Removing and installing dryer cartridge: VW Polo 6R
Step-by-step removing and installing dryer cartridge for the VW Polo 6R: 15 steps, 3 torque figures. What to remove, what to tighten and to how many Nm.
Swapping the desiccant cartridge in the receiver on the side of the condenser, on the platform codes listed below. The refrigerant has to be recovered first with a service station, and the circuit opened straight afterwards: if more than 10 minutes pass, pressure builds again from re-evaporation and it has to be extracted a second time. Access comes from putting the lock carrier in its service position and unclipping the fan mounting. Then the deflector cap comes off, the sealing cap is pressed in slightly, the circlip is removed and the cap is drawn out with an M12 bolt before the cartridge is pulled. What decides the job is a clean, undamaged sealing surface in the receiver and a new sealing cap seal, lightly oiled with refrigerant oil and seated properly.
🧭 Before you start
Recover the refrigerant, move the lock carrier to service position and unclip the fan mounting. Remove the deflector cap, circlip and sealing cap, pull the dryer cartridge out of the receiver and inspect the sealing faces. Fit a new sealing cap and seal, refit the circlip and protective cap, reinstall the removed parts and charge the circuit with R134a.
Fits: VW Polo 6R (2009–2014)
- Opens: refrigerant (A/C)
- Renewed: desiccant bag
Don't miss
- Open the circuit immediately after extraction; after 10 minutes re-evaporation means extracting the refrigerant again.
- Renew the sealing cap with its seal and moisten the seal lightly with refrigerant oil before fitting.
- Check the receiver sealing surfaces through the opening for dirt or damage before the new cap goes in.
- Plug every opened refrigerant component straight away so moisture cannot get into the circuit.
- The radiator-to-lock-carrier bolt is listed at 5 Nm.
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) | Remove bolt (1 |
| 2 Nm (1.5 lb-ft) | Unscrew bolts (5) of dryer cartridge (4 |
| 5 Nm (3.7 lb-ft) | Unscrew bolt (3) securing radiator to lock carrier |
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
- Move lock carrier to service position General body repairs, exterior50Lock carrier; Service position.
- Unclip fan mounting.
- First evacuate refrigerant circuit using e.g. air conditioner service stationVAS 6007A. Then - and only then - open refrigerant circuit. [Note: Releasing refrigerant into the environment is a criminal offence.All components of the refrigerant circuit which have been opened must be sealed with suitable plugs to prevent moisture intrusion.]
- ⚠ Danger from escaping pressurised refrigerant!Freezing of skin and other body parts.Extract refrigerant and then immediately open refrigerant circuit.If the refrigerant was extracted more than 10 minutes before the opening of refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant must be extracted again. The pressure in the circuit will increase due to subsequent evaporation. — Unscrew deflector cap (1).
- ⚠ Extract refrigerant from refrigerant circuit before removing sealing cap (1). If the circlip (arrow) and the sealing cap (1) are not removed within 10 minutes, pressure may develop in refrigerant circuit due to re-evaporation. Extract refrigerant again. — Press sealing cap (1) slightly into receiver.
- Remove circlip (arrow) and pull sealing cap (1) out of condenser (2) using bolt M12.
- Pull dryer cartridge (1) out of receiver (2).
- Check sealing surfaces of receiver on condenser (2) for soiling or damage via opening.
- Renew sealing cap (1) with relevant seal.
- Lightly moisten sealing cap seal (1) with refrigerant oil before installation.
- Ensure that seal sits correctly on sealing cap (1).
- Insert circlip (arrow).
- Screw in protective cap (1).
- Reinstall remaining removed components.
- Charge refrigerant circuit Air conditioner with refrigerant R134a. [Note: Under certain conditions, it is not necessary to renew the desiccant bag every time that the refrigerant circuit is opened. Refer to the workshop information under Air conditioning system with refrigerant R134a00Renewing components.]
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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.