stash64

I tried to remove the left front door panel yesterday so that I could install a new door armrest, but I was stymied from the get go. (I've had a tear in the vinyl on my original armrest for a couple years now.) I have the Audi shop manual instructions for removing the decorative trim but I could not get it to unsnap on the aft end and just succeeded in scratching up the nice clear coat finish on the trim and adding a small abrasion to the vinyl just above the trim. Aaarrgh! I was using a generic plastic trim removal tool and I had difficulty just getting it under the trim where indicated in the shop manual. The tool also seemed to be too flimsy, though I am still surprised I could not get the snap to release.

So just wondering if anyone has removed a door panel and can offer any suggestions ? I found several Youtube videos for the Q5 but it is funny/odd that they all start prying off the decorative trim with the aft end already obviously unsnapped. I also found some videos for the A4 and the trim appears to pop off much easier.

Here are the shop manual instructions for the trim removal:


I found a nice upgraded leather SQ5 armrest in good condition on ebay. Here is what I intend to install if I can get the damn trim off:

It came with silver stitching but I have since dyed the stitching brown using a fine point sharpie. I have a chestnut brown interior.

stash64

OK. I ordered some new trim removal tools, including one that is very similar to the Audi specified tool and more rigid than the tool I tried using previously. I still could not get this tool into the gap above the decorative trim where the shop manual indicates at the rear of the trim piece. So I tried inserting the tool about midway on the decorative trim, from the top, and I was finally able to get the tool inserted deep enough to get the leverage needed to disengage the middle snaps. There appears to be more of a gap in the middle for insertion of the tool. Once the middle snaps are disengaged, it is easy to run the tool forward and back to disengage the two snaps at each end and pull the trim piece off.

I'm hoping to have time by next week to pull both door panels off in order to install the new leather armrests and I will plan on posting some photos of the result.

stash64

I pulled off the right front door panel yesterday and it did not go all that well. I used the removal plier tool (#3392) that Audi recommends but the metal prongs scratch the paint and I ended up breaking about half the snaps and even broke a couple of the plastic mounts for the snaps. Only 2 snaps came away with the door panel. I had put down some painter's tape at the snap locations along the outer edge of the door panel. It protected the visible paint but not the paint under the door panel. Do NOT use the metal plier pry tool recommended by Audi.

Below are some photos that should help anyone else attempting to remove a door panel. Using the painter's tape is a good idea but you need to take it a step further and have a good light handy to get visibility of the snaps underneath as you pry up the door panel. The snaps are about 1 to 2 inches recessed from the edge of the door panel. If you want to avoid breaking snaps and the snap mounts, it is critical to get a prong-type pry tool directly on each snap. The snap mountings are too fragile to just pry at the approximate location of the snaps. Using the more precise technique and either of the two tools shown below, I was able to remove the left side door panel with no breakage and all the snaps came away with the door panel. The new leather armrest is installed in the driver's side door panel and the panel has been re-installed. It took only about an hour to remove and re-install the door panel once I corrected my mistakes made on the passenger side door panel. I had to order some new snaps for the passenger door panel and will have it back in place next week. Re-installing the panel is super easy and you just need to give the panel a little punch with your palm at each snap location.

After I failed using the Audi plyer tool, I found this video. It's for a rear door but the method is the same for the front and this video is much more informative than any other videos I discovered on the same topic:

New (used) leather armrest on driver's side:


Passenger side door panel with just 2 undamaged snaps in place at the bottom, several repaired (epoxy) snap mounts, and the recommended pry tools:


Passenger side exposed door:


BTW, the B&O speakers are really cheap. Just a simple paper cone and a tiny magnet. I took the speaker off to vacuum up some broken snap pieces and I am guessing the driver did not weigh more than 2 pounds.

Here are the snaps I ordered. Most are the type shown in the first link, but there is one snap on each door per the second link: