Removing and installing side member trim, e-up! — VW
Removing and installing side member trim, e-up! on VW: 21 steps, 1 torque figure. What to remove, what to tighten and to how many Nm, what to check after.
Fitting a side member trim on the e-up! (platform codes 121 and BL1) is mostly about the retaining strip underneath it. The trim comes off after bolt 3 and the spreader rivet, warmed with a hot air blower and pulled up out of the strip; the strip is then pushed hard rearwards and lifted evenly off its bolts. If new holes are needed, they are measured from the rear wheel housing, centred and drilled with a 1.5 mm bit, and the self-tapping screws run in at around 2,500 ± 500 rpm only until they bite. They are then nipped to 1.2 Nm - 0.1 Nm, no more. The strip goes back on and is pushed to its stop, and the trim is engaged, aligned and pressed down onto its adhesive tape on a clean side member.
🧭 Before you start
Remove bolt 3 and the spreader rivet, warm the trim and pull it up out of the retaining strip, then push the strip rearwards and lift it off. Where needed, measure, centre and drill 1.5 mm holes and fit self-tapping screws at minimal torque. Refit the strip to its stop, clean the bonding area, engage and align the trim, refit the bolts and rivet, remove the tape backing and press the trim firmly on.
Fits: platform codes 121, BL1
Don't miss
- Warm the upper area of the trim before pulling it out of the retaining strip.
- Stop the cordless driver the moment the screw bites, then tighten to 1.2 Nm - 0.1 Nm only.
- An overtightened retaining strip bolt must be replaced with a black oversize bolt.
- Clean the side member bonding area thoroughly before pressing the trim onto its tape.
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 |
|---|---|
| 1.2 Nm (0.9 lb-ft) | Tighten screws with least possible torque, i |
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
- Remove bolt (3).
- Prise out spreader rivet (2).
- Warm upper area of side member trim (1) with hot air blowerV.A.G 1416.
- Pull side member trim (1) upwards in (direction of arrow B) out of retaining strip.
- Push retaining strip (1) forcefully towards rear (arrow a).
- Lift retaining strip (1) evenly off all bolts (2)(arrow b). [Note: The retaining strip bolts are corrosion-resistant "“colour: silver”". No further secondary treatment is required.If a bolt is overtightened it is essential to replace it with a "“black”" oversize bolt.]
- Measure the holes according to the table below.
- Centre the holes for the securing screws.
- Drill out holes with a 1.5 mm drill bit. [Note: Dimension (a) is measured from the rear wheel housing.]
- Screw in self-tapping screws (1) with cordless drill/driverVAS 5036, using the highest speed 2,500 ± 500 rpm, until the screw bites. Remove cordless drill/driverVAS 5036 immediately!
- Tighten screws with least possible torque, i.e. 1.2 Nm - 0.1 Nm, so that screws are not excessively tightened. — 1.2 Nm (0.9 lb-ft)
- Fit retaining strip (1) onto bolts (1)(arrow a).
- Push retaining strip forcefully towards rear in (direction of arrow b) as far as stop.
- Fitting notes
- Thoroughly clean side member (5) in area of bonding surface using cleaning solution.
- Fit side member trim (1) onto retaining strip (6), and engage it in (direction of arrow A).
- Align side member trim (1).
- Tighten bolts (3). Specified torque .
- Insert spreader rivet (2).
- Pull protective backing (4) off adhesive tape (arrow b).
- Press side member trim in area of adhesive tape forcefully on side member.
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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.