Finally, Baker21, you'll know if you have a problem because you'll start misting up inside the car whenever you leave it parked in the sunshine, even at this time of year. With regards to the pollen filter, do check there is no clogging of debris around the side of the plastic housing against the nearside wing. I'm sure with your super clean motor this won't be a problem!

I always clean my engine bay when washing the car so have cleared this area out by the side of the pollen filter but at various stages over the past few months i did notice it misting up a bit............guess I will be doing this job shortly..........thanks.....

Would not recommend sliding out the battery on a 2.5 V6 TDI as described above. It may work with some batteries but not with the big Varta battery fitted to my Superb. You end up in the situation where the scuttle jams the battery and the battery jams the scuttle, and its a very difficult job to get the battery back to where it should be so you can get the scuttle out. My recommendation, it it looks like it won't come out; then it won't! so remove the wiper arms and scuttle.

An open ended spanner under the wiper arms to prise up; and a gentle tap on the wiper spindle to free off the wiper arms (a little WD40 also helped). Push a paint scraper or blunt kitchen knife down the windscreen and into the gap between the screen and the plastic scuttle. Pull the scraper/knife towards you to prise out the plastic scuttle panel (the panel is clipped at 90 deg to the windscreen so needs to be prised up 90 deg to the windscreen)

If you are removing the scuttle trim slotted into the base of the windscreen, I would strongly recommend removing the plastic trims screwed around the bonnet hinges - one each side, each held by 1 Torx screw.

It's a really crappy piece of design, but the cover is so brittle that you are likely to break it unless it has a clear path to come out. The fitter who put a new screen in my car found this out...

rotodiesel.

Edited 23 February, 201115 yr by rotodiesel

Yes, plastic holding trims on each side, 1 screw each, and 2 metal clips holding cowling to inside the plenum (these are VERY easy to get dropped in the plenum and lost), plus remove the wipers. After removing these the cowling comes out quite easily. I'm on a 3rd heated windscreen, so I should know :p

The size 110 battery still puts up a good fight even with cowling removed - difficult to access mounting screw and you have to lift it out from middle of the plenum - warm up first or your back will remmeber it :'(

I have an old-ish Mk1 (2003) 1.9 tdi which needed a new battery today. I read the manual and the comments here. I have a long standing back injury and at my age I am losing the strength in my arms so i was not looking forward to the job. It had the biggest possible Varta battery installed. So I removed the top cover, unclipped the cable trunking along the scuttle and could not see how the battery could possibly come out the top. I released the clamp, wiggled it a bit to clear the fixed holding lip on the right (looked at from the front) and could not lift it. I lifted the right hand end with a tyre lever and slid a block of wood underneath and gradually eased it to the right. As it came across bit by bit I was able to lift it more and put another block under. I eased back the corner of the pollen filter and was able to lift it over the pipework and out it came. No strain on the arms or back. I left in the blocks of wood and the new battery just slid down into place with a bit of a wiggle to get it in. Pulled out the blocks and settled it into place and replaced the clamp and put everything else back. Job done. About 1.5 hours - most of that was head scratching. Next time probably 20 minutes tops.