Ash Tray Won't Close...

[toddjb122]

I'm an '05 with 212K. So at this point, short of the engine falling off the frame, if anything goes wrong the reason is always, "well, 200,000 miles." Luckily it's been pretty darn reliable, considering.

So, today the auto-opening ashtray will no longer "click" closed when you push it in. I recall from a breakage while still under warranty, that the only way to service it is to take apart the dash and get behind that center console. If it can even be fixed vs. replaced.

Again, it sticks out. The spring pushes it there. I go to shut it, it doesn't engage, so it pops back out.

Any suggestions short of me epoxying it shut? I suspect the cost of a repair may may dwarf its use to me, which is a convenient small garbage bin.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[s3hooligan]

There's another thread on this exact topic somewhere in the forum. You are right. The correct way to fix it is to pull the console to get behind it. Other options will keep it shut but won't fix the problem. One member mentioned that he drove a screw through the inside to keep it closed. For mine, I just wedged a piece of plastic around the housing to keep it closed. I'm not a smoker so we only use it for spare change.


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[Houm_WA]

I know this won't help, but mine has done something like this before and somehow just "fixed itself." Then one time I just very carefully took it out and slotted it back in and it worked. Could be a different failure mode though.

 

[toddjb122]

I know this won't help, but mine has done something like this before and somehow just "fixed itself." Then one time I just very carefully took it out and slotted it back in and it worked. Could be a different failure mode though.

Thanks.

While I can of course remove the tray/basket, I can't see anyway way to remove the sliding holder from the track. But I'll give it another look just to be sure.

 

[toddjb122]

There's another thread on this exact topic somewhere in the forum....

Good idea. I found THIS thread where someone said they took pictures and a dozen people asked for them. None posted, though...

THIS one had a few more details, but the domain of the spot with the pictures is obscured. Anyone know what other rover site would have had them?

BUT the money search result was the last time I asked a similar question in 2008 , in that case folks gave a lot of tips from hacks, to major dissassembly instructions. That thread is HERE.

In that last thread, Jeremy posted this description which I think is what Houm was talking about:

From what I've found, you should be able to get the inner ashtray holder out of the housing without removing the entire thing if your goal is to simply remove the broken spring so that you can close the ash tray all the way. Here's how, remove the actual ash tray by simply pulling while it is in the open position. Now you are left with the inner portion that slides in and out. There are tabs on both sides of the slide rails that engage tabs on the housing. If you use a screw driver to pry the housing slightly away from the rails, then the tabs will disengage and that side will pull out slightly further. Now do the same on the other side, and the entire part will come all the way out.

Good tips old and new. Thanks.

 

[catman]

Thanks! I have some cardboard wedged underneath holding mine closed now, but I may pop it out and see if I can find those tabs and actually fix it. I never seem to have the time to tear the dash apart for such a minor issue, but it would nice to actually have it fixed.

 

[Rubber Cow]

FWIW, the center console comes off pretty easily.

 

[toddjb122]

FWIW, the center console comes off pretty easily.

There was conflicting feedback on if you are just taking off the center front console, or if the lower console has to come up as well.

Does anyone have tips on how to do this (to access ash tray)?

I'm always afraid of breaking off plastic tabs when I do something like this and then always having loose plastic from there on...

 

[Rubber Cow]

Do a search on YouTube.com for LR3 center console removal

 

[Bostonian]

I have this issue - it's stuck out and I don't want to pull the console out to fix it so there it sits to annoy me. I had the same issue with the passenger cup holder. I pulled the unit out and there's a circular coil that popped out of its housing. I am guessing it might be a similar setup.