Ashtray delete/non-smoker tray retrofit - Pic heavy

MartayMcFly

MartayMcFly

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After seeing Poli84's non-smoker pack tray swap, I decided to follow suit. Thought it'd be a 15 minute, 2 screw job, took me over half an hour (mainly looking for the third bolt holding on the grab handles). I followed the first few steps from the AudiRetrofit RS4 starter button guide - audiretrofit-rs4startbutton - Audi Retrofit - and managed to figure it out. It is straight forward, just not when you have no idea what you're doing.

Before:
P3040162640x480.jpg


The in-bound part (8P0 863 301 A 4PK), bigger than I thought it'd be:
P3040163640x480.jpg


Pull the gear lever cover up, and there's 2 T20 screws holding the ashtray in place
P3040164640x480.jpg


Messy under here...
P3040169640x480.jpg


Don't need this anymore, it'll be up the classified shortly:
P3040170640x480.jpg


Removing the grab handles requires taking out the aircon unit, which is slightly scary to do, but just pulls out once you prise the little surround off the card holder and hazard button.
P3040172640x480.jpg


Then the handles themselves - each held in place by an 8mm bolt at the front (beside the gear lever), a 5mm hex bolt underneath the handle itself (that has a neck on it so it stays in place once loosened) and, the bit that took me longest to find, another 8mm bolt underneath the tray the air con sat in, spent about 10minutes looking for these last ones.

Screw 1 (left hand one out, right hand one in place - the silver one)
P3040168640x480.jpg

Hex bolt (out, but hanging in place)
P3040167640x480.jpg

Screw 2 - squirreled away at the back, right underneath the aircon/nav console
P3040175640x480.jpg


Handles off, ready for the new tray
P3040176640x480.jpg


New tray in place, made of flexible rubber so bends and slots into place easily
P3040177640x480.jpg


Put everything back together and you end up with the 'after' picture
P3040178640x480.jpg


There's something pretty satisfying about spending an overcast Sunday afternoon taking things apart, and them actually all going back together too.
 
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Good guide, I like that I'm seeing more guides with pictures. I find the instructions with pictures so much easier / better to follow than just written instructions.

Thanks for the post as this is something I have been thinking of doing that I thought would have been more simple than it is, but good to know what to expect if I do go ahead. How much is that part by the way? I assume its from Audi?
 
I like this! missing havin a 'cubby hole' in the centre console, other than usin the arm rest!
 
Great guide and great looking job. This is something I'm planning on doing soon. Can you do the job without taking the grab handles and air con unit out or is this a must do step in fitting the new tray.
 
shariain said:
Great guide and great looking job. This is something I'm planning on doing soon. Can you do the job without taking the grab handles and air con unit out or is this a must do step in fitting the new tray.
Click to expand...

In short, no.

The grab handles sit over the edge of the tray and help hold it in place. You might be able to squeeze it in without taking them off, but it'd be very difficult. The unit's wider at the back too, so getting the handles out of the way makes getting it all the way in much easier. I tried without taking the handles off (when I couldn't find the last 2 screws) but it didn't sit right. And you have to take the aircon unit out to get to the screws too.
 
Excellent guide, Martin. Makes a massive difference seeing in progress pics and not only before and afters. I miss this from my old 8P, was much more useful than a redundant ashtray. Top work! :wub: xx
 
Good stuff, Looks great. Can you not get to the rear triangle bolts without taking out the HVAC unit? One of mine squeaks and want to tighten it up!
 
Not sure, Silky. You'd have to just get your head down beside the gear stick and have a look. Don't think you can, but maybe.
 
Good write up mate, I was too lazy.

You can remove the last 2 bolts without removing the HVAC but it is extremely difficult.
I kept my HVAC as I didn't even think about removing it, would have made life a lot easier.

Silky, don't be afraid to remove the HVAC, as Marty says it just pulls right out, simple.
 
audi upgrades
As far as I know, the nav and ac units are interchangable, so I'd assume any changes to the interior were cosmetic so this can be done on an 8P3. There would have been a non-smoking pack available on 8P3s anyway, so it would likely only be a slightly different part number for the tray.
 
Il give them a ring tomorrow morning see what they say. Sick of that ****** ashtray, its useless. Cheers bud, great write up.
 
IceHanger said:
you got the part number dude?
The misses is going to love me....more taking apart of the S3 lol
Click to expand...

Sorry, missed this. Yeah, the part is above 8P0 863 301 A 4PK

The light I took out isn't red though, I don't think, just the courtesy light for when you open the lid.
 
I also wish my new A3 had the non-smoker pack, but I am ******** if I'm going to fiddle with it that much! I'm too scared :D
 
It really is a very simple thing to swap out. And if you did manage to break anything, it's all just aesthetic plastic bits that can be replaced. Doesn't interfere with the car in anyway.

Where abouts are you located? I'm sure someone one here with a bit more confidence in their fiddling could offer to do it for you?
 
MartayMcFly said:
It really is a very simple thing to swap out. And if you did manage to break anything, it's all just aesthetic plastic bits that can be replaced. Doesn't interfere with the car in anyway.

Where abouts are you located? I'm sure someone one here with a bit more confidence in their fiddling could offer to do it for you?
Click to expand...

I'm in Southampton, I've never been much of a modder so don't really like to fiddle with my cars too much... but having some much needed extra storage in the A3 would be nice... :)
 
Ashtray delete kit came this morning in the post from lincoln audi and fitting it was a easy and straight forward to do after reading this thread (under 1 hour) and the space it gives under the dash is great.

Now just need to find out how to wire up a charging cable for my iPhone as I hate it plugged in to the lighter plug or fit my audi ipod kit and route the cable to the new storage space.
 
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Much prefer the smoking pack in the s-line models as you got a lot more aluminium around the gear stick!
 
Always wondered if there was an option to do this. Looks like an easy first (of many) mod(s) to my car. Think I'll get that organised over the next week then look at the puddle light/footwell light addition mod.
 
I think it's neater with ashtray personally. What I have been tempted by however is the non smoking pack hidden power socket instead of the cigarette lighter. I presume many of the same steps would be required.
 
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VeeDubDan said:
I think it's neater with ashtray personally. What I have been tempted by however is the non smoking pack hidden power socket instead of the cigarette lighter. I presume many of the same steps would be required.
Click to expand...

I get the feeling that requires the whole tunnel bit be taken off, and the parts swapped from underneath. Still just taking out bolts, but it'd be a bigger job time-wise, and might involve some re-wiring for swapping the actual plugs (unless you can move the lighter base to the 'slot' of the hidden one).
 
jjmurphy21187 said:
I know this is a mod for an A3, but will the same tray & part number fit an A4 (B7)?
Click to expand...
there is no equivalent part for the A4, they always came with ashtrays... you could try the A3 ones but i am sure the space beneath the climate unit on the A4 was wider

ADi Nuff Valves said:
Thanks for the guide. Just done this in mine. Not too bad a job. Wish I could've kept the red ambient light from the ashtray somehow.
Click to expand...

you can get this part: 8P0 864 138 A - Trim piece that sits under the climate control area and lights up the cubby area with a red ambient light

here is what the part looks like:
02042011062.jpg


and this is what it looks like lit up:
This first one is in my car:
a2af55d4.jpg


found this on the net while searching
scaled.php
 
you might need to add the colour code '4PK' at the end

there is just a 2 pin connector that needs to be connected to the light which i believe is the same as the one in the ashtray or the card holder tray. the light sits under the climate control cage so you may need to get the climate unit out to get to it.
I already had the unit in place as it comes as a part of the interior light pack.
If anyone has the interior light pack as standard with a double din headunit you will already have the red light in place, it would just be hidden by the plastics of the ashtray so once you do the ashtray delete you will find that you wont need to buy the light piece, just turn your lights on and put your hands under the climate control to see the red glow

here you can see the position of where the light is:

4ecf2427.jpg


i have adapted the position so that i can have the light glowing even with a double din and ashtray in place:

6b214eb0.jpg
 
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just ordered the ashtray delete . wanted to order the ambient light too but the computer at tps said no lol it said not for this car?? were the lights only on certain years ?
mine is a 2004 a3 8p 3dr
 
Liking that ambient lighting mod

Does anyone have a part number for the 2 pin connector? I presume they are the same as the ashtray connection?

Taking a feed from the ashtray should work?
 
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