Date: 6 Jan 2002 18:54:58 -0800 From: googlegroupsnopsamiends.com (Tripp Knightly) Subject: Re: ? Glovebox door won't fully unlatch (1995 Saab 900)?
I actually know the glovebox on the 84-89.... it's a little different, but your post gave me enough info to figure it out (thanks). For posterity, here's how I got the glovebox open and fixed the problem. GETTING IT OPEN The latch works by pulling back a black plastic retention tab on each side of the glovebox door which goes into a hole on either side of the glovebox door at about release-handle level. In my case, the one on the right was not pulling back and so the right side of the door was remaining shut. The approach would be about the same if only the right unlatched. What I did was unscrew 2 torx bolts (covered by square plastic caps matching the dash plastic) on the right side as well as 3 across the top just inside the glovebox door (which are accessible because you can partially open the door with only one side disengaging). Then, I was able to pry the right side without damaging the dashboard or door by using 2 3"+ wide putty knives (like for wallboard taping) in the slot between the door and the dash and using a screwdriver to apply pressure to pry the 2 apart from each other. Your goal is to be able to see behind the glovebox assembly on the right side to where the right latch is. At that point you can peer down and literally see the square black latch tab which is not disengaging. You need to push the tab in beyond the edge of the hole that it goes through to retain the door in place. I did this by using an L-shaped allen wrench, but any L-shaped piece of metal can work in the somewhat tight quarters. The door then popped open quite easily. THE POOR MAN'S FIX ...involves, surprise surprise, duct tape. Just duct tape over the latch hole as well as the protruding latch (forcing the latch into the disengaged position). A bit of a hack, yes, but because the glovebox remains PERFECTLY shut with just the left side latch engaged, it will work fine... that is I guess until the left side latch fails. I'll jump from that bridge when I get to it. I might have tried to actually fix the underlying problem inside the latch release mechanism, but it appears that the entire mechanism is inaccessible inside the molded door itself... unless you can get to it by removing the latch handle when it's unlocked, which you might try if it matters to you. Hope this helps someone, Mark "thompson" <thompson146removenopsamhotmail.com> wrote in message news:<u2l50ge8qj0n7enopsam.supernews.com>... > Well been there and done that - twice now (but it was on 900's from 84-89 - > I am assuming it is the same on the '95 900 model): > > You will have to try and pry out the bottom half of the glove box door to > get at the two screws on each side of the door and take them out. (It is > tough but doable) I stuck something in each side to hold it while I turned > the screws out. Then you can 'work' the door latch out of the mechanism (at > this point don't worry about the latch breaking you'll be needing a new one > anyway). > > The problem is most likely the latch mechanism is broken on one side of the > latch. There is like a plastic u-clip kind of thing that slides in on both > sides of the latch thing. If you take that out then the whole lock/latch > assembly will come out as a unit. I picked up my replacement from the > boneyard - got the door and all for maybe $5 or less. I wouldn't think that > the lock/latch assembly even from the dealer would be all that much. > > ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: When you start prying on that door go easy - and use a > piece of wood or something between the pry tool and the dashboard or you'll > have some nasty marks. > > If you get the door out and can't find the part you need let me know I've > got plenty, I keep spares on hand now. > > > "Tripp Knightly" <googlegroupsnopsamiends.com> wrote in message > news:d0f556c9.0112252028.40f05e3nopsaming.google.com... > > Anybody have a problem w/ their 900 glovebox where the latch seems to > > engage partially, but the right side in particular is not budging. > > > > I'm going to guess there's a broken part, and it will cost a king's > > ransom for parts and labor to repair (such as requiring an entire > > right half of the dashboard instead of a $.25 part). > > > > Anyway, I'd be curious to know if you had this problem- > > > > a) was it fixable > > > > b) how you got the door open (where in particular to strategically > > employ a screwdriver, for example) > > > > c) ideas for workarounds that retain use of the broken glove box > > > > Thanks, > > > > Mark > > > > (It's amazing how mad a simple problem like this can make somebody.)
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