I'd like to resurrect this post and firstly thank Dr X and the creator of the video posted by 4wd430, the information in both was invaluable. I recently removed my console/ashtray to fix the sliding cover on the small storage box, and replace the cig lighter with a twin USB outlet. I have a few comments that may help anyone else doing this job and inevitably finds this post.
1. Sliding cover - Incidentally I have never seen such a badly overengineered example of automotive detail design, unnecessary complex and made to fail! The cover was sticking as two of the cross bars had come unstuck and another three were unstuck at the edges causing it to jam. The fix was simple, glue them back into place (I used Loctite 60second General Purpose glue and it worked a treat!) apply some silicon lubricant to the groove, and lo and behold it works as it should and is very smooth.
2. I ran into a few problems with the ash tray. Try as I might, once it was out of the console, I could not remove the tray and lighter assembly from the ashtray housing as in Post
#12 above. In the end I pried the front of the lighter housing from it's swivel points in the tray, then stuck a small screwdriver in the outside edge of the tray and using a torch through the rear of the ashtray housing, managed to remove the final peg from it's sliding groove, and out popped the housing with lighter. Incidentally once it is out you can remove the ashtray by squeezing both sides, no need for leverage, it comes out easily. Once I removed the lighter from the housing, fitting the USB outlet to the housing was just a case of reaming out the hole slightly, cutting off the plug and attaching the + and - wires to the USB outlet (the illumination connection is not required). I tried to put back the tray with the lighter housing assembled to the tray but found it impossible. In the end I used much the same process as removal, fitting the ashtray first, then sliding the lighter housing in and with a torch in the back, feeding the peg back into it's slider slot. The lighter housing pivots were then pried back in to the tray, various covers and damper replaced, and I had a working ashtray once again! I do feel that an access hole cut out in the ashtray housing would have made this job a lot simpler. The power to the outlet switches on at the ignition switch position I.
I am delighted with the results for what was not a complex or time consuming job, I no longer have to fumble in the passenger footwell with adaptors and cables to use my SatNav or charge my phone, the Aux 12v socket is reserved for my dashcam alone, and my sliding storage box cover now has a classy smooth operation more befitting of a Mercedes! The USB outlet came from Amazon by the way for not a lot of money.
I only broke one small piece of plastic, the locking piece for the long plastic cover that sits in front of the tray (post
#10 RH Pic) but a dab of glue sorted that out. The ashtray slides in and out exactly as it did before. Note that the windows have to be reprogrammed for one touch operation after disconnecting the switches, simply winding down, then holding the switch to wind up and hold at the top for a couple of seconds. (I'm sure there's a much more technical explanation, but that's what I did and it worked!)
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