NY Andrew
Senior Member
Okay, so I know I'm not alone and many of you have to HULK SMASH your center console down to get it to latch. I believe this deserves a DIY sticky haha.
I recently saw Brianw0048's solution which was to remove the latch and use pliers to adjust the rod so that the black latch clasp is more even and centered. Believe his issue was it wasn't even so it wouldn't latch and when he centered it solved his problem. I happily gave it a shot since it's been an ongoing issue for just about two years now (I just would let it rest on top and stopped latching it because it was a pain) and that solution didn't work for me. While I had it apart I decided I will MAKE IT WORK.
Studied the design a bit and from my understanding seemed like when you OPEN the latch it wasn't retreating far enough back. This hypothesis makes sense when you think how were SLAMMING it down to get that clasp to spread further back then it is initially designed to do and when we release the latch to open it there's a loud pop/click noise heard because it was latched so hard and tight and pushed back further than usual.
I learned the GOAL is to make the clasp/latch open WIDER which means FURTHER BACK. To test this theory if you open the latch all the way and then push the clasp back you see the few millimeters of wiggle room, that's what we're trying to eliminate--that wiggle room play.
The two solutions I then discovered were:
1. Further disassemble the latch to potentially adjust the spring further back so the latch sits further open by default. But this could lead into many other issues including less spring tension, broken pieces, PITA to reassemble--so on to solution two.
2. Prop the latch open wider by having something wedged in between it.
Materials Needed:
-T20 Hex Head Screw Driver for the 3 screws
-Scotch Double Sided sticky pad
-Random rope, cord, shoe string
-I used a vice and a zip-tie to secure the latch open and in place (because juggling everything just wasn't happening)
*I tried electrical tape in place of the rope and it didn't work.
As you can see in the first picture, this is the latch fully opened up. You want to place the folded over scotch pad AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE ON TOP OF the three grooved latch piece circled in red. Now it should look like my second picture. Now it should stay in place due to the tension and stickiness, but to play it safe I used a shoe string to further secure it so it never falls out of place.
That's it! You did it! Now you can substitute whatever you want. Make it as fancy or as complicated as you want. I'm open to other solutions as well. Once installed back, NOW all you have to do is firmly push it down, it won't just latch by placing it closed, you have to push it down with a bit of force where the latch is and that's it. No more SLAMMING it down.
Now go slam down a cold one
I recently saw Brianw0048's solution which was to remove the latch and use pliers to adjust the rod so that the black latch clasp is more even and centered. Believe his issue was it wasn't even so it wouldn't latch and when he centered it solved his problem. I happily gave it a shot since it's been an ongoing issue for just about two years now (I just would let it rest on top and stopped latching it because it was a pain) and that solution didn't work for me. While I had it apart I decided I will MAKE IT WORK.
Studied the design a bit and from my understanding seemed like when you OPEN the latch it wasn't retreating far enough back. This hypothesis makes sense when you think how were SLAMMING it down to get that clasp to spread further back then it is initially designed to do and when we release the latch to open it there's a loud pop/click noise heard because it was latched so hard and tight and pushed back further than usual.
I learned the GOAL is to make the clasp/latch open WIDER which means FURTHER BACK. To test this theory if you open the latch all the way and then push the clasp back you see the few millimeters of wiggle room, that's what we're trying to eliminate--that wiggle room play.
The two solutions I then discovered were:
1. Further disassemble the latch to potentially adjust the spring further back so the latch sits further open by default. But this could lead into many other issues including less spring tension, broken pieces, PITA to reassemble--so on to solution two.
2. Prop the latch open wider by having something wedged in between it.
Materials Needed:
-T20 Hex Head Screw Driver for the 3 screws
-Scotch Double Sided sticky pad
-Random rope, cord, shoe string
-I used a vice and a zip-tie to secure the latch open and in place (because juggling everything just wasn't happening)
*I tried electrical tape in place of the rope and it didn't work.
As you can see in the first picture, this is the latch fully opened up. You want to place the folded over scotch pad AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE ON TOP OF the three grooved latch piece circled in red. Now it should look like my second picture. Now it should stay in place due to the tension and stickiness, but to play it safe I used a shoe string to further secure it so it never falls out of place.
That's it! You did it! Now you can substitute whatever you want. Make it as fancy or as complicated as you want. I'm open to other solutions as well. Once installed back, NOW all you have to do is firmly push it down, it won't just latch by placing it closed, you have to push it down with a bit of force where the latch is and that's it. No more SLAMMING it down.
Now go slam down a cold one
