Arrived

FuzzyGeff is arrived!

Let the ever expanding spiral of destruction begin!

Some gun related adventure occurred at the airport.

Because you can't CCW into the terminal, I had to disarm before going in.  When I went to open my (lockable) glovebox, there was a crunching noise and a small shower of tan plastic parts.  But it opened!  I put my gun inside and closed it up and tried to open it again...

The latch just flopped limply.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Now I'm pissed off and having to do one of my least favorite things, deal with throngs of people wandering around aimlessly chewing gum like cattle chews cud.  I loathe the airport.

The.

4.

G.

Signal.

At.

Saint.

Petersburg.

International.

Airport.

Is.

Slow.

So I am having a frustrating time of seeing if the problem with the latch is common (it is), how do you get the thing open with a broken latch (see below) and if there's any way to repair it (more than one option).  Corvette John managed to sooth me via vox while HE used a real computer to look up solutions.  Thanks! John!

The problem seems to be particularly common with cashmere interior (tan) cars.  The latch is genuine plastic (don't settle for imitation), a square stud on the side bears against a metal bar and the bar does the actual unlatching.

This is an intact latch (pic stolen from an Amazon ad selling them) GM p/n 15924033.  On the right side you can see a bit that looks like an 'E', that's the part that broke off.  The silver bar is what actually works the latch.

To get the box open again once that 'E' breaks off is simple, reach up in the latch recess with a pair of needle nose and pull down on the bar.

Once you have the box open there are two screws on the inside and you can remove the entire assembly.

Corvette John noticed, and I did too once I'd gotten home, that 'Vette people don't actually repair things, if they work on their own car at all.  They're remove and replace parts all the live long day.  I hate that solution because it's the second most expensive route and it sets you up for the exact same failure that just happened.  The vast majority of threads about this problem end with "took it to the dealer."

However, one fellow C6 owner is my hero!

TomZarbo's video on Photobucket

I skipped the hot glue because I don't think it's really needed.

Of course, I found this solution after I'd ordered a replacement latch assembly...