DIY A5 Instrument Cluster Face and Gauge Retrofit for A4

[avantagg]

I’m putting together this thread for anyone who may have interest in refreshing a B8 A4 interior cockpit. I stumbled upon this mod after I accidentally purchased some mis-labeled A5 trim and attempted to sell it. Another member pointed out that an A5 cluster can be used in the A4 and after some searching it turns out that there have been several threads about A5 cluster swaps and retrofits using various approaches. I know that I'm not the first person to do this swap, but it seems few have really documented it.

I thought it might be useful to start a new thread confirming that this is indeed a legitimate, easy and affordable retrofit with NO CODING NEEDED. All you have to do is mount the A5 gauges and front face to your original A4 electronics (you'll also need A5 MMI and vent trim). I added B8.5 S4 white needles to my swap for a little extra style.

Credit goes do DavidB8 for the inspiration and gtg196w and Gunnark100 for the heads up.

What You’ll Need:
-A5 Speedometer Cluster (very cheap on eBay, LKQ)
-A5 MMI and Vent Trim
- Flat Head Screw Driver
- 8 mm socket
- #9 Torx




I started by removing my vent and MMI Trim. Start on either side of the steering wheel and work your way outwards with a trim tool if you have one. The pieces are only held in by small clips and you can slowly work them our with your fingers and trim tool.




Once the trim is removed you’ll need to also remove the trim piece above the steering wheel to access the bottom screw that holds the cluster assembly in place. Make sure you have your steering wheel as far out and down as it will go. This makes getting the cluster out much easier.



Next remove the 3 screws for the cluster. BE CAREFUL with the bottom screw, the area underneath the cluster is a black hole and if you aren’t using a magnetized bit you may risk losing it to the void behind the steering column. There is a connector behind the cluster that needs to be unclipped before you can remove it. Slide the pink clip back and pull out.



Once the cluster is out, remove the face by loosening all the screws and releasing the 2 clips on the top and bottom of the cluster back.

(photo: DavidB8)
(photo: DavidB8)
(photo: DavidB8)

Disassemble your donor A5 cluster the same way the A4 one came apart. At this point it may be a good idea to clean the plastic face off with some quick detailer or plastic-x to remove dust and scratches.



Pull needles off face by turning counter clockwise past the stop and pulling up. I had trouble using my hands and used a very small pair of needle nose pliers to pry the needles up. Be careful not to scratch the gauge or the needles.



Remove the gauge faces from the A5 cluster by slowly peeling them back and replace them on the A4 cluster (there are tiny notches on the cluster that will help keep everything aligned). Be careful not to touch the tape on the back sides of gauges, they will loose their tackiness with too much handling.





Pop needles back on and mount the A5 front face to the A4 back.





Now you will want to dry fit the cluster back in the car to make sure the needles are properly calibrated (removing them causes some movement). I had to adjust mine several times to get them to finally sit in their proper place. This is where the needle sweep vagcom code comes in handy!





Once things are calibrated, tighten down the bolts and pop the trim back in!

Here’s how mine came out. It’s really amazing how much this updates the look and feel of the B8 interior.

[Gunnark100]

Nice

Great DIY!

[A4 Centaur]

Bro, you have seriously raised the bar! Haha!!

[SleeperCar]

Great mod bro! Well done...

[Jmstrag]

Looks sweet! nice job!

Correct me if im wrong...... but swapping out the digital display (red mono for colour) is not possible without coding of the odometer info? I remember reading something along those lines in another thread. Just want some confirmation.

[avantagg]

Looks sweet! nice job!

Correct me if im wrong...... but swapping out the digital display (red mono for colour) is not possible without coding of the odometer info? I remember reading something along those lines in another thread. Just want some confirmation.

Thanks! This was a fun one. I don't believe it's possible without messing with the coding. My 2012 already had the color LCD so it was a non-issue.

But @gunnark100 has done a red to color lcd swap (or maybe that was a 2G to 3G Nav swap) I think @infiltrator may have done this too? I'm not sure.

[Slick_B8]

Thank you for the this diy! If we ever cross paths beer is on me! lol

[avantagg]

Thank you for the this diy! If we ever cross paths beer is on me! lol

Sounds good! If you're ever up in Maine there's a ton of amazing craft breweries here.

Glad people are finding this DIY helpful. I've used a bunch of them from this community. Happy to make a useful contribution. Cheers!

[TheNiloJunior]

What an awesome thread, thanks avantagg! Really liked how you took pictures of all the 3 gauges side by side.

Would I be right in assuming, however, that this wouldn't work with an S4 unless we end up with an A5 or S5 gauge in the end?

Basically, it appears as though I wouldn't be able to just mount the A5 face to the S4 back without changing the gauges because the gauge cutouts are a different shape. I'm wondering if the A5 face would impede at all with the S4 temp or gas needles as the layouts look a bit different from the A5 to the S4.


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[avantagg]

What an awesome thread, thanks avantagg! Really liked how you took pictures of all the 3 gauges side by side.

Would I be right in assuming, however, that this wouldn't work with an S4 unless we end up with an A5 or S5 gauge in the end?

Basically, it appears as though I wouldn't be able to just mount the A5 face to the S4 back without changing the gauges because the gauge cutouts are a different shape. I'm wondering if the A5 face would impede at all with the S4 temp or gas needles as the layouts look a bit different from the A5 to the S4.


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Thanks! Glad you found it helpful.

If you have the B8 cluster then you shouldn't have to swap the gauge face (as far as I know). I swapped the A5 gauge faces only because the temperature and gas sections have a small recess to them which I liked. Since you have S4 gauges I wouldn't touch them unless you want the boring black faces. Everything should line up properly and you'll see as soon as you start to dry fit the A5 face onto your S4 back.

The reason the S4 gauge faces may look different in my photo above is because it's a B8.5 cluster—I'm not sure but those might have a slightly different shape to them. I chose the B8.5 cluster because I wanted the aluminum ring needles to match some other B8.5 interior bits I've swapped in :) Hope this helps!

[cuda2000]

I don't understand why you peeled the guage faces off and transferred them. Are they different shapes? Please explain.
Can I just swap the housings and leave the gauge faces as is?

[avantagg]

I don't understand why you peeled the guage faces off and transferred them. Are they different shapes? Please explain.
Can I just swap the housings and leave the gauge faces as is?

Sorry for the confusion. The B8 gauge face shapes are all the same as far as I know. You should be able to just swap an A5 housing onto your A4 electronics (you'll still need A5 MMI surround trim to complete the setup though). Perhaps I wasn't clear in the first post, but I switched the gauge faces because I liked the recessed feature on the temp and gas sections of the A5 face. Here's a pic of what I am referring to:

[TheNiloJunior]

Thanks! Glad you found it helpful.

If you have the B8 cluster then you shouldn't have to swap the gauge face (as far as I know). I swapped the A5 gauge faces only because the temperature and gas sections have a small recess to them which I liked. Since you have S4 gauges I wouldn't touch them unless you want the boring black faces. Everything should line up properly and you'll see as soon as you start to dry fit the A5 face onto your S4 back.

The reason the S4 gauge faces may look different in my photo above is because it's a B8.5 cluster—I'm not sure but those might have a slightly different shape to them. I chose the B8.5 cluster because I wanted the aluminum ring needles to match some other B8.5 interior bits I've swapped in :) Hope this helps!

Sorry for the confusion. The B8 gauge face shapes are all the same as far as I know. You should be able to just swap an A5 housing onto your A4 electronics (you'll still need A5 MMI surround trim to complete the setup though). Perhaps I wasn't clear in the first post, but I switched the gauge faces because I liked the recessed feature on the temp and gas sections of the A5 face. Here's a pic of what I am referring to:

Thanks for the clarification avant. That's actually what I was referring to - that the temp and gas layout is recessed or 'squished' on the bottom and I thought it had something to do with clearing the A5 bezel. It looks to me now that I can just take the A5 bezel/plastic face and just directly transfer that piece to my B8 S4 backing with original gauges. Then complete with the A5 MMI surround and AC surround.

[avantagg]

Thanks for the clarification avant. That's actually what I was referring to - that the temp and gas layout is recessed or 'squished' on the bottom and I thought it had something to do with clearing the A5 bezel. It looks to me now that I can just take the A5 bezel/plastic face and just directly transfer that piece to my B8 S4 backing with original gauges. Then complete with the A5 MMI surround and AC surround.

Yup. From what I saw when I did my swap there is no issue with needle or the bezel/plastic face interference. I think that indent or whatever it's called it's just a unique aesthetic for the A5/S5. Let me me know how it goes if you do the swap and post an update here if you do!

[avantagg]

Here's a steal on eBay right now for anyone interested in this swap. Cluster and trim together for a very decent price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/262499292267

[TheNiloJunior]

Here's a steal on eBay right now for anyone interested in this swap. Cluster and trim together for a very decent price: https://www.ebay.com/itm/262499292267

Cool! Thanks yet again avantagg, just bought it :D

[avantagg]

Cool! Thanks yet again avantagg, just bought it :D

Score! Post some pics after your install.

[SleeperCar]

crap...i clicked this thread too late....nice grab!

[TheNiloJunior]

crap...i clicked this thread too late....nice grab!

Thanks man! Yeah I had to jump on that one.


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[TheNiloJunior]

Score! Post some pics after your install.

Thank you again for this DIY. Just looks...so, so beautiful...








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[avantagg]

Thank you again for this DIY. Just looks...so, so beautiful...

That looks awesome! Nice work, man. Those chrome bezel edges around the gauge columns are so distinct—one of my favorite mods on my car to date. Haven't seen this done on an S4 until now, congrats!

[G_FLL]

Thank you again for this DIY. Just looks...so, so beautiful...

$165 was a score!! Congrats! Did you do it just for the chrome trimming?? Can't tell the difference from this pic. Lol

[avantagg]

^^ It is a little hard to tell from the install photos but the A5 clusters have isolated tunnels that surround the gauges. Plus they get that nice chrome trimming. The B8 A4's and S4's have a single pane of plexi that spans the entire cluster. Here's a before and after on my car (pardon the mismatched lighting and angles).

[TheNiloJunior]

$165 was a score!! Congrats! Did you do it just for the chrome trimming?? Can't tell the difference from this pic. Lol

^^ It is a little hard to tell from the install photos but the A5 clusters have isolated tunnels that surround the gauges. Plus they get that nice chrome trimming. The B8 A4's and S4's have a single pane of plexi that spans the entire cluster. Here's a before and after on my car (pardon the mismatched lighting and angles).

There are a couple differences, all of which in my opinion are better than the stock S4. The rigs around the gauges give a 'receded' look and add a depth/dimension to what was a flat display before. The difference I like the most, however, is in the MMI surround. The A5 surround adds a metal trim around the screen and has a dual gray/black face as opposed to the all gray face of the A4/S4 surround. I always hated the MMI surround of the A4/S4 (my biggest complaint about the interior) and am really happy with how this turned out.

Here is my before and after contribution. @avantagg - the black Rs5 trim you picked on your swap was a good choice!

BEFORE


AFTER

[G_FLL]

Ok, yup huge difference!! Couldn't tell cause my car was at the gf's house. Now that I look at mine in person I can see how that'd be much nicer to look at!! Good job guys, something to keep in mind for the future.

And I agree, @avantagg going with the piano black trim was a great idea! .... only question is, what is the color trim on your doors?

[G_FLL]

Now that I look at this image I see what you meant about the recessed temp and gas gauges. Not sure why your avant didn't have that same tiny cosmetic feature like the sedans. I guess cause you were meant to figure this out. Lol. Again, nice job!

[avantagg]

And I agree, @avantagg going with the piano black trim was a great idea! .... only question is, what is the color trim on your doors?

Thanks! The rest of the interior has also been updated with piano black parts so it all ties together nicely. Here's a pic with the new wheel installed.

[PeroB]

Hi i'm very interested in this mod
So a5 mmi surround trims can go on my a4 b8 '08?
Do i have to change to a5 cluster too or?
I LOVE that piano black colorl
Thanks in advance

[avantagg]

Hi i'm very interested in this mod
So a5 mmi surround trims can go on my a4 b8 '08?
Do i have to change to a5 cluster too or?
I LOVE that piano black colorl
Thanks in advance

As long as your car is a B8, this swap will work. You just swap the front cover from the A5 speedo cluster onto your A4 cluster, and replace your A4 MMI surround with one from an A5/S5. You've got to replace both though, so everything lines up in the dash board properly.

I went with the Piano black to give the chrome bezel a little extra detail. Love the results!

[avantagg]

I finally got a few decent pics taken of the interior. Here are some updated photos of the dash and cockpit after the swap:

[PeroB]

So this is the part i'm looking for? (+cluster a5)

[slowone11]

I finally got a few decent pics taken of the interior. Here are some updated photos of the dash and cockpit after the swap:

Those door handles too...🔥

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[avantagg]

Those door handles too...

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Hah, thanks man. Those were not easy! I swapped the original A4 cups to retain the door locks.

[slowone11]

So sick man love it!

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[avantagg]

So this is the part i'm looking for? (+cluster a5)

Yes. That's the trim you need to match up with the A5 speedo cluster face. I believe the part number for the piano black is 8T1 857 186 L

[PeroB]

Yes. That's the trim you need to match up with the A5 speedo cluster face. I believe the part number for the piano black is 8T1 857 186 L

Thank you! One more question, can i buy just s4 white needles or i need the whole cluster? Thanks!

[avantagg]

Thank you! One more question, can i buy just s4 white needles or i need the whole cluster? Thanks!

No prob! I haven't seen just the needles come up for sale. Your best bet will be finding one from a dismantler that you can pull the needles out of.

[PeroB]

No prob! I haven't seen just the needles come up for sale. Your best bet will be finding one from a dismantler that you can pull the needles out of.

Thanks one more time, you were more than helpfull!
P.s. i ordered a5 cluster :)
Let's do this mod!

[JeriQo]

So this is the part i'm looking for? (+cluster a5)

does that mmi trim fit the b8? i want that chrome trim.

[avantagg]

does that mmi trim fit the b8? i want that chrome trim.

Yes, it will fit right in to the dash (mounting points are identical)—but it has to be paired with an A5/S5 cluster face for it to match up correctly.