glove box stuck shut...

[92VR4Red]

ok... this is very anoying... here lately the buttons on my glove box has broken... if you have ever disasebled the glove box locking mechanisim it has a ring with 2 notches which the handels grab... but the ring broke free. soo i have been useing my key to open the glove box... BUT NOW THE KEY SLOT HAS BROKEN AND STUCK SIDEWAYS. anyone have any ideas?? because all my manuels and stuff are in there...

[YogsVR4]

I had the same problem several years ago. I had to go to a locksmith and have the lock drilled out. The guy jury rigged up a latching mechanism until I got a replacement latch.

[92VR4Red]

i was afrade of that... man oh well

[Linebckr49]

easy fix

with a hacksaw or something thin, cut the metal striker (its the u-shaped peice of metal around which the locking mechanism locks). its just a 1.50 part, buy a new one from mitsu.

then find a used glove box from a junkyard and replace the good locking mechanism with your crappy one. i did this, it worked out fine, except i was curious, so i took apart the locking mechanism, then reassembled it using superglue and some modification with a paper clip, then i was able to open the glove box by simply inserting my key and turning slightly. the squeeze mechanism never worked. that having been said, just messing around with it, you'll figure something out. but its nice to have spare parts from another locking mechanism lying around, just in case.

[uncutnick3kgt]

its an easy but stupid common problem i guess.. < i have a very good friend at a mitsu dealership he said what they do is just take a screwdriver bust the lock and then replace it... its all they can do for it..its cheap anyways

[Linebckr49]

when the lock stops working, all that happens is some plastic piece in the crappy mechanism either breaks off or gets deformed. its easily fixed by inserting a peice of a paper clip (cut of a small portion of the paper clip and superglue it in that spot on the lock mechanism).

so you could either bust the whole lock! in which case you would have to buy a whole new glove compartment (mitsu doesn't sell the lock separately). OR you could just cut the STRIKER, buy a new striker ($1.50) and fix the lock yourself. to each his own, but a little elbow grease and $1.50 sounds better than a whole new glovebox [of course, you could get lucky and find a used one in which the lock works for cheap].