[Deli Llama]

Hi all,

First of all sorry for this long post but there's lots of information to get through.

I've managed to break the driver's side (right in Australia) centre console, split armrest in my 2015, 3 litre, TDI P7.

It appears that I have broken the two little plastic holes in which the rods slide. I don't know if I've broken any other essential component.

I would like to replace or reinstall the armrest so that it operates (opens and slides) but I don't know how to fit it back into place. That is, attach it to the slides in the centre console.

That little circlip or washer seems to be useful.

I'm hoping that on Monday that I'll either be able to buy a replacement armrest or just add a couple of pieces of wire to replace the plastic holes that I appear to have broken off. The problem is, I don't know how to reinstall the armrest.

Has anybody done this before? Does anybody know how to install a replacement armrest?

Many thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Deli Llama]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

To tell you the truth I just pushed it together because I went away for a week and forgot about looking at doing anything about it on my return.

Pulling apart everything to replace the little broken bits seems like a lot of work to me. I think I'll look at a dodgy repair (amazing what a bit of wire can do) and if I can't do that then it's off to the expensive VW service centre.

I've found that buying stuff on ebay from the USA may be reasonably priced but the shipping usually costs a fortune.

There are no Wreckers that I know of in the ACT (where I live) but I did see an advertisement for a Wreckers near Cowra. That may be an option with the COVID-19 restrictions that are bound to happen after Christmas.

Thanks again for your replies. Adding my car's details seems to have worked.

 

[Deli Llama]

I also found what I think is just the right side armrest on US Ebay. Seller says they ship worldwide, just check their exclusions.

Link >>> 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 VW TOUAREG 7P - FRONT RIGHT CENTER ARMREST / ARM REST | eBay

That's not the one. My arm rest also slides forward. Maybe the differences between Australia, EU and USA models?

 

[Deli Llama]

Oh. It looks different. Anyway, I'll try to bodgy a fix and if that doesn't work, I'll look at alternatives. Thanks for the information.

 

[Deli Llama]

I finally got around to fixing the armrest. I glued a couple of brass rings where the broken plastic holes were and fed the sliding bars through those rings. It seems to work really well and cheap too.

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[Deli Llama]

@Deli Llama
How did you removed the armrest?

The armrest came off when it broke.

Two rings of plastic were somehow broken, highlighted by the orange in this image:

That's also where I glued in two brass rings that I passed the two slides.

 

[Deli Llama]

Hello,
Is this thread still alive ?
if not, I will create a new one..
I have exactly the same problem, same touareg (2015 V6, just received yesterday !)
the armrest is broken in the same way as Deli's one.
since I do not know how to remove the other armrest which is not broken(to see exactly what is missing and try to reproduce the parts) I'm asking to the community ...
with the 2 rings, how did you replace the armrest, and is it locked ?
thanks
View attachment 254555

Hi JL85FR,

I never managed to remove the other armrest. However, just like you, the broken armrest was accessible, because it broke off. And yes, the armrest did seem to jamb a few times before the armrest broke off. That probably contributed to the breakage.

There are two plastic rings, in which, two steel rods slide to allow the armrest to move forwards and backwards (see the pictures in my original post). I can see from your image that the plastic rings have also broken on your armrest, confirming the exact same problem.

I solved the problem by cleaning up the grease and gluing, with some very good T-Rex glue type stuff, two brass rings onto the existing plastic to replace the broken plastic rings. I used brass because it was easily at hand. I made sure that the internal diameter of the brass rings was large enough for the rods to easily slide backwards and forwards before I glued them in place. I guess you could use other materials such as plastic or steel washers but I used brass. (I now wish that I'd taken a picture of the two brass rings glued in position before I repaired the armrest so that I could show you, but that's hindsight for you. )

Once the glue dried (24 hours) I then greased the brass rings, fed the steel rods through the rings and then it was all working again. The armrest is NOT locked. It operates as it should.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Deli Llama]

I think that using plastic for the sliding mechanism was a poor design decision by VW so I think there broken armrest problem is likely to happen more than just twice - you and me. Therefore, I think that your document might be very handy. I look forward to seeing your solution.