26.Oct.1996 Glovebox FAQ for Golf /// and Jetta /// ============================================================================= By: Alastair M. Bor bor@world.std.com http://world.std.com/~bor/ ============================================================================= The following is not arranged in the traditional FAQ format, but contains all sorts of information on the A3 glovebox, including the retrofitting of the factory glovebox to cars that did not come from the factory so endowed. On October 9th, someone posted a message on rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled that contains a bulletin written by VW-US warning about possible negative affects from using a European glovebox in a US car (Tech Bulletin Group 70, Number 96-02, Date: 10/3/1996). In Europe the airbags are tested with the assumption that the passenger will be wearing a 3-point seatbelt and thus the European airbags do not need to deploy with as much force as in the US where the NHTSA testing requires that the dummy be NOT seatbelted. As a result, the US cars need some extra reinforcement in the knee bolster. I have copied this message from VW to the end of this file. ============================================================================= **BACKGROUND** The VW A3s sold in the US now come in three flavors with respect to airbag and glovebox installation. The early A3s (1993 and early 1994) had no airbags and a rather standard looking glovebox in the traditional location for other non-airbag equipped cars; directly in front of the passenger. Around March of 1994, VW began introducing dual airbags. The driver's airbag was mounted in a redesigned steering wheel and the passenger's airbag was mounted where the glovebox used to be. At that time, VW started to put a small lockable console between the front seats. This console was _VERY_ small and would not even really hold a floppy disk or CD. VW continued to produce cars like this until 1996 when the Jetta Trek was introduced at the New York International Auto show with among other things, a new glovebox. The new glovebox was fitted where previous cars had a knee bolster. In Europe, cars had already been shipping with this redesigned glovebox. In the Jul'96 issue of European Car there was an article that described the installation of the European glovebox into their project Jetta GLX. They mentioned Automotive Performance Systems (APS) as their source of the Euro glovebox. APS sells the box for $99 + $10 for shipping. They did not have any in stock at the time and since I was traveling to Europe I thought I would buy one there and bring it back. I visited Porhon Autoliike OY, a VW dealer in Rovaniemi, Finland where a very helpful parts guy named Seppo Tuisku looked up the part (APS would not give me the part number). The part did not appear on the fiche and a call to V.A.G. in Sweden (the distributor for Finland) was required. Seppo did not stock these and he graciously offered to mail it to me when it came in (since I was only there a few days). The part numbers are: * 1H1 857 922 B (Glovebox - European (No A/C) VAG part number) * 1H0 857 113 (Lock cylinder and 2 keys. VAG/VOA part number) I later realized that the glovebox (xxxx-922 B) is for cars without air conditioning (in Finland most cars do not have A/C). This means that you will have to cut the back of the box since it will interfere with the A/C if you have it. Just a guess (Does anyone know???) but perhaps the part number [1H1 857 922 A] is for A/C equipped cars. You can also get the regular North American box (but it will have the latch in the middle which is a bit more inconvenient to reach from the driver's seat). Thanks go to Michael Smagula <74663.2460@CompuServe.COM> and to for getting me these part numbers. These are the correct part numbers for cars with air conditioning so no extra cuting is involved. * 1HM 880 890 A35 (Black Glovebox, VW-US part) ($81.74) * 1HM 880 890 Q05 (Tan Glovebox, VW-US part) (??????) * 1H0 857 113 (Lock cylinder and 2 keys) ($22.77) Michael suggested the following place to get the box (this is where he got the prices). Millennium Volkswagen 355 N. Gaston Ave. Somerville, NJ 08876 (908) 685-1033 ============================================================================ **INSTALLATION** The installation in my car was a little more complicated than described in the European Car article because I basically had the wrong box for non-A/C equpped cars. Below I describe the procedure to fit the "wrong" box as well as to fit the correct VW North America / VW Europe boxes. I have modified the instructions given in the EC article so as to more securely attach the glovebox and to further insure that there are no rattles when the job is done. The other thing not mentioned in the EC article is that the knee bolster is covered with vinyl but the glovebox is made of PPE plastic. People who are observant will see that the grain and color of the glovebox is _slightly_ different than the rest of the dash, but due to lighting (the box goes underneath where it is relatively dark) it is really hard to notice. ***NOTE: Gloves and eye protection are needed starting with STEP #3 below.*** ***NOTE TO LAWYERS: These instructions are for entertainment purposes only, I do not take responsibility for any damage or personal injury caused by these instructions. Proceed at your own risk. Read warning message at the end of this file from VW-US pertaining to this modification. Parts needed: ============= * 1H1 857 922 B (Glovebox - European, Latch on left side, BLACK) or * 1HM 880 890 A35 (Glovebox - US, Latch in middle, BLACK) or * 1HM 880 890 Q05 (Glovebox - US, Latch in middle, TAN) * 1H0 857 113 (Lock cylinder and 2 keys) * 2" #10 self tapping sheetmetal screws (3 of these are needed) Tools needed: ============= * Phillips screwdriver * Socket set (if you opt for hex headed sheetmetal screws) * Nibbler (Radio Shack Cat No. 64-823A, $10.99) * Rotary tool/drill * Its helpful to have p.84 of the Jul'96 issue of European Car magazine. If you are installing the European part you will also need: * Rotary tool with a cuting attachment. - a hacksaw can be used instead, but it will probably be messy 1) If you want your regular key to work in the glovebox's lock, take the cylinder to a locksmith with your regular key and have him re-key the lock. It should not cost more than $10 to do so, but I opted to have separate keys so that I could lock the glovebox and people to whom I lend my key would not have access. I never got into the habit of carrying my VW issued "valet key" with me. When you've decided what you want to do, insert the lock cylinder (1H0 857 113) into the appropriate hole in the glovebox and turn it until it snaps into place. Test the function of the lock. 2) Remove the knee bolster on the passenger's side of your car. You will find that it is held in place by 5 Phillips head screws. Remove them, pull the bottom of the bolster forward then pull down and it will come out. 3) You will find a metal bracket. Using the nibbler, remove the part that is perpendicular to the floor (which has 3 of the 5 screw holes that held the knee bolster). See the EC article for a great picture that shows exactly what needs to be removed. You can also figure it out by just looking at what is in the way. Once you have nibbled away, you will have very sharp edges, use a file to dull them out. The nibbler throws out sharp pieces of metal and before you file down the metal bracket, you basically have a pretty nice blade in your car, so it is important to wear gloves and eye protection. Also, the nibbler itself is pretty hard on your hands. It would probably be a good idea to lay down a sheet of something on the floor to catch the metal pieces that fly off, they seem to get stuck in the carpeting and are a pain to vacuum later. 4) If you have the correct glovebox you can now just fit the new glovebox into place. Skip to step #5. If you have a non A/C glovebox, the glovebox still will not fit. You will now need to use your favorite cutting tool (I used a Sears rotary tool) to cut the back off the glovebox. You will need to do it several times (better to cut too little and do it again than cut too much). Basically keep cutting until it fits snugly. There is a foam insulation that is under the dash that will serve as the "back" of your glovebox (since you cut off the plastic back of the box). This will prevent things from falling out of the glovebox. You will have to cut a lot, but fear not, as even with most of the back removed, you still will end up with a relatively large glovebox (bigger even than my '87 Golf). To be neat, clean up the edges after you cut. 5) This is where I change the EC installation instructions. You will notice that the glovebox has three holes on the top which are normally used to bolt the box into place. Cars that did not originally come with a glovebox will not have bolt-holes to match. The EC article recommends just using the spring clips from the knee bolster, but I found that you don't get as good a fit as when you bolt in the box. Fit the glovebox to your satisfaction and then using the drill attachment of the rotary tool, drill into the metal bracket above the box through the holes in the glovebox. Using the 3 2" #10 self tapping sheetmetal screws, bolt the glovebox to the metal bracket. Using two of the black Phillips head screws that used to hold the knee bolster, screw the glovebox using the two remaining screw holes at the bottom. There is a little "leg" on the glovebox that is supposed to slide into a grove on the lower part of your dash, it goes in with a bit of difficulty. You now have a glovebox! The beauty of this setup is that since the box is a VW part, everything matches and looks stock. Only a real expert in VW trivia would realize that the box is not stock. ============================================================================ W A R N I N G F R O M V O L K S W A G E N O F A M E R I C A (See Tech Bulletin Group 70, Number 96-02, Date: 10/3/1996) ============================================================================ From: itagti16v@aol.com (ITAGTi16V) Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled Subject: FYI: A3 Glovebox retrofit Date: 8 Oct 1996 22:33:07 -0400 The following letter accompanied a tersely worded VW TSB that was faxed to all VW Service Managers late last week: (Note, I have added clarifications*) "Attention: Service Manager, A magazine article reported that 1994, 1995 and early 1996 model Jetta vehicles may be retrofitted with a glove box which has been imported from Germany. Please note that the glove box offered by these importers was developed by VWAG for use in conjunction with the European specification air bag which is smaller and which, in turn is tuned to the use of three point safety belts (*US specification air bags are not tuned to belt useage and deploy with a much higher energy level). VWAG warns that Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Cabrio vehicles equippd with this glove box have not been tested by VWAG in accordance with the U.S. crash test safety standard (*the OE knee bar removed to facilitate glove box installation is an integral part of compliance with this standard). VWAG engineers also advise that in their judgement there is a high probability that a vehicle altered by the installation of a European glove box will fail to comply with FMVSS 208. The expected non-compliance of this unauthorized change in the interior design of these vehicles involves an increase in the forces to which a vehicle occupant will be exposed in the event of an accident (*removed knee bar). These increased forces would increase the probability of potentially serious injuries to a front seat passenger which would not be expected in the absence of the unapproved glove box installation described in the magazine article. Because of regulatory requirements and other considerations, VWAG has expressly declined to release the European glove box for use in United States models and strongly advises against making the modifications described. The glove box provided in the United States as original equipment in later production 1996 Golf, GTI, Jetta and Cabrio vehicles is fitted with a special sheet metal layer between the inner and outer surfaces of the glove box lid to achieve compliance with applicable testing requirements (*equivalent knee area protection to the knee bar on early models). However, this glove box cannot be retrofitted on 1994, 1995 and early productions 1996 models."