Damaged Boot Trim

[Luke_bank]

I should’ve learnt not to try and wire my own dash cam, after so many failed DIY attempts in the past.

Long story but here’s the short version:
- fitted a dash cam
- had a rattle ever since
- thought it was boot trim as it was loose so replaced clips etc
- dealership aren’t interested as I removed the trim to fit the rear camera
- now transpires the rattle is actually from the rear seats and not connected to the trim
- however in the process of finding the rattle and removing the boot trim I’ve managed to damage it as per below images.

Any suggestions on how I can fix it without replacing the whole trim, please? I’m going to pay the dealership to put the trim back on!

This is the top part of the boot trim, where the parcel shelves hooks onto. The damage is on one of the sides where you slide a clip into.

 

[black_sheep]

Take it to a body shop and get them to plastic weld or bodge it with a soldering iron.

A quick video is here:

6 Ways to Repair Broken Plastic

Don't throw away that broken plastic, fix it with one of these easy techniques.

makezine.com

Trim panels like this are usually cheaper than you think - I would just put it down to experience and buy a new one. Just be careful refitting whilst the plastic is cold as it will be very brittle - I always heat up with heat gun or hairdryer before fitting. In terms of the springs buy new or bend outwards and they will reshape once inserted into the slots in the bodywork.

 

[RUM4MO]

I've done that sort of damage to my wife's previous 2002 Polo, I bodged these areas up including cutting up small bits of wood to Araldite under these areas to help stabilise them, as said SEAT trim should not cost much, even Audi trim is not too bad, maybe £35 for a rear lower sill trim panel - retrofitting front parking system!

Back to rear trim on that car, work out which end to start fitting then engage these first clips and feel/see/watch as many of the remaining clips so that they are all deliberately located into the hatch frame holes. As no doubt you know, clips missing their holes has caused that.

Again, as said warm weather is your friend, I only attempt to remove and refit trim in summer weather.

 

[Luke_bank]

Thank you to you both for the replies.

I ended up paying a non main dealer VAG specialist to re-fit the trim today. I didn’t want the headache of making things worse. Anyway, £40 later and it’s still loose on the bottom side. I was somewhat annoyed as I could’ve put it back on myself and it wouldn’t have cost me £40. The chap literally took 8 minutes and I had to pay £40.

Apparently, the reason it won’t go back on tight is because it’s been removed more than once. There are few clips on the bottom side which grab onto the plastic. When the trim is pulled off the plastic gets damaged (as below).

Can anyone at all help with this please, it’s driving me crazy? I wish I’d never bothered with the rear camera!!

 

[black_sheep]

I assume that you are wanting to prevent the the metal tab from detaching itself from the plastic trim?

If that is the case then I would refit the metal tab onto the plastic trim and drill a hole (1.5 mm) through the centre of the tab (serated section that grips the plastic) - then using some thin guage wire, wire lock the tab to the plastic trim.

As I said in my previous post - I would expect the trim panel to be c.£30-50 order of magnitude including new metal tabs. If it is annoying you that its still loose then I expect that you'll go down the replacement route eventually!

Ps. the metal tabs are known as the 'Mk5 Curse' because the previous generationGolfs had hundreds of these - they were forever pinging off and are lost, or worse, fall down between the body panels and rattle until you can finally get a mirror and needle pliers to a position to remove them.

 

[RUM4MO]

I think that if you are to take away anything good from this it is this, always always always retrieve all these metal clips and refit them to the trim that they started life being part of, also always always always align every clip when fitted to the trim to its hole before forcing it to engage.

These lower plastic parts only got trashed by trying to force them into their clips that were already engaged or left in the hatch frame.

So as suggested, get the full part number of that trim it will be on the inner surface and order one in via your local SEAT dealership, doing that saves Royal Mail maybe damaging it, and when it arrives, remove ALL the clips from their holes on the old trim and then carefully fit the new trim after finding out which end to start first.

The tip about wiring these clips to the damaged areas will work okay, but I'd think drilling these clips, especially with small diameter drills could be beyond you as these clips are hard as anything, it might be possible to wire through some of the openings after drilling the plastic at suitable points, maybe add in a spot of 2 of Araldite as well to help keep these clips on these points.

 

[Luke_bank]

I assume that you are wanting to prevent the the metal tab from detaching itself from the plastic trim?

If that is the case then I would refit the metal tab onto the plastic trim and drill a hole (1.5 mm) through the centre of the tab (serated section that grips the plastic) - then using some thin guage wire, wire lock the tab to the plastic trim.

As I said in my previous post - I would expect the trim panel to be c.£30-50 order of magnitude including new metal tabs. If it is annoying you that its still loose then I expect that you'll go down the replacement route eventually!

Ps. the metal tabs are known as the 'Mk5 Curse' because the previous generationGolfs had hundreds of these - they were forever pinging off and are lost, or worse, fall down between the body panels and rattle until you can finally get a mirror and needle pliers to a position to remove them.

Thank you for this mate. Really appreciate it. I think, like you say, I will probably end up replacing it so might as well just do that now. Bit peeved that I had to pay £39 for it to re-fitted but I learnt the hard way.

 

[Luke_bank]

I think that if you are to take away anything good from this it is this, always always always retrieve all these metal clips and refit them to the trim that they started life being part of, also always always always align every clip when fitted to the trim to its hole before forcing it to engage.

These lower plastic parts only got trashed by trying to force them into their clips that were already engaged or left in the hatch frame.

So as suggested, get the full part number of that trim it will be on the inner surface and order one in via your local SEAT dealership, doing that saves Royal Mail maybe damaging it, and when it arrives, remove ALL the clips from their holes on the old trim and then carefully fit the new trim after finding out which end to start first.

The tip about wiring these clips to the damaged areas will work okay, but I'd think drilling these clips, especially with small diameter drills could be beyond you as these clips are hard as anything, it might be possible to wire through some of the openings after drilling the plastic at suitable points, maybe add in a spot of 2 of Araldite as well to help keep these clips on these points.

Mate, thank you! I think I’ll just go down the new trim route. May even remove the rear camera entirely as it’s pushing the top part of the trim out.

 

[black_sheep]

Mate, thank you! I think I’ll just go down the new trim route. May even remove the rear camera entirely as it’s pushing the top part of the trim out.

Is it where the wire is exiting that you can’t get the trim to sit flush?

If so, can you use a drill bit to cut a semi-circle onto the edge of the trim where the cable exits? If you are going to replace the trim you can practice on the damaged one. Just don’t position this hole near the inner 90 degree radius of the trim otherwise this will create stress raiser and make it weaker and/or induce the trim to crack.

Also, forgot to mention, in addition to the plastic or nylon trim removal tools/wedges, if you are going to do more diy trim removal then get some of the trim removal pliers like these:

Silverline Upholstery Remover Trim Clip Removal Pliers Tool Car Door Garage | eBay

Silverline Upholstery Remover & Trim Clip Removal Pliers. Spring Loaded For Greater Leverage. Trim Clip Removal Pliers. Carbon Steel, Heat-Treated Pliers With Blackened Body & Dipped, Coated Grip. Upholstery Remover.

www.ebay.co.uk

Going to tempt fate here, but I have not damaged a piece of plastic trim since I started using these - you can get the jaw under far more control than a wedge or lever type tool, so far less likely to snap plastic or deform the metal tabs.

The guy I use for my paintless dent removal even bought a pair of these after he saw me using them.