Facelift centre console

S

sub39h

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Hi guys

I've recently purchased a 2006 A3, and have decided i wanted to update the centre console.

i'm on the hunt for an RNS-E 2010 at the right price (so far fairly unsuccessfully), but was wanting to change over some other bits at the same time.

i'll be looking to add the faceplate from an '09+ climate unit onto my prefacelift one - i've met a lovely chap M88JCP who's done this mod before and got it all working and i'm planning on doing something similar (either with his help or paying him for the pleasure).

my question was in regards to the newer style facelift ESP and hazard buttons and coin tray - will i need a new double DIN cage to make them fit or is my current cage fine? does anyone have part numbers and prices? part number for the cup holder that can be swapped into the coin tray would be most appreciated as well.

cheers in advance guys,

S.
 
assuming your current setup is already double-din, i don't think that the older double-din cage will hold the facelift hazard switch correctly....
 
Smoothie said:
assuming your current setup is already double-din, i don't think that the older double-din cage will hold the facelift hazard switch correctly....
Click to expand...

yeah my current system is double DIN. when i got my car i knew i'd be putting RNS-E into it at some point so i only went for cars with Symphony II or the newer double DIN head units.

may i ask why you've come to this conclusion. i would have assumed that the hazard switch is held in by the faceplate, which is being swapped anyway
 
When you say M88 has added the facelift climate, what year was his car as the pre-late 07 & facelift climates are not interchangeable & the faceplates internals are also different & I found it almost impossible if not impossible to swap these over.

Yes you will need DD & the facelift hazard does have an issue with certain DD cages.
 
NHN said:
When you say M88 has added the facelift climate, what year was his car as the pre-late 07 & facelift climates are not interchangeable & the faceplates internals are also different & I found it almost impossible if not impossible to swap these over.
Click to expand...

he doesn't have facelift climate. he's put a newer faceplate onto an older version. he said it was a faff but he's got it all working. only small issue was that the wire for the LED on the auto button was too short so it can't be seen when the unit is in auto mode.

i know the facelift units don't swap in cos you've mentioned it before. i do listen fella :p. hence why when he mentioned he had a unit for sale that he'd done it to i was well chuffed that i may have found a solution. his is a 2007 but i dunno if it's late or early. his quote from the advert is on this very forum reads:

"A facelift climate control unit with heated seat function. This has been converted, so has the facelift facia but has the pre facelift internals so works with cars with the pre 07 wiring. Everything on the unit works great and I had it in my car for months without any issues. The unit look's completely OEM once fitted, BUT due to the issues with the new and old units, the auto function on indication LED does not come through, however the auto function works perfectly and all the other LED's and background lights work."

NHN said:
Yes you will need DD & the facelift hazard does have an issue with certain DD cages.
Click to expand...

in regards to the cage itself, what tells me if it will or won't work?
 
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the hazard switch itself clicks into the cage, then the faceplate just fills in the surrounding gap around the switches
 
sub39h said:
in regards to the cage itself, what tells me if it will or won't work?
Click to expand...

Trial and error mate if you want to take the chance, post a picture of your current setup and il get you the part numbers
 
my car's a 2006/55 with Symphony II. i'll get photos up later today.
 
i swapped mine over from single-din to RNS-E and used facelift switches, just as easy mate....there was no need to hunt out a car with Symphony II.....just had to buy a new climate unit also

IMG_0080.jpg


IMG_0094.jpg
 
well the way i saw it was that Symphony didn't massively add value to the car, so might as well get a car with it to save me having to buy a new climate unit :p
 
sub39h said:
he doesn't have facelift climate. he's put a newer faceplate onto an older version. he said it was a faff but he's got it all working. only small issue was that the wire for the LED on the auto button was too short so it can't be seen when the unit is in auto mode.

i know the facelift units don't swap in cos you've mentioned it before. i do listen fella :p. hence why when he mentioned he had a unit for sale that he'd done it to i was well chuffed that i may have found a solution. his is a 2007 but i dunno if it's late or early. his quote from the advert is on this very forum reads:

"A facelift climate control unit with heated seat function. This has been converted, so has the facelift facia but has the pre facelift internals so works with cars with the pre 07 wiring. Everything on the unit works great and I had it in my car for months without any issues. The unit look's completely OEM once fitted, BUT due to the issues with the new and old units, the auto function on indication LED does not come through, however the auto function works perfectly and all the other LED's and background lights work."

in regards to the cage itself, what tells me if it will or won't work?
Click to expand...

I commend him for getting it to fit as I spent ages looking at the internals, the units changed few times tbh so his previous one maybe had the changed parts inside to make it fit better, who knows, but for me if the mod isnt perfect or near to as in full functionality visually aswell as usability, then I tend not to do them as I wouldnt be satisfied with the end result, but if he is then good for him.

I do remember the dials were different fitment aswell as the led state on a button or something along these lines & I wasnt prepared at the time to hack the pieces up as I saw no way forward I was happy with.

Grab a hazard button & test it, as I cant recall which one is the problem.
 
NHN said:
I commend him for getting it to fit as I spent ages looking at the internals, the units changed few times tbh so his previous one maybe had the changed parts inside to make it fit better, who knows, but for me if the mod isnt perfect or near to as in full functionality visually aswell as usability, then I tend not to do them as I wouldnt be satisfied with the end result, but if he is then good for him.

I do remember the dials were different fitment aswell as the led state on a button or something along these lines & I wasnt prepared at the time to hack the pieces up as I saw no way forward I was happy with
Click to expand...

Same reason i didn't go though with this mod, would have been a bodge job
 
sub39h said:
well the way i saw it was that Symphony didn't massively add value to the car, so might as well get a car with it to save me having to buy a new climate unit :p
Click to expand...

Now you have to buy a new DD cage :p
 
ah touché... but that's only because i'm being picky about my prefacelift buttons
 
NHN said:
if the mod isnt perfect or near to as in full functionality visually aswell as usability, then I tend not to do them as I wouldnt be satisfied with the end result, but if he is then good for him.
Click to expand...

completely agree with you. the only reason i didn't buy his unit off him is because it's a heated seats one and i don't have heated seats (and having the buttons would make me want them to work even tho i have half leather and therefore no need for heated seats).

if i give it a go (which i don't think i will if it's stumped the great Nigel) then i'd want to extend the wire for the LED so everything works. you've kinda put me off the whole idea now lol
 
As I can really only see 8P0 858 005 D mentioned for the DD cage & Rev C seems to be for manual control etc I take when the original DD rev A was superceeded in 2007 to REV D it was altered & suits the facelift buttons too?

I dont fancy swapping cage again! Will need to try see what I have fitted..
 
Khufu said:
As I can really only see 8P0 858 005 D mentioned for the DD cage & Rev C seems to be for manual control etc I take when the original DD rev A was superceeded in 2007 to REV D it was altered & suits the facelift buttons too?

I dont fancy swapping cage again! Will need to try see what I have fitted..
Click to expand...

so you're saying that i'm going to have p/n 8P0 858 005 A, but the facelifted cars have 8P0 858 005 D which is for the new buttons?

do we have a price for the aforementioned parts?
 
audi upgrades
8P0 858 005 D

Thats the DD cage i used which holds facelift switches £35.45 from AUDI
 
Ok this is from the receipt from Audi:

Bezel which holds switches left of the hazard button in place : 8P0 941 567 A : £2.97

Blank left : 8P0 941 515 D : £2.61
ESP Switch : 8P0 927 134 D : £11.96
Passenger airbag warning light : 8P0 919 234 B: £11.53
Hazard Switch : 8P0 941 509 D : £19.88

Card Shelf : 8P0 941 561 J : £27.31
Trim Surround for buttons : 8P0 863 321 F : £6.54

Hope that helps you mate
 
audi upgrades
facelift climate wont fit then? .............I'm sure N8 has it in his???
 
Lee_R said:
facelift climate wont fit then? .............I'm sure N8 has it in his???
Click to expand...

it fits on late '07 cars and younger apparently. after that the wiring's different as the units are completely different internally
 
audi upgrades
NHN said:
I commend him for getting it to fit as I spent ages looking at the internals, the units changed few times tbh so his previous one maybe had the changed parts inside to make it fit better, who knows, but for me if the mod isnt perfect or near to as in full functionality visually aswell as usability, then I tend not to do them as I wouldnt be satisfied with the end result, but if he is then good for him.

I do remember the dials were different fitment aswell as the led state on a button or something along these lines & I wasnt prepared at the time to hack the pieces up as I saw no way forward I was happy with.
Click to expand...


***UPDATE***

PM'ed M88JCP and he mentioned that he's an electrical engineer by trade, which may explain why he got it all working.

he took a 2004/5 CC unit and modded the newer faceplate onto it.
 
I still wouldn't fancy it TBH mate, if it ain't plug and play it's not meant to be for me
 
audi upgrades
sub39h said:
it fits on late '07 cars and younger apparently. after that the wiring's different as the units are completely different internally
Click to expand...

Its not just wiring or climate, its other parts on the heating system & N8's worked as his is 08 anyway so has new cam system on flaps, different wiring & different parts.

sub39h said:
***UPDATE***

PM'ed M88JCP and he mentioned that he's an electrical engineer by trade, which may explain why he got it all working.

he took a 2004/5 CC unit and modded the newer faceplate onto it.
Click to expand...

He didnt do anything electrically by sounds of it as he used existing pcb/wiring which is obviously compatible, probably modded plastics to fit, but as he cant see auto button state for me it seems pointless.
 
NHN said:
He didnt do anything electrically by sounds of it as he used existing pcb/wiring which is obviously compatible, probably modded plastics to fit, but as he cant see auto button state for me it seems pointless.
Click to expand...

dare i disagree with the great nigel? doesn't the amount of air being blown at you tells you whether it's working or not? besides it's not an on/off switch. it only turns auto mode on so if you press it at any time you know it's working. and surely of all the things that COULD have gone wrong that would be one of the easier ones to fix?
 
sub39h said:
dare i disagree with the great nigel? doesn't the amount of air being blown at you tells you whether it's working or not? besides it's not an on/off switch. it only turns auto mode on so if you press it at any time you know it's working. and surely of all the things that COULD have gone wrong that would be one of the easier ones to fix?
Click to expand...

If he's happy with it then its fine as he knows the issue but I'd prefer everything to be right myself :thumbsup:
 
Anyone is free to disagree with me & I'm far from great, as I always say, its just a case of learning & reading which everyone can do.

Yes the air being blown tells you the climate unit works, but in which state as it utilises various air ducts for the auto function, not directional as per the other selected buttons, call me anal but I want it working 100% again I state visually & usability.

As I said, regardless of what he accepts as ok, it wouldnt be an acceptable mod for myself, but others may differ.
 
NHN said:
Anyone is free to disagree with me & I'm far from great, as I always say, its just a case of learning & reading which everyone can do.

Yes the air being blown tells you the climate unit works, but in which state as it utilises various air ducts for the auto function, not directional as per the other selected buttons, call me anal but I want it working 100% again I state visually & usability.

As I said, regardless of what he accepts as ok, it wouldnt be an acceptable mod for myself, but others may differ.
Click to expand...

You going to try for white LEDs on the aircon too then? LOL
 
Khufu said:
You going to try for white LEDs on the aircon too then? LOL
Click to expand...

was it you who did that? what was wrong with the red? i like the fact my car looks like the hull of a battleship at night with all the red backlighting! childish i know but still lol
 
IMG_0521.jpg


IMG_0523.jpg


got a wkd deal on them - but can't find M88JCP to ask him if he'll swap the faceplates :(

also need to get the buttons... and RNS-E 2010... and bluetooth... and AMI.

guess i saved money on the cage and now i'm gonna get RAPED fitting nav so maybe this wasn't that clever
 
Right then guys and girls,

After buying the facelift cage yesterday I decided I wanted to get hold of the buttons. After finding a car being broken locally to me off eBay I popped down and collected the buttons, faceplate and tray. Here's my fitting instructions. I've never modded a car before, and I went into this completely blind and was successful so there's no excuses for anyone else to not give it a try!!

Sorry for the lousy photos - iPhone. 'Nuff said.

NB YOU DO NOT NEED A FACELIFT CAGE TO DO THIS!!

Tools required: Small flat head screwdriver and sharp Stanley knife

Step 1:

Open card tray. Stick your hand in and pull off the faceplate from the top. Then work the rest of it off.

IMG_0524.jpg


Step 2:

There are little tabs in the top corners of the button holder and the card tray.

IMG_0525.jpg


IMG_0526.jpg


IMG_0530.jpg


Use a flat head screwdriver to push the tab down on one side and pull, and then repeat for the other side. I found it easier to take the buttons out on either corner which you can do by giving them a good tug.

IMG_0527.jpg


Step 3:

Unplug the buttons. I used a screwdriver to push the tab in from the side. Be careful because they're easy to break and then you have to start fiddling with the loom.

IMG_0528.jpg


IMG_0529.jpg


Repeat this for the Hazard and ESP buttons. No need to keep track of which is which - they're colour coded.

Step 4:

Pull out the climate unit to give you space to work. Grab it with your index fingers at each corner and give it a good tug.

IMG_0533.jpg


Step 5:

The prefacelift double DIN cage has sloping prongs where the hazard switch would go. This means the facelift hazard button won't fit. See photo:

IMG_0536.jpg


cf. Facelift D revision:

IMG_0541.jpg


Take your sharp Stanley knife and cut off the slopes carefully. It may be worth asking mummy or daddy to help you.

IMG_0537.jpg


Also cut a little off the ends of the prongs because they're a little longer than the facelift version.

Step 6:

Swap the wires for ESP and Pass. Airbag Off to the other side. Plug them in and reinsert.

Step 7:

Push the buttons in. DO NOT PUT IN THE CARD TRAY YET. It makes it harder to put the climate back in.

Push the climate back in. (This is fiddly.)

IMG_0535.jpg


Step 8:

Put the card tray in. Push the button for the hazard switch in WITHOUT the cap.

IMG_0539.jpg



Step 9:

Put the faceplate on.

Step 10:

Clip on the cap for the hazard button.

IMG_0540.jpg


Step 11:

Enjoy :o.k:



Total time taken: 1h 30, but I did this with no previous experience taking apart a car and no guide to help me. I didn't even research it first. As you can see from the photo the buttons need a little adjusting but I'm happy with the result for now. I'll fix it when I sort out the climate or RNS-E.

As I bought a facelift cage I now need to get rid of it as it's not needed. I want what I paid for it, which is £15. P&P is extra, but pick up can be arranged from B'ham, Sutton Coldfield or Leeds. PM me if interested.

Next episode: swapping the faceplate for the climate unit with the facelift one. Or trying to at least.

Thanks for your interest,

S.
 
Last edited:
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Actually the revised facelift cage you're referring to on few cars I've converted, fitted the button surround trim alot better, even after 1st trimming the area for the hazard switch on the older original version, I found the button surround trim ever so slightly bent downward above the center buttons which made it look wonky & tbh crap considering the button fitments arent exactly straight on the facelift, others are free to choose either way, but they need to be advised of any adverse issues that may arise.
 
Nice one mate!

But can the buttons be adjusted? I read somewhere that the fit of these buttons from the factory is pretty shoddy and cheap looking.
 
No they cant be adjusted & yes they're far from audi expected quality, which is why the 2010/11 cars now have a fitted button/trim array, not seperate, so they're now straight, but bad side is you have to buy the whole lot if one goes faulty & they're untold combo's of buttons trust me, so choosing correct one is fun, mines gonna be ordered monday when gone through pr codes for my specfic buttons required.
 
NHN said:
Actually the revised facelift cage you're referring to on few cars I've converted, fitted the button surround trim alot better, even after 1st trimming the area for the hazard switch on the older original version, I found the button surround trim ever so slightly bent downward above the center buttons which made it look wonky & tbh crap considering the button fitments arent exactly straight on the facelift, others are free to choose either way, but they need to be advised of any adverse issues that may arise.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. I didn't have that issue. Can only advise on what I've seen myself!
 
Hi

I did the conversion on my 2008 S3 without any problems. No trimming or cutting. straight swap.
Here are some photos, before and after. Even the LED plug from the old drawer went straight in the new one.
In case of the climate unit, looks like I was fortunate enough, as no other mods were necessary.









 
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