Audi A3 2006 Melting door B Pillar Trim

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Stev_A3

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Hi, my 2006 Audi A3 3 door has an issue I think only on the drivers side where the vinyl keeps melting in direct sun light. I thought it would cure itself after I used a debit card to make it flat again, I have also left it bubbled untill the weather has cooled down and it reverts back to its normal shape. Any idea on exactly how to fix this? If these trims are removed will it reveal fresh colour coded paint?

Anyone else had this issue?

 
Prob, plastic has now been permanently deformed.
Best strip it all off, and apply a nice vinyl wrap.
 
Unfortunately my vinyl skills arent that great, I do know of someone who I can send the trims to re-cover in gloss black vinyl. Or can anyone 100% confirm if the 2011/2012 S3 3 doors have gloss black pillars as standard? I could try and track these down through Audi if they are reasonably priced? Its weird I could leave it like it as when the weather cools down they go back to normal lol but I wont it fixed perma.
 
In that case, nothing lost if you try this.

***** the edges of bubbled areas in a few places with a sharp needle, then with your card, try to flatten the bubbles, so to expel any trapped air.
 
Not all 2012 A3/S3 have the gloss B pillars, only the Black Edition or those which have the Optic pack fitted. But I'm sure you can buy them as replacements, failing that there will be some kicking about in the classifieds.
Or, as said before, how about finding a graphics company near you to wrap these in a gloss or Matt black, body colour, carbon... The list is endless?
 
audi upgrades
Genuine Gloss Black ones aren't that pricey too be fair!!

I'm doing some work with genuine Carbon pillars at the mo and the test ones I ordered via TPS were pretty good value!
 
Stev_A3 said:
Hi, my 2006 Audi A3 3 door has an issue I think only on the drivers side where the vinyl keeps melting in direct sun light. I thought it would cure itself after I used a debit card to make it flat again, I have also left it bubbled untill the weather has cooled down and it reverts back to its normal shape. Any idea on exactly how to fix this? If these trims are removed will it reveal fresh colour coded paint?

Anyone else had this issue?

Click to expand...
I have got exactly the same issue, although not as bad yet.
 
MrLapou said:
In that case, nothing lost if you try this.

***** the edges of bubbled areas in a few places with a sharp needle, then with your card, try to flatten the bubbles, so to expel any trapped air.
Click to expand...

Thats a great idea which I will try. but the strange thing is these air bubbles dont always appear in the same place when the sun has hit it, seems like the glue adhesive is still tacky behind the vinyl?

batch said:
Not all 2012 A3/S3 have the gloss B pillars, only the Black Edition or those which have the Optic pack fitted. But I'm sure you can buy them as replacements, failing that there will be some kicking about in the classifieds.
Or, as said before, how about finding a graphics company near you to wrap these in a gloss or Matt black, body colour, carbon... The list is endless?
Click to expand...

Thank you for the tip, will be easier to explain when I speak to Audi/TPS.

Cruiser89 said:
Genuine Gloss Black ones aren't that pricey too be fair!!

I'm doing some work with genuine Carbon pillars at the mo and the test ones I ordered via TPS were pretty good value!
Click to expand...

Thats good if I can get new genuine ones will have to make a call tomorrow.

Digzz said:
I have some for sale if you need replacements.

AUDI A3 8P 2003-2012 PILLAR B TRIM COVERS 8P3 853 290 B 01 C / 8P3 853 289 B 01 | eBay

If you want a direct sale I'll make it cheaper.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link I spotted these earlier I will have to be in contact if TPS want a lot of money for gloss black OE.

Please could you let me know how you removed them? I have had a look and the ones on my car have 3 plastic rivets on the side of each trim (hidden behind the door rubber seal) so they look impossible to remove without having to break the rivets? Any help would be great.
 
Stev_A3 said:
Thats a great idea which I will try. but the strange thing is these air bubbles dont always appear in the same place when the sun has hit it, seems like the glue adhesive is still tacky behind the vinyl?



Thank you for the tip, will be easier to explain when I speak to Audi/TPS.



Thats good if I can get new genuine ones will have to make a call tomorrow.



Thanks for the link I spotted these earlier I will have to be in contact if TPS want a lot of money for gloss black OE.

Please could you let me know how you removed them? I have had a look and the ones on my car have 3 plastic rivets on the side of each trim (hidden behind the door rubber seal) so they look impossible to remove without having to break the rivets? Any help would be great.
Click to expand...

You need to drill out the rivets and then fit the new pillars with new rivets and a rivet gun
 
Stev_A3 said:
Please could you let me know how you removed them? I have had a look and the ones on my car have 3 plastic rivets on the side of each trim (hidden behind the door rubber seal) so they look impossible to remove without having to break the rivets? Any help would be great.
Click to expand...

You just need to drill them out and replace them with new rivets.

You will need this : POP RIVET GUN WITH 4 NOZZLES & 60 ASSORTED BLIND RIVETS | eBay

Gun and the right rivets.
 
Lads, how do you remove this Bpillar? It appears to only have 2 plastic rivets on my 3door under the door rubber.. but I dont want to break them to get it off really..
 
Greedy b******ds, audi parts are going up like crazy. At that price you might as well get the carbon version, much better looking.
 
I don't know the part number but I just called TPS and explained I was looking for the external b pillar trim for my audi a3 8p and that it's a 3 door, I think there were different finished but she seemed confident the matt black I had described was unique. I picked the part up and it was only just over 26 quid including vat. I bought some 3.2mm diameter pop rivets to try but it seems they may be a little bit too small and don't seem to fit the trim snug, I'm worried there might be play in the part if I use these so I'm gonna investigate to see if I can get a closer match. I'm wondering if it's closer to 3.3 or 3.4mm or perhaps when I fit them the neck will expand a bit?
 
Go to a fixings shop and match the hole to the rivet or if you have some drill bits, find one that fits snug, measure the diameter and go buy a packet.
 
Well I went to a fixings shop because I already had the 3.2mm rivets which had play when I popped it into the hole in the trim, so then I got 4mm
(next size up) which seemed a perfect fit, but when I took the old trim off and replaced it, I found that the inner hole (on the car shell) was too small for the 4mm rivets, so I had to use the 3.2mm ones I ordered off ebay.

Incidentally, I would advise against ordering black ones off ebay, because they were rubbish and the heads didn't snap off nice and clean like they did when I tested the proper Draper ones I bought from a local DIY store.

You're better off with silver ones than cheap rubbish ones off ebay.

I'm a bit disappointed with the replacement though as it doesn't seem to match up very nicely to the rubber seal at the top of the trim, there's about a 1mm gap, when I check the other side, it's probably closer to .1mm gap, so there's something amiss.

I had to remove the door seal to get the rivet gun in otherwise it wouldnt physically fit. Wasn't too bad of a job, but being OCD, I hate the fact that the rivets have to be pushed into the B pillar and will be loose inside the car. You can't win em all though I suppose.

Rob.
 
Both my B Pillar trims are either bubbling or have gaps where the vinyl has been completely removed. Can these panels/parts be painted? Or is it recommended to be wrapped?
Cheers
 
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