After purchasing my 2000 Audi TT (Mk1), I noticed that the mirror switch was broken. After pursuing the internet for a replacement part, come to find out that this was a very common problem and the original part (Mfg Part #8N095956501C) cost around $130-$150 new, and $80-$100 on ebay.

I pulled this info from a few guides I found on the web and pull all this together.

Here is an inexpensive fix ($20) + time

Here is a fix to a common problem on the early Audi TTs. This mirror switch is easily snapped off.

Here are the basic steps:

Buy a Volkswagen $13 part off of amazon – Easy Take Door panel off – Easy Remove window switches <– Don’t pry bracket out you need to pry the individual switches out while in the door panel. – Not so easy Remove Mirror switch – Easy Pull mirror switch apart (new one) to get the unbroken joystick out – Not so easy Pull mirror switch apart (broken one) – replace broken joystick (reassemble) – Not so easy Install back the fixed mirror switch. – Easy Test it – Easy Reassemble – Not so easy, pay attention to the window housing/switched to get them back in propery

Go to Amazon and get this part: C002 1J1959565 98-06 VW Window Mirror Switch Passat Beetle Golf 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06Audi

Tools:

small allen key to release aluminum trim cap

Torx T30

razor blade

small regular screwdriver for gently prying

Time:

It took me about 5 hrs total but that included alot of time on the forum trying to figure out how the window switch was supposed to be removed. I think the second door only took me about an hour to do.

Directions:

Undo the aluminum cover. Use a small allen key and insert it into the hole under the trim piece and press up while rotating the cover counter clockwise. You need to enter the hole straight in order to hit the catch. This picture shows the allen key pushing the catch with the cover already removed.

Lower the windows if they are not already down. This might not be necessary but I had the windows rolled down and they never got in my way. It seems like it would be easier to lift the door panel off if the windows are down and out of the way.

Get a small regular screwdriver and keep it within reach at all times, this will be used to pry the wire harnesses free in the next steps.

Stand on the inside of the door with your back to the car, facing the door.

Lift up the door panel making sure that the rubber grommets are free. The door should just lift straight up off of the mounting rails. It is pretty light but don’t go too far with it because there are a few places where cables and wires are attached to the door and must be released. You only have a couple inches of slack.

While holding the door cover slowly sit down on the sill while rotating the door panel to horizontal and keeping the wires loose so that they don’t get pulled out. There is just enough slack to be able to sit down and work on this which will make your life much easier unless you have a second set of hands to hold the door panel while you release the connectors.

Once sitting grab the small screwdriver and use it to help release the wiring harnesses.

On the driver’s side there are four plugs, on the passenger’s side there are just three. Two of the driver’s side plugs are different and are pretty easy to remove. The smaller clips are a bit harder and may need some gentle persuasion. Be careful not to break the clips.

Note: Disconnect connector for window switched. While in the door …Pry the window switches with a small flat head screwdriver

This picture from the Bentley manual shows the switch assembly. 1 is the switch itself (only one shown here), 2 is the connector that plugs into the switch. 3 is the release tab for the connector. 4 indicates the 4 places that you are supposed to pry to release the switch from the assembly.

This is where things start to get tricky. What you are trying to do now is remove the aluminum trim piece and the door handle but in order to do that the switch assembly has to be removed from the panel first. The switches themselves get in the way of the aluminum trim sliding out.

Remove the switch assembly from the panel. It is held in on each side by rails and should release on the side opposite where the wires plug into the switches. I used a pair of pliers and pulled the assembly out trying to pull from the side opposite of where the connectors plugged in. I am almost positive there is a better way to get this out than brute force but I was not able to figure it out.

With the switches out of the way it should be easy to slide the aluminum trim piece away from the door and slide the handle down and out of the door panel.

Be sure to keep track of the metal tab that is on the end of the door handle and note its orientation, this will need to go onto the new door handles when you install them. The flat side is the side the screw will go into. The nub will face towards the inside of the car.



Slide the new handle into the aluminum trim piece and into the door, slide the whole assembly back in place making sure the metal clip is on the end of the handle and oriented correctly (flat side towards the inside of the panel).

If you removed the entire switch assembly slide is back into place along its rails. Make sure that it grabs the plastic rails on the aluminum trim piece otherwise it will fall off. You may will need to remove the window switches from the assembly in order to do this. On the driver’s side the driver’s side window switch will most likely need to be removed this can be accomplished by pulling straight down on the switch with a pair of pliers. The Bentley diagram shows that the switch can be removed by prying on the four pressure points but I didn’t have much luck with that. Using a pair of pliers and pulling straight down on the switch worked much better.

Once you slide the switch assembly back into place on the door panel make sure that it has really engaged the rails on the aluminum trim piece by pulling down on the switch assembly or by pushing down on the switch. If it is not seated correctly it will fall off and you’ll have to do it again. It’s much easier to do all of this with everything already out of the way.

Repairing the Switch.

Once the switch assembly is secure replace any switches that needed to be removed by pressing them back into the assembly until they click.

Plug the wires back into the switches making sure on the driver’s side that they go back into the correct switches.

Note: if you window switches don’t fit right after assembly, you do not have the window switch housing slid back in place properly.

Replace the insulation being careful to tuck it back in where needed and around the door clips. Be careful when placing the metal rod back thru the switch assembly that nothing gets dislocated.

Replace the T30 torx screw at the top of the door pull. This might be a bit difficult to get started. I was able to press in on it fairly hard to get it to seat into the metal clip that was slid over the door handle until it was started.

Make sure everything is put back correctly and that the window switches are correctly seated before putting the door panel back on the door.

Place the door panel back onto the door doing the reverse of how it came off. Start by sitting on the sill and plug in the wires, then rotate the door to vertical and connect the door release cable. Finally get the door panel seated on the door. You’ll need to flip the rubber caps out of the way on both ends. Use the frame from the small wing window as a guide to lineup the door panel with the door.

Once everything is seated make sure the window switches and inside door release are all functioning correctly.

Replace the long T30 torx screw.

Reseat all of the rubber gromets on both ends of the doors. The top most ones on the open side of the door will be very difficult.

Finally, place the old or used new mirror switch cap back on the new joystick. Done.