Installing rear wheel arch trim — VW
Installing rear wheel arch trim on VW: 7 steps, 1 torque figure. What to remove, what to tighten and to how many Nm, what to check after.
On the Passat B7 (362/365, 2010–2014) the rear wheel arch trim is held by adhesive tape along the wheel arch plus bolts from below, so fitting is as much about surface preparation as about fasteners. The bonding area on the wheel arch is prepared first, the grommets are checked and renewed if damaged, and the trim is fed under the side member extension. Once it is aligned, the protective film comes off the tapes, the trim is pressed firmly on and the lower bolts are tightened to 2 Nm. A minimum curing period then has to pass before the car is used normally. A clean surface and firm, even pressure are what decide whether the tape holds.
🧭 Before you start
Prepare the bonding surface on the wheel arch, check and renew damaged grommets, feed the trim under the side member extension and align it. Remove the film from the adhesive tapes, press the trim firmly on, tighten the lower bolts to 2 Nm and observe the minimum curing period.
Fits: VW Passat B7 saloon (362, 2010–2014), VW Passat B7 Variant (365, 2010–2014)
- Renewed: if necessary
Don't miss
- Prepare the bonding surface properly; the adhesive tape only holds on a clean, dry surface.
- Check the grommets and renew any that are damaged.
- Align the trim before removing the film; repositioning after contact weakens the bond.
- Bolts from below go to 2 Nm.
- Respect the minimum curing period before washing or driving hard.
Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.
🔩 Torque settings
Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.
| Torque | Fastener / step |
|---|---|
| 2 Nm (1.5 lb-ft) | Tighten bolts from below (7) to specified torque |
ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.
📋 Procedure
- Prepare bonding surface on wheel arch (5) for bonding
- Check grommets for damage and renew if necessary.
- Feed rear wheel arch trim (1) under side member extension (4)(arrow a).
- Align rear wheel arch trim (1) and remove protective film from adhesive tapes (6).
- Press rear wheel arch trim (1) firmly on.
- Tighten bolts from below (7) to specified torque of 2 Nm. — 2 Nm (1.5 lb-ft)
- Minimum curing period
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Who makes these pages, and how
TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.
Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com
The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.