Been a numpty - Cabin Air Filter box - broken cover/surround

[varaderoguy]

Firstly - never try doing something at 1630 on a dark Scottish autumn night - things break..... [opening salvo].

 

Hello Briskoda members,

 

I think I've been an idiot.....but possibly not (explain in a moment).  My Scout has now done 23k miles and the HVAC system was starting to smell really quite yuk.  Too many hot/cold/days and driving insane miles around Scotland.  Decided to fix the problem by getting a new genuine cabin air filter and a can of Autoglym Air-Con cleaner (its good stuff BTW).

 

I have now replaced 3 cabin air filters in our various fleet (an SE and a VRS plus a previous VRS) - all MK3's.  All without fault - up to today, so I do know how to replace the filter.

 

Removed the glove-box - no hassles.  I then tried to remove the cover to the cabin-air filter cover.....to see what state it was in.  I tried....and tried....and gently tried to remove the cover to the cabin air filter - the three lugs at the top of the filter box as well as gently pushing down the lugs at the bottom.  I ~COULD NOT~ make it budge.  It was stuck on.....

 

Eventually, it came away, but I've suffered some broken lugs both on the cover and on the air-filter box itself.....at least I think I did....I broke one lug (my fault), but I was missing another lug that I know I didn't break.  I think that reading between the lines, one of the garages seem to have potentially broken off a lug.  The tail/tail sign that something was not right - was that there is a v.thin line of sealant between the cover and the airbox.....I am therefore not totally to blame (although I still feel like a numpty).

 

Has anybody replaced the whole cabin air filter box and cover unit - and if so what was the process?  I will - of course - be asking my Skoda dealer for a quote to fix the damage, but I was wondering if it is something I can tackle.

 

Anyhow....temporary repair has been performed (gluing remaining lugs back on....but it is only a temporary repair).  HVAC cleaner applied and the car is smelling wonderful again.

Edited 4 November, 2020 by varaderoguy

[CJJE]

Hi Varadoguy,

 

I've just done the same on my Karoq, with the lower 'hooks' on the housing breaking off. Did you get yours repaired in the end? I was wondering about using a strong tape on the lower edge to keep the cover in place. 

 

Chris

[varaderoguy]

I'm afraid I didn't.  Car is no longer with me.  Skoda quoted me a multi-thousand pound bill to fix the issue.  They really need plastic welding to put back on, but couldn't find anybody locally to do that.

[ApertureS]

The actual fix is to replace the complete heater box which is a complete dashboard strip out. It can be done and I can do them in a day, but it’s not cheap nor easy!

 

I don’t often recommend a ‘bodge/repair’ but for this I might, as even my bill for this with parts and labour would be near enough £1000

[paulski]

@ApertureS can we have a time lapse video of you doing the dash strip down in a day😆 

Edited 29 January by paulski

[ApertureS]

4 minutes ago, paulski said:

@ApertureS can we have a time lapse video of you doing the dash strip down in a day😆 

I mean, the full interior will be getting stripped from my car in the next 1-2 months so dont see why not  ill post it in my project thread.

The actual dash panel completely, i can get this out in around 2 hours now! Done a fair few

[J.R.]

I got the one out of the Yeti quite swiftly despite not being able to find any info on how to do it, I just did it methodically and when something did not want to come out I had to push and pull but not too hard to feel where the resistance was and then find the extra fastener or clip holding up the proceedings.

 

That part of it took a very long time but if the fixings info were to have been available it would not have been an issue, the biggest stumbling block was I could not for the life of me see how the stalk switch assembly removed from the steering column, I pushed, I pulled, I looked closely from every angle, it was a couple of all but invisible hidden clips, these things are designed to assemble together by a blind person and not to be disassembled by a semi-blind one!

 

I got some very impressive photos when it was removed, they gave most people the heebie-jeebies! Sadly they were lost with all the others when the memory card became corrupted.

[Phoenixboy]

12 hours ago, varaderoguy said:

I'm afraid I didn't.  Car is no longer with me.  Skoda quoted me a multi-thousand pound bill to fix the issue.  They really need plastic welding to put back on, but couldn't find anybody locally to do that.

I do know someone that can weld plastic, in fact that's what he specialises in, as he has his own body shop. He'll be a bit further south for you (North East).