Cup holder tabs
 

Does anyone know if the tabs on the (front) cup holder can easily be replaced individually? Or do you have to replace the whole cup holder as a unit? These little thingy are so flimsy. Any DIY instructions? TIA

When I bought my 01' CPO, I noticed a few of tha tabs missing. The dealer told me that the whole unit needed to be replaced, which he did. I've been careful with removing certain types of containers as some shapes cause the tabs to be stressed.

I'm pretty sure you would need the entire cup holder piece. I think it's about $75 full list.

For instructions to install it, check the articles section for instructions on removing the center console.

You need to remove the whole center console just to replace the cup holder? That sounds like alot of work :( I wonder why they weren't design to snap in/out, especially when they designed the tabs so flimsy in the first place. In my Honda, the whole cup holder assembly can be popped in/out relatively easily (for cleaning spills, etc...). I guessed they don't spill things much on the autobaun :dunno:

I have some continual niggles with my '01 X...but, the cupholders, front and rear, have not broken, (yet!), and perform very well. Cupholder and window regs...those have not yet glitched, lol!
BR,md

Please advise me of the 2003 x5 cup holder part number and where this part can be purchased

It is part number 15 on the below diagram ... part number 51168408026

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/b/d/223.png

Purchased at any BMW dealer.

Well, i had this same issue on my e36 m3s and took out the cupholders to see what happened and its so obvious that they were poorly designed. Its very flimsy inside. Those tabs are really just connected to thin plastic "poles" which just snap. Prob not worth fixing for $75.

It's a confusing post so don't get confused. I think the original poster way back when was asking about the tabs, which have been redesigned to hold better and not fall out. The latest poster asked (I think) about the entire assembly.

I have one missing also at the front cup receptacle. Do I understand correctly that part # 18 can't be replaced just on it's own ??

Yep, you can just buy the tabs, but I don't think they'll sell you just one as they come in a bag of 8 or so. If you need just one maybe the parts guy if he's nice will give it to you for free. Though now they won't all match if that's important to you. See below. Old on left. New on right.

Thanks Meister,
So if their's been an upgrade in those tabs and if they aren't too expensive that would be the way to go. I mean the dissappointing quality of a lot of the plastic components in our X's (and probably other BMW's) tells me that it's highly likely that one of the other tabs will break sometime down the track, no??

Oh wow, did not know they sold the tabs! Must be a newer design that allows for replacement. Is there a PN?

# 18 CLAMPING PARTS SET 51169111091 $18.19 retail

See what I mean about cost (that's for the whole set and not just one). Two of mine broke and disappeared somewhere. Dealer replaced all of them for me at some point. The old ones can be pulled out easily, the new ones cannot.

Cool, thanks for the info :thumbup:

Always a pleasure:thumbup:

The replacement clips mentioned in the above post work great. The original design of the holder is one big circular ring with clips. After years of use the clips just break. The replacement clips stap in without removing the console and canbe replaced as needed.

So these are are interchangeable w/ the older style tabs w/o removing the console. They press in from the outside?

yes

I'm gonna try to ask the parts guy to toss me some. I only need 2. Seems like a waste to buy a bag of them to just let sit there. They should be complementary IMO.

I agree, it's a silly part to break.

Your better off to buy the set of 6 because they break in pairs, or at least mine have

I just came back from the dealer and I ask
them about these replacement clamps and
they didn't know about them. Tomorrow I'm
going to call and provide the information
given. I need a few myself.

Thanks for the info.

They couldn't locate them in their parts database? Gee wiz. Was the computer down or the mouse broken?

We were there about our 530i and no real effort was made
to look it up. I remembered this thread so I decided to
wait until I gathered the information and see if they would
cough up a few.

We should setup a group buy for these suckers and part them out to each other...lol. BTW, my stealership had 1 set instock for $19. I only need 2 tabs so if there are 8, then maybe we can split it up and I'll send them out to people who need/want them. Maybe like $10 for 4 tabs or $5 for 2 tabs. Whatever you guys want to do. I'll prob pickup a set this sat.

The new tab inserts are indeed much sturdier. The original tabs only lasted about a year before 3-4 tabs were broken off. The dealer ended up replacing the entire cup holder (before the tab kit was available). That one also only lasted about a year. After that, they just replaced it using the tab kit (all 6 tabs were replaced), which are still working like a charm after 3 years.

BTW...I believed the kit only come in a set of 6 since there are only 6 tabs in the cup holder.

Just realize that it looks kind of stupid having them mismatched. Personally I liked the look of the older ones, but you can't buy those anymore since the part number is the same as for the new ones.

Ok, nvm then. I'll just replace all 6 of mine. :) Just wanted to help others out who may have only needed 2.

You can always give your older ones to whomever needs them and likes them better.

BTW, do you just pop the other ones out (they fall into the abyss of the console)? Or do you take the whole cupholder out and remove the old tabs and put new ones in?

Just pop them out buy working them side to side and yank, keep a grip on them so they don't fall into the abyss. New ones just pop right in.

Last November, I took my X in to the dealer to have ONE tab replaced... they ended up replacing the WHOLE cupholder assembly. Told me the individual part was not available! So long as they footed the bill (factory waranty) I didn't care.

is there any picture guide presentation how to remove the center console rather than that article as am planing to place the AUX IN interface there if the cable long enough !

I just bought a set of 6 and my buddy replaced them all for me. Hopefully these will last longer.

Not sure if there is an article with the removal instructions, but I can tell you the aux cable is long enough as I had mine in there at first. I didn't even remove the console, just sneaked the cable through with the shifter bezel pulled up and the e-brake leather trim pulled up. I pulled the console bin up and out to drill the hole, then put the bin back in and put it together easily.

Dude I'm glad my tab came out. I put the DICE unit through the base of the hand brake and routed my ipod cable into the cup holders, which is perfect because I can put my iphone there, have full control, and hide it if I want to with that sliding door. Easiest mod ever, and probably the most functional.

As long as you don't need the front cupholders, then yeah, that is a trick location.

gr8! thanks i will check that soon;)

Thanks for that Mike. Looks like I will be replacing all mine too rather than just one.

BMW is stupid,they spend too much time for the angle eyes rings,they shoud have spend more time on how to make better cups holder...lol

Damn, glad I noticed this. I just lost one of the clips. Where it went, no one knows. So how hard is it to replace these bad boys.

FYI
14.50 shipped from Craig at Blomfield.

I think the old ones can just be pulled out carefully. You might have to squeeze it to unlock the holding tabs.

The new ones I assume are just inserted because you don't have to remove the console to replace as with the old ones.

Wow...talk about reviving a thread from the past :D

Anyway...those stick'em tabs are actually worlds better than the original that came with the car. They still haven't broken off yet since the dealer put them on a bit over 6 years ago :thumbup: