What Is The Deal With The Glove Box?

[AndrewR]

Hi,

 

Could someone kindly explain why the C4's glovebox is so poorly made / fitted? I've had my C4 for three months and have loved the build quality etc, but the glove began sticking; then it came off at the bottom (the bit where the plactic hinges attach to the front console). Now it has locked shut and the handle has snapped off as I tried to prise it open. AAAAGGHHHHH!

 

The car goes back to the dealer on Friday to be fixed.

 

Has anyone experienced this problem and what did you do about it?

[BigJohnD]

Could someone kindly explain why the C4's glovebox is so poorly made / fitted? I've had my C4 for three months and have loved the build quality etc, but the glove began sticking; then it came off at the bottom (the bit where the plastic hinges attach to the front console). Now it has locked shut and the handle has snapped off as I tried to prise it open. AAAAGGHHHHH!

 

The car goes back to the dealer on Friday to be fixed.

 

Has anyone experienced this problem and what did you do about it?

It's a fairly common complaint. It's possibly because on the UK/RHD version the glove box is very small because of the location of fuse box &c. and it's easy to over fill it and then try to force the door to shut, straining the hinges.

 

As your car is very new, you may be lucky with a warranty claim. If it's clearly had considerable usage, a claim will be unsuccessful and a new door is something outrageous like £87 pus VAT and fitting

 

I was lucky when it happened to me, when my son slammed it shut when it was full of phone charger cables, small books, CDs and other junk. I'd heard about the problem, and rather than force it open, I eased out the hinges and the door popped open. Now I hardly ever put anything in it, and if I do, I certainly check to make sure the door will close without fouling.

[AndrewR]

As your car is very new....

 

Not exactly. The car is two years old on a 55 plate. I bought it from a main dealer three months ago.

 

This is where I think the problem will lie; will they fix it as a warranty job or charge me £100? Surely if it's a known problem Citroen have some obligation to correct problems arising from a design fault?

[BigJohnD]

Not exactly. The car is two years old on a 55 plate. I bought it from a main dealer three months ago.

 

This is where I think the problem will lie; will they fix it as a warranty job or charge me £100? Surely if it's a known problem Citroen have some obligation to correct problems arising from a design fault?

If your car is a 55 plate, the two year warranty must be at or near its end.

[AndrewR]

If your car is a 55 plate, the two year warranty must be at or near its end.

 

Exactly!

 

Hence my nervousness at the problem. I don't fancy forking out £100 for something that is a known problem.

 

Will keep you posted as to the outcome.

[AndrewR]

Hmmm.

 

The problem requires complete replacement of both the glove box and the housing joints (hinges) on the centre console. My local dealer, however, does not carry the parts so I've got to wait another week for the work. In the meantime the lock mechanism has been removed and the glove box is taped up (to the dash.....) with four yards of gaffer tape.

 

The work will be completed next Friday whilst the car is in for its ESP Unit recall check (?) and shoud be covered by warranty.

[kfk]

Translation of the above post:

 

Thats a result, they hope to replace the glove box under warranty, together with the hinges.

 

A pity i've got to wait for them to get the parts in, but they told me i had a recall outstanding on the vehicle so they will do it all next week.

 

On a downside, they've had to hold the dash closed with some gaffa tape...but the option would have been to leave it flapping and have my passenger bashing there knees, or to remove the glovebox lid and leave a hole in the dash!

 

......well i think it reads better

[BigJohnD]

The work will be completed next Friday whilst the car is in for its ESP Unit recall check (?) and shoud be covered by warranty.

Excellent news!

 

My car is going in for the ABS Recall on Wednesday.

[iannez]

i have been doing them recalls for over a week solid now. doing 4 a day, every day. we have 600 to come back and only 3 technicians doing them. ive done around 28 so only 172 left to do.

if you buy a used car from a dealer you get a 12 month dealer warrenty with it so nothing to worry about.

[syrup]

i have been doing them recalls for over a week solid now. doing 4 a day, every day. we have 600 to come back and only 3 technicians doing them. ive done around 28 so only 172 left to do.

 

Any idea why did my dealer say they needed mine for a whole day as that's how long it takes to do, not the 2 hours as stated? :huh:

[iannez]

its easier for them to fit it in through the day if your car is on site. if every job was given a time slot for each technician and a job didnt turn up or was late coming in the technician would be idle untill it arived and when it did it would probably run into the next jobs slot and would end up causing all sorts of problems. or if the technican rang in sick they would have to cancel all the jobs that were booked in for him that day because the other techs would be booked solid for that day. it allows for problems.

[philstott1983]

The shelf in mine keeps dropping down, under the weight of 2 cd's! Don't know why but I just have to keep putting the shelf back. The door itself, not had any problems with