Haunted Ashtray???

[soldmystang]

My truck seems to be the poster child for unusal shite. Today I'm driving it and the ashtray assembly popped up and will not lock back in place.

I say assemmbly because it is spring loaded with a couple of tabs and a geared wheel. Obviously some kind of access panel to the center console.

I have had something rolling around in the center console since the dealer did the recall check for the brake booster. I can't imagine this being connected to that service but this is a BMW vehicle.

Thoughts? Anyone else encounter this?

[Toneaero]

My ashtray didn't stay locked in place either. I took it out and cleaned the gear with some cleaner. It appears that sticky pop/soda was the culprit from keeping the gear/tabs etc from fully catching.

[Crash513]

Check for anything sticky that might have seeped from cup holders or spilled under it. I managed to get a dime glued under mine due to poor Slurpee cup performance, and abuse of ashtray as a coin holder.

[soldmystang]

Well, I have a diagnosis but no repair just yet. Waiting on the part to arrive. Broken plastic tab in the center console that holds the spring / latching mechanism together.

I have something that has been rolling around in the console since my last dealer service visit but I can't prove it to be the dealer's fault so my Indie is doing the repair / replacement. I'm guessing the two things are related.

The ashtray / cup holder / cigarette lighter area is a once piece unit. The console has to come out so that the new ashtray can be installed from the bottom.

This one has me throwing my hands up in the air. It is an ashtray. Why in the hell is it so grossly over-engineered? I remember the days when I could just pop out an ashtray, empty it and push it back in place. No springs, no sprockets no latching mechanisms. A metal tin for butting my smokes, that's it. F'n BMW..........