B6/B7 Front Ashtray Removal Guide

[matt@oCarbon]

Lately I've had some customers have some trouble removing the front ashtray covers on their B6/B7 Audis, so I figured I would write up a little guide. I think people tend to over complicate this step of the trim removal when it is actually quite simple. Before we start, let me stress that you do not need to remove the whole ashtray from the car to remove the ashtray cover. I have just done that for this guide because it will make it much easier to photograph.

B6/B7 Front Ashtray Cover Removal

Tools needed:

• Strong thumbs

Time required: 60 seconds

Difficulty: Super easy



First we will start with the rear ashtray because it works on the same principle as the front ashtray, but you can actually see the bottom of it.



Both ashtray covers have these pegs in them (the front ashtray has 3 of them, the rear ashtray has 2 of them). Both lids have teeth that grasp the pegs and hold them in place.



On the rear ashtray you have to slide the cover forward while lifting up the tab. This will unhook the teeth from the pegs and set the cover free.



Here you see the rear ashtray off of the lid. The front ashtray bottom looks almost identical.



On to the front ashtray. With the ashtray open, you can see the separation of the lid and the cover. The goal is to use your thumbs on the lid to push it inward and use your fingers on the ashtray cover to slide it forward in the opposite direction.



So grip the ashtray like this (use both hands, I could only use one because I needed the other to take the picture) and move your thumbs in and pull your fingers towards you.



If you've done it correctly, you'll free the pegs on the ashtray cover from the teeth on the lid.



Close the ashtray, and you should be able to just pull it straight up and out.



With the ashtray cover off, you can see the pegs and the teeth.



One last picture for reference: a lot of people assume they are removing the whole top of the ashtray, but as you can see from this image, that isn't the case. The lid that opens and closes remains connected to the ashtray assembly, you are just removing the decorative cover.

[gtsingh91]

how about a write up for removing the entire front assembly??

[manguyen]

^^^ take out radio and take out climate control and its easy as pie

[matt@oCarbon]

^^^ take out radio and take out climate control and its easy as pie

Yup. I've removed it without removing the climate control, but it takes some coaxing.

[mister_tu]

Your timing is impeccable, I just picked up the fishscale trim. Thanks!!

[fg_carz18]

Now, I just wanna go to an Audi Dismantling shop and look for wood trims for manuals..haha

[Kwarner]

i did this method and after removing the trim piece the ashtray will no longer close now. it stays halfway open. any pointers on what the problem might be? it stays halfway open even after i put the trim back. (the trim is completely snapped back in)

[matt@oCarbon]

i did this method and after removing the trim piece the ashtray will no longer close now. it stays halfway open. any pointers on what the problem might be? it stays halfway open even after i put the trim back. (the trim is completely snapped back in)

The mechanism that keeps it closed is on the middle left side of the ashtray (in between the left and middle "tooth"). When the ashtray gets pushed closed, there is a little lever that is supposed to come in contact with this and it gets trapped shut. Either you broke off the lever or there is something caught in there preventing it from closing. Remove the assembly and look in on the left side, you'll see how it functions.

[Kwarner]

sounds like i probably broke it then... haha

[matt@oCarbon]

sounds like i probably broke it then... haha

Maybe, maybe not. Lots of dirt and dust tends to get stuck back there (along with other random things like coins).

[a4darkness]

Awesome, thank you Matt.

[FoRbAnNa]

Doesn't this removal guide for the front ashtray only cover the 2DIN ashtrays? I've removed the ashtray cover on my 1DIN ashtray which has a completely different shape than this flat 2DIN cover and the tabs on the 1DIN covers looks a lot different and this methood can't be used to remove it.

[matt@oCarbon]

Doesn't this removal guide for the front ashtray only cover the 2DIN ashtrays? I've removed the ashtray cover on my 1DIN ashtray which has a completely different shape than this flat 2DIN cover and the tabs on the 1DIN covers looks a lot different and this methood can't be used to remove it.

We don't have the other ashtray here in the US (at least to my knowledge anyway. In 5 years of making trim, I've never seen the single DIN ashtray from a US customer).

Thankfully for you, I do have some international customers so I do have some pics of that ashtray.

It is essentially the same thing, just reversed.





So instead of sliding the ashtray forward, you are sliding it backwards. This ashtray is a bit more difficult to do than the flat ashtray, but if you take your time and go slow, it should be fairly straight forward.

[JEENYUS]

[woofster]

Nice write-up! I've always removed the center console to get the ashtray out. Now I feel like going to try this out for no other reason than just because!

[pinpointsnipe]

did some searching, and couldn't find this issue in this thread or others. So i did the method of removing the decorative part of the ashtray with out removing the actual assembly, the problem is once i did remove the decorative piece, the assembly piece that it attaches to stayed in the down position, and is completely stuck and will not budge. I really don't wanna force it with a screwdriver or anything, but its stuck really badly, just looking for some advice or if anyone has run into this problem before?

[mattboris]

not to bring up an old thread but i have been reading the same way over and over how to take this off and it never worked for me. then i noticed that behind that little flap on the back of the cover actually has a little slot that you can literally put a screw driver in and push towards the shifter and the cover comes right off.. It took literally ONE second to get off after i noticed this. Just throwing it out there that you dont need to use your thumbs or push and pull on anything.. just put in the screwdriver and pop it forward. absolutley no effort required.