Removing and installing drier: VW Phaeton

Step-by-step removing and installing drier for the VW Phaeton: 10 steps. What to remove, in what order, and what to check after.

Renewing the air conditioning drier on the platform code listed below. The drier sits behind the front left wheel housing liner, and the refrigerant must be recovered with a service station before any line is opened. With the liner out, the refrigerant line bolts are removed and both lines pulled from the drier, then its bolts come out. The drier is held in a bracket that has to be cut at the indicated point with an electric cutter and spread apart, after which the drier comes out. What matters on refit is moisture: new seals throughout, and the sealing plugs left in the new drier until the very last moment, because an open drier saturates quickly and is then useless.

10 steps

🧭 Before you start

Recover the refrigerant, remove the front left wheel housing liner, then unbolt and pull the refrigerant lines from the drier. Remove the drier bolts, cut the bracket at the marked point and spread it to free the drier. Fit the new drier with new seals, removing its sealing plugs only just before connecting, and refit the lines and liner.

Fits: VW Phaeton (3D)

Renewed: seals

Don't miss

Recover refrigerant with a service station before opening the circuit; venting it is an offence.
Seal every opened refrigerant component with plugs immediately to keep moisture out.
Leave the new drier's sealing plugs in until just before the lines go on.
Renew all seals on the refrigerant line connections.
After work on the circuit, evacuate and recharge it to the vehicle specification as general practice.

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

📋 Procedure

Extract refrigerant using air conditioner service station before opening refrigerant circuit. Comply with notes . [Note: Releasing refrigerant into the environment is a punishable offence.All components of the refrigerant circuit which have been opened must be sealed with suitable plugs to prevent moisture intrusion.]
Remove front left wheel housing liner General body repairs, exterior66Removing and installing wheel housing liner: front wheel housing liner.
Remove bolts (2).
Pull refrigerant lines (3) and (4) out of dryer (5).
Remove bolts (6).

VW? Steps differ between engine variants — check this job against your exact car before you commit to it. Check my car — free →

Cut through bracket (1) at indicated point (arrow) by means of electric cutterV.A.G 1561A(3) or another suitable cutter.
Pull apart bracket (1) in (direction of arrow a) using suitable tool.
Remove dryer (2) in direction of arrow (b).
Installation is carried out in the reverse order. When installing, note the following:
Renew seals. [Note: Do not remove sealing plugs (A) and (B) until just before installation. The dryer will become saturated with moisture within a short time and is then unusable.Moisture which has entered the refrigerant circuit during repairs will be collected by the dryer.]

Other VW procedures

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TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.

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Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.

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Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.