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Ok, so I noticed when I got the car that there was this unidentifiable did bits of foam appearing every so often. Today a few chunks came out of the vents. I did som eresearch and I guess the flapper doors are covered with them. I'm looking for the fix but more importantly trying to understand the engineering behind the design of this door.
1. Why the holes
2. Why the need to over with foam when the doors could have been made without the holes.
My only thought was maybe it has to do with the doors not being able to switch from one mode to another with a force of air blowing on them, thereby holding them in one position. The holes make it so that the doors can articulate much easier to the different positions.
Whatever the case is, I won't lose cold air but I may lose the ability to direct the air where I want it to enter the cabin and I may bot be able to get the car heat on full high temp. For not it's working properly but it's only a matter of time.
Would you folks leave it as is or go for the dash removal and fix it, or pay to have the shop do it. If Tye can see this, maybe he can chime in as I think he's swapped out dashboards.
Random pics from the internet:
Last edited by RAudi Driver; 08-15-2021 at 12:16 AM.
That DIY thread was excellent-I wonder if instead of using new foam, there might be some sort of spray-
Or which foam would be much longer lasting, hopefully US made or UK/Germany
I'll be looking into this shortly. Going to see if it's the round hole panel or the oval hole panel that's losing foam. Hopefully not both but assuming if one is going then the other isn't far behind.
If the part with the foam was recently cleaned, I would suspect one of the chemicals that dissolve plastics and rubber. Benzene, Toluene, Acetone, Dichloromethane, Alcohol, mineral spirits, etc. could have been used in the area.
It's a common thing on these cars from what I'm reading. Lots of people in VW's, Audi's and Porsches are running into this. No biggie so far as it's not affecting anything. Foam only came out one time.
I use 3M foil tape when I fix these. No issues to date and easier to apply than new foam or any sort.
I did the same on my 996 gt3. Common problem in the 996 world. On that platform at least, the problem will get worse and it will literally spit foam for years until it’s all gone. Then, the cold and hot air will blend and when that happens your cold air won’t be that cold and the hot air won’t be that hot. Unfortunately, on the 996 at least it was a dash-out operation. Since taping the holes two years ago my ac performance has been perfect (and clean). Good luck!
I did the same on my 996 gt3. Common problem in the 996 world. On that platform at least, the problem will get worse and it will literally spit foam for years until it’s all gone. Then, the cold and hot air will blend and when that happens your cold air won’t be that cold and the hot air won’t be that hot. Unfortunately, on the 996 at least it was a dash-out operation. Since taping the holes two years ago my ac performance has been perfect (and clean). Good luck!
What amazes me is that ALL the foam covering the doors is GONE. Nothing seems to stay behind! Total adhesive failure.
On the 996/986 I use this method of getting at the climate control unit via the center console and cutting the air duct. Works great and really saves a lot of time.
I have this issue as well. Not alot but occasionally it blows it out. I do notice cold air coming from my defrost when just the front vents are on. Sometimes it fogs 2 small spots on the windshield.
What amazes me is that ALL the foam covering the doors is GONE. Nothing seems to stay behind! Total adhesive failure.
On the 996/986 I use this method of getting at the climate control unit via the center console and cutting the air duct. Works great and really saves a lot of time.
I've seen that method before on the 996's. You seem to have done a much better job at the plastic surgery than some of the other butcher jobs, I've seen.
08-14-2021, 11:25 PM
Foam in my face! Out of the vents
