Cupholder woes!

S

simch

Registered User
Joined
Feb 22, 2004
Messages
2,012
Reaction score
2
Points
38
Drove down to Switzerland last night for a spot of work, in the S3. At a peage toll machine, I lent over the car hanginf through pass window to pay and my knee hit the exposed cupholder......now its all at a slight cranky angle and wont go back in the dash. It looks like the very bottom piece of it is cracked and its browk the mechanism! !

How the hell do you get the thing out is my question> I have the single din Chorus stereo, one cupholder and ESP button in the row of three (2 blanks) next to the cupholder. It is a facelift S3 BTW.
I presume either the radio or console unclips, but I cannot see how at the mo!

I can imagine it going to the dealer and them charging about £150, so want to avoid that!!

On a positive note, car flew, very comfy and got over 30mpg on crusie at gpd 85mph. Whole trip was about 29mpg as I had to nail it the final stint!

Fuel in France is crazy price, 98 ron with the current exchange rate is about £5.80 a gallon!!!eeek

Cheap in Switrzerland, V power is 100RON (rahharrr!) and it is less than a £ 1 litre, but when iwas here last Oct it was less than 80p a litre!!
 
Remove the panio trim and then you can see that there are some clips to remove the cupholder.
 
Fixed it. Just had a good look in daylight and I could see one of the peices had "sprung" out of position, nerdeld it back in , job done!!
 
...but was about to ask how to remove piano trim........!! lol
 
simch said:
...but was about to ask how to remove piano trim........!! lol
Click to expand...

It'd be good if you could explain anyway. Mine seems to stick every now and again and i keep meaning to find out how to take it out in order to clean/fix/replace as the case may be!

Thanks in advance!
 
I didn't have one in my old 1998 A3. Dunno about S3, but i think it was the same. Don't quote me on that though as i know that there has been a variety of different dahses with all sorts of options over the years!
 
Seems strange as I had a Golf MK4 before my S3, that had one. I really miss the cup holder lol.:sob:
 
I hardly ever use mine as i tend not to eat drink in the car, but it is def handy! Like i say - i keep meaning to fix mine as its sticking... Just have never bothered to figure out how to remove/check it!

Maybe if i used it more often i'd have more of a notion for fixing it..!
 
...but was about to ask how to remove piano trim........!! lol
Click to expand...

Open the ash tray, couple of screws, unplug the cig lighter, and it should just pop out, its abit flimsy so hold it close to where your pulling it out. Held in by a few metal clips.
 
They always get stuck in. Use a stabbing motion at the middle...it will come out.

If that fails to remove the surrounding piano trim make a small hook to pull at the back of the trim as it is held in place by 2 spring clips. Then the cupholder is held in place by 4 clips, use 2 small flat blade screwdrivers either side, one at a time to remove. Give it a good clean (coke spilled probably) and then spray dry lube or something on moving parts.
 
I had 4 in my mk4! A double in the dash and a double under the ashtray in the rear of the centre console!

The single is rubbish in the s3. I am considering sitting another where the ESP button is, relocating that to the centre console and fitting a new cupholder inplace of the three buttons. Anyone know what the other two button locations are for? My concern is it will be too close to the left hand stalk to use!!
 
mine has been stuck since i bought the car in feb just not got round to sorting it yet. never drink or eat in the car usually anyways, just the misus!
 
There are no buttons that go in them just blanks so they can do left and right hand drive versions easily. Thus the cupholder will fit. Perhaps hide ESP switch to the back behing the cup holders as there should be room unless you need to turn it on & off?
 
Shy19s said:
Open the ash tray, couple of screws, unplug the cig lighter, and it should just pop out, its abit flimsy so hold it close to where your pulling it out. Held in by a few metal clips.
Click to expand...

steve1975l said:
If that fails to remove the surrounding piano trim make a small hook to pull at the back of the trim as it is held in place by 2 spring clips. Then the cupholder is held in place by 4 clips, use 2 small flat blade screwdrivers either side, one at a time to remove. Give it a good clean (coke spilled probably) and then spray dry lube or something on moving parts.
Click to expand...

OK - so it could be screws and/or clips by the looks of things. Will have a nosey at the weekend and give it a good clean.

Cheers
 
Shy19s said:
Open the ash tray, couple of screws, unplug the cig lighter, and it should just pop out, its abit flimsy so hold it close to where your pulling it out. Held in by a few metal clips.
Click to expand...

Sounds like he is talking about the storage compartment.
 
the cig lighter is holding the trim in, you need to loosen that first to get at the rest of it.. im pretty sure it just pops out if you pull it..
 
steve1975l said:
Sounds like he is talking about the storage compartment.
Click to expand...

I dont have one! I've a Double DIN and Climate.

Shy19s said:
the cig lighter is holding the trim in, you need to loosen that first to get at the rest of it.. im pretty sure it just pops out if you pull it..
Click to expand...

Thanks, there's a number of different dash styles so i guess there's no substitute for me getting off my lazy @rse and having a look myself!! ha ha! I'll post again if i need help.

Cheers
 
steve1975l said:
There are no buttons that go in them just blanks so they can do left and right hand drive versions easily. Thus the cupholder will fit. Perhaps hide ESP switch to the back behing the cup holders as there should be room unless you need to turn it on & off?
Click to expand...


I turn it off at every start up!! Hate it! !!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Clach
Cupholder?
Replies
3
Views
814
silver75
silver75
Ian W
Cupholder Face
Replies
3
Views
495
Tj 0785
Tj 0785
H
Cupholder Stuck Open
Replies
2
Views
578
HansfishS3
H
Felon
Cupholder lighting question
Replies
3
Views
947
405man
4
dan.obi
AUDI A3 / S3 - CUPHOLDER
Replies
1
Views
803
Clach
Clach
Top
Back