SHIRE / Switches
Why the letter after an Audi window-switch OE matters
An Audi catalog record may show a base OE and a lettered version together. Preserve the complete marking before asking for a substitute.
SAP-A003 lists both 4FD 959 851 and 4FD 959 851 A under one front-left A6L record. SAP-A005, another Audi front-left catalog record, lists 8E0 959 851 and 8E0 959 851 B for a different application reference. The catalog grouping is useful for searching; it does not establish that the lettered and unlettered units are functionally identical.
Copy rather than normalize
Take a clear photo of the original label and transcribe every space, number and suffix. Avoid searching only the central 959 851 sequence and then approving the first visual match. Maintain both the buyer’s reference and the candidate catalog reference.
Check the version evidence
Ask the supplier which exact marking will appear on the offered part. Compare the connector, switch face, mounting and any written version information against the original. Where the source cannot explain a suffix, record the question rather than assigning it a technical meaning.
Retain both identities after approval
Put the accepted SAP SKU and the buyer’s original OE on the purchase line and sample record. That makes a future change visible even when the catalog page lists several reference numbers.
Purchasing guidance, not installation or diagnostic instructions. Confirm compatibility and specifications with the supplier and a qualified technician.
Catalog examples — not confirmed substitutes
SAP-A003
Power window switch
OE references: 4FD 959 851 / 4FD 959 851 A
Catalog specifications ↗
SAP-A005
Power window switch
OE references: 8E0 959 851 / 8E0 959 851 B
Catalog specifications ↗Compare the actual catalog records
These are current catalog examples, not an approved substitution list. OE references and remarks below are reproduced from the supplied records; they do not establish compatibility, stock or electrical performance.
Editorial basis: this guide uses the current SHIRE catalog records shown above. AI assisted the multilingual wording; model, OE and catalog-note fields were checked against the supplied records. No physical product test was performed.
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