Climate control refurb

Davidkinton

Member
I’ve just bought this climate control from an A4. Just wondering whether I can do a straight swap for mine, or whether I need to change the buttons alone.
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Just swap the buttons and roller switches assuming you have heated seats. The top half of the A4 unit is different and probably a different width.

Andy
 
Just swap the buttons and roller switches assuming you have heated seats. The top half of the A4 unit is different and probably a different width.

Andy

Thanks for that. I thought that would be the case. What’s the easiest way to remove the buttons and refit them into the existing climate control unit?


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Remove the front panel from both units. From the rear of the removed panels, using a blunt tool, I use a rubber on the end of a pencil that has been slightly sharpened to fit to gently push the buttons out, vary the angle and try to push into the corners, practice by removing the worn ones, that way you should be perfect when it comes to removing the good buttons. They just pop back in from the front. While the front panel is off your climate give the temp sensor fan a good clean out ( at the top behind the slats ) reassemble your panel and refit climate panel into your car.
 
Remove the front panel from both units. From the rear of the removed panels, using a blunt tool, I use a rubber on the end of a pencil that has been slightly sharpened to fit to gently push the buttons out, vary the angle and try to push into the corners, practice by removing the worn ones, that way you should be perfect when it comes to removing the good buttons. They just pop back in from the front. While the front panel is off your climate give the temp sensor fan a good clean out ( at the top behind the slats ) reassemble your panel and refit climate panel into your car.

Thanks for the info. I will have a go at this as soon as I can get hold of what looks like a T6 screwdriver bit to remove the front panels.


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Thanks for the info. I will have a go at this as soon as I can get hold of what looks like a T6 screwdriver bit to remove the front panels.


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Evening David,

I can confirm it’s a T6 you’re after. I’ve just removed my Double DIN Soul Soft Touch panel to repaint with Lidl Matt Black to get a better match to the A4 Hard Touch buttons.

Once the front panel is off (6x T6) you’ll be presented with the green circuit board. No need to attempt to remove the ribbon cable, just remove the next 5x T6 screws and the circuit board with come away from the front fascia.

All you will have left is the front fascia with the buttons in. As stated above, use something like a sharpened eraser on the end of a pencil and they will simply pop out. The groups of 3 buttons both left and right don’t come out as easily as the bigger buttons surrounding the digital display area.

Below is a picture of the panel I have disassembled, removed the soft touch paint and sanded with 1200 grit wet and dry. Ready for preparation and painting tomorrow evening.

54870


54871


From these images you should be able to work out where to push from.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
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Evening David,

I can confirm it’s a T6 you’re after. I’ve just removed my Double DIN Soul Soft Touch panel to repaint with Lidl Matt Black to get a better match to the A4 Hard Touch buttons.

Once the front panel is off (6x T6) you’ll be presented with the green circuit board. No need to attempt to remove the ribbon cable, just remove the next 5x T6 screws and the circuit board with come away from the front fascia.

All you will have left is the front fascia with the buttons in. As stated above, use something like a sharpened eraser on the end of a pencil and they will simply pop out. The groups of 3 buttons both left and right don’t come out as easily as the bigger buttons surrounding the digital display area.

Below is a picture of the panel I have disassembled, removed the soft touch paint and sanded with 1200 grit wet and dry. Ready for preparation and painting tomorrow evening.

View attachment 54870

View attachment 54871

From these images you should be able to work out where to push from.

Kind regards,

Tom

I’ve just ordered some as we speak from Amazon, so should be here on Wednesday. Thanks for the Lidl paint tip, I may do that myself.


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I’ve just ordered some as we speak from Amazon, so should be here on Wednesday. Thanks for the Lidl paint tip, I may do that myself.


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By the way, how did you remove the soft touch paint? Are you going to use plastic primer before painting?


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Hi David,

Yes I’ll use thin coat of plastic primer then wet and dry (800 grit to not take too much off ) it prior to applying paint.

To remove the soft touch I used nail polish remover with a toothbrush to get into the button apertures.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
Evening David,

I can confirm it’s a T6 you’re after. I’ve just removed my Double DIN Soul Soft Touch panel to repaint with Lidl Matt Black to get a better match to the A4 Hard Touch buttons.

Once the front panel is off (6x T6) you’ll be presented with the green circuit board. No need to attempt to remove the ribbon cable, just remove the next 5x T6 screws and the circuit board with come away from the front fascia.

All you will have left is the front fascia with the buttons in. As stated above, use something like a sharpened eraser on the end of a pencil and they will simply pop out. The groups of 3 buttons both left and right don’t come out as easily as the bigger buttons surrounding the digital display area.

Below is a picture of the panel I have disassembled, removed the soft touch paint and sanded with 1200 grit wet and dry. Ready for preparation and painting tomorrow evening.

View attachment 54870

View attachment 54871

From these images you should be able to work out where to push from.

Kind regards,

Tom
Hi Tom,

A most helpful reply for David.

No big deal but have you noticed four of your plastic securing rivets have broken off, those that hold down the thin metal grid on the back of the button housing. Drop of super glue perhaps.

Andy
 
Hi Andy,

I actually didn’t notice these missing so thank you for pointing it out. Yes I’ll add a drop of glue to make sure it’s as good as new.

Of note I’ve looked around my work area and cannot see the missing plastic blobs and can’t see how I could have popped them off. Perhaps it’s been off before?

Thanks again for pointing it out.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
Fine sand paper or solvents as Tom suggests. I took the solvent route here is what I did.

Andy
I'm impressed with how you removed the soft-touch material. I'll try to remember that for the future! I had to paint part of a steering wheel to match the rest of my interior. In places, the paint has flaked-off. Maybe you can advise as to how I could prevent that happening if I repaint it? Some sort of plastic primer/preparation?

David
 
I'm impressed with how you removed the soft-touch material. I'll try to remember that for the future! I had to paint part of a steering wheel to match the rest of my interior. In places, the paint has flaked-off. Maybe you can advise as to how I could prevent that happening if I repaint it? Some sort of plastic primer/preparation?

David
Sorry I am no expert on paint, but with any paint job preparation is everything, don't skimp on it. My guess is any paint billed as suitable for plastic would do, following any primer/preparation advice on the can. Sorry not to be more helpful.

Andy
 
Evening David,

As stated above, the preparation is key to success here. I’m certainly no expert painter but below are the before and after of the climate unit I showed a few threads up.

The before shot I took last week some time:

54910


Here is the after shot with 3 coats of Lidl Matt Black. I also proceeded this with 1 coat of Halfords grey primer and sanded most of it back, leaving just enough for the paint to adhere to.

54911


I am left with a few tiny little blemishes as a result of my boys constantly opening the garage door to see what I was doing. Perhaps I should do my next paint job when they’re 18 and I can given them their eviction orders.

All that said it is an absolutely massive difference on what it was before.

I actually didn’t notice how bad it was whilst fitted so this will now look brand new to me when fitted.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
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Just adding to this climate thread on a slightly different angle - has anyone tried sanding down one of these Audi A4 B5 units to fit an A2, does it work? cheers nod

 
Unfortunately the A4 unit will not work. Although the buttons are identical and ideal for swapping into an A2 unit, the sensor fan is located higher up on the A4 unit. The A4 unit is more black than the A2 unit also.
 
Just adding to this climate thread on a slightly different angle - has anyone tried sanding down one of these Audi A4 B5 units to fit an A2, does it work? cheers nod

Good Evening,

In the picture the climate sides seem to be sloping in which case a minor problem arises as I discovered. I suggest you read a post of mine from some time ago now even though the part number slightly differs.


Andy
 
Unfortunately the A4 unit will not work. Although the buttons are identical and ideal for swapping into an A2 unit, the sensor fan is located higher up on the A4 unit. The A4 unit is more black than the A2 unit also.
OK thanks, does the higher fan position block correct installation then, total non starter or could the housing be sanded down? Looking at Andys photos it looks very close to fitting double din if the corners are rounded off and the sides sanded flat? cheers nod
 
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