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I decided it’s time to share some information about the single cup holder that GM in its infinite wisdom provided to us in our cars.
The cup holder mechanism is identical in model years 06 through 08. For MY 2009 a single retention screw was added. This was to address the issue of people pushing their cup holder assembly into the forward console and it becoming unserviceable.
The exterior trim on the cup holder assembly is removable and is available in colors that match the forward console, gray, black and sand I believe.
The cup holder, while it functions quite well when properly operated, does have some issues:
1) You must open and close the cup holder from the front edge of the trim only. It has a ratchet type latch. When you push it once, it releases. When you push it a second time it locks closed. The first failure mode is people attempt to open the cup holder by pushing on the trim in any place other than the front edge. When you do this, the ratchet latch will not cycle open. Thinking this is an problem, people will push harder in the wrong location until they either give up, or they push the cup holder cartridge inside the forward console where the trim piece will stick against the forward console and fail to open.
2) The design calls for pushing on the forward edge of the trim to close the cup holder. When you push inward on the forward edge of the trim the rear slotted portion of the mechanism is supposed to slide forward over the curved retracting portion of the holder. This curved retracting part slides into the rear pivoting slot AND it also slides along a grove inside the cartridge, first traveling inward about ½ inch, then traveling diagonally inward and forward at about a 45 degree angle further into and forward inside the cup holder cartridge. So the rear portion pivots forward, partially taking into it the curved retracting part, while the curved retracting part is traveling inside the pivoting portion AND while the left end is traveling inward and then forward into the cartridge. The design problem is that the curved portion “over travels” out of the pivoting slot enough that when you press on the forward edge of the trim to close the device, the curved part hands up in the slot and does not slide into the slot as it needs to do in order to close. When this happens, the force is transferred along the curved retracting part to the pins inside the slots in the cartridge. And the pins pop out of the guide slots, leaving the forward curved part no longer adequately constrained mechanically and it either falls out on the floor or it just sticks the mechanism in the partially open position.
3) Most cup holders fail to pop open properly when the ratchet closure mechanism is activated. They may pop open a very small amount and require that the user try to grab them and pull to overcome the frictional forces. This can happen with poor lubrication, bad fit or as a result of the cup holder cartridge being pushed far enough into the forward console such that the trim is being trapped by the edges of the opening slot in the forward console. Thus the addition of the screw retainer in the 09 cars.
If you have an 06 through 08 car, and you have a less than well performing cup holder here are suggestions for making it work correctly.
a) First, remove the cup holder cartridge from the forward console. It’s a friction / tab fit. You can get it out by simply pulling on it outward. You can use a non-scuff panel tool (plastic pry bar) or something as simple as a plastic putty knife from Home Depot.
b) Next turn the cartridge over and deploy the cup holder. Using a file of your choice, remove material from the bottom of the curved sliding part. The part is plastic encased metal. You want to remove a bit of the plastic to increase the clearance for the mechanism. While you are there, lubricate it with some graphite lubricant.
c) Cycle the cup holder several times to distribute the lubricant and verify that it pops open when activated.
d) Reinsert the cartridge into the slot and make sure it is properly seated.
If you have an 09 car, you need to access the mounting screw that is below the front right edge of the shift boot opening. You can access the screw without removing the forward console if you get the shift boot lifted away from the forward console.
My cup holder has “disassembled” its self at least 5 times over the years. Every time I spend the 10 seconds necessary to reinsert it and it’s good to go for a long time. Since doing the material removal and lubrication it has been very reliable.
The cup holder mechanism is identical in model years 06 through 08. For MY 2009 a single retention screw was added. This was to address the issue of people pushing their cup holder assembly into the forward console and it becoming unserviceable.
The exterior trim on the cup holder assembly is removable and is available in colors that match the forward console, gray, black and sand I believe.
The cup holder, while it functions quite well when properly operated, does have some issues:
1) You must open and close the cup holder from the front edge of the trim only. It has a ratchet type latch. When you push it once, it releases. When you push it a second time it locks closed. The first failure mode is people attempt to open the cup holder by pushing on the trim in any place other than the front edge. When you do this, the ratchet latch will not cycle open. Thinking this is an problem, people will push harder in the wrong location until they either give up, or they push the cup holder cartridge inside the forward console where the trim piece will stick against the forward console and fail to open.
2) The design calls for pushing on the forward edge of the trim to close the cup holder. When you push inward on the forward edge of the trim the rear slotted portion of the mechanism is supposed to slide forward over the curved retracting portion of the holder. This curved retracting part slides into the rear pivoting slot AND it also slides along a grove inside the cartridge, first traveling inward about ½ inch, then traveling diagonally inward and forward at about a 45 degree angle further into and forward inside the cup holder cartridge. So the rear portion pivots forward, partially taking into it the curved retracting part, while the curved retracting part is traveling inside the pivoting portion AND while the left end is traveling inward and then forward into the cartridge. The design problem is that the curved portion “over travels” out of the pivoting slot enough that when you press on the forward edge of the trim to close the device, the curved part hands up in the slot and does not slide into the slot as it needs to do in order to close. When this happens, the force is transferred along the curved retracting part to the pins inside the slots in the cartridge. And the pins pop out of the guide slots, leaving the forward curved part no longer adequately constrained mechanically and it either falls out on the floor or it just sticks the mechanism in the partially open position.
3) Most cup holders fail to pop open properly when the ratchet closure mechanism is activated. They may pop open a very small amount and require that the user try to grab them and pull to overcome the frictional forces. This can happen with poor lubrication, bad fit or as a result of the cup holder cartridge being pushed far enough into the forward console such that the trim is being trapped by the edges of the opening slot in the forward console. Thus the addition of the screw retainer in the 09 cars.
If you have an 06 through 08 car, and you have a less than well performing cup holder here are suggestions for making it work correctly.
a) First, remove the cup holder cartridge from the forward console. It’s a friction / tab fit. You can get it out by simply pulling on it outward. You can use a non-scuff panel tool (plastic pry bar) or something as simple as a plastic putty knife from Home Depot.
b) Next turn the cartridge over and deploy the cup holder. Using a file of your choice, remove material from the bottom of the curved sliding part. The part is plastic encased metal. You want to remove a bit of the plastic to increase the clearance for the mechanism. While you are there, lubricate it with some graphite lubricant.
c) Cycle the cup holder several times to distribute the lubricant and verify that it pops open when activated.
d) Reinsert the cartridge into the slot and make sure it is properly seated.
If you have an 09 car, you need to access the mounting screw that is below the front right edge of the shift boot opening. You can access the screw without removing the forward console if you get the shift boot lifted away from the forward console.
My cup holder has “disassembled” its self at least 5 times over the years. Every time I spend the 10 seconds necessary to reinsert it and it’s good to go for a long time. Since doing the material removal and lubrication it has been very reliable.
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