Glove box handle: fail!

[davelowe]

Hi,

Opened the glove box this morning and the handle came loose, leaving me with a spring and a piece of broken plastic on the floor. What is it with this car and crap plastic parts? That's why my handbrake broke incidentally - a tiny plastic mounting snapped that holds the spring that the button operates - but that's another story.

So, T20 torx in hand, removed glove box. 2 minute job - now sitting on my office floor. Internal lamp switch taped down to stop battery draining (looks real pretty!).

Handle came off completely with a little bit of persuasion. I can see how it was mounted - two lugs either side, one snapped off holding spring action.

The front of the glove box door seems to be made in two parts and I need to get into it in order to glue the snapped bit off and re-assemble. Has anyone prised it off or is it bonded for anti-rattle purposes? I really don't want to have to buy a new assembly because of cost.

Any ideas?

Much obliged,
Dave.

Minor update on costs: New glove box assembly £200+, front 'door' (the busted bit) £98.38 (local stealership)
247spares haven't come up with anything either

[Brian Griffin]

Came out one morning to find the glove box open.. ...no sign of break in ..phew..Wonder does this happen a lot ,it just broke overnight.. same thing with the spring and bits of plastic rattling around...I left the handle on so it closes "manually"...doubt if theres an easy fix, as you say its in two pieces welded together...only solution me thinks is to get a scrappy one..

[davelowe]

As it happens, I now have the two parts separated. They are glued together with strips of adhesive - you have to be brave - started at the bottom end (where you can't see any damage) and with a flat bladed screwdriver and a stanley/kitchen knife, very carefully prised them apart. Lots of nasty snapping noises, but not the plastic splitting - just the adhesive coming apart. Progress! Now I have all the broken bits accessible I will attempt a repair tomorrow. The idea will be a glue based fix to the broken part. If that fails, I will try putting a small (M4?) bolt and nut through what is left and secure the spring experimentally. Re-assembly will be via some dot and dab type glue gun idea.

It would seem that the reasons for the double skin are a) Safety, in the event of a collision the passenger hits soft material and b) No rattles.

I'll post some images and a guide if successful. Though, still plenty of ways for it to fail as yet!

[Bumpy macaroon]

had same sort of drama with a VW bora (even they fall to bits) I ended up using a small nut and bolt, leaving the nut visable on the inside of the door, then i got the superglue out,