Glove Box removal and repair of lowering arm with pics...

[TAC]

Right after discovering last weekend that the lowering arm for my glove box was broken and meant when you opened it, it just dropped down and the light didn't come on. So I set about removing it and repairing it today. Below I'll list everything I did to successfully achieve this:

Step 1:

Remove the 7 bolts that hold the glove box in place. Pointed out in the photos below with arrows.

Right now the bolts are removed carefully place the glove box on its side, I did not disconnect the loom connected to the glove box as didn't want to have to plug into vagcom to clear air bag code, so I carefully placed the glovebox on the opposite end to the arm which i was to work on.
Glove box is placed in the footwell in the pic below.

Right next the broken arm...

Carefully remove the lowering barrel by twisting half a turn anticlockwise and it just pops off.

With the arm removed carefully remove the pin holding the broken part of the arm to the barrel. I acheived this by using some long nose pliers to pinch the clip together whilst pulling on the pin.

With the broken part now free, I used superglue to relocate it to the broken other half.

With the arm superglued back in place I now set about re-enforcing the joint. I decided to use some carbon fiber however, layres of epoxy resin or some fiberglass would do to strengthen the joint.

Step one coat wil base gell till tacky, apply carbon fiber strip to top and bottom and then coat in resin mixed with accelerant.

Once dry reconnect the pin to the barrel. I then had to clean up the carbon fiber arround the joint before refitting the glove box and checking it works!!!

Glove box opening

Glove box closed

Job done!!

Hope this is helpfull, quite easy to do took all in all about 2hrs.

Tom

 

[Lee_R]

You should have said, I have a brand new glovebox in my shed....bought the wrong one, mine has cd changer! Mine has the same prob as yours though, Loads of A3's suffer from it. Good write up!

 

[EvolutionV]

Good write up, my glovebox has broke at the exact same place like yours. Was going to buy another one but i'll now try and fix it like you have. cheers:icon_thumright:

 

[SAiLO]

Nice write up. I got the same problem.

 

[TAC]

Common problem with a simple fix. Glad to help.

Tom

 

[PH1L]

ta i thought something was up with mine time to get the sodering iron out for some plastic welding

 

[TAC]

ta i thought something was up with mine time to get the sodering iron out for some plastic welding

You will probably need to re-enforce the arm with something. I used some carbon fiber strips but others have coated in lots of epoxy resin to give extra strength.

 

[robby]

How about using a this strip of metal (like the old car stereos used for mounting) and a couple of rivets?

 

[330_2_S3]

Mine has the opposite problem?

It comes down but other than it smoothly drops to its end point its stays fixed and doesn't drop down without having to force it (gently) to the bottom?

Any ideas?

 

[TAC]

Mine has the opposite problem?

It comes down but other than it smoothly drops to its end point its stays fixed and doesn't drop down without having to force it (gently) to the bottom?

Any ideas?

You need to grease the lowering arm and this should sort the problem. just pop off the side pannel on the dash and you should have enought room to apply grease to the arm when the glove box is open.

Hope this helps.

 

[330_2_S3]

You need to grease the lowering arm and this should sort the problem. just pop off the side pannel on the dash and you should have enought room to apply grease to the arm when the glove box is open.

Hope this helps.

I tried that mate (well I greased the plastic arm bit with the teeth) and still no joy....

If I pull the arm slightly outwards towards the passenfer door it seems to work perfect so I am guessing to put sum packing at the joint?

 

[anton2015]

So many people seem to be having this problem !!!

All should take more care when removing their glove boxes

Any other material I should use to glue it rather than carbon fiber ?

 

[Marcosline]

Hi I have had the same problem repaired mine by bolting on a cut and shaped poece of aluminium to replace the snapped off arm, the problem is with the damper which is like a syringe the lubericant dries and then the rubber O ring inside grips the cylinder and becomes stiff to opperate resulting in the arm snapping off under force ,once you have repaired the arm i would buy a new damper at about £13,and something else to bear in mind is if you have a 6cd changer in the glove box you must remove the cds from inside it before removeing it because they can slide loose inside and jamb the player knackering it, i learnt the hard way on this.

 

[TAC]

So many people seem to be having this problem !!!

All should take more care when removing their glove boxes

Any other material I should use to glue it rather than carbon fiber ?

Epoxy resin like arildite with a strip of plastic could do the trick. Could even use resing and an elasto plast plaster coated in epoxy, not very aesthetically pleasing however would do the job!!

Let us know how you get on!

 

[Trevor Locke]

Excellent guide mate
Needed to see what is behind the glovebox as i want to add a cigar socket inside it and need a wire to connect to

 

[dk1234]

Comment just to find it later.

 

[ryanstewart9]

Excellent write up mate.
I've been meaning to do mine for nearly a year now.

 

[droidski]

Thanks Tom. The pictures of the bolt locations were invaluable to me as I needed to take my glove box out to feed my iPod cable through the back. Took 15 mins max! Many thanks for taking the time...

 

[mike260193]

I need to remove my glovebox, however I do need to remove the airbag conector, does anyone know how to? I removed everything and when I got to that part I stoped with fear of breaking something !