Cup Holder Repair?

dsgrillot · 07-11-2012, 04:20 PM

Does anyone know how to fix the cup holder? It stop doing the clicking noise that closes the lever down tight against the cup. The lever just stays out to the side and springs back when you try to close it down on a cup. Hope this makes sense.

Finnegan · 07-11-2012, 05:10 PM

Not really. You could pull the assembly and see what the problem is. I can't offer a lot of hope since it's a bunch of plastic pieces and so forth, one of which is probably broken. IIRC the piece you're describing has some tiny ratcheting assembly, and I'd guess it's stripped. Might just be a missing spring though. Pull it and look.

Z4-VILLA · 07-12-2012, 12:33 AM

ebay might have an oem replacement

nate96 · 07-12-2012, 11:07 AM

Mine kept breaking. I went through 4 cup holders in the first couple of years each one only lasting a few months. It is a little plastic piece that ratches back that breaks. I took the cup holder apart. Placed a beer can in for size and glued the piece back just to stop the arm from coming out. Took about an hour to do. It lasted about a year before breaking. I bought a replacement from the dealership. Since then I just latch the arm loose and it has lasted me a few years now.

OEM for $33.77
http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Ho...rds=bmw+z4+cup

dsgrillot · 07-12-2012, 05:00 PM

thanks for the help...I'll try it. Now for a really dumb question...how do you remove the assembly?

patrickpkt · 07-16-2012, 03:20 PM

I just replace the cup holder -- it's pretty straightforward. There are two screws holding in the air vent / cup holder combination -- one in the top corner of the vent, covered up by a screw cap, and one within the cup holder area -- pop it out and it'll be right there. Then just pull the vent out -- there aren't any clips or anything holding it in place. Once out, there's a hex screw that joins the cup holder to the overall vent. Take it out, then slide it out (through the front, IIRC). The front trim piece slides off in one direction, then it's just a matter of reversing everything to put it all back together.

I tried fixing the ratcheting piece as well, using some superglue, but that didn't hold for more than a couple days.

3002 tii · 07-16-2012, 03:27 PM

I did the cup holder delete and later picked up the ultimate cup holder, found that to be way better than the oem one.

marinb · 07-16-2012, 03:30 PM

Here's a good write-up by Ron on bimmerfest on how to remove it:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=161444

b0bab0i · 08-07-2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nate96

Mine kept breaking. I went through 4 cup holders in the first couple of years each one only lasting a few months. It is a little plastic piece that ratches back that breaks. I took the cup holder apart. Placed a beer can in for size and glued the piece back just to stop the arm from coming out. Took about an hour to do. It lasted about a year before breaking. I bought a replacement from the dealership. Since then I just latch the arm loose and it has lasted me a few years now.

OEM for $33.77
http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Ho...rds=bmw+z4+cup

What does it mean when it says No faceplate? Anyone know?

Jumbosock · 08-07-2012, 08:04 PM

"No faceplate" means you have to remove the front piece with a picture of a cup from your broken cup holder and place it into your new one. It just clips on so it's no biggy.

If you scroll down on your link and see what parts are often bought together you can see the faceplate is a separate item:
http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Ho...xgy_auto_img_c

07-11-2012, 04:20 PM	#1
dsgrillot Private 16 Rep 83 Posts Drives: 2008 Z4M Roadster Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Beckley, WV iTrader: (0)	Cup Holder Repair? Does anyone know how to fix the cup holder? It stop doing the clicking noise that closes the lever down tight against the cup. The lever just stays out to the side and springs back when you try to close it down on a cup. Hope this makes sense. __________________ M School
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

07-11-2012, 05:10 PM	#2
Finnegan Dog Listener 703 Rep 7,850 Posts Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Teaching the dog to slalom iTrader: (22)	Not really. You could pull the assembly and see what the problem is. I can't offer a lot of hope since it's a bunch of plastic pieces and so forth, one of which is probably broken. IIRC the piece you're describing has some tiny ratcheting assembly, and I'd guess it's stripped. Might just be a missing spring though. Pull it and look.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-12-2012, 12:33 AM	#3
Z4-VILLA Banned 111 Rep 2,460 Posts Drives: Z4M Hardtop Roadster Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Classified iTrader: (0)	ebay might have an oem replacement
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-12-2012, 11:07 AM	#4
nate96 Second Lieutenant 45 Rep 205 Posts Drives: TI Silver 06 Z4 Coupe Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada iTrader: (0)	Mine kept breaking. I went through 4 cup holders in the first couple of years each one only lasting a few months. It is a little plastic piece that ratches back that breaks. I took the cup holder apart. Placed a beer can in for size and glued the piece back just to stop the arm from coming out. Took about an hour to do. It lasted about a year before breaking. I bought a replacement from the dealership. Since then I just latch the arm loose and it has lasted me a few years now. OEM for $33.77 http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Ho...rds=bmw+z4+cup __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-12-2012, 05:00 PM	#5
dsgrillot Private 16 Rep 83 Posts Drives: 2008 Z4M Roadster Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Beckley, WV iTrader: (0)	thanks for the help...I'll try it. Now for a really dumb question...how do you remove the assembly? __________________ M School
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-16-2012, 03:20 PM	#6
patrickpkt Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2007 M Roadster Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	I just replace the cup holder -- it's pretty straightforward. There are two screws holding in the air vent / cup holder combination -- one in the top corner of the vent, covered up by a screw cap, and one within the cup holder area -- pop it out and it'll be right there. Then just pull the vent out -- there aren't any clips or anything holding it in place. Once out, there's a hex screw that joins the cup holder to the overall vent. Take it out, then slide it out (through the front, IIRC). The front trim piece slides off in one direction, then it's just a matter of reversing everything to put it all back together. I tried fixing the ratcheting piece as well, using some superglue, but that didn't hold for more than a couple days.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-16-2012, 03:27 PM	#7
3002 tii Lieutenant General 2285 Rep 12,565 Posts Drives: Z4 M, X5, GX460 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (99) Garage List F15 X5 xDrive35i [8.75] E86 Z4 M [10.00] F10 550i (Retired) [9.17] F25 X3 xDrive35i (R ... [9.43] E82 135is (Retired) [9.50] E85 Z4 M (Retired) [9.41] E90 328i xDrive (Re ... [9.25] E86 Z4 3.0si (Retired) [9.24]	I did the cup holder delete and later picked up the ultimate cup holder, found that to be way better than the oem one. __________________ Follow for latest mods
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-16-2012, 03:30 PM	#8
marinb First Lieutenant 19 Rep 331 Posts Drives: 2017 911 GTS Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NorCal iTrader: (4)	Here's a good write-up by Ron on bimmerfest on how to remove it: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=161444
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-07-2012, 08:04 PM	#10
Jumbosock Captain 76 Rep 987 Posts Drives: 2007 M coupe Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	"No faceplate" means you have to remove the front piece with a picture of a cup from your broken cup holder and place it into your new one. It just clips on so it's no biggy. If you scroll down on your link and see what parts are often bought together you can see the faceplate is a separate item: http://www.amazon.com/BMW-Genuine-Ho...xgy_auto_img_c
	Appreciate 0 Quote