Just replaced the glovebox

Hi,

I just replaced the glovebox on the 1.4 petrol A2 and it was MUCH easier than I expected.

Rather than replace just the "door" I managed to get hold of the entire assembly from a breaker on eBay (£40)

Just prised off the coinholder from inside the glovebox (Can't say I even spotted that there was one after 13 years of A2 ownership) One screw behind that

Two more inside the box ay the top and one by the side, near the pollen filter "door".

Moved part of the trim on the A pillar to reveal the 5th and only hidden screw, hey presto and it is out (just disconnect the glovebox interior light connection).

Reverse this to replace the working glovebox unit and away you go !!!

But I noticed that on the old unit AND on the new one, the plastic arm that disconnects the glovebox light when the door is closed was missing, meaning the light is on even when the door is closed. Is this a coincidence, or is it a common problem?

Might be worth checking on your A2, not easy to spot the light being on with the door closed, but worth checking?

Cheers
Steve B

Hi Steve, the glovebox light issue is quite common. Shame the broken bits from the arm are missing as they can be fixed - http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?21372-Glove-box-light-and-EML&highlight=glove+box+light

Cheers Spike

Steve, General A2 Servicing Thread, Post 20 shows how to remove glove box with pictures Matey


http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?23606-General-A2-Servicing-Information



Cheers
Sarge

The glove-box light switches off when the vehicle lights are turned off but remains on if the glove-box switch is broken.

blue skies
tony

hotstuff said:

The glove-box light switches off when the vehicle lights are turned off but remains on if the glove-box switch is broken.

blue skies
tony

Click to expand...

Yes, the two contacts touch each other and the arm separates them when the glovebox door is closed, so if the arm is missing, the glovebox light is permanently on with the sidelights!!

Steve B

Birchall said:

Yes, the two contacts touch each other and the arm separates them when the glovebox door is closed, so if the arm is missing, the glovebox light is permanently on with the sidelights!!

Steve B

Click to expand...

You'd be amazed by the number of A2s driving around with the glovebox light switch broken. The arm will break in a stiff breeze!

Hi Steve

Just curious to know why you changed the glovebox. Was it due to the broken light issue?

Hilary

YorkshireHill said:

Hi Steve

Just curious to know why you changed the glovebox. Was it due to the broken light issue?

Hilary

Click to expand...

No, it was a broken hinge (same side as the switch)

Both the original AND the replacement had the broken switch arm.

As Tom said, there are probably LOTS of us driving around with the glovebox light on and we wouldn't know.

Unless it is obvious you could always use your iPhone / camera and set it to video mode and close it in the glovebox, to see if the light goes off (but I suspect that the light would show around the edges anyway?

Steve B

Birchall said:

...there are probably LOTS of us driving around with the glovebox light on and we wouldn't know.

Click to expand...

The bulb invariably blows, meaning second hand buyers don't even realise their glovebox is supposed to have a light!

Birchall said:

Unless it is obvious you could always use your iPhone / camera and set it to video mode and close it in the glovebox, to see if the light goes off (but I suspect that the light would show around the edges anyway?

Click to expand...

Yes, it does show through, though it has to be fairly dark for you to notice due to the overlap of the glovebox door.

Tom

My glove-box light switch was broken too, although I didn't initially know it was. I had found a black plastic part that I guessed hadn't just fallen through the OSS. The mystery was solved when I removed the glove-box to find the source of the wet front carpets. The piece appeared to be part of a simple switch that originally held apart two live switch contacts, breaking the live feed when the glove box door was shut. The piece seemed too long but ideally proved to be long enough to cut a mortice and tenon joint in the hinge mechanism to re-attach it with Evo-Stik Plastic Pipe Weld. I also glued to it a strengthening piece from a section of old Passat bonnet Pull that was of the same plastic. To have a satisfactory repair of the original is somehow more satisfying than a clever dick re-design using a micro switch. Apologies to all that probably have!

PS. It has to be glued in exactly in the right place otherwise forceful closure of the door while storing two pairs of welders gloves and a Snickers bar will break it off again.