850 Glove Box Latch Repair Topic is solved

wliebelt · Post by **wliebelt** » 12 Aug 2010, 19:54

Thanks for the suggestion. I used a short piece of 3/4 X 3/4 Aluminum angle and after removing the stubs of the plastic support, I used epoxy and screws to hold the aluminum in place. That done, I then located the correct position for the hinge and drilled holes for the screws to secure the hinge and the problem was repaired. Instead of fooling around with the latch, I simply installed a strong magnetic catch which works fine because I've never locked the glove box as long as I've owned the car (1994)...

Post by **jreed** » 22 May 2011, 05:20

I was inspired by the images of hacksaw blades and holes in the glovebox door to go and do some preventative maintenance on the latch mechanism...(pictures below).
I disassembled the glove box door and the mechanism. The metal actuator arm was still intact (no signs of bending, cracking or shearing) but I decided to strengthen it by inserting a steel pin. I drilled a hole in the actuator arm using a 1/16" bit. Then I fed a 16 gauge steel wire through the hole and clipped it to length with wire clippers. Then I mixed some rapid setting clear epoxy and filled the hole and coated the wire with it, and put the wire in the hole so that the end of the wire protruded slightly past the end of the pin.
After the epoxy set, I reassembled the actuator in the mechanism, applied some white lithium grease and put the mechanism back onto the glovebox door.
So far, it's working as smoothly as before I took it apart, and hopefully the steel pin will add strength and be less brittle than the metal actuator arm.

kw1999 · Post by **kw1999** » 19 Aug 2013, 20:43

Great guide. However I found it more economical to simply saw through the catch (as explained), then proceed to "rough up" the felt surface with alcohol, and apply INDUSTRIAL-grade Velcro. Sticks to its surface like glue, but one must ensure that the felt surface is roughed up first, otherwise the Velcro will simply stick to itself. It holds more firmly than it did when the glove box actually worked normally. There is much less give in the glove box cover. Not as thorough of a fix, but it will certainly get the job done in much less time and it holds just as well.

850forum · Post by **850forum** » 05 Jul 2018, 15:43

Drilling a small hole to access the latch itself seems much better than ruining the latch itself:
See:

If you cut away the vinyl & peel it back the hole won't even be visible under the vinyl.
Mine is stuck, drilling seems the least damaging way to do it.
1/4" hole 8 3/4" from left edge of glove box door, where its curving from top edge to front edge.
stick an awl in & catch the latch with friction, then lever down to turn the latch.

This guy figured out the shape for a tool that slides in & acts to lever the latch, but you would need an open door to figure out how to shape the bends correctly:

If the problem is that pot metal pin breaking, can it be fixed with a steel wire or a bolt?

850forum · Post by **850forum** » 05 Jul 2018, 19:34

Sunofabitch. Got it out, saw the busted pin, then the assembly sort of explodes in my hand & I cannot find the latch piece. Why didn't they put a circlip on BOTH axle pins ?????

Losing the BROKEN piece would not be so bad, at least I'd be buying usefully new. Probably have to buy a whole latch assembly -- going to a yard isn't feasible for me.

In a couple years we will be able to3D print pieces like this...

Richard_TD · Post by **Richard_TD** » 08 Jul 2018, 04:34

When it happened on my 854 I found that I could open the glovebox by jiggling the handle until the door fell open. It's worth trying that before resorting to more destructive methods I think. A previous owner of the 855 I've just bought seems to have opened the glove box by breaking the hinges then cable tying them back together.

Sawing through the latch seems ok to me because you get a new latch in the kit anyway.

850forum · Post by **850forum** » 08 Jul 2018, 14:57

Well, I looked & felt all around the inside of the car. I vaccuumed the car & dumped it out -- heard one hopeful sound but it was a penny. Then I vaccuumed the front yard - I had the passenger door & window open, by the curb, and it maybe jumped sideways. Told the dog walkers I was prepping for the Neatest Yard Competition. Now I'm hoping someone knows someone with a metal detector...

850forum · Post by **850forum** » 08 Aug 2018, 18:05

$50 got another door assembly. Might as well install the facia plate so there is no drill hole.
How do I remove the glove box itself so I can get to the door hinge screws?
i have removed several torx screws but not coming out. Is it just stuck?

Franz47 · Post by **Franz47** » 24 Sep 2021, 10:43

Don't do any of the recommended invasive and destroying stuff like sawing or drilling a hole into the lid.
Yesterday my latch mechanism failed and I could not open it. Besides the 2 destructive methods I found https://www.motor-talk.de/videos/handsc ... 47092.html and today it did the trick for me without destroying anything. Cut a 2 cm strip of a credit card or similar, bend one end, then introduce it into the slit between lid and box at a distance of 22 - 22,5 cm from the left end of the lid. After a few attempts it worked for me like shown on the video. You have to pry the strip really deep so it goes in between the hook and the bracket. Once it slips into the correct place, the lid opens immediately. You can then see then how the strip is stuck in the lid-locking mechanism

Post by **Sveedy** » 24 Sep 2021, 11:29

Got to love things like that. Quick, simple and clean. I'm thinking that I will go ahead and make that little " Slim Jim ", try it a few times while my door is still working, and then put it in my car tool box. Just in case.

850 Glove Box Latch Repair Topic is solved

Re: 850 Glove Box Latch Repair