Jack88

All right, I'm stuck on how to remove my center console. I can't seem to figure how to get the head unit for the MMI and the Climate control out. The instructions give me these two pictures.






They say to use a screw driver to push in the clip and the unit is supposed to pop out. Having nearly no visibility on what I'm doing, I can't figure out what I'm not getting right. I don't want to break anything trying to do this.

I need to remove this and the climate control module to access the two remaining screws holding in the center console.

k1ran

Hi Jack88


How you solved this?

A8_D3andD4

Just had to do this, it's rather awkward.

Below the MMI unit is a horseshoe shaped piece of plastic on a hinge (1st picture), When you push in on the plastic clip next to the cup holder, it forces this horseshoe up and presses out the MMI unit.

2nd picture is how you place your screwdriver in - it's angled back about 10 degrees. You're aiming for a small indention in the black plastic (other end of horseshoe) at the point closest to rear of car - and you're pressing straight down towards the transmission. When you press on the screwdriver, you'll hear the horseshoe pressing on the back of the MMI. Mine didn't just press out with hand force, I had to give the screwdriver a few whacks with the side of a hammer. 3rd picture is close up of hole to insert screwdriver in.

Good luck.

Atruvo

This is very helpful, only I am having significant difficulty with getting that portion out. I am trying to remove this to assist with and rsnav install on my 2015 S8. I can see the tab from the horseshoe part through the cupholder access and have inserted a screwdriver to press on it, but no luck. Advanced to using a rubber mallet to hit the screwdriver with, but still no luck. Did you do any wedging on the periphery of the unit? I'm hoping to get this all figured out and document the install of the RS Nav unit that allows CarPlay on a D4. Just need to get that portion out so I can snake a USB extension into the armrest.

Any advice would be much appreciated and thanks for the helpful photos you have already included.

A8_D3andD4

It does not come out easily. I was hitting the screwdriver pretty hard with the hammer to force the unit to come up.
Once it starts moving, you can grab the head unit and wiggle it a little to help. But banging the screwdriver is the key. The good news is that it's very easy to put back in

virtualrc

I'm on a mission to do the same thing in order to figure out why my cupholder doesn't light up anymore and to tap into the 12v switched cigarette power for a hardwire phone charger setup. I'm about to give up. I've broken out the hammer, rubber mallet, used my full body weight, etc on this damn horseshoe thing and I can only get the top of the unit to budge ever so much, maybe a mm or 2.

What level of anger did you guys have to summon up to get the MMI out? Naturally I'm holding back in order to not smash my dash. If you used pry tools once you got it up a bit what were they? I have the standard ones you'd expect to find at an auto parts store but the tips don't hold up to too much prying back and forth. If you have something that worked could you send a name of the tool or link to where I could pick it up?

AudiMaster Tech

The person here said he got it out by prying each of the corners of the MMI with the tool he showed in the video, he didn't say anything about the pushing the horseshoe thing.

virtualrc

Thanks. I've looked at this video a lot this week. What concerns me about the prying is that when I use my trim tools I start to see the black trim and surround of the MMI unit start to flex and I'm concerned about it breaking. My possible next step is to recruit someone to apply pressure to horseshoe release while I try to pry gently on either side.

AudiMaster Tech

I have a broken cup holder lid so I will be doing this soon in order to replace it. Dident know the trim for the MMI flexes so much. I'll give it a try sometime. Let me know if the 2 person method you mentioned works!

virtualrc

Finally got the MMI control unit out successfully. My recommended tool to have for this job is a metal spudger. This type of tool will sound familiar to phone or tablet DIY'ers and the blades are sturdy enough to stand up to the prying needed to wiggle the unit out. I picked up for this job.



I also used another phone repair related tool to tuck in the tape around the edges to preserve the trim as best I could. Not pictured, but I'd also add some more tape to protect the two areas below the touch input and tone button as the tools may slip as you pry and wiggle this thing out (ask me how I know ).