When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The baby spoon with the flat SS handle and the silicon spoon was the perfect tool.
Originally Posted by jennifer911
My boyfriend’s idiot older sister has managed to jam the cup holder into the receptor twice now over the last year or so. He considers this and a million other screw-ups this ditz causes not worth worrying about, but they all drive me crazy.
If you inspect the unjammed cup holder. It would appear that the pyramid shaped post (between the two cup holders) would act as a device to automatically close the adjustable, cup size ring to the minimum setting, allowing for a smooth jam free closure. On a Japanese car, I can assure you this would be the case, the Japanese love their customers and want them to have a better life without cuss words. The Germans want to make you a better ‘bot’ by inflecting pain and suffering for any deviation from the rules.
Screw those bastards! American ingenuity and brute force will always save the day. Place a super slim screw driver or a small but stout little pen knife into the slot between the center post and pry against the expandable expansion ring part of the cup holder. Moderate your prying while you press the holder inward, after a couple pushes you will feel when the latch is released. Slowly but surely, with some perseverance prying, the cup holder arm will pop out. Close the expansion ring into the full retracted position and the mechanism will now work as intended.
My driver side sticks occasionally.
I use a Leatherman knife blade (it’s in my glove box) and insert it horizontally under the retracted holder and gently lift upwards. It pops out with spring action- no prying required.
I had already replaced the cupholder unit myself when it wouldn't stay closed (I kept the original one to use for parts in the future). The replacement unit worked flawlessly for years, then recently the passenger side abruptly acted stuck and would not open at all. I remembered reading about @Jennifer911's solution a few years ago, looked it up again, and applied the "fix." Five seconds later, it works perfectly now, literally like brand new! I never had problems with the cupholder on the driver side because I always would unconsciously compress the expansion ring before closing it. Apparently, one of my passengers did not. Score another win for @Jennifer911!