My center console door will not open, could it be locked and if so how to open it?
Help please. 2007 XJ8L

Ole

 

Is this the small arm rest console door?

 

Yes it is.

 

I would use a plastic prying tool and try to open it from the latch. If that fails; I would disassemble the hinge

 

If you have 4-zone aircon in your XJ8L, then this TSB may be applicable.
The bottom of the handle has the latch and it has a lip on its bottom rear edge that engages with a ridge on the bottom of the opening. To open the lid you could try pulling the bottom of the chrome latch towards the front of the car. The lid is slightly spring-loaded, so should pop open when the latch is released. Most people have the opposite problem, that the lid won't stay closed, but pops open by itself. The chrome latch is only clicked into the lid so it will pull off towards the front of the car. It should click back into position when pushed back in. The spring action for the latch is provided by a piece of foam rubber.

Pete M

 

Hello Pete:
I have 05 VDP with the four zone ac unit. Small console lid. Small container below. I have removed the console and rebuilt it. Replaced the chrome handle BUT it still will not stay closed. I am now using velcro. What have other people done to keep the console lid closed? Can you switch out the thin console armrest with the fat one? Fat one is definitely better for the elbows. I have thought about modifying for the fat armrest but don't know if both consoles are the same width. I really don't want to remove the console ac or the small container but want the big armrest. Any help?

Thanks

JDog

 

Hi JDog,
As you can see, the chrome latch clicks into two sockets on the lid. I found that the size and placement of the rubber foam 'spring' was critical. If it was too big, you couldn't open it, and if it was too small it wouldn't catch on the lip on the base. I found the sockets for the latch to click into were spread, and the latch kept falling out. I have tried to repair them, but I'm still not happy with the operation. If I put too much foam 'spring', like the original part, the whole catch pops out. So I have less and just try to keep it nicely latched while driving. I might try replacing the foam with a piece of thin clock-spring.
Best of luck.
Pete M