# A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions



## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

A little something for the FAQ part of this Forum.
Here's a walkthrough for a UAS/LATCH lower anchor retrofit for the A6, A6 Avant, and Allroad. 
What you need:
- A Torx T45 bit with a at least a 6" long extension.
- 1 or 2 ( 2 to do both sides) UAS/LATCH kits Audi part# ZAW269005. It's the same part number for the A6 Sedan, Avant, and Allroad. I got mine from http://www.genuinevwaudiparts.com for $5.70 a side.
-A vacuum 
Each kit comes with the 2 bolts you need 
 
1st: Remove the rear seat base. It's best to slide the front seats up as far as they will go to give yourself more room to work. The rear base is held in by 2 little hooks under spring pressure. The way you remove it is by pushing the base of the seat torwards the back of the car, and then pulling up.
 
This part takes a bit of grunt of work, you need to push back as hard as you can and then pull up like you really mean it! I found it helped to straddle the driveshaft hump, and use my knee behind my hand to get extra leverage. Just do one hook at a time.
 
But do be careful.! Don't try to pull the base right out of the car There are wires under the seat base, zip tied to it. They have enough slack that you can easily move the seat base out of the way. It's actually the seat back that gets in the way a little bit, as you'll find out soon. 
 
Yummy!, This is where the vacuum comes in handy.

The holes you need to use are sealed with a small piece of tape from the factory. 

There we go. 

Orientate your bracket like pictured.

Hold the bracket up there, and thread the bolts. The worst part is trying to get the Torx in there to tighten the bolts. The bottom of the seat back is in the way, but you get just muscle it up out of the way with little effort. I used a 3/8' ratchet with a 10" extension with a T45 bit on the end. 

Ok you're done, to put the seat base back in slide the back of it into place under the seat back. Then push hard down and back (45° angle) and the seat will "snap" into place.
Car seat Tips: To save the leather seats use these, you can get them anywhere that sell baby seats (Toys 'R' Us, Walmart, Canadian Tire, Sears, etc.) When baby seats are in proper you have to put your knee into them and tighten the UAS/Latch strap, it pushes the seat into the leather very hard. The indents will never come back out if you don't use something like this, or a even a towel folded over a few times. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

For the Avants/Allroads you need to fold the seats down and remove the retractable cargo net/pet seperator. (you remove it by folding the seats down, pulling it out the passenger side door) Then hook up the tether strap, reinstall the retractable cargo net, and fold the seats back up. That's the only way to keep the net functional, which of course you want because you don't want your luggage smacking your kids in the back of the head.








_Modified by G60 Carat at 10:56 PM 9-1-2008_


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## whitefish (Nov 13, 2003)

I was using the seat belt and just the pass weekend installed the seat using the "latch" and it seems to wiggle abit more then with the seat belt


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

Really? I had the exact opposite problem. Our Beetle had UAS/LATCH and when we got our Allraod it did not come with the Lower anchors installed. We used the seatbelts and I found that even when using the convertable lock out feature the UAS/LATCH straps just hold the baby seats tighter.
Try putting your knee on the baby seat and using your body weight to really sink it into the cushion, then pull that UAS/LATCH cinch strap as tight as you can. For forward facing seats, you want it as tight as possible, it should feel locked in, like part of the car.
Rear facing infant seats can have some up down motion, but you want as little sideways motion as possible.
Also remember for rear facing baby "buckets" like the Graco Snugride and Safety 1st travel system that everybody has. These seats will move up and down as that is what absorbs the energy from the crash. You still want as little sideways as you can get! Now Graco used to say it was important the handles and canopies on the removeable carriers be in the down position! Just recently the manuals have been changed a bit. There are five positions for the Snugride. A, B, C, D, and E. A is the carrying position. B is where it's kind of above baby's head. C is even with the shell. D is one below that, and E is the all the way down one. A, D, and E are acceptable in the car. 
The theroy is, you don't want the babies head hitting the hard handle. when the seat swings up in a crash.





_Modified by G60 Carat at 12:17 PM 9-2-2008_


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (G60 Carat)*

awesome thread G60! thanks!
we should develop a vortex/fourtitude FAQ for the allroad and get this added to it!


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## spandea (Dec 17, 2003)

*Re: (BabyFoodYellowGTI)*


_Quote, originally posted by *BabyFoodYellowGTI* »_awesome thread G60! thanks!
we should develop a vortex/fourtitude FAQ for the allroad and get this added to it!

i concur. i'm about to have a kid. this is helpful! thanks.


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## G60 Carat (May 14, 2004)

*Re: (spandea)*

BabyFoodYellowGTI gave me the idea.
I put my LATCH kits in the same night I replaced my leaky Air Spring using a walk through I found on AllroadFAQ.com So I thought I really should take some pics and do the same. It's really basic, nobody should have to pay a stealership to do it for you.


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (G60 Carat)*


_Quote, originally posted by *G60 Carat* »_It's really basic, nobody should have to pay a stealership to do it for you.









and therein lies the motivation behind doing all that. thanks so much again G60 for doing this. the allroadFAQ is nice but its just a page with no interaction and who knows how often its updated. a FAQ on a forum would be much nicer with live people that can offer updates and information. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
bhb set up a FAQ thread at the top of this page... we need to alert them to this thread hoping to get at the very least your post added to said thread. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## BHB (Oct 26, 2004)

*Re: (BabyFoodYellowGTI)*

added to allroad DIY/FAQ.


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## FRAG (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions (G60 Carat)*

Thanks for the DIY and pics, I just got my latches in the mail today.
Just how much force should I be applying to lift the seat, or how hard should I have to push back? It's not that I can't push/list harder, but... well, take a look at my signature.








EDIT: apparently not much harder... but after looking at the latches, why did I have to push back? It looks like just pulling up would do it.


_Modified by FRAG at 11:51 PM 10-24-2008_


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## Big Euro (Aug 31, 2002)

*Re: A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions (FRAG)*

yes, great write up. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif i got mine a few weeks ago, so much easier than using those seat belts.


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## FRAG (Oct 5, 2007)

*Re: A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions (G60 Carat)*

And it's done.
I'll admit, I freaked out when I didn't see the taped over holes at first, then I looked at your pictures a little better. They're really up under there.
The seat back will be a little bit in the way??? I don't think humans were meant to put these in aftermarket. Having an elf or a 5 year old with tiny hands would have been nice.


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## bjwhite (Mar 3, 2004)

When I got my 2001, the Audi dealer here installed the LATCH retrofit for free. It's Audi policy that LATCH retrofits will be taken care of on cars 1998 or newer. Not sure if the car needs to be still under warranty....mine was still under CPO at the time. Barrier Audi in Bellevue (Seattle), WA did it. Again, it was free.


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (bjwhite)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bjwhite* »_When I got my 2001, the Audi dealer here installed the LATCH retrofit for free. It's Audi policy that LATCH retrofits will be taken care of on cars 1998 or newer. Not sure if the car needs to be still under warranty....mine was still under CPO at the time. Barrier Audi in Bellevue (Seattle), WA did it. Again, it was free.

have you visited the PNW regional forum here on vortex Brian? you should come check it out and participate in some events! the Port Townsend cruise is coming up first weekend of March.


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## bjwhite (Mar 3, 2004)

You know, I haven't done much with the local Audi scene. I used to be on the audi-nw mailing list until I was making fun of Eliot for (because he doesn't know how to spell Touareg) calling them Toe-rags. That and his constant berating of items he finds wrong or silly with cars. He then sent me an email telling me that it was "his list and he can basically do what he wants with it" and I told him to screw off.
I was then banned from that point forward without as much as a whimper from Eliot ever again. I've since tried to re-subscribe a couple of times and/or sent him an email, but apparently, he never got over it. 
Funny too....is that we actually agree on more things than not, and I even pointed that out constructively on many occasions. 
Ah well...so much for "the local scene". haha.


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## aging_fleet (Jun 22, 2004)

*Re: A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions (G60 Carat)*

Great information! Per the Bentley and the owner's manual, the cargo net couldn't be removed. For the past year, my upper strap was routed over the net. I'll be re-routing it tonight, thanks. 

_Quote, originally posted by *G60 Carat* »_
For the Avants/Allroads you need to fold the seats down and remove the retractable cargo net/pet seperator. (you remove it by folding the seats down, pulling it out the passenger side door) Then hook up the tether strap, reinstall the retractable cargo net, and fold the seats back up. That's the only way to keep the net functional, which of course you want because you don't want your luggage smacking your kids in the back of the head.


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## bjwhite (Mar 3, 2004)

I never bother with the top tether. Kind of useless if you ask me, unless you're using a certain kind of booster seat that requires it...
But then, our 4 year old is getting ready to transfer into a booster seat...and I was thinking about getting just that one.


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## pendulum (Apr 29, 2001)

*Re: (bjwhite)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bjwhite* »_You know, I haven't done much with the local Audi scene. I used to be on the audi-nw mailing list until I was making fun of Eliot for (because he doesn't know how to spell Touareg) calling them Toe-rags. That and his constant berating of items he finds wrong or silly with cars. He then sent me an email telling me that it was "his list and he can basically do what he wants with it" and I told him to screw off.
I was then banned from that point forward without as much as a whimper from Eliot ever again. I've since tried to re-subscribe a couple of times and/or sent him an email, but apparently, he never got over it. 
Funny too....is that we actually agree on more things than not, and I even pointed that out constructively on many occasions. 
Ah well...so much for "the local scene". haha. 


i have no idea who "Eliot" is, but he doesn't sound like a very amicable person. If it is any consolation, the forums i'm talking about and the meets/GTGs/events i speak of have no one named Eliot and no one from Audi-NW involved. totally different group of people that are more down to earth. I suggest you at least give it a try if you are a car enthusiast; GREAT group of people there. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## - GT style - (May 23, 2003)

*Re: (bjwhite)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bjwhite* »_When I got my 2001, the Audi dealer here installed the LATCH retrofit for free. It's Audi policy that LATCH retrofits will be taken care of on cars 1998 or newer. Not sure if the car needs to be still under warranty....mine was still under CPO at the time. Barrier Audi in Bellevue (Seattle), WA did it. Again, it was free.

Anyone know if out of warranty would still be free for retrokit?


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## PDXA4 (Oct 9, 2001)

*Re: (- GT style -)*

Outstanding post, I am also researching the LATCH mechanism for my recently purchased 03 S8.
I wonder if this kit would work on the D2 A8/S8 chassis ?


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## bassphreek (Aug 1, 2006)

I just ordered mine from Audi and it will cost $27 and I will have it in 2 days.
Totally worth it to me to spend the extra few dollars and get it quicker (to the east coast anyway).
I had better get these installed, our first is due in less than 3 weeks!!!


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## ertatta (Nov 14, 2009)

*Re: A6, Avant, Allroad LATCH/UAS Retrofit Install Instructions (G60 Carat)*

CAN U UPDATE YOUR LINK TO PURCHASE THIS ITEM, AS I'M HAVING TROUBLE FINDING IT?
THANKS


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## bassphreek (Aug 1, 2006)

I got mine right from the stealership and it only cost me an extra few dollars. Just take that part number down to them and they will help you out.


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## GilliamII (Dec 1, 2008)

*Re: (- GT style -)*

Awesome write up~! Had a hell of a time getting my seat unlatched. Turns out one of the clips on the passenger side was stuck in the plastic retainer.
Also, I found it handy to partially drop the backs forward. It is awkward for sure having them resting on your head while working but it was much easier to get the tools back to where they needed to be.

_Quote, originally posted by *- GT style -* »_Anyone know if out of warranty would still be free for retrokit?

I called up my local stealer and they wanted to charge me $120 each _plus_ labor to install on top of that!







Thanks to G60 I was able to grab them for less than $20 shipped from genuinevwaudiparts.com .


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