How to Remove the Centre Console on a Mk7 VW Golf

Detailed video with step by step guide on how to remove and then reinstall the Centre Console on a Mk7 VW Golf.
If you accidentally loose your credit card down the back of the console by leaving it on the drinks cover runner and then opening the cover you will need to remove the console to get your credit card back out.

[@joshthompson3065]

my wife had put her bank card on the retractable cover, on the cup holder. Needless to say it slid back and was lost FOREVER !!! ..........until I found your video. Less than 30 minutes later, including a pit stop for a coffee and the card is back in safe hands (my hands), for now at least. Thank you for your excellent video. Much love to you.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching. Please remember to subscribe.

[@대니얼-p5r]

same with me

[@andreilawrpg9196]

Mee too

[@skillbro7817]

Same bro

[@richardhall2050]

@@skillbro7817 same same

[@tallgrass5061]

I found removing & replacing the insert very difficult as the front of the cupholder underneath the insert fouled a brace underneath. This prevented the insert from being moved forwards or backward easily while holding the insert up at the front against wiring pulling. Trimming 3 mm from the fouling area would make it so much easier. A lug back by the armrest has to go under a tab of the armrest and a plastic clip on either side of the insert close to the armrest (DOH) doesn't help. Loosening the armrest box might have helped, but a manual I read did not state that. It may have been simpler to remove the whole center console with the insert in place. In my car, the armrest box is an integral part of the center console. My trim around the cupholder / 12V socket was welded on. Before I saw the video, I too thought it looked like it had to be unclipped, but that turned out to not be the case. I managed without having a seat out but it would have been so much simpler if I had done so. With all the difficulty, I did not want to run the USB cable under the insert in case I ever wanted to get it out. Instead, I ran it out through a hole in the back of the cubby then back under side trim of the tunnel and into a hole I drilled low in the side of the armrest box. The seat covers it from view. I fed the cable inside the box and out through another drilled hole handy to where I lay the phone on the sliding cover. I trimmed the hole with a rubber grommet.

[@landscaperben]

Awesome thanks for the help needed to retrieve some stuff that fell between the sliding hood that covers the sink holders and the console.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe.

[@davidsands7527]

Exactly the same happened to me and this vid saved me going to a garage and paying.

[@Toffeenose1983]

Thanks for the vid. Used this today to pull bank card from the retractable bit. You're a legend for the video. Screw VW for making that so inaccessible. I recommend ordering a new card over doing this task for all future card losses who read this comment! 😂

[@HowtoMan]

Thanks for watching - glad you found it useful. Please remember to subscribe.

[@FOEChico]

No jibber jabber (I have a pair of functioning eyes. Wished the youtubers just shut tf up so many times), clean and simple instructions, You have my appreciation. Thanks.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching. Let me know if you have any other suggestions for review videos that should be made.

[@stickdudegaming3484]

should i turn the car off before i start doing this?

[@HowtoMan]

I'd always keep the engine off when you are doing this, to ensure you a) don't accidentally put the car in gear with the engine on, or b) have any wires touch something you don't want them to when you are fiddling around moving things about. Thanks for watching the video, hope you found it useful. Please remember to subscribe.

[@greg105]

Great vid thanks. Would really like to see a vid on removing the glove box compartment. There doesn't seem to be a good one around for MK7 Golfs. Cheers

[@sebastiann9279]

subbed ready to change plastic trim for a nicer more premium aluminium trim :)

[@okwhatever3416]

I cant remove the center console compartment. Its not working the way u showed. I pull with every strenght i can but its not doing anything please helo

[@okwhatever3416]

Help*

[@HowtoMan]

Hi okwhatever, try watching my other video which specifically covers the centre compartment. I found that when you take the rubber bottom cover out, and then carefully wiggle it in an upwards motion it will always come out. Check out the video as you will see exactly where the clips are that are holding it in, so that you do not pull it in the wrong direction and damage the clips.I found sometimes it can be a bit of a pain to get out, and at other times it comes out really easy. Let me know how you go on. Thanks for watching, and remember to subscribe.

[@user-qe9jl7ce2f]

ATM and ID cards fell into the slider gap! Looked for a quick solution to pull them out all along, searched through every comment to no avail 😢. Tried every 18 tricks as I didn’t want/can’t take it to the service centre. Finally, I grabbed two wooden coffee stirrers and stuck’em along together to make long enough to reach inside there. I was lucky that I was at least able to barely see the cards. Guess what, the instant adhesive ‘superglue’ did the job! Applied a bit glue at the end of the stirrer and simply let it stuck to the card’s edge and waited till both stuck together well. Gradually pulled them out carefully and there you are!!

[@toml5451]

Double sided tape on a ruler did the trick for me. Such a design flaw - that cards and other items can slide back and into an abyss. Found a tonne of other things that I’d mysteriously lost over the years.

[@JamzOs]

Hey mate. Does the silver trim pop off like the other parts of the interior trim? I’ve replaced mine with carbon fibre but don’t want to break the silver around the gear gaitor

[@Kapacyko]

Thanks mate, thanks!

[@leonmovrin2205]

How to remove handbrake button and autohold?

[@NEXTLEVELAWARENESS]

Do you really have to do all this just so I can fix a jammed cup holder ?

[@HowtoMan]

Unfortunately, you absolutely do. It is even more annoying when you have to do it all just to retrieve a credit card that was put on the sliding panel and accidentally pushed down into the void. Thanks for watching.

@@HowtoMan Yeah, that happened to me, it wasnt even pushed there, it just slid there with acceleration... This video saved me.

[@HowtoMan]

@ Thanks for watching and glad you found it useful. Remember to subscribe.

[@MrDrunmmer]

Do you have to do the same if the 12v cig lighter has "dropped" underneath the plastic hold...

[@JulieRoo]

​@@MrDrunmmeryep! I'm watching this because I'm about to fix my 12v.

[@Mudge07]

I watched the video as it nailed the issue I had, then read in comments and title block about the exact problem; card retrieval, bonus!

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. I did the video, as like yourself, my credit card ended up lost at the bottom of the console. Thanks for watching, and please subscribe so you can be informed of any new videos as I do them.

[@donbayle]

Thankyou!!! Made it very easy & avoided a lost driving license fee

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and please remember to subscribe.

[@johnlee4897]

This helped tremendously when I had to replace a broken roller cover with a good cover that I bought from a breakers yard.

[@SalvaDoppel]

Hello mate what screwdriver did you use to remove the two screws im stuck at that point?

[@SelfElevate-fh6xh]

Hi Salvadoppel - The screws are all just small torx screws. I would recommend you get yourself a screwdriver drill bit set, and use a slow/controlled drill. You can see from the video that the crappy little screwdriver that I used took too long to unscrew the screws. It would have been a lot faster just using a torx drill bit on a drill. Hope you learn from my mistakes. Thanks for watching, and please remember to subscribe.

[@dudemup69]

The center console compartment does not come out that easy, at least the first time. . I'm using both hands and all my strength and it's not budging.

[@HowtoMan]

B.M. I know what you mean, sometimes for me it comes out extremely easy, and then at other times I fiddle around for a couple of minutes. I am always cautious of not using too much strength so that I don't break anything. Thanks for watching. Please remember to subscribe for notification of future videos.

[@dudemup69]

@@HowtoMan Yeah, unfortunately, I did break it. Not sure what to do now.

[@HowtoMan]

@@dudemup69 I would call around your local car wreckers and go get a replacement, it should not be too expensive. Given how popular the Golfs are, there are always loads of them around.

[@dudemup69]

I found it for 35 bucks, thanks!

[@gordonflyn]

Thanks very much for this video. Just had to change the start stop button on ours and this was perfect to follow!

[@ianjackson3050]

Lost my driving licence and a car park token (fee if lost: £20 !) 'down the back' so this came in really handy - thanks! I also found a pound coin so I'm £21 up, and there's a bonus 50p lurking down there as well, if I ever need to go down that wormhole again...

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful - Thanks for watching and please remember to subscribe.

[@nidaldajani728]

The best video available on console removal. Found it very useful. Thanks! Question: how to separate the brushed chrome "U" shaped panel (the outermost piece around the gear shift)? I want to laminate it with CF!

[@HowtoMan]

Check my recent video which shows you how to remove the U panel you are talking about. However beware when you try it. It is not easy to fit it back on.

[@walker2006au]

Thanks I'll give it a go.. The cup holders imploded a coffee cup in my mk7.5R and now it stinks

[@HowtoMan]

Thanks for watching. Hope you manage to clean it up well. 🙂

[@walker2006au]

@@HowtoMan tomorrow is the big day!

[@walker2006au]

@@HowtoMan managed to do it thanks. Couple extra hurdles being dsg + push button start. Now I am getting parking pilot error code so might have missed a cord 😑

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you managed to do it ok. Check your cords, and if they are ok, it may just need your error codes to be reset. That it really easy if you have the VAG cable.@@walker2006au

[@walker2006au]

@@HowtoMan yeah just forgot to plug in. I had 2 extra cords then yours.

[@nikolavlaovic3889]

I need to see where does back seat air vent goes to?!!!

[@tallgrass5061]

Thanks Howto Man. I subscribed with pleasure. I'll be running a USB cable from the cubby connection, under the console with the other plug to come out pointing forward from the base of the front of the cushion-lidded box (for my phone). One tip, stick a hand in to the TOP rear and lift, while inserting the cubby, Also, I ended up with a 5mm black rubber "mushroom" with a rounded top. Any idea where from?

[@HowtoMan]

Thanks for watching and subscribing. I'm not too sure what the black rubber mushroom shape piece you have left over is. Keep it in your console so when you do figure it out, you then know where it is.

[@christina727]

It’s NOT easy to get this compartment back in. Mine will not click back in for the life of me, empty or not.

[@HowtoMan]

Have you checked whether any of the wiring loom wired are getting in the way. Other than that I found that it was a bit finnickey at first but would slot in once I jiggled it around and it got in the right place.

[@rachelkahan3958]

Thankyou so very much for this tutorial! Honestly I’m so very grateful! I had to fix my cigarette lighter and I dropped a bunch of things down there trying to get it up through the lighter space, and then I needed to get them out 🤣 and then I was at a loss at what to do and then I stumbled onto your video and I’m ever grateful! Thankyou

[@SelfElevate-fh6xh]

Hi Rachel, Thanks for watching the video. I'm glad you found it useful. Please remember to subscribe.

[@MauroBrisola]

Thanks. Helped a lot to disassembly center console.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe.

[@winnipegger4618]

Thank you. Very useful video.

[@Mucgamon191]

Can’t get the panels off to save my life

[@HowtoMan]

Hi Mucgamon - If you pull in exactly the same way I did, they should come off. I would recommend you pause the video so check for yourself where the clips are on the inner plastics. This will give you the comfort that you are not going to snap anything. Hope you found the video useful and get them off. Thanks for watching.

[@sheridanbishop4015]

Many thanks. We managed to follow this and retrieve my credit card ! What on earth are all the little black pickup sticks down there?

[@Panter9063]

Those are sticks from the cup holder cover that fell off. I had the same problem with mine where the slider wouldn't slide up anymore. Those damn sticks fell off and you have to glue them back.

[@joseoliveira3015]

thank you. You saved lifes with this video

[@sheridanbishop4015]

Many thanks. We managed to follow this and retrieve my credit card ! What on earth are all the little black pickup sticks down there?

[@HowtoMan]

Without seeing what you are referring to I'm not entirely sure, but they may be the long black pin type pieces of plastic which I believe are the support pieces for the roller cover. It has not happened to mine but I have seen others where they have fallen out. I'm guessing i the roller shutter has been pushed down to hard then they may break/fall out. If the roller shutter is not rolling shut correctly this will be why. Hope this was useful for you. Thanks for watching.

[@nchia]

Really appreciate this. I'm considering installing a replacement rear air vents trim which includes two USB ports, but need to connect power to the cigarette lighter.

[@mattgarner5156]

Very good video and easy to follow. Don’t suppose you have a video of removing the boot lid trim? Need to replace the boot drain pipe on my MK7 golf. Or any tips? Thanks

[@cannonball7984]

Cheers pal. Just done this today

[@pospan]

There is easier way to pick up things under the cup holder

[@HowtoMan]

Hi @pospan84 , I'm intrigued what is this easier way?

[@pospan]

@@HowtoMan If you want to get the card that fell out from under the armrest, you can reach it from the back, from the side

[@HowtoMan]

Thanks for the info @@pospan. I couldn't seem to get mine when it happened so I had to take the full console out.

[@dominikstraga3434]

Hey, tnx for the great video. Needless to say that a card that was on that retraceable thingy is now back. Only problem I encountered was that after putting everything back together, compartment in front of the shifter is kinda stuck.. It opens half way and then stops so you need to push it forward. Do you know if i missed something (tried reimstalling it a few times)

[@HowtoMan]

Hi Dominik. It sounds like the compartment opening mechanism has either got something caught or jammed in it or something has broken. I would pull it out again and fiddle around with it to check it works ok. If it is working ok then you will know something is jamming it, which suggests you need to play around with it a little bit to get it back in. It could be some wires around the back that are getting stuck in the mechanism. Let me know how you go. Thanks for watching, and remember to subscribe.

[@dominikstraga3434]

@@HowtoMan hey, tnx for the aditional help. Managed to fix it easily. Turns out it was my fault, kinda. When putting the compartment back in it got in position easily, but the problem was that the back part of the compartment didnt fall into place so the whole thing was kinda slanted (tilteb). Putting my hand in the compartment and slightly lifting the back part got it into place. Now everything workf fine..

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you fixed it. 🙂

[@damienvillano4044]

I would love to see you do a center console removal for a 2019 mk 7 jetta

[@joelpvr6395]

Great content mate, very helpful!! 👏🏽👏🏽

[@joshuagarcia875]

Where can I find that screwdriver

[@JuliansWorld]

Thank you, I got my German ID Card and Driver License back because of your video! The hardest thing for me was to remove the wiring looms because I did not know how to remove them. At the end I was wondering if I should have put the car battery off before doing the work steps. Maybe an safety advise at the beginning of your video would be good!

[@HowtoMan]

I'm glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching. If you have any suggestions for other videos, please let me know.

[@firdilmckay7099]

Your assistance helped me a lot. Save a lot of money. Thanks.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@AliBaji-zk6xu]

Thanks for this video. Very helpful. We lost our id cards behind the sliding hood and got them banks thanks to this video.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching. Please remember to subscribe to the channel.

[@andreas7748]

Da muss man auch mal Danke sagen. Anschauliches Video. Hat sehr dabei geholfen, den nietnagelneuen Personalausweis (ID-Card) meiner Tochter zu bergen.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@saviorebello21]

Thank you mate

[@joshuagarcia875]

What are the dimensions

[@YuStY116]

Hello please answer ive been looking everywhere. Is there any way to remove the grey trim piece around the shifter? I want to get it wraped thank you!

[@HowtoMan]

I'm pretty sure it should unclip off, however I have only unclipped the front so far. It felt like it could snap in half if I pulled to hard so I have not taken it off. I will try again, and post this as my next video, so subscribe for an update.

[@HowtoMan]

Check out my recent video which shows you how to remove the shifter trim piece. This should show you what you need to know.

[@theengineer1910]

Lost my receipt when retracting the cup holder cover. This helped to remove it from find the receipt. Thanks.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe.

[@nearlyretired6440]

I have just finished removing my wife's credit card from the innards of the console. Thank you so much for the video. it took me around one hour, start to stop and I managed to finish the job without breaking anything and it all lined up perfectly. Thanks again. 😊

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching, and please subscribe to the channel to get updated with new video's. If you have any new video suggestions, let me know.

[@leelee3582]

Im about to do and retrieve the same thing haha! 😂

[@Nabilllllll]

Is it going to be any difference for dsg golf??

Maybe too late, but its the same for DSG. Just sometimes you have to move from park position to get some space.

[@nickwells5998]

Helped me retrieve lost money under there many thanks

[@HowtoMan]

Hi Nick, Glad it was useful. Thanks for watching, and remember to subscribe.

[@lucascamilli9876]

Thanks bro! Very helpful

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful, thanks for watching, and please subscribe.

[@muhammadlafa6160]

Thank you, this video helped me a lot

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful - thanks for watching.

[@siga0017]

se fosse meu carro jogando as partes dessa forma já ia levar uma na orelha😅

[@HowtoMan]

😜 Thanks for watching, hope you found it useful.

[@mrtrendvampire]

Thanks

[@Jasongrmn]

What screwdriver is needed to take apart the console?

[@robyaw]

I'm using a Torx T15 screwdriver.

[@greg105]

Great video mate. Made my life so much easier thanks.

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching, and please subscribe.

[@rogernasiols]

Thank you!!!

[@vinnielee605]

Thank you for sharing!! So helpful

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching and remember to subscribe.

[@busterruff9369]

Do I have to remove all the trim just to replace the electric hand brake switch ?

[@HowtoMan]

You may be able to prise the hand brake switch out with a plastic tool similar to what I used, however it will be a lot easier to get it out if you do it from the bottom. You are also far less likely to accidentally scratch the plastics which is pretty easy to do. See how you go, and let me know how you get on. Thanks for watching.

[@busterruff9369]

@@HowtoMan I done it your way in the end , your video was very helpful my friend ,

[@HowtoMan]

@@busterruff9369 Thanks for watching, great to hear it helped. Remember to subscribe.

[@cristideaconu6240]

Estimated time for all work?

[@HowtoMan]

This should take you absolutely no longer than 30 minutes. Hope the video was useful and thanks for watching.

[@S40TBS]

Good job 👍

[@HowtoMan]

Thanks for watching, hope you found it useful.

[@pangle235]

Thank you! I lost one card, saw this and just ordered a new card. Lost another card because the tray became soft and the gap got bigger.. I ended up following this video to retrieve. Thank you!

[@HowtoMan]

Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching.

[@na_rasslabonee]

I love it how you throw everything away😂👍🏼