My 2004 tsx's center tray compartment has been bugging me lately.

The two sections located underneath the armrest (the upper one with the coin holders and a lower one with the power outlet) don't don't open correctly. When I try to pull on the latch to just open the top one, it's fine, but as I open the armrest wider the tray kind of just detaches from whatever is holding it and starts moving up too.

I don't know what I can do to fix this... Does anyone know what kind of locking mechanism holds the tray in place when you want to open only the upper compartment?

 

i had this too, its just the little plastic tab that holds it..so i guess after awhile it starts wearing away..luckily i was working at a dealer and swapped mine with one from a loaner lol

 

Its normal mine does the same.

 

I have an 04 and mine still works perfectly

 

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...HITE_BLACK%29#

This is the whole box.
I think this is what needs to be replaced.
The diagram is confusing, but I think this is it.

 

I dunno, but one day i broke off one of those black tabs, the one closest to the driver and now cant open one of the compartments.

oh well

 

Just spray some silicone lube on the hinges. That worked for me!

 

same problem... i lubed them up and it worked great.

If you really want it to feel tight, just stuff a penny over the left side tab (the one closer to the driver's side). It isn't really visible, although it does stick out a bit, but no one ever notices. This keeps that latch really tight and allows you to open to the main compartment without losing functionality of the tray tab.

I have been trying to think of other things that are the same thickness of a penny that are black and that don't stick out as much. For now, the penny is working great until i think of something else.

-camelboy

 

^^Ditto on the two posts above. I had this early on and after the lube on the hinge, its been fine since +3 yrs now.

 

That sounds like the hinge, not a tab ... if you're trying to lift JUST the armrest to expose the tray, and the tray starts traveling, maybe it's tab is busted, but more likely (to me) the hinge is catching, and it needs lube. White lithium lube grease is what is usually used on seat tracks and hinges, not sure what HondAcura prescribes.

 

Hm, I think I will try lubricating the hinges.

But, where is the best place to buy some "lithium lube grease" or "silicon lube." I guess WD40 or KY Jelly isn't really gonna cut it... :-/

 

+1

 

+ 1

 

The hinge is a stamped metal dealy that you cannot get into to grease. Some form of liquid lubrication will be required. I used a WD-40 like lube and it worked for about 3 months. The problem is that stuff evaporates eventually. The second time around I used motorcycle chain lube. It's really liquidy when it first comes out but it congeals after about 10 minutes. I find it works fantastically in these sort of situations where you want a heavier lubrication, such as a grease but have no way of getting the grease where you want it.

A spray silicone lube should hold up for a while too. Especially since it's not exposed to water or anything. You can get it at the auto parts store.

 

Where to find white grease for automotive applications ... auto parts & supply store? I seem to recall seeing some that was in a pressurized spray can form to penetrate tight spaces. Just use some newspaper and tape to mask off surrounding areas and let 'er rip.