DIY: Volvo Repairing Broken Dashboard Mounting Tabs

Difficulty Level

Tools/Supplies Needed:

• rubbing/isopropyl alcohol
• lint free cloth
• rubber gloves
• Super Glue
• plastic epoxy (Permatex General Purpose 5min Setup epoxy)
• tape

Procedure:

• ensure that the area in need of repair is clean of any dirt or grease
• the area can be wiped down with a lint free cloth and rubbing alcohol
• make sure you do wear rubber gloves and have a wet cloth handy to reduce a mess with the glue or epoxy
• using the Super Glue, generously apply it to the damaged area and hold it in place until the glue sets up and holds its shape
• allowing for the Super Flue to fully dry, you can now move onto the epoxy
• you can tape off the surround area if you choose to ensure the epoxy doesn't spread where it shouldn't
• I used Permatex General Purpose 5min Setup epoxy for this application, which is compatible with plastic
• squeeze out the required amount of epoxy need
• this is a two part epoxy, mix thoroughly to ensure the compounds will react with each other well
• wearing rubber gloves, apply some of the epoxy to your finger and apply to the damaged area
• I applied three coats of the epoxy to ensure for a strong and durable repair
• wait anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes for the epoxy to setup and harden
• allow 24 to 48 hours for the epoxy to full harden and reinstall the dash panel

Video tutorial on how to repair the broken mounting tabs under the dash of a Volvo in an easy inexpensive manner. This does appear to be a fairly common problem within the Volvo community so I've decided to provide on informative video on how I repair mine. When I created this video, the tabs had already been epoxied for a month with no issues whatsoever. This particular tutorial was done on a 1996 Volvo 850.