Centre console storage door help

[CheekySportivo]

Hi guys

After giving my car an interior clean I’ve accidentally swiped off part of the storage door that sits above the ash tray in the centre console. 

The good news is everything is still in tact, but the spring loaded clip has come out and I’m not having much luck being able to reattach it into the tray door. 

Would anyone know how this spring clips back into place and connect back to the storage tray door?

Photo attached for reference. 

Thanks 

 

[Squalled]

15 hours ago, CheekySportivo said:

Hi guys

After giving my car an interior clean I’ve accidentally swiped off part of the storage door that sits above the ash tray in the centre console. 

The good news is everything is still in tact, but the spring loaded clip has come out and I’m not having much luck being able to reattach it into the tray door. 

Would anyone know how this spring clips back into place and connect back to the storage tray door?

Photo attached for reference. 

Thanks 

 

Do you have the small metal spring still that hooks in at all?

You have to make sure that is hooked on the flap and onto the side of the center console unit while it sits on both of the plastic hinges at the bottom. If one hinge is broken (generally the left side breaks quite easily) than the spring will make it sit incorrectly and make the flap pop out from its place.

You can get a new spring from Toyota, I have the part number 5544512110 which usually goes for around $2.50.

[CheekySportivo]

1 hour ago, Squalled said:

Do you have the small metal spring still that hooks in at all?

You have to make sure that is hooked on the flap and onto the side of the center console unit while it sits on both of the plastic hinges at the bottom. If one hinge is broken (generally the left side breaks quite easily) than the spring will make it sit incorrectly and make the flap pop out from its place.

You can get a new spring from Toyota, I have the part number 5544512110 which usually goes for around $2.50.

Hi mate

Yes I still have the small metal spring!

The spring has got a hook on each end and I'm not sure how it fits into the side of the tray. There's no insert on the side of the centre console.

I can easily pull the left side of the tray door out of the centre console and can see there are two holes, one is for the plastic hinge which is still in-tact (only just though). I can't see how I can attach the spring in.

I just don't know how to load the spring into the side of the door flap so the door can open and close smoothly again.

Any ideas?

[Squalled]

3 hours ago, CheekySportivo said:

Hi mate

Yes I still have the small metal spring!

The spring has got a hook on each end and I'm not sure how it fits into the side of the tray. There's no insert on the side of the centre console.

I can easily pull the left side of the tray door out of the centre console and can see there are two holes, one is for the plastic hinge which is still in-tact (only just though). I can't see how I can attach the spring in.

I just don't know how to load the spring into the side of the door flap so the door can open and close smoothly again.

Any ideas?

On the left hand side of the center console, there is a small circle behind the hinge where the spring mounts onto.

The spring can than be placed on the flap like the picture attached, you can see how it mounts roughly.

[CheekySportivo]

On 1/21/2019 at 5:01 PM, Squalled said:

On the left hand side of the center console, there is a small circle behind the hinge where the spring mounts onto.

The spring can than be placed on the flap like the picture attached, you can see how it mounts roughly.

Thanks heaps mate. 

I’m still unsure where the spring hooks into inside the centre console.

I can’t see any holes for it to clip in. 

I can definitely see the hole on the door lid, one hole is being used by the plastic hinge and the other is for the spring. 

But im lost as to where the other end of the spring clips in to. 

[Squalled]

On 2/3/2019 at 11:25 AM, CheekySportivo said:

Thanks heaps mate. 

I’m still unsure where the spring hooks into inside the centre console.

I can’t see any holes for it to clip in. 

I can definitely see the hole on the door lid, one hole is being used by the plastic hinge and the other is for the spring. 

But im lost as to where the other end of the spring clips in to. 

No worries mate.

I'll try and get some photo's for you of the hole on the center console unit itself where the spring goes into.

[CheekySportivo]

8 minutes ago, Squalled said:

No worries mate.

I'll try and get some photo's for you of the hole on the center console unit itself where the spring goes into.

Mate that would be amazing if you could!

I took a closer look earlier this morning as i managed to pull the left side of the door tray out and could see there was a little hole inside the left hand side of the centre console.

I didn't know which end of the spring goes where, there are different style hooks on each end.

Plus I couldn't reach with my finders to fit the spring into the hole down inside the console.

Maybe once I see your pics or get the info on how to connect the spring to the door tray and inside the console then it will make loads more sense 🙂

If you're Sydney I'm even happy to drive to you so you can show me as it's totally got me stumped!

 

Edited February 5, 2019 by CheekySportivo

[Squalled]

16 minutes ago, CheekySportivo said:

Mate that would be amazing if you could!

I took a closer look earlier this morning as i managed to pull the left side of the door tray out and could see there was a little hole inside the left hand side of the centre console.

I didn't know which end of the spring goes where, there are different style hooks on each end.

Plus I couldn't reach with my finders to fit the spring into the hole down inside the console.

Maybe once I see your pics or get the info on how to connect the spring to the door tray and inside the console then it will make loads more sense 🙂

If you're Sydney I'm even happy to drive to you so you can show me as it's totally got me stumped!

 

Yeah that hole on the left side, is where it will go into.

The straight side of the spring goes into the center console unit, and the booked side on the flap. I don't run the spring as my hinge broken years ago but I'll get some pics for reference. 

EDIT: Pic for reference from YouTube.

Edited February 5, 2019 by Squalled

[CheekySportivo]

3 minutes ago, Squalled said:

Yeah that hole on the left side, is where it will go into.

The straight side of the spring goes into the center console unit, and the booked side on the flap. I don't run the spring as my hinge broken years ago but I'll get some pics for reference. 

The pics would be a massive help. 

If I can see how to load the spring then it should be pretty simple.

Did you need any specific tools or did you do it all by hand?

[Squalled]

10 minutes ago, CheekySportivo said:

The pics would be a massive help. 

If I can see how to load the spring then it should be pretty simple.

Did you need any specific tools or did you do it all by hand?

You can do it by hand, no tools needed for the spring.

The only time you'll need some tools is if you have to make a new hinge or some sort of mechanism that makes the spring loading work again.

[CheekySportivo]

7 minutes ago, Squalled said:

You can do it by hand, no tools needed for the spring.

The only time you'll need some tools is if you have to make a new hinge or some sort of mechanism that makes the spring loading work again.

Ah ok cool, thanks for that 🙂

I was struggling to reach down into the centre console to insert the straight edge spring hook on the side hole. Then again I could be doing it wrong 😞

Edited February 5, 2019 by CheekySportivo

[Squalled]

19 minutes ago, CheekySportivo said:

Ah ok cool, thanks for that 🙂

I was struggling to reach down into the centre console to insert the straight edge spring hook on the side hole. Then again I could be doing it wrong 😞

You can pull out the unit man, it's easy.

1. Remove the center aircon vent, tilt the vents and pull out.

2. Remove the bottom ash tray compartment from the center console.

3. Remove the gear knob which allows the surround and gear boot to be removed.

4. Now hold the top and bottom of the center unit and you can pull it out.

[CheekySportivo]

2 minutes ago, Squalled said:

You can pull out the unit man, it's easy.

1. Remove the center aircon vent, tilt the vents and pull out.

2. Remove the bottom ash tray compartment from the center console.

3. Remove the gear knob which allows the surround and gear boot to be removed.

4. Now hold the top and bottom of the center unit and you can pull it out.

Oh wow - I didn't know it could all pull apart without me breaking it even more!

I will try and give it a go, I may need you as back up though if you're keen to help out. Happy to provide payment for your trouble too.

[Squalled]

6 minutes ago, CheekySportivo said:

Oh wow - I didn't know it could all pull apart without me breaking it even more!

I will try and give it a go, I may need you as back up though if you're keen to help out. Happy to provide payment for your trouble too.

It's easy man trust me, the harder part is when you have to open up the center console board.

You won't break it at all when you pull out, just don't be rough with it or anything and it'll come out fine hahaha.

[CheekySportivo]

57 minutes ago, Squalled said:

It's easy man trust me, the harder part is when you have to open up the center console board.

You won't break it at all when you pull out, just don't be rough with it or anything and it'll come out fine hahaha.

Ok cool.

So shall I just follow your steps in that order to remove the trim pieces?

I'm guessing once the centre console is out I can just clip the spring in pretty easily?

[Squalled]

4 hours ago, CheekySportivo said:

Ok cool.

So shall I just follow your steps in that order to remove the trim pieces?

I'm guessing once the centre console is out I can just clip the spring in pretty easily?

Yeah just follow those steps.

If you need anymore help just shoot me a PM dude.

[CheekySportivo]

7 minutes ago, Squalled said:

Yeah just follow those steps.

If you need anymore help just shoot me a PM dude.

Legend! Thanks man.

If you are able to flick through those pics just as a reference that would be great also!

 

[CheekySportivo]

On 2/6/2019 at 10:52 AM, Squalled said:

1. Remove the center aircon vent, tilt the vents and pull out.

Hi mate, do you mean the centre air con vents on each side of the head unit?

 

 

[Squalled]

On 2/8/2019 at 4:21 PM, CheekySportivo said:

Hi mate, do you mean the centre air con vents on each side of the head unit?

 

 

Yeap that's it. If you put one hand on each vent and pull it'll come out pretty easy since it just clips in.

[CheekySportivo]

1 hour ago, Squalled said:

Yeap that's it. If you put one hand on each vent and pull it'll come out pretty easy since it just clips in.

Thanks dude.

I thought you meant to take out the actual air con vents.

 

 

[CheekySportivo]

UPDATE:

Managed to take out the centre concole (thanks Squalled for the handy tips) but the plastic hinge on the left hand side has snapped off as it was only hanging on by a thread.

Now the compartment door has nothing to hold it in place and the spring won't function without it being secured.

I don't think using glue to stick the plastic piece of the hinge is going to hold very well. I'm thinking maybe some wire to try and hold it in place.

Any ideas?

I could maybe find another compartment door either new from dealer if they have it or second hand?

 

 

[Squalled]

5 minutes ago, CheekySportivo said:

UPDATE:

Managed to take out the centre concole (thanks Squalled for the handy tips) but the plastic hinge on the left hand side has snapped off as it was only hanging on by a thread.

Now the compartment door has nothing to hold it in place and the spring won't function without it being secured.

I don't think using glue to stick the plastic piece of the hinge is going to hold very well. I'm thinking maybe some wire to try and hold it in place.

Any ideas?

I could maybe find another compartment door either new from dealer if they have it or second hand?

 

 

That's the side they usually break on, it's a massive design flaw they never fixed and I believe it's because of the spring placing extra pressure on that side.

Other than trying to re-glue the hinge, you try using a bit of copper or some sort of metal and try to heat it on and melt it onto the plastic to match the dimensions of the original plastic one. I've seen this done before but the main issue is if you heat it up too much, it can distort the shape of the storage compartment,

Another method I've seen that's not as neat is putting a screw through from the inside of the compartment to act as a hinge.

Other than that, if you want the functionality, you'd need to spend a few hundred dollars ($400+ from memory) brand new from Toyota which comes as a full unit (buttons, main board behind etc.)