My new to me black UrS4 V8 avant had a burned out "torpedo" (actually called a "festoon"(one contact point at each end) bulb in the dome light portion of the sunroof control panel. This and the fact that the small ignition key light was burned out made it "interesting" to see where to put the key in the dark. As a result, for the very first time in 16 years of UrS and C4 ownership, I had to pull down a sunroof control panel to replace the bulb (PN N 0177232, K12V10W).
Because I knew that the clips that hold the runroof control panel into the headliner are "fragile" (well not the metal itself, but the connection point of the clip to the panel), I asked on the forum about hints. Basically, the hints were "use a 1 inch putty knife to depress the edge of the clip and, oh, yeah, you are likely to break one regardless" (Well that wasn't a real quote but the suggestions were there that you will be lucky to NOT break a clip off). Okay, so maybe what follows here will help somebody in the future:
The starting and finishing point: A sunroof control panel that isn't hanging wonky or duct-taped to the headliner:
Here is the same photo, now annotated to show where to insert the 1" putty knife (or thin plastic equivalent - YMMV). Note the caution note - do NOT pull down from the rear - you will be very sorry if you do.
Steve M. said "I have successfully removed many panels by pushing them forward and then carefully rotating them down at the back. This seems to put less stress on the spring tabs than the conventional method, but you do need to be careful not to shear off the 'hooks' in the back." (YMMV)
Igor K. added that *IF* you do manage to break the clips off the aft end of the panel, they can be repaired with metal clips epoxied onto the panel (more info HERE
If you are gentle and lucky, you will have pushed the clip towards the car and pulled that front corner down a bit and then done the other side, and, again, with luck, the panel will hinge down from the back. When it comes off, it will look something like this:
Here is the same photo annotated to show the electrical connections and the other features of the sunroof control panel.(Note: Originally I labeled the climate control cabin temp sensor thermostat incorrectly as the handsfree phone speaker which is wrong - my bad).
Noting which wire set goes where (at least at the lamp holder where there are two 3 pin connectors), disconnect the control panel from the wires, leaving this:
Okay, back to the control panel: Did I get lucky and both metal clips survived being pushed (in) and pulled (down)? No. I broke one clip off. (Bugga). Not to worry.
Here is what an intact "survivor" clip looks like. Note the plastic "mushroom" "rivets" (technically "heat stakes") - these are what break. When the panel is assembled, the metal clips have two holes that slip over two plastic "pins" that are cast as part of the panel. Then these pins are heated and melted like rivets to hold the clips to the panel. This is the fragile bit.
Well, there are no photos but the other clip did not survive, the mushroom "rivets" (heat stakes) let go and the clip came free of the panel. My solution (based on suggestions made to me on the forum) was to epoxy the living daylights out of the clip(s). (I just did the one that came loose). I used JB Weld(tm), turns out it is almost a colour match (not that it is seen from below anyway). Note: Those that commented on this post strongly suggested that the area to which the epoxy is going to be applied be roughed up/knurled/sanded to provide a "tooth" for the epoxy to bite into the plastic (and stay attached):
I let the panel cure at room temp (22 C) for 24 hours in the house before reinstalling. This is what it looked like:
In reference to the sunroof control switch, Steve M. said "I'd strongly suggest stripping down and cleaning the sunroof control while you have it out. Just a simple pencil eraser or contact cleaner/lubricant will prevent problems later."
Now does anybody remember why I started this process? Oh, yeah, to replace the torpeado bulb in the dome light. One way at this point is to push the dome light lens out from the back, as show in this photo, to give you open access to the old bulb and installation of the new bulb.
Dave Doolittle and a few others suggested that it is easier and perhaps safer (no breakage of the clear plastic tangs) to simply remove the black plastic bulb guard to access the bulb.
Photo courtesy of Dave Doolittle
Assemby is the reverse of removal. Hope you remembered which electrical connector went where (I don't know if you can screw it up or not at the six (2 x 3) pins of the lamp switch.
Steve M. said "It is fairly critical to get the routing of the wires and the sound deadening correct on reinstall- there's surprisingly little spare room up there."
Steve M. also said: "The relative positions of the wires that go to the dome light aren't critical- the connector is essentially a pass through so top vs. bottom doesn't matter"
Hope this helps prevent broken sunroof panel clips in the future.
Because I knew that the clips that hold the runroof control panel into the headliner are "fragile" (well not the metal itself, but the connection point of the clip to the panel), I asked on the forum about hints. Basically, the hints were "use a 1 inch putty knife to depress the edge of the clip and, oh, yeah, you are likely to break one regardless" (Well that wasn't a real quote but the suggestions were there that you will be lucky to NOT break a clip off). Okay, so maybe what follows here will help somebody in the future:
The starting and finishing point: A sunroof control panel that isn't hanging wonky or duct-taped to the headliner:
Here is the same photo, now annotated to show where to insert the 1" putty knife (or thin plastic equivalent - YMMV). Note the caution note - do NOT pull down from the rear - you will be very sorry if you do.
Steve M. said "I have successfully removed many panels by pushing them forward and then carefully rotating them down at the back. This seems to put less stress on the spring tabs than the conventional method, but you do need to be careful not to shear off the 'hooks' in the back." (YMMV)
Igor K. added that *IF* you do manage to break the clips off the aft end of the panel, they can be repaired with metal clips epoxied onto the panel (more info HERE
If you are gentle and lucky, you will have pushed the clip towards the car and pulled that front corner down a bit and then done the other side, and, again, with luck, the panel will hinge down from the back. When it comes off, it will look something like this:
Here is the same photo annotated to show the electrical connections and the other features of the sunroof control panel.(Note: Originally I labeled the climate control cabin temp sensor thermostat incorrectly as the handsfree phone speaker which is wrong - my bad).
Noting which wire set goes where (at least at the lamp holder where there are two 3 pin connectors), disconnect the control panel from the wires, leaving this:
Okay, back to the control panel: Did I get lucky and both metal clips survived being pushed (in) and pulled (down)? No. I broke one clip off. (Bugga). Not to worry.
Here is what an intact "survivor" clip looks like. Note the plastic "mushroom" "rivets" (technically "heat stakes") - these are what break. When the panel is assembled, the metal clips have two holes that slip over two plastic "pins" that are cast as part of the panel. Then these pins are heated and melted like rivets to hold the clips to the panel. This is the fragile bit.
Well, there are no photos but the other clip did not survive, the mushroom "rivets" (heat stakes) let go and the clip came free of the panel. My solution (based on suggestions made to me on the forum) was to epoxy the living daylights out of the clip(s). (I just did the one that came loose). I used JB Weld(tm), turns out it is almost a colour match (not that it is seen from below anyway). Note: Those that commented on this post strongly suggested that the area to which the epoxy is going to be applied be roughed up/knurled/sanded to provide a "tooth" for the epoxy to bite into the plastic (and stay attached):
I let the panel cure at room temp (22 C) for 24 hours in the house before reinstalling. This is what it looked like:
In reference to the sunroof control switch, Steve M. said "I'd strongly suggest stripping down and cleaning the sunroof control while you have it out. Just a simple pencil eraser or contact cleaner/lubricant will prevent problems later."
Now does anybody remember why I started this process? Oh, yeah, to replace the torpeado bulb in the dome light. One way at this point is to push the dome light lens out from the back, as show in this photo, to give you open access to the old bulb and installation of the new bulb.
Dave Doolittle and a few others suggested that it is easier and perhaps safer (no breakage of the clear plastic tangs) to simply remove the black plastic bulb guard to access the bulb.
Photo courtesy of Dave Doolittle
Assemby is the reverse of removal. Hope you remembered which electrical connector went where (I don't know if you can screw it up or not at the six (2 x 3) pins of the lamp switch.
Steve M. said "It is fairly critical to get the routing of the wires and the sound deadening correct on reinstall- there's surprisingly little spare room up there."
Steve M. also said: "The relative positions of the wires that go to the dome light aren't critical- the connector is essentially a pass through so top vs. bottom doesn't matter"
Hope this helps prevent broken sunroof panel clips in the future.
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