[paxpres]

Brand new to the forums, and to Mercedes in general, so please don't flame me too hard if this is a redundant topic/question. I will be recieving a 2002 230 Kompressor next week, and I am told that the latch to the glove box door is broken. My question is what is the best way to get the door open? Ive never seen the other side of the door/latch, so I am not familiar with how it works. Is there a tool, "screwdriver maybe" that will help me accomplish this task while committing as little damage as possible, and where on the door is the right place to try to manually open the box? Any help is appriciated.

 

[rudeney]

So the glove compartment door is stuck closed? Hmm, that's going to be tough. You may just have to pry it open at the center of the top edge where the latch is, and let it break what it breaks, then replace parts. But before you do that, maybe someone else will chime in and have a creative way to open it without any damage.

 

[Whosdis]

Are you sure it's not simply locked? Hate to see it damaged for nothing.

 

[paxpres]

Are you sure it's not simply locked? Hate to see it damaged for nothing.

From the picture I've seen, the latch is broken "limp". Part of the problem is that I've never seen the inside of the glove box, so I would have to guess at where the internal latching mechanism is located. Is it at the top in the center? I could probably try to snake a clothes hanger in there or something if I were sure about where it is located.

 

[rudeney]

The latch is in the center. You can see the strike in this photo, right above the MBZ star on the owner's manual sitting on the shelf:

 

[paxpres]

Nice, I appriciate it! If its not too much trouble, a picture of the latch on the inside of the door would also be helpful.

 

[rudeney]

Sorry, I haven't had time to go snap a photo, and I looked online and I can't find a good one, but the door side of the latch is just a typical "spring bolt", like the doors in your house. It pretty much works the same way. As you close the door, the thrown on the door spring back to pass by the latch, then it springs back and hold closed behind the latch. When you pull the handle, it retracts the bolt - just like when you turn the knob on a door in your house. It might be possible to get something in then and push the latch back, but ti would be really tough as it would be working blind.

 

[paxpres]

Cool, I appriciate all the info. Which way do you turn the key to unclock the box? I'm told this still works, but want to make sure it's unlocked before I start trying to release the latch.

 

[Rik385]

Glove box lock

I have the same problem with my C220 - I was in a hurry and managed to pull off the latch that opens the glove box - however you can still open the glove box by pulling forward a small plastic lever that you will find behind where the latch sat - don't try and pry the glove box open until you've tried this.

 

[rudeney]

On the lock, vertical is unlocked, horizontal is locked.