Marc3.2TT

Hey everyone,

Just got back from Sweden last night and had trouble sleeping past 6 this morning, so I decided to swap the "trunk" and "gas cap" buttons (which I've been wanting to do for a while now).

You see, in a 3.2 TT with DSG, the shift **** in "P" (Park) position makes it harder to reach the right button, which by default is the trunk opening one, compared to the gas-cap button. And since the trunk button is used much more often than the gas cap one, it just made much more sense to swap them so that the trunk one on the left.


Note that all credit for this "mod" goes to Hervé from Switzerland, who got his 3.2 TT a few months ago and decided that the placement of these buttons in the center console didn't make sense. So he swapped them and wrote a procedure <a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/tt/threads/367942.phtml#949518">here</a> but without pictures.

Today, I bring you a fully-documented and pictorial procedure on how to do this:


1) Lift the buttons' holder, which is simply snapped into the center console by 4 little tabs shown here:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons01.jpg">


2) I was able to lift it from one side with my fingers, but I guess you could also use a flat-head screwdriver as well:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons02.jpg">


3) Lift the other side of the button-holder and give some slack to the wiring harness:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons03.jpg">


4) Release the connectors by pushing the little tab in the direction of the arrows:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons04.jpg">


5) Repeat for second connector:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons05.jpg">


6) This is what the connectors look like - note the color corresponding to the button (red for gas cap, brown for trunk) trust me you'll need that later:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons06.jpg">


7) Gently apply upward pressure, using a screwdriver, to release each connection from the button-holder:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons07.jpg">


8) This is what the electrical contacts look like:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons08.jpg">


9) Repeat for second connector:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons09.jpg">


10) Now you have two free contacts that you can remove from the button-holder and place back in the colored connector (they're identical):

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons10.jpg">


11) To remove the buttons themselves, you'll need to push in on 2 tabs located on each side of the base:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons11.jpg">


12) Use a small screwdriver (flat-head) for the other tab as it's well hidden in there:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons12.jpg">


13) Push the button up from the inside (by the tabs) until it sticks out a little from the top:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons13.jpg">


14) Lift the button up to release it, but be careful not to lose the little spring:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons14.jpg">


15) Repeat for other button, and swap their place - remember how I told you to remember which color matches which button? You'll need that to replace the connectors at the bottom to match each button.
Repeat the steps above in the reverse order to put everything back together, and push down on the console to snap the holder back in place - Voilà:

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons15.jpg">


16) You can now see how easy it is to reach the trunk button when the shift know is in "P":

<img src="http://hitechgti.50megs.com/audi/buttons/buttons16.jpg">


Enjoy!!
-Marc

HPH

...instructions for installing the James-Bond-style ejection seat, to be activitated by the (empty) middle button. But I guess this is a TTR-only mod so someone else will have to do it.

Nice car, by the way. HPH

asTTro boy

nice job documenting that

Aaronb55

great tutorial thanks.

modesTT

Also makes sense as the gas tank is on the right side!

QS -

Do you have the aluminum supports in your TT? I dont see them in your pictures.

Herve

And I realize how useless my picless procedure was. (picless, picless, is that a real word ? My parents always told me to "say it with your own words", so I do).

PS: Marc, is your TT still yellow ? C'mon, grow up :-)

GranTT MN

Thanks. When doing this mod I found a perfect spot for the Soundgate AUX3 switch for my audio system.