I'm trying to get the panel behind the rear seats off so I can work on the seatbelt. Any suggestions?

 

I glanced at mine and could not really tell. I would imagine that the rear deck is on with clips. I would start by removing the rear seat. After that I noticed 3 clips pushed into the deck, they likely pull out. Volvo likes using push in plastic clips that usually break when they are taken out.

 

If it's like the 940, take out the bottom cushion, then the backrest by unscrewing the two 10mm bolts on either side if the middle armrest (kind of hidden), then unclip the two metal clips on each bottom lower side. That will allow you to remove the seat back. The top shelf can then be accessed and lifted out.

 

Thanks for the tips - any guidance on how to remove the seats? I tried without much success. The seat bottom appears to be held in place by a bracket and bar that if I could shift the seat bottom back it would come off, but couldn't get it to budge.

(This car is relatively new to me, and I don't have a manual.)

 

You have to PUSH DOWN hard on the front edge of the bottom cushion and simultaneously PUSH BACK toward the rear to unhook the hooks from the brackets on both sides--sometimes it's a bitch!

 

Thanks for the tips, they set me on the right track and helped me persist. Getting the seat out was the key to getting the panel off, since it was held in place by three torx head screws that were only accessible after the seat back came off.