Mk6 dash in to a Mk5

[RobC]

I know @Christiank has done this but Im not sure he is still active on this forum? Has anyone else? As I understand it its pretty much a direct swap and you retain the lower dash parts from the Mk5, can anyone confirm that is the case? Is the passenger airbag the same or do you need the Mk6? I can see the Passenger Airbag Off Warning Light moves, is that all? Is all the heater pipework etc the same?

TIA

Rob

[RobC]

Well Ive since found out a lot of information regarding this and have gathered the majority of the parts together. If all goes to plan the install will take place in April. Watch this space 

[Octoparrot]

Are  you changing the door cards too?

[RobC]

Are  you changing the door cards too?

No. I prefer the Mk6 doorcards but the Mk5 ones still fit the profile of the Mk6 dash. Plus the Mk6 ones have different mounting points.

[Octoparrot]

Ahh that's what I was wondering.

[RobC]

Well over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend I successfully installed the Mk6 dash  So, as there is not much information out there I thought I'd do a little 'How To' for anyone considering the swap in the future. There are a few ways to skin this cat depending on your preference but Ill try and outline the different options, what I found and ultimately what I did along the way. So first things first...

What do you need?

1 x Mk6 Dashboard (this is the upper main shell only. The lower dash trims are the same fit as Mk5 or Mk6 so arent required to be replaced. However they are a slightly different shade from one another so you may find you want to replace the lot)

1 x Mk6 Centre Console (Its a 2 piece console and uses about 20 less screws than the Mk5 one! You do not need the Mk6 armrest, the Mk5 can be retained but the cover should be removed to enable removal/fitment of the centre console)

A pair of Mk6 A-Pillars (direct replacement of the Mk5 ones although ever so slightly darker (GTi) although this hasnt bothered me)

1 x stereo/headunit surround

1 x climate control panel surround (this will obviously depend on what CC panel you decide to go for. If you use the Mk6 panel then you need the Mk6 surround, if you use the later CC panel from the facelift Scirocco etc then you will need to use the later panel from the Mk6 Cabriolet (5K0858069Q))

The square-ish trim panel above the central cubby whole/ashtray is the same size I believe, just slightly different shade but cant be seen. Again, I believe the dash end trim panels at either end that cover the fuse box etc are the same but I used the Mk6 just because I had them.

A new set of clocks (the Mk5 housing doesnt fit in the Mk6 dash and so its worth considering what you are going to do here before undertaking the conversion. Either way you will have to get someone to code a set for you. You can use a set of clocks from the Mk6 or you can use alternatives from the Scirocco etc and use the housing from a set of Mk6 clocks to fit. PLEASE NOTE - I have a set of late colour clocks from a US Eos as well as a set of 2017 Scirocco R clocks and in both cases the dial foils are around 2mm deeper than the Mk6, meaning you need to modify the Mk6 case to remove 2mm worth of plastic in order for the clocks to fit. Do your research beforehand on this and be sure on what you want. If you are happy simply upgrading to white display clocks then Mk6 would by far be your easiest/cheapest route)

3 x new switches - Hazard Light, Passenger Airbag Warning Light & Sunlight Sensor (if fitted?) (These will need to come from the Mk6 and are not plug and play. HOWEVER, the wiring is very similar to the Mk5 and so is easy to adapt. I will go in to more detail below but essentially I made 3 adapter looms that utilised the Mk6 plugs on one end and a female variant of the Mk5 plug on the other to make it 'plug & play' although 2 plugs required repinning. You could also just cut the original loom and solder the loom accordingly depending on your preference)

What do you need to do?

Theres a few steps required prior to just swapping the dash and Ill outline these below, along with the links I used beforehand. BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING I ADVISE YOU DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL TO YOUR BATTERY AND GO AND MAKE YOURSELF A CUP OF TEA. It will help with not setting off airbags and thousands of fault codes etc.

1 - Steering wheel & stalks need to be removed. This is to ultimately facilitate removal of the dash itself. I had done this a few times before and so was familiar with the procedure but the Pelican Parts guide is perfect with detailed explanation and pictures -

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Volkswagen_Golf_GTI_Mk_V/87-SUSPEN-Removing_Your_Steering_Wheel_and_Airbag/87-SUSPEN-Removing_Your_Steering_Wheel_and_Airbag.htm

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Volkswagen_Golf_GTI_Mk_V/90-ELEC-Steering_Column_Stalks_Replacement/90-ELEC-Steering_Column_Stalks_Replacement.htm

2 - Remove the instrument cluster. There are 2 screws and it pulls out but guide below anyway -

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Volkswagen_Golf_GTI_Mk_V/85-BODY-Instrument_Cluster_Removal/85-BODY-Instrument_Cluster_Removal.htm

3 - Remove the armrest cover. This is to give you access to remove the centre console -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl0ZLX_Hhxs

4 - Remove the centre console

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oEprtgtOYM

5 - Remove the glovebox -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHqu0fTkQGo&t

6 - Remove the a-pillar trims

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woY-twl3WOc&t=1s

7 - Remove the headlight switch (set so the switch is in the centre, push in and turn left and the switch will just pull out)

8 - Remove the dash. This video also includes removal of the lower dash trims

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO6Xg94IjP0&t

And you're halfway there! All you've got to do is put it all back again now. The Mk6 dash uses exactly the same mounting points as the Mk5. The Mk6 centre console genuinely uses about 20 less screws than the Mk5 and these are easily located by looking at the point it which it meets the dash. The Mk6 A-pillars use the same mounting points, just been careful when lining them up.

Wiring

IF YOUR CAR IS FITTED WITH THE SUN SENSOR IN THE TOP OF THE DASH I RECOMMEND RUNNING THE WIRING FOR THAT BEFORE REFITTING THE DASH OR AT LEAST AT THE SAME TIME. It sits the other side of the vent in the Mk6 and so requires a longer loom and different routing. I ran mine toward the clocks and back down to meet with the existing loom.

I try to keep things as OEM as possible and the thought of cutting existing wiring looms makes me vomit  However, each to their own. It might make your life a whole lot easier. Anyway -

Hazard Switch - There isnt a 'mating' plug for the Mk5 Hazard Switch, so I decided to repin it. It took me a bit of ETKA digging but eventually I found a 4 pin plug that used the same terminals as the Mk5 hazard plug and had a mating plug. Wiring was about 50cm long.

Plug to replace Mk5 Hazard Switch plug - 8K0973704
Mating plug for adapter loom - 1K0973804
Mk6 Hazard Switch plug - TBC

Terminals for 1K0973804 - 000979020E (refers to part number for repair wire from VW with terminal on each end but can be used to find just terminals on eBay etc)
Terminals for TBC - 000979009E (as note above. Also the same for each of the Mk6 switch plugs)

Mk5 -

BR - T4/2
BR - T4/4
GN/RO - T4/1
BR/RO - T4/3

Mk6 -

BR - T6/1
BR - T6/5
GN/RO - T6/3
BR/RO - T6/4

Sunlight Sensor - The Mk5 plug uses the same terminals as the Mk6 plug. There is also a mating equivalent of the Mk6 plug and so seeing as you need to extend this one I created an adapter loom, rather than just repinning the existing plug as it wouldnt reach the sensor. Wiring was about 50cm long but would advise to make longer due to the routing required. I will probably replace with longer at some point.

Mk6 Sunlight Sensor plug x 2 - 8E0971832 (to repin Mk5 Plug & also for Mk6 sensor)
Mating plug for adapter loom - 8E0972643

Terminals for 8E0972643 - 000979012E (refers to part number for repair wire from VW with terminal on each end but can be used to find just terminals on eBay etc)
Terminals for 8E0971832 - 000979009E (as note above. Also the same for each of the Mk6 switch plugs)

Mk5 -

GN/RO - T1
GN/LI - T2
GN/SW - T3
GN/BL - T4

Mk6 -

GN/RO - T2
GN/LI - T3
GN/WS - T4
GN/BL - T1

Passenger Airbag Warning Light - There is a mating plug for the Mk5 Passenger Airbag Warning Light so no repinning of existing plugs required.

Mating plug for adapter loom - 3B0972732
Mk6 Passenger Airbag Warning Light plug - TBC

Terminals for 3B0972732 - 000979020E (refers to part number for repair wire from VW with terminal on each end but can be used to find just terminals on eBay etc)
Terminals for TBC - 000979009E (as note above. Also the same for each of the Mk6 switch plugs)

Mk5 -

SW/RO - T4/3
GE/BL - T4/4
(2 x BR not required for Mk6 switch)

Mk6 -

SW/RO - T2/1
GE/BL - T2/2

I think that gives you as much information as I had/have but Im bound to have missed something so feel free to ask anything below and I can always update the guide as necessary. Some pictures below to show the transformation. At this stage Ive lost the Sunlight Sensor I bought from Germany and we're in lockdown so cant go anywhere to get the clocks coded but once both are complete Ill update the pictures!

















Preview of the clocks -



Rob

[Tharkhold]

Nice, I'll do this as well and have most of the mk6 parts in my home.

One thing I did do that help me (before seeing this thread, haha) is that I took both mk5 and mk6 parts diagrams from parts.wv.com and compared all the similar and dissimilar parts and figured out the few true mk6 (1k5) parts needed.

The only thing I'm not sure (yet) is to switch from climatic to climatronic as well since the dash will be opened anyways. The biggest things to change are the AC box (vertical thing), the other climate control box (horizontal with the blower fan at the end) and the blower resistor -> e-box. Not that hard when the dash is already out of the car!

I do have to change my mk70asr to a mk60ec1 unit (with its bracket) though as well.

I WISH I FOUND THIS THREAD ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO ! :)

[metitus]

Hi Rob,

Thanks a lot for your guide. My friend, who usually gets these sort of stuff done to me, was able to get it almost everything right - a few things don't really much and I was wondering if you also run into any issues.

The profile on the doors doesn't quite match and there's also a gap between the dashboard and the windscreen which makes me wonder whether the windscreen of a MK6 or MK5 variant should be use - maybe the black stripe across the windscreen is wider?
As for the doors, I'm wondering if the MK6 variant door cards are a bit different too?

Thanks  lot for your guide.

Marco