i have just got 95 525i and the glove box is stuck. i used to have a e28 that the glove box got stuck on and i was only able to get it open by damaging the outer cover. dose any one know how to open a stuck glove box without to much damage?
I have not had much luck getting one open without some damage. Prying a little at a time and trying to get to the lock and working it, will hopefully minimize the damage.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD53&mospid=47404&btnr=51_1056&hg=51&fg=30 In the diagram, part #3 looks different from the E30 and other 80's-era latches, but parts searches pictures look nearly identical. Getting it open with minimal to no damage means gaining access to the metal latch ears and pushing them in. IF this is correct (I can't say, as I haven't had to tackle this on mine), it sounds like you can get the glovebox to move forward a bit, and gain some access to push in the latch ears. Assuming the latch setup is similar to the E30, etc., one of the latches, I'll call it the actuating latch, is "J" shaped, and, when pushed on by the glovebox latch handle, pushes against the other latch ear, clearing them of the catch and allowing the glove box to drop down. Presumably the directions are written to suggest pushing in on the latch ear that will retract both from the catch. If you free one latch ear but the other stays caught in the catch, you may have to push/pull that one out of the catch as well. http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/quick_fix.htm (tip is 2nd from last shown). If you can gain access to the latch ears this way and get it open, then you can remove the 2 screws and separate the 2 latch sections and see what the problem is. If the pull handle section is broken, I suggest a new pull handle, as a used part may very likely suffer the same issue. If the metal finger/ears of the upper latch are cracked, I also suggest replacement with new vs. used or a kluge of some kind. The following applies more for E30/E28/E24 etc, but may be helpful. It may be possible to pull the pull handle far enough forward to get to the latch ears normally covered by it, but it's likely you'll be forcing it so far that the handle will dent into the glovebox itself causing a dent and aesthetic damage. Don't damage the lock cylinder, you'll want to transfer it to a new pull handle if necessary. I never tried dremel, drill, or anything like that on the pull handle, but I suppose such methods are possible since the pull handle is plastic, (except for the mounting screws, metal bracket the screws mount to, a spring, lock cylinder, and circlip), although cutting is somewhat dusty, and run a risk of damage to the glove box itself by a mistake or slip. http://www.bmwcca.org/forum/index.p...-how-to-un-stuck-a-glove-box.7570/#post-49606 The picture here is a bit out of focus, but shows the "J" part of the latch, and what the top latch looks like in place on the glovebox, with the pull handle removed. If you can get something on the "J" and pull down, if the latch ears aren't broken, they should retract and be free from the catch, and the glovebox will be free to drop down. The problem here is the bottom of the pull handle is molded to shield access to the catch latches (thus the potential difficulty with pulling the pull handle far enough forward/up for access). If the pull handle is broken or partially broken (not uncommon) it may be possible to pull it out enough to gain access without being too much of a hassle. That won't be the case though if the pull handle is ok but the latch-ear part of the mechanism is the issue. http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/5-series-bmw/17132-broken-glove-box-e34-2.html
