Thank you so much for the video! Looks tedious but isn't too bad a task, really! Just did it on a beetle, first time working on this model and was finished in 2 afternoons. I'm a simple hobby mechanic, skills limited to servicing brake pads, so anyone who has held a spanner in their life could perform the task. Simple hand tools suffice as instructed. I didn't actually break the lower tab - I was able to bend it loose without breaking the plastic. Aluminium ducting tape was easy enough to maneuver in the box and stick on the blend doors. So, my recommendation is to reclaim your heat and get on with the job without further ado! At the end of the day, you're going to be super proud of what you've accomplished, aided by ChronCrew's great instructions! 👍🏼
Very helpful video! I just had a small electrical fire in my a/c control module about 2hrs ago in my 2000 beetle 2.0l. After extinguishing the fire and tearing apart the dash board and all the stinking torx screws, I was finally able to remove the melted a/c module and order a new one. After watching this video I realized my job isn't over. My heat also blows warm. Therefore I guess I'll be tearing it apart even more than I thought and taping these doors up as well. Good video!
This worked for me and was fairly easy to do. One thing though, if you don't break off the tab in the back like ChronCrew did, when you put the cover back in place you'll have to reach down through the top again and bend the tab up enough to get the cover back in place. Other than that little problem, doing this job was easy, about a two hour fix. Thank you ChronCrew. I damn sure didn't want to pull the whole dash and your video saved me from that.
Just finished the job on my 03 turbo S. Did just what you showed. I used HVAC tape to cover the holes up. Heat is great now, really gets hot! The job wasn’t too hard either. The hardest (most tedious) part of the job was getting to the heater box, All those torx head screws! I had the console out already from doing the shifter bushings a few weeks ago. So, there was a little less to do. There are a few ways to get to the blender doors shown on RU-vid. However, this is really the best way to do it! Thanks!
This video fails to mention that there are two brass colored hex head Philip screws behind things, that hold on, located on tabs about 2/3 the way up on each side of the cover at least on mine. On mine they were 6 mm which required a 6 mm opened and wrench on the right side and a Philips head on an 8-in extension on the left side. Good luck
This was super helpful! I always wondered where that foam was coming from (smile). I think I will tackle this in the spring. I am terrified only because every time I replace the cabin air filter, some other plastic part breaks (smile). Thank you! Shawn
Hi I am just about to tackle this on my 2002 2.3 V5 sport edition. Funny I checked the history the other day and it’s like had a million heater flushes in it’s life so the previous owner must have got rid of it thinking it was unrepairable. Anyway thanks for the video. I have seen others but they look horrendous 👌
I've had bits of foam flying from the vents of my 01Beetle TDI for the past few years but this year is the first winter without any significant heat so I know I need to do this job. I had a 95 GTI that needed this too, but I fixed it when I did the heater core.
My guess is they engineered the doors to be a bit permeable to make them easier to move from a full-closed position with the blower full on. It worked fine for years until the foam dried out and flaked off.
Took my dash apart 2001 Volkswagen beetle. Use HV tape on blend doors hot and cold doors move selector door moves that I still have no heat. AC works fine this summer after taped the blend doors, what’s the problem? Thanks for any help I will bring veteran, God bless America!!
Hi, I wish I could drive my 2001 beetle to you to fix. I have this problem in my beetle and it needs repair but when my husband saw what needed to be done he said "we are screwed". I dont think I will ever have heat again!!! Are you a mechanic? Did you used to work for volkswagen? Do you know approximately how much this will cost if I take it to the shop? I have the cutest beetle ever and I feel so bad that so many things have happened to this cute little car!!!
Doing this job now. Honestly, it isn't very hard. It takes awhile to get everything apart, but it isn't bad. Just lots of screws. These two videos get you 85% of the way there with the disassembly (you'll need to buy the special radio removal tool to remove the radio if you have the stock radio): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-H3qqqISSByU.html&ab_channel=NewBeetlePR ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9CwhaUkYfPc.html&ab_channel=NewBeetlePR After that you need to loosen up the center console (6 screws) and slide it back some and remove the panel under the drivers side (5 screws). Then you basically have full access to remove the panel right in front of the box and remove any screws holding it in and undo the tab at the top he is talking about and all you have to do cut the tab off at the bottom. I don't think many shops will do this repair because your "hacking" apart the box by cutting off the tab on the bottom.
We just got an estimate on my mom's 2000 TDI to do this and it was $2000!!! Holy shit! I think we'll be trying something like this first. The car isn't even worth that much, but she is super attached to it (the car's name is Sophie) and we have the mechanical skills to keep it running. It is a shame that the beetles have so many little problems. Headliner falling down, "leather" peeling off the door cards, seat fabric worn through, window switches don't return to the right position... Good luck keeping yours on the road.
Sorry for the late reply, it seems i missed some comments on this video. I am a VW technician yes. Me doing this repair only costs a few hundred dollars, others may charge much more unfortunately, into the thousands.
Anyone wants a 2003 2.0 Beetle? Paint and interior are kinda perfect. $2500. I'm not going to remove that filter foam. Someone should make a living off the operation. 😆
This exactly describes my 2002 Beatle - foam in vents and lukewarm heat. Wonder how many labor hours should I expect when dealing with auto garage repair? 4-hrs kind of thing?
Most auto repair shops are going to get you for the entire dash removal if doing this repair, so unfortunately they'll probably charge you at least 6hrs, youd have to get a quote to be sure. Doing it the way i do however can be done in as little as 2 hrs for experienced techs.
I live florida my AC is blowing hot then cold for a bit. It takes about 5 minutes to start getting cold. Could the Blendor Doors be the cause. The reason I ask is I took my 2009 beetle to firestone and they said the inside Evap core took a shit and won't even touch the car. They said the whole dash has to come out to get to the core. Which I believe after seeing numerous video's. However, I'm asking for you for your thoughts. I'm thinking attempting the task of replacement. Could it be a doors that are causing the problem?
These doors could absolultely contribute to poor cooling as well. Most all of these vehicle will experience this concern at this point in age unfortunately.
You probably already have this figured out but it also could be the fan control module has gone bad on your vehicle. What can happen is your radiator Fan will run but your AC cooling fan will not and so when you start driving and get up to speed your AC will kind of work. But when you are sitting idling or in traffic you might not get cold air. If that's your symptoms exactly then you need to replace the fan control module and it can be found underneath the battery. Sort of a pain to change but I keep three or four handy in my shed at all times because they just go bad on these cars.
I found that was the same problem in my wifes 2004 beetle, I had changed the thermostat and still little to no heat.. pulled it all apart as you did and found the same.. thank you so much I was at a loss and did not know what else to look for, now she has really hot heat and back on the road, thanks again..
Great video man. I was going to use a more destructive method i found on YT but i just knew there had to be a different method. This is exactly what I'm going to do as soon as it starts to warm up a bit out here on the east coast. Great video!!
I have 1999 New Beetle as well with the 2.0L engine and it has the same issue. Any chance the issue could be something as simple as a fuse or relay? Only Heat the car puts out is from the defroster
