Removing and installing front seat backrest cover and padding — AUDI

🧭 Before you start

Disconnect the battery, then remove the arm rests, seat trims and seat cushion. Pull the head restraint and its guides, release the tensioning wires, upholstery clips and edge profiles, and roll the cover up off the padding. On earlier vans remove the side airbag, then lift cover and padding off the frame. Reassembly is the reverse, with the cover fixed to the padding using new upholstery clips and clip pliers.

Fits: VW Transporter T5 (7H), VW Transporter T5 (7J), VW Transporter T6 (7E), VW Transporter T6 (7F)

Don't miss

• The right head restraint guide is destroyed on removal; fit a new one.
• Vehicles up to 2010 carry a side airbag in the backrest; remove it before taking padding off.
• Use new upholstery clips at the original positions, set with upholstery clip pliers V.A.G 1634.
• Hook both tensioning wires back onto the frame before closing the cover, or it will sag.
• Disconnect the battery with the ignition off before touching anything near the airbag wiring.

Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.

📋 Procedure

1. Switch off ignition.
2. Disconnect vehicle battery Electrical system27Disconnecting and reconnecting battery.
3. Removing arm rests .
4. Remove trims on front seat .
5. Remove front seat cushion .

6. Press button of left head restraint guide (3).
7. Pull head restraint (2) out of backrest.
8. Press down padding in the rear area of the head restraint guides.
9. Release catches and pull head restraint guides (1) and (3) out of backrest. [Note: Removing right head restraint guide (1) without destroying it is not possible. It must be renewed prior to installation.]
10. Detach section (4) from the mounting (5).
11. Unhook both tensioning wires (3) from backrest frame.
12. Remove all upholstery clips of backrest cover from metal struts.
13. Detach profiles (2) from peripheral mounting (1)(arrows).
14. Roll backrest cover upwards.
15. Using a small screwdriver, unclip profile (5) of backrest cover from mountings (4) in padding.
16. Detach the two tensioning wires (1).
17. Remove side airbag (only vehicles up to 2010) .
18. Remove cover (2) and padding (4) from backrest frame (3).
19. Install in reverse order of removal.
20. Attach cover to padding with new upholstery clips at the positions indicated, using upholstery clip pliersV.A.G 1634. [Note: The part numbers of the upholstery clips can be found in the Electronic Parts Catalogue.]

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