DennisVogel Projects

Throughout this guide, left is designated as the driver's side of the vehicle, and right as the passenger's side of the vehicle.

Section I: Basic Info and Preparation

Section II: Disassembly

• Disconnect Battery
• Remove Passenger Under Dash Panel
• Removing Front Seats
• Removing Center Console
• Removing Center Console (Front Section)
• Access Under Gear Shift Mechanism
• Removing Inner Door Sill (Passenger)
• Disassembling Release for Trunk Lid
• Accessing Fuse Panel
• Accessing Relay Panel

Section III: Wiring

Section IV: Reassemble

Disconnecting the Battery

Note: Prior to disconnecting the battery, you should be aware of the following:

• It's been reported that disconnecting the battery on cars with low fuel (i.e. less than quarter tank) may cause the fuel gauge to display incorrectly.
• Wiring harness plugs of control modules or other electronic components must be (dis)connected with the ignition off. Exception: vehicles with the additional equipment M 536 (alarm siren with tilt sensor) must be disconnected with the ignition on in order to avoid triggering the alarm siren.
• If you disconnect the battery with the ignition on it may cause your airbag warning lamp to illuminate, requiring a trip to the service department to reset.
• You may lose fault memories of vehicle control modules.
• The limit positions of the power windows are deleted from the control module when the battery is disconnected. To remedy, manually close each power window as far as it will go, then press the rocker switch for closing the window again.
• The theft-protection code of the Radio and PCM navigation system must be entered again in order to function.

Caution: Disconnect the battery during all work on the electrical system. Do not lay tools or tother metal objects on the batter as they could cause a short circuit across the battery terminal.

Disconnect Battery
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Remove cover over the battery	The battery is located in the front luggage compartment under a black plastic lid. Open turn locks -A-. Remove plastic lid.
	2	Disconnect the battery	Disconnect the negative (-) ground wire, by loosening the terminal clamp with a 10mm wrench.

Removing Passenger Under Dash Panel

Remove the black molded panel from under the passenger dash by loosening the two plastic retaining screws with a regular screwdriver.

Removing Front Seats
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Removing seat rail cover	Pull seat rail cover on front end of the right and left seat rails off in forward direction.
	2	Undoing seat screws at front	Move seat to its rear limit position and undo the front M10 x 28 Torx screws from the right and left seat rails using an E12 socket wrench insert.
	3	Undoing seat screws at rear	Move seat to its forward limit position and undo the rear M10 x 28 Torx screws from the right and left seat rails using an E12 socket wrench insert.
	4	Disconnecting electrical plug connection	Release plug connector locking device on the side and separate the plug connection.
Note: You may be able to undo the Torx screws using a 10mm wrench. You do risk stripping the heads of these bolts (999.141.038.07) which cost about $4.00 each to replace.

Removing Inner Door Sill (passenger)
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Undoing fastening screws	Lift rubber mat -2- upward out of the oddments tray and unscrew the T15 Torx fastening screws -3- from the sill.
	2	Removing sill	Lift sill -1- upwards out of the bottom support with a plastic spatula and press out. Check fastenting clips -4-, replace if necessary.

Disassembling Release for Trunk Lid
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Undoing hexagon socket head bolts	Remove plastic plugs and undo the M6 x 25 hexagon socket head bolts from the sill by approx. 4 to 5 turns.
	2	Removing sill cover	Lift up sill cover from the lower support using a plastic spatula and press out.
Note: From model year 2001 varies due to electrical actuating switches.

Removing Center Console
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Shift lever knob	Disengage from the clips -2- all the way round. (Some shift lever knobs require the removal of a small allen screw) Pull the shift lever knob -1- upwards and out.
	2	Ashtray insert	Lift out ashtray insert (or non-smoker rubber mat)
	3	Fastening screws	Undo T27 Torx fastening screws -3-.
	4	Expanding nut	Press out -5-.
	5	Ashtray retaining bracket	Unclip the ashtray retaining bracket -6- uprwards from the center console and disconnect the electrical plug connections.
	6	Rubber insert	Lift out rubber insert -7-.
	7	Floor oddments tray	Undo fastening screw -3- from the floor oddments tray -8-.
	8	Coin box	Unclip the coin box -9- and undo the fastening screw -3- underneath.

Removing Center Console - continued
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Cover, front left	Unclip the front left cover -1- at the sides from clips -2-.
	2	Cover, front right	Unclip the front right cover at the sides from clips.
	3	Cover, center left (hand brake)	Unclip -3- at the sides from clips -2-.
	4	Cover, rear left	Unclip -10- at the sides from clips -2-.

Removing Center Console (Front Section)
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Cover, front left	Unclip the front left cover -1- at the sides from clips -3-.
	2	Cover, front right	Unclip the front right cover -2- at the sides from clips -3-.
	3	Front trim	Unclip the front trim -12- towards the front (and disconnect the plug connections of the rocker switch if occupied).
	4	Left cover	Unclip the left cover -13- at the side and pull out to the rear from clips -3-.
	5	Right cover	Unclip the right cover -14- at the side and pull out to the rear from clips -3-.
	6	Center console (front section)	Undo fastening screws -5- and lift the front of the center console -15- off.
	7	Metal support bracket	Undo fastening nuts -17- and lift out the black metal support bracket -18-.
	8	Main console	Remove main console body.
Note: Additional steps are necessary if navigation unit CD drive and/or heating/air conditioning control is located in lower two slots of center console (front section) in place of oddments trays.

Access Under Gear Shift Mechanism
	Undo fastening nuts that retain the gear shift mechanism in order to access the area underneath.

Access Fuse Panel
	No.	Procedure	Instructions
	1	Remove fuse box cover	The fuse box is at the lower left in the driver's footwell and is protected with a plastic cover. To open, pull the cover off at the finger hole (arrow).
	2	Remove carpeted fuse box panel	Undo 4 phillips fastening screws and remove carpeted cover.
	3	Detach fuse box housing	Loosen retaining screw and pull tabs from footwell.
	4	Access rear of panel	Access rear of fuse panel by pressing tabs and detaching back half of plastic housing.

Section III: Wiring