Rear cup holder replacement guide - X5 E53
 

I needed to replace mine as it was broken. I tried everywhere to find a tutorial to guide me through this procedure with absolutely no luck. I took the console removal instructions and started into it. I also decided to take some pics and if I was successful I would put together a guide of how I did it with the intention of hopefully helping someone else out who is requiring some assistance should they need to do the same. I have attached the final pdf product and hope the steps are clear enough to follow along. I tried not too get to crazy in detail such as "move seat forward/backwards" as I figured everyone will have the knowledge to figure this out on their own.

The total time it took to do the job was just over an hour. I bought the part new off ebay for $60 shipped so it was a fairly cheap fix considering the stealership quoted me over $400 to replace it!

Anyway, hope this helps someone, enjoy it if so.

Cheers!
Bill

Looks like my pdf did not load as it may to too big to be uploaded (2.5mb). If anyone wants a copy or knows how to get it posted let me know and l can send it out.

Cheers!
Bill

I'd be interested in the PDF. My rear cup holder broke as well

no problem at all just pm'd you.

me too please

no problem, just pm me your email if you dont want everyone to see it and I will send it to you.

Can you email it to [email protected]?

sent

mines [email protected]

sent

Here's the PDF for anyone who needs it...

Thanks drex!

I have a 2000 E53, which I purchased used. The rear cup holder has, for the most part, stayed in the console, and we have not used it much... However, lately, it has increasingly been inching out to the fully extended position. My question is: how is the cup holder supposed to be activated? Never having owned a new one, is it a 'push to open' style, or is it supposed to just be manually drawn in and out?? Is there some built-in retard device to just 'grab it'?? I don't know if it's broken if I'm not sure it's ever been normal...
I saved the DIY, just in case... I just don't want to take everything apart if that's supposed to be normal...
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Here's the instructions from the owners manual on how to operate the rear cup holder: :)

Qsilver7,
Thank you for the quick response. I feel very embarrassed I did not check the manual first... it's sitting in the glove box, and I have used it on several occasions.

Maybe my head is just in one of those moods where you stare at a bolt, and you can't remember for the life of you how it screws back in... but I'm still confused on the functioning of _my_ cup holder... Is it dirty or defective? Is it supposed to slowly emerge from it's hiding place uninvited?

there is a small part that directs the in and out motion of the cup. It has likely broke or is gummed up, preventing it from properly working. Either way you will have to likely remove the holder to get a proper understanding of the problem.

Well, that makes sense now. I was messing with it yesterday and it wouldn't stay in the holder at all, so I have to begrudgingly say that you are right, and I will just have to suck it up and pull everything out... Thank you for the confirmation... sometimes I am just too proud to admit defeat...

honestly its not that hard to remove, just need some patience. Hopefully the guide will assist you that much easier. If you need any help just ask.