Stuck Cupholder Fix
07-07-2009, 12:57 PM
#1
Stuck Cupholder Fix
I have an 03 Z, and the cupholder in the passenger side dash has always been stuck. I was bored today, so I took it off to have a look at it and see if I could fix it.
I took off the panel, unscrewed the cupholder, and moved the mechanism back and forth to see what it was getting stuck on. I found the problem, and I imagine many other people share this same problem. The panel is only held on by clips and one screw on the lower right, hidden by the plastic kick.
Tools I used:
Needlenose Pliers
A random screw just thick and long enough to fit snug through the center of the piece
Screwdriver
What was wrong?
I snapped this picture after I fixed it.
The spring you see was the problem. That spring is used to push the cupholder out when you push it in to release it. The spring end had gone around the outside edge of the plastic tab and was on the other side, keeping the cupholder from being able to come out. Also, the plastic push tabs that keep the plastic spring retainer in were broken.
I cracked off the remaining pieces of the protruding plastic clip, so the bottom was flush with the metal mounting hole. I then held the spring retainer on and screwed in the screw.
So that problem was solved. However, when I opened and closed the cupholder, the spring end still managed to get on the other side of the plastic tab, keeping the cupholder closed again. I look at its travel, and concluded that a simple, slight bending would fix it. Took my needlenose pliers, bent the extended spring arm a little downwards, and voila... problem solved. I've been opening and closing the cupholder repeatedly for 5 minutes or so to make sure it won't happen again, while watching the spring end. It stays in the proper area and doesn't come close to going around the edge again.
Hopefully this will help some people out.
I took off the panel, unscrewed the cupholder, and moved the mechanism back and forth to see what it was getting stuck on. I found the problem, and I imagine many other people share this same problem. The panel is only held on by clips and one screw on the lower right, hidden by the plastic kick.
Tools I used:
Needlenose Pliers
A random screw just thick and long enough to fit snug through the center of the piece
Screwdriver
What was wrong?
I snapped this picture after I fixed it.
The spring you see was the problem. That spring is used to push the cupholder out when you push it in to release it. The spring end had gone around the outside edge of the plastic tab and was on the other side, keeping the cupholder from being able to come out. Also, the plastic push tabs that keep the plastic spring retainer in were broken.
I cracked off the remaining pieces of the protruding plastic clip, so the bottom was flush with the metal mounting hole. I then held the spring retainer on and screwed in the screw.
So that problem was solved. However, when I opened and closed the cupholder, the spring end still managed to get on the other side of the plastic tab, keeping the cupholder closed again. I look at its travel, and concluded that a simple, slight bending would fix it. Took my needlenose pliers, bent the extended spring arm a little downwards, and voila... problem solved. I've been opening and closing the cupholder repeatedly for 5 minutes or so to make sure it won't happen again, while watching the spring end. It stays in the proper area and doesn't come close to going around the edge again.
Hopefully this will help some people out.
Last edited by Spork; 07-07-2009 at 01:39 PM.
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07-16-2010, 05:45 AM
#9
08-03-2010, 03:51 PM
#12
I had trouble getting that panel off a couple weeks ago. All snaps popped out fine, except the corner next to the cupholder. Is there any trick to popping it off?
Thanks for the thread. I punched mine in a couple days ago and it stuck.
Thanks for the thread. I punched mine in a couple days ago and it stuck.
Last edited by dkmesa350z; 08-03-2010 at 03:55 PM.
03-03-2011, 04:13 AM
#18
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i had a crash about a year and a half ago and since then the cup holder would not "pop" out like it used to. i decided to take apart the passenger side dash (for another reason) and had a look at the cup holder. the spring mentioned above (the stiff one that pops the cup holder out) was in tact and was working fine. however i did notice that small spring inside the face plate of the cup holder (cannot be seen without takin the face plate off) was not pushing the two plastic bits that act as the base to support any cup placed in it.
but the main problem was that the body of the cup holder was not sliding out of its metal housing smoothly and would get stuck and require some force to pull out. i took it out and doused it with WD40 but still same problems. i think that the crash warped the already flimsy (albiet very ingenious) cup holder body or casing. so looks like if i want a cup holder that pops out like it should i need to buy a new one. but tbh it not that big a deal and i have other things to fix first. if any one wants some pics i could put them up. or maybe a vid.
but the main problem was that the body of the cup holder was not sliding out of its metal housing smoothly and would get stuck and require some force to pull out. i took it out and doused it with WD40 but still same problems. i think that the crash warped the already flimsy (albiet very ingenious) cup holder body or casing. so looks like if i want a cup holder that pops out like it should i need to buy a new one. but tbh it not that big a deal and i have other things to fix first. if any one wants some pics i could put them up. or maybe a vid.
03-03-2011, 10:50 AM
#19
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I got in the passenger side with the cupholder extended and it went off the tracks..
I found the entire cup holder ***'y comes out by sliding a screwdriver in on top to release the tab.. Does the dash really have to come apart or am I just lucky??
I found the entire cup holder ***'y comes out by sliding a screwdriver in on top to release the tab.. Does the dash really have to come apart or am I just lucky??
06-08-2012, 01:31 PM
#20
Registered User
fixed my jammed in dash cup holder today
this is how and why your cup holder becomes jammed
http://youtu.be/sgQFW3vq9wc
watch the spring that slips over the plastic stopper when fully compressed
after bending the piece of metal with needle nose pliers it functions normally
http://youtu.be/_TnhDsAjJBc
this is how and why your cup holder becomes jammed
http://youtu.be/sgQFW3vq9wc
watch the spring that slips over the plastic stopper when fully compressed
after bending the piece of metal with needle nose pliers it functions normally
http://youtu.be/_TnhDsAjJBc
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