My trunk latch is starting to fail and Audi wants $250 to replace the latch. The part is $65 on ecstuning.com, so I think this might be a good DIY project, but does anyone have any experience getting to the latch? It looks like there are a bunch of hidden clips or something holding the liner onto the trunk lid. I'm not sure how to pull it off or if I should plan on breaking the clips and have extra on hand. Anyone do this before?

 

So, no tips on this job? It looks simple on the surface, but Audi quoted 1.5 hours for the job, so I'm guessing I'm going to come up against something that takes me a while to figure out. I was going to tackle this this weekend and was just hoping someone had taken their trunk deck internals apart and could help out with some tips.

 

Well, without having any clue what I was doing, I did this job in about half the time Audi quoted me and other than getting the trim clips out, it was a simple job.

There are about 8 clips around the inside of the liner that are a REAL pain to get out. You have to get a finger on the plastic of the clip (if you just pull the liner, you will break it) and pull REALLY hard until it snaps like it broke. Do that with the four on the bottom and the two on the outside corners on the top. Then, there is a screw inside the pull handle and the emergency release handle. To get to the release one, you have to pop out the release handle (just the handle), pry it apart, and take the ball/cable out. Now, if you've removed the two screws, you have two more clips near the middle of the top. Once that's free, it's pretty obvious how to replace the latch. Just make sure you hook up all the cables again.

It literally took me about 45 minutes and at least 30 of that was trying to figure out how to get the trunk deck liner off. I'm just super-cautious because I'm always afraid of breaking something and having to buy MORE parts for what should have been a simple job.

 

I am having the same issue with my 2005.5 A4 trunk lid. I need to check if it is covered under my extended warranty, but if not I will be following our lead. Did you find a need to buy a few extra clips, or did you not end up breaking any?

 

I didn't break any. They're metal, just make sure you don't rip them off the trunk liner. It's just plastic fused into the plastic of the trunk liner, so get a good grip on the base when you pull.

It was a pretty easy job and the part only cost me $62 (shipped).

 

Hi King,
Thanks!

 

Hi King,
Thanks for the info, very useful.

 

wish i read this before you did this, I had some pics on how to remove the trunk liner and get to the main parts

 

No worries. It was a pretty simple job. I think the 1.5 hour labor estimate from Audi is what scared me initially, but that was obviously greatly inflated after I figured it out and completed it in about 30-40 minutes.

 

Yea i could do it in about 5 minutes, but thats how technicians make money.

We charge what Audi says it takes to replace it.

If i do it in 5 minutes i make alot of money. I do it in 2 hours..... i loose.

And for techs, sometimes you win... sometimes you loose. Were not millionares.... Most i kno struggle to pay their morgage