The little spring-loaded latch on my third cupholder broke the other day
, so I did some research...:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ight=cupholder
Seems like this has happened to a lot of people, and the only fix from the dealer appears to be to give you another springloaded latch that will undoubtedly break again
...here's my solution which seems to be working...Sorry for no pics, but it should be easy enough to explain
Materials I used:
- Set of small jewelers screw-drivers
- Spring bar (a.k.a. "watch band pin")
- Snub-nose snips (commonly used by Telco-professionals)
- Tiny sharp nail (small drill if you have a bit small enough)
1. (I am assuming that the latch is already detached from the assembly) Remove the small metal bar that holds the spring onto the latch and set the spring aside.
2. Using the jewelers screw-driver (small drillbit?), adust the size of the holes in the latch to allow the spring bar to pass through.
3. Assemble the latch by passing the spring bar through the holes (latch and spring). Basically, you're replacing the original bar with the spring bar.
NOTE: If you look at the underside of the housing area the latch affixes to, you will notice two "nubs" protruding from each side and one in the middle. DON'T MESS WITH THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE.
4. Using the snips, shave/cut the nubs down to flush with the housing area. Then, (as close to 'center' as possible) carefully use the tiny sharp nail (drill bit if you're lucky) and force an indention where the "nubs" used to be. The housing is now altered to guide the ends of the spring bar in place.
5. Now reassemble using the same method you would replace the spring bar in your watch with; making sure to properly seat the spring over the "nub" in the center of the housing.
...and that's it! I know I didn't find an extra 50 HP or anything here, but it was REALLY annoying to have no useable cupholder in my 4000-mile-old car. Driving the 1er makes me thirsty....
Lemme know if anyone has any questions/comments...