two left feet

After my holidays I went to open the glove box only to find that it wont open..

Did the search - no previous cases.

Before I start to use "reasonable force" to get it opened is there any subtle way to bring the locking mechanism back into the world of the living..?

regs from Germany

Evan

Can you turn (rotate) the ****?

I assume it's not locked?

Did you try pushing it in the closed position, then turning the ****? To release some pressure on the mechanism.

Just some thoughts.....

two left feet

Evan,

Thanks for the advise, but I have tried all the above...

I am sure that me and my big screwdriver can do the job, but this will surely break the mechanism....

swftiii

Andrew,

Are you saying that the **** turns, but the glove box door won't open? If that's the case, then I would pull out the radio and see if the glove box door guide (not sure what it is called) isn't caught on some of the stereo wires. It is a plastic piece that goes into that section of the dash and the wires can catch it and keep it from opening/closing.

-Skip

two left feet

Skip.

I can rotate the ****, but the glove box none the less is stuck..

thanks for the idea, I will give check the guide tomorrow...

wongmb

Have you tried "WD40" it up ? Sometimes that work magic.
Not sure it works in your case since the **** does turn though.
My $0.02
Not affiliated with WD40 )

P/S: Maybe you "packed" it up too well last time you closed it ??

Speedraser

Andrew,

Shortly after I got my car, the same thing happened -- approaching a toll booth...

I could not get it open, and drove straight to the local dealer. The locking mechanism had apparently come apart. I don't remember how they got the door off, but they fixed the thing in less than an hour, at a cost of about $30. They basically reassembled the mechanism, and I've had no trouble in the 4 years since.

John D., where did my membership go?

Macca

Hi There,

had this problem too. You will need to prize the lip open slowly. As you do so you will remove the "U" shaped steel pin that the latch locks on to. This is fine as you can reasemble this by undoing the philips head screw on eirther side of the two holes where the U pin re inserts and then tighten up hard.

The issue is the locl mechanism. The crew on the back may have come loose meaning that rotating the **** does not caucse the latch to spring open. I would tighten and give it a few goes without the door closed to ensure it is working properly again....

hope this helps...

Macca the Kiwi

MikeAlwaysWins

Happened to me also, but only after new radio was installed... was just some wires that went astray... Good Luck...

two left feet

Macca the Kiwi et al,

I managed to "jimmy" open the the glove box to start the investigation. It was rather easy so for those of you with cabrios, dont rely on the lock actually keeping someone out.

On getting inside, the screw at the back of the lock mechaism had indeed come loose and the "thing-a-me-jig" that actuates the unlocking wasn't able to work.

All back together now and working, though I wont keep anything of value in there from now on, regards to all

Andrew

Coop

Wow. Life saver on this one, thank you Macca. Had to do exactly as you described. Pulled out the three screws at the back then had to 'pop' the lock. What an ordeal!!

Thank you boys as always, problem solved.

riclin109

Coop

The three screws that you're referring to are the ones that hold the U bolt that allows the latching mechanism to engage on the tope of the gear box door? Before I start prying thought I'd ask .... the latching **** is loose and rotating and the glovebox door will no long open...I know that it is the **** mechanism, but can figure out how to get to it now and don't want to break the door prying too hard... I may be able to take the lower three door screws off, but probably won't be abel to get the door off anyway as it is latched in placed and remains closed...

Thanks

riclin109