DIY: Sedan to Avant Door Card Conversion and Sticky Hatch Button fix

[crazexr7]

Thinking about getting sedan door cards for your avant cause they're a different color, have leather or are in better shape? But are discouraged because you'll miss your hatch button too much?

Well here's how to transfer that hatch button and trim over!

The original Avant door card



Step 1: Remove the avant door card and take off the foam covering. Start taking off the yellow connector and wire (You'll need this to transfer to the sedan card).





Save these clips for the sedan door card.



Step 2: Take the foam grommet out.



Step 3: Remove the 2 screws holding the hatch button trim.



Step 4: Carefully pry the old trim out, and disconnect the connector from the button.





Now, if you have a sticky hatch button, you can now fix it!



Step 1: Remove the small surrounding trim surrounding the hatch button. Flip it over and look and you'll see 6 tabs (3 on each side) that are holding it in. Carefully release the tabs and pull the trim out.





Step 2: Press in the 2 tabs at the same time on the hatch button and push it through the trim.







Step 3: Carefully pry the switch from it's base.



Here the button is on the left and the electronic switch base on the right



Step 4: Push the button through from the bottom.





It's always been slightly chipped but these are hard to find so it'll do for now



Step 5: These 2 parts have no electronics so they can be safely submerged in soapy water. We let them sit in warm dish soap for about 5 mins and cleaned and dried them up.



Step 6: Reassemble by reversing the previous steps.

Now onto the sedan door cards.

Step 1: Measure the drill holes on the Avant door card and mark and measure and drill new ones onto the sedan door card with a 1/4 drill bit.



Step 2: Drill an elliptical hole and file for the foam grommet.





Step 3: Install the foam grommet and feed the wire through. Connect the wire to the button, and carefully install the button and trim into the door panel.

The right hole didn't line up perfectly but fixed this later



Step 4: Screw it in, and line the yellow connector and wire in the same way it was on the Avant.





And now you can enjoy having an Avant door card again!

[bmos]

What is the point of that button anyway? Is the hatch supposed to open itself?

Really great DIY, I'll do this soon probably as I put my elbow through the armrest recently (apparently I'm leaning on it too hard?!)

[crazexr7]

What is the point of that button anyway? Is the hatch supposed to open itself?

Really great DIY, I'll do this soon probably as I put my elbow through the armrest recently (apparently I'm leaning on it too hard?!)

Thanks, I wish it did that but it's pretty much just a direct way to unlock the hatch. So it unlocks the hatch without having to unlock all the doors, which is what you have to do for sedans since there's no button.

[bmos]

Thanks, I wish it did that but it's pretty much just a direct way to unlock the hatch. So it unlocks the hatch without having to unlock all the doors, which is what you have to do for sedans since there's no button.

That's all mine does too, I've never found it useful.
I'm tempted to see whether ECS' new hatch struts with helper springs will bolt up to a B5.

[crazexr7]

That's all mine does too, I've never found it useful.
I'm tempted to see whether ECS' new hatch struts with helper springs will bolt up to a B5.

Unless you have a way to release the latch automatically when you hit the button it won't open by itself unfortunately. Would be awesome though!