Armrest catch

[trebus]

Please can anyone tel me if you can get a replacement catch I have seen some for a4 will they fit cheers 

[Brucielee]

Hope this'll help you out, looks like it covers quite a few models 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=262347763704&alt=web 

[trebus]

Cheers for that but that one is a slightly different shape more of a curve to the front has any one used this to fix there armrest cheers

[trebus]

It's an error in the listing it dosn't fit a A3 

[Brucielee]

The only other thing to do is either buy one from audi themselves or buy the whole top of the armrest 

[trebus]

cheers for help might have a go with some magnets looks like its a very common problem

[gigglebug]

I don't suppose that anyone on here has already tried one of these have they? I don't mind being a guinea pig and trying one but would rather know before hand if it's already known that they don't fit or work properly, or even if they do. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALUMINIUM-Armrest-Lid-Console-Cover-Latch-Clip-Catch-AUDI-A3-8P-sportback-2005/162973642183?hash=item25f1fc6dc7:g:P~8AAOSwP~tW4bc2

[Magnet]

Hello Ross,

Can't help you with a been there done that on this, but mine has also gone on the 2006 A3, and I I'm sure I posted before on this topic of the catch not being available without buying the whole top (£70 ish). 

By what I can see, this seems to be a 'newly available' item and it would not surprise me if you might just have to be the guinea pig on this, and perhaps the rest of the A3 owners will benefit from you experience. Would it be worth getting some more detail from the sender from which you might better judge the end result before 'investing'.

Incase it helps, I intend ( an ongoing intention!) to use a couple of small stick on magnets on mine as a substitute for this rather flimsy catch. 

Could we be cheeky and ask you to let us know how you get on if you do decide to buy one.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[gigglebug]

It's definitely something I'm willing to try and find out. I've messaged the seller to see if he/she can confirm that it is likely to fit. Hopefully it will as I don't really fancy paying £100 odd pounds to replace the whole lid. I'll keep the thread up to date as I go. 

[WPAWS]

is the latch your looking for here?

https://parts.audiusa.com/a/Audi_2009_A3/_51505_5952178/BODY--COMPONENTS-CONSOLE/1311440.html

[gigglebug]

It doesn't look like it's shown as an individual item on the diagram but I'm under the impression that Audi don't provide the catch on it's own for the A3 and you have to buy the whole lid which for me would be over £100, it's still £80 odd if you have a cloth interior. The catches also appear to have a fairly high failure rate so even if you replaced the whole thing you would face the possibility of it breaking off again at some point in the future. If this aluminium one fits and works it should outlast the car hopefully. 

[gigglebug]

Ordered yesterday after seller confirmed that it would fit. I'll update on the service and component when I get it. 

[gigglebug]

The part has been delivered and fitted and on the whole it's a very good peice of kit. It was delivered in a modest Jiffy bag with a peice of polystyrene to protect the arms which although was adequate on this occasion might not be enough every time. Even this time the polystyrene showed signs of compression and breaking. But all good. It's a very nicely engineered little component. 

Fitting wasn't as easy as I'd have hoped. I followed one of the many videos which show the lid being dismantled to fit new catches and all I can say is that it takes a whole lot of force to separate the Base from the top pad as they are bonded together in two places. Once apart though it is easy to gain access to the area involved. 

The second problem encountered is due to the fact that because the new part is such a good fit it was impossible to get the pins to locate into the holes that they sit in. There just isn't enough give in either the arms or the fitting to allow it to be just wiggled in unfortunately. I ended up breaking one of the fittings whilst trying to prise it open which at first was a worry but actually turned out to be the best thing to have happened. As it's a bendy type of plastic and not the sort to shatter and break off I was able to open it up to get the new catch fitted and then close it again to its original position. A spot of superglue has sealed it up for good again. 

All back together and in the car and it works perfectly. It looks good (for now) and complements the other touches of aluminium around the cabin. I can't see it, or the fittings that it locates into ever failing to be honest, the only thing that might eventually go is the spring but we will see. The only thing I would say is that because it is just bare metal, and a soft one, I've noticed that it already has a very small mark on it which I assume my missus has done. I'm not expecting it to stay perfect for long that's for sure. 

All in all though it's a very good little fix and I don't see it having to be re-addressed any time soon. I actually expect that more likely I'll be replacing it for looking tatty long before it ever needs to be replaced for breaking, but then I am a fussy bugger!

Hope this helps anyone thinking of doing the same, I certainly don't regret it at this early stage. 

Regards all. 

[Magnet]

Many thanks indeed Ross for updating the forum with your experiences with this. I'm sure your 'trial' will be of help to others.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[cliffcoggin]

That's good to know Ross. The attachment of the two lugs to the inside looks messy. The eBay ad says the item is metal while you say it is plastic. Can you elaborate on the construction?

[gigglebug]

Hello Cliff

I think you must have misread, the latch is all metal in construction. The plastic fittings I refer to are on the inside of the lid and are what the latch locates into. These can be seen in picture 12 in the listing and are on the outside of the arms. 

I would also point out that if you look at photograph 10 and 11 in the listing you can see that the little hook, in the middle between the holes for the arms, that the spring locates onto is also missing/snapped off so that in picture 12 the vendor has obviously had to use a screw and some silicon gel to replace it. Mine was thankfully present so I didn't have to improvise a repair in the same fashion. 

Hope this clears it up for you. 

 

Regards

[cliffcoggin]

Thanks for the clarification.