The knob turns on the glove box of my 945, but won't release the catch. The faq describes this exact problem and gives a solution for opening the glove box to get to the latch. Unfortunately, I can't pry the door open using the procedure described.

The procedure calls for prying down on the top of the glove box door enough to cause the catch to clear the latch. I don't know how far that has to be. Can someone with a 9xx glove box look at the latch and give me some pointers to help me get my glove box door open?

Thanks all...

Dear rwreagan,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. First, the likely reason the lock no longer works. At the back of the lock cylinder housing (the part into which the key is inserted), there is a metal lug (probably zinc). This metal lug goes into a recess, in the black plastic spring-loaded lug. The metal lug likely has broken away from the lock cyliner housing. As a result, when the key turns the lock cylinder, the cylinder cannot move the black plastic lug, lowering it, and so allowing the glove box door to open.

The black plastic lug engages a catch, which is mounted on the roof of the glove box compartment, right above the lock. This catch "floats", it is mounted so that it can move up and down. The key to opening a glove box door, when the lock has failed is to be able to push up on the catch mounting, while levering downwards on the top of the glove box door. When this motion has lowered the door 3/16" and raised the ccatch by 3/16", the door will "pop" open. The lip on the black plastic lug is about 1/4", so if the door is lowered by 3/16" and the catch is raised by a like amount, the lug will be clear of the latch.

To open the glove box door, you will need a stiff-blade putty knife, 1" wide. Put the blade into the opening between the top of the glove box door, and the edge of the opening. Insert the blade 1/4" and then turn the blade to your right, so that only one corner of the blade is between the top of the glove box door and the top of the opening.

Slowly raise the putty knife's handle, so that the tip of the blade is at, say 30-45 degrees to the top edge of the glove box door. Push forward on the putty knife. You're trying to get the edge of the blade under the lip of the glove box opening. Once you've done that, you'll be able to press the putty knife forward as much as you'd like. There's no need to go in so far.

With the tip of the blade just inside the glove box, slide the knife sideways, until it is as close as you can get, to the lock itself. The catch (in the roof of the glove box) is just above the lock. Push in the putty knife another 1/2".

Then press the handle of the putty knife towards the floor of the car. This has the effect of: (a) pushing down on the top edge of the glove box door and (b) levering up on the catch.

If - a big "if" - the putty knife is properly placed, the door will "pop" open.

Now for fixing the lock. You'll need a lock from a salvage yard car, a Dremel, some very fine drill bits, and the scriber from a carpenter's square.

To remove the lock from the car, gently pry up the black plastic panel that surrounds the lock, on the inside of the glove box door. You can do this with your fingers.

You will see a black steel locking ring. Press down (towards the glove box door) with your fingers, and turn the locking ring, to your right. When it disengages, the lock will drop out of the door.

If you have a spare lock, and don't mind having a glove box key that doesn't match your ignition/door key, you can install a lock taken from a salvage yard car.

I have re-keyed my glove box lock. That is, I moved the lock cylinder from the factory-original cylinder housing - the locking snapped-off, before I bought the car - and put it into a sound housing, from a salvage yard car.

Doing this requires a Dremel, a fine drill bit (0.03"-0.04"), a steady hand, and some patience. I believe I wrote this procedure a couple of years ago and posted it.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook

Thanks, Spook, for the detailed description. With the aid of this procedure, I was able to pop open the glove box door. I've removed the lock cylinder per your instructions.

I'm not sure where I can find a replacement lock cylinder. I don't mind having a different key - in fact, I don't even care if it locks or not. I just need to be able to open and close the glove box door. My experiences with salvage yards is that they want to sell entire components (e.g., doors) instead of parts from the components.

I'm wondering where I can find just a lock, or if it's possible to perform surgery on this lock cylinder to get it working again. It looks like a sealed unit, so I'm not even sure I could open it and get it closed again if I were able to repair it. Any suggestions? BTW, my 960 is now a parts car, but the glove door lock doesn't have the same design. So I guess the 960 lock won't help me.

Thanks,

Robert

Dear Robert,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. It is possible to "perform surgery" on the lock itself. If you have a Dremel Moto tool, a very small drill bit (0.03-0.04" in diameter), and steady hands, you can remove the brass pin - which holds the lock together. You'll still need a salvage yard lock, though.

If this approach is feasible, I can tell you how to take apart your lock, and to replace the cylinder housing.

The cylinder housing is made of zinc (or aluminum). The lock has failed, because a metal stud at th back end of the cylinder housing, has broken. That stud fits into a recess, in the spring-loaded black plastic locking lug. When the cylinder is turned, the stud pulls down the lug, allowing the lock to open. When the stud breaks, there is no way to pull down the lug, so the glove box door cannot be opened using the key.

If you can get a used lock from a salvage yard - the lock must be from a 940 - you can take that cylinder housing, and put into it, the lock cylinder from your car. That will give allow you to continue to use your key, to open the glove box.

Let me know your wishes. I just did this on my own 940.

Yours faithfully,

Spook