Part 2 of 2
Modifying the door card panel:-
I noticed that on my 5dr, the LED exit/warning light unit when fitted with the connector was pressing into the underside of the door pocket. This would cause stress on the connector & failure over a period of time. The light unit will fit OK without modification, & you can leave it “as is”.
However to create a “bump/pocket” in the door card, proceed as follows:-
Because the card is made from fibres & glue, it requires being remoulded using heat/steam/moisture.
Fit one end of the repair wire (000 979 019 E) into each of the two slots in the 1H0 972 702 A, 2 pin connector, insert connector into the light unit, fit light unit into the door card & mark area where it touches the door card, then remove light unit.
Put on a pair of rubber washing up gloves, & get a bowl of boiling/very hot water & a cloth. Put cloth in water & squeeze out the water so you have a damp, but steaming cloth. Place this on the marked area with one hand & press very firmly into the door card to shape. Place your other hand up inside the door pocket so you can push against this. DO NOT over saturate the door card as you will damage it! This process will take some time, as you have to refit the light unit periodically to check that you have pushed in enough to create a “pocket” for the light unit/connector. Once you have the clearance needed then using a hair drier or hot air gun on a low setting, gently dry the area on the door card.
Now to undo the loom & wire up:-
First job is to release the big blue S004 connector from the controller. Gently press a small slot head screwdriver against the middle catch to release the purple handle, which can now pivot down forcing the connector out of the controller socket. Carefully cut the cable tie from the connector, then insert the same screwdriver between the blue flap & the white inner to release the catch & the whole inner will now slide away from the blue outer. Locate Pin5 (brown wire) & using a small pointed tool press in the metal catch on the pin to release it & it should pull out from the white body.
Now carefully cut & undo the fabric loom tape for several inches along the loom. To connect the new brown “GRD” wire to this brown wire I decided to join as per the factory. So I carefully marked a place where the wire would lay flat in the loom (space for the join to not get stressed) & VERY carefully using a scalpel removed the outer insulation for 1/4inch. I then held a stripped end of new brown “extension” wire against this bare section & passed a heat shrink solder join over the Pin5 & slid it over this new join & then heat shrunk it.
Now insert one end of repair wire (000 979 009 E)into Pin16 of the blue S004 connector. Again carefully mark a place where the wire would lay flat in the loom (space for the join to not get stressed), & cut off the other end & surplus repair wire. Now join on a new “extension” wire to this (I used purple colour). Now refit the connector together but do not plug back into the controller. Using fabric loom tape wrap the two “extension” wires together from the brown wire join. Wrap enough length of wire to get to the lower part of the electric window motor. Next route this new “loom” alongside the existing loom, down to the green cable tie at the rear of the electric window motor. Then tie this new “loom” to the existing loom using fabric tape at the white plastic loom holders & in between these points.
Next fit one end of the repair wire (000 979 019 E) into each of the two slots in the 1H0 972 702 A, 2 pin connector housing, & hold this next to the two “extension” wires. Now allowing enough length to connect to the exit/warning light unit & to get the joint position in a “neutral” area cut both the repair wires & “extension” wires where they meet (see my photos for positioning). Now connect these wires together, Pin1 on the 1H0 972 702 A, 2 pin connector housing to the brown “GRD” wire (Pin5), & Pin2 on the 2 pin connector to the purple, Pin16 wire. Now using the fabric loom tape, wrap this section, & re-wrap/make good the section by the blue connecter which you undid earlier! Now using a new cable tie, replace the one you removed from the blue connecter at the beginning. Now you can plug the blue connector back into the door controller.
Refitting the front door card/trim:-
Firstly check that all the clips are re-installed & are sitting in their “extended” positions. I found it easier to connect the electric window switch connector first, followed by the other connectors. Then re-connect the Bowden cable (reverse of removal). Now to re-fit the door card you have get the top edge in the clip strip first. To do this hold the door card facing you, so that the mirror side edge is forcing up into the plastic mirror “holder”, & the other “lock” side is about 4inches higher. Now carefully force/manoeuvre the mirror edge up /over & into the clip strip. Then you should be able to lower/press the rest of the top edge down into the clip strip. Now do now worry if you have not managed to capture the “slide clip” because it will press-fit in OK.
Now firmly press the door card where the press studs are, but not the bottom edge ones yet! Re-fit the upper bolt for the handle, plug the connector into the exit/warning light unit & then tape it to the door card. Do not properly fit in case the connector needs reversing! It is best practice when using VCDS to close the doors so that the “door open” display does not show on the central binnacle maxi-dot display. This is why you have to partially install & tape the light unit out of the way.
Now for VCDS:-
Plug in VCDS to re-code both the drivers & passenger door control modules as follows:-
· Select Control Module [Select]
· [42-Door Elec, Driver] & [52-Door Elec, Pass] will need coding separately.
· [Coding -07],
· [Long Coding],
· [Long Coding Helper],
· Byte1,
· Bit2, tick the box marked “Door exit/warning light installed”.
If the lights do not work, remove the light unit from the door card, unplug the connector & rotate it 180deg & re-insert it. It should now work!
Now you can properly fit the light unit into the door card. You will need to gently flex the bottom edge outwards to get your fingers behind the trim to pull the bottom edge down, & then the light unit will press fit in easier. Then press the other studs in, turn the plastic nut 90deg, fit the lower bolt for the handle, re-fit the handle cover, etc.
Job done & enjoy another item which should be factory fit!
.......& that's what we're here for...