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Tech Article

Audi C5 A6 Rear center console removal

Last Updated: 05/05/2017

Parts Group: Center console

This article discusses the rear console for the C5 Audi A6 made 1999-2004. with the main focus being on removal. If you're not here for the technical analysis but would rather buy used parts from us, guaranteed to work and fit, then please select the link below.

The information herein is based on two of our project cars, a 2000 Audi A6 and a 2001 Audi A6.

In general, the plastic rear center console body is attached to the car with:

One 13mm nut at the rear:
One 8mm bolt in the center
Two 8mm bolts at the front

The problem is: what's in the way, and there's a lot of it.

A. To reach the 13mm nut at the rear, I first removed the rear vents ... which needed to be removed anyway since the seat warmer and cigarette lighter and illumination wiring would have anchored the plastic rear center console body to the car.

Step A1 -- insert a right angle pick inside the vent grid and hook a cross-bar and yank it backwards.

Here is the unit pulled loose slightly ...

... and more ...

Step A2 -- unhook the four plugs from the vent grid.

... here's the rear of the center console after removal of the vent unit.

B. I also needed to detach the handbrake position switch with its wiring otherwise that would have anchored the plastic rear center console body to the car.

The switch has a sort of barb that keeps the switch snug next to a vertical pillar.

I pushed the barbs together and pulled the switch loose.

Here it is, detached from the vertical pillar:

C. To better see inside the rear of the center console, I pulled out the ventilation duct just ahead of the rear vent unit.

D. The center armrest would block the center console from being removed, so I removed that first.

That required removal of a 13mm nut ...

... 1/4" ratchet, short extension, 13mm socket. It's purple because I color-code with nail polish my tools so that I can see at a glance see what I have. My larger ratchets such as 3/8" or 1/2" did not fit.

I could lift it up and away...

I could detach the phone cord plug:

Here's a top view of the rear of the center console with the armrest removed:

E. The center bolt that attaches the center console is under the storage compartment that's parallel to the handbrake. It's easy to separate the storage compartmenr from the console after the console has been removed. Until then, not so much. An easier way would be to use a right angle pick or corkscrew pick to dig under the carpeted insert inside the storage compartment, then pry it up and remove it. That provides access to the center bolt, but only for a socket, not a wrench.

Before removal:

F. The two front bolts that attach the center console are under the wood trim that's around the transmission shifter. So, that I pried that up to get access, using a flat-bladed screwdriver applied at the rear of the wood trim.

Before prying up:

After prying up, we can see the two 8mm bolts that keep the center console in position. They are easier to remove with a socket, as opposed to a wrench.

After that, the handbrake and its trim were still in the way. The trim fits over the handbrake with two vertical pieces that I pushed apart while the handbrake was in the "up" position. I could then slide the part loose and out. Thereafter, I could jiggle and slide the center console loose and lift it up. It wasn't easy, for me anyway.

When I was finally able to reach underneath, the last step was to disconnect the wiring that leads to the mirror control switch.

Tools recap:

- Corkscrew pick
- Right-angle pick
- 8 mm socket for 1/4" drive
- 13 mm socket for 1/4" drive
- Ratchet for 1/4" drive
- Long extension for 1/4" drive