ↑02 Sep 2025, 18:38 For a 98- P80, it has been a while, do you not just remove the headlight wiper arms, remove the rivets from the fender liner on the bumper side, and then undo the 2 large bolts (likely rusted) and then pull the whole bumper off?

Like I say, it has been a while...........

Neil.

Hello. You are correct - that is how the bumper assembly is removed. This post is to show how the assembly is disassembled to repair the bumper cover. The repair is a puncture in the cover using epoxy/reinforcement of the surface from behind.

Don

wahiddd · Post by **wahiddd** » 03 Sep 2025, 08:05

Yeah, those spring tabs are the killers. I used a dremel to notch access slots instead of drilling, then pushed them back with a flathead. Took a bit of time but saved the bumper cover

Post by **scot850** » 03 Sep 2025, 08:35

Sorry, I missed the point you were trying to make, I thought the issue was accessing the tabs while fitted. Those tabs are a challenge but can't say I recall having any issue removing them. Doesn't mean it was easy though!

Neil.