Ashtray Help!

[AMS640]

Hi I was hoping to get some help from anyone who may have experienced or knows how to help with this situation.

I use my ashtray as a coin holder, which I am sure other users must do so as well. Unfortunately at some point the tray was filled with coins and when opening the flap in the process some coins have managed to get in behind the flap.

Is there a way to remove the flap in order to get to the coins? They are actually not visible. Difficult to describe but if you imagine opening the ashtray flap, the section the flap hides away into, that is where the coins are stuck!

Please any help would be gratefully appreciated

[Wilsonv]

Originally Posted by AMS640

Hi I was hoping to get some help from anyone who may have experienced or knows how to help with this situation.

I use my ashtray as a coin holder, which I am sure other users must do so as well. Unfortunately at some point the tray was filled with coins and when opening the flap in the process some coins have managed to get in behind the flap.

Is there a way to remove the flap in order to get to the coins? They are actually not visible. Difficult to describe but if you imagine opening the ashtray flap, the section the flap hides away into, that is where the coins are stuck!

Please any help would be gratefully appreciated

I just force it open, it doesn't break that easily in my experience :/

[AMS640]

Originally Posted by Wilsonv

I just force it open, it doesn't break that easily in my experience :/

Hey thanks for the response. I can open/close the ashtray cover, the problem is the coins that have gotten stuck behind have created a very annoying rattle. Can't find anything on how to remove the cover

[Nagromalg3]

Hope you found a solution to this as thats what my ashtray was going to be used for Maybe I'll put the coins in a bag then place the bag in the ashtray as to avoid an overflow. I hope you sorted it out.

[Krash7172]

I've had this trouble with more than one BMW. I can't say for sure how to get your coins out but I only use the ashtray for my keys now.

Hopefully it will rattle around into a position where you can atleast get it open.

[PRican//M614]

Originally Posted by Wilsonv

I just force it open, it doesn't break that easily in my experience :/

Same here........................

[bmwjpn]

I'd take it to your dealer and ask them to show you - sure they would do that on the house - at least I hope they would.

[AMS640]

thanks for the replies all ! I recently gave the car to my local BMW for warranty work. They have told me the work would cost £265 as they need to remove the centre console in order to remove the ashtray and get to the coins !

Any advice on where to go from here would be great

[JimM6GC]

Originally Posted by AMS640

thanks for the replies all ! I recently gave the car to my local BMW for warranty work. They have told me the work would cost £265 as they need to remove the centre console in order to remove the ashtray and get to the coins !
Any advice on where to go from here would be great

If the coins are magnetic, you may be able to find a small magnetic pickup tool on Amazon or at your local auto parts dealer. If not, they also make small flexible pickup tools that have tiny claws on one end and are operated by a plunger on the other end. I don't know if they make them small enough to fit through the opening, but it's worth shopping around. If all else fails, and if you're up to it, you can get a one-day subscription ($30 USD) at bmwtechinfo.com (BMW's official tech info site) and learn how to remove the console yourself. You may even find that it is not necessary to take out the whole console. Service writers, and even the techs themselves, sometimes don't have a clue what is involved and estimate the worst-case scenario.

Good Luck!

[JimM6GC]

It’s a piece of cake.

I logged on to BMW Tech Info to find out how to take off the passenger’s side door panel so that I could get a deep ding repaired. The “Dent Doctor” guy I called couldn’t get the tool where he needed it to go, so I wanted to see what may have been blocking his progress. While I was on there, I decided to see if I could solve your problem as well. I also decided to try it myself to see how accurate the instructions were and to take photos of the process. It turns out I could to the job with nothing more than a T15 torx screwdriver and my hands. Because my car has a manual transmission, I have a single cup holder where your ashtray is, and my ashtray is located where your cup holders are. However, the instructions I used were for your configuration, and the instructions are basically the same. My car is left-hand drive, but that should not be a problem.

First, put the driver’s seat all the way back. Then reach to the front of the trim panel immediately below the center console trim cover and pull laterally outwardly and work your way back until you get to the seat.

[JimM6GC]

The purpose of that step is to expose the single torx screw that fastens the center console trim to the console. Take the screw out, and lift up on the center console trim. The purpose of this step is to expose the two screws that hold down the part that holds the ashtray and idrive controller knob as shown in the last two photos. Sorry for the bad focus, but you will see them. Take out those screws. The official instructions tell you to remove the cup holders in your car by prying them up, but I am not sure that is required as long as you can access the front screw.

[JimM6GC]

Now go to the other side of the car and put the passenger’s seat all the way forward. Then, pull up on the front of the rear seat to unhook the front of the rear seat. The purpose of this step is to expose the rear of the trim panel so that you can pull that trim panel laterally out to disengage the panel from the console. Work your way forward until you get to the front seat.

Now the next step is very important. Move the passenger’s seat bottom all the way down, move the seat all the way back, and move the backrest all the way back to a reclining position. Now continue pulling the panel laterally out as you continue working to the front of the car until the panel is completely disengaged. You put the seat where it is because now you want to lift that panel up to remove it from the car. If you didn’t do that, there is a big risk those metal clips shown in the photos would gouge the leather on the side of the console doors. The trim piece is very easy to remove with the seat in the suggested position.

[JimM6GC]

Now go the front of the passenger’s side footwell where you will see a single screw on the carpeted lower console panel trim. Remove it. Then pull laterally outwardly a little further back until you hear the SINGLE push-in retainer disengage from the console. Now push that carpeted trim piece towards the front of the car to unhook the three rear hooks. The other photo shows the single push-in retainer, the single metal hook, and the two plastic hooks so you can understand why this movement is necessary.

[JimM6GC]

The following photos show the last three screws that secure the idrive knob/ashtray trim piece to the console. Remove them.

[JimM6GC]

Now lift up on the back of the idrive knob/ashtray trim piece. You will notice that the trim piece pivots at the front. Now push the front part diagonally down and to the front to disengage the trim piece. You will see the hook that required you to do this.

[JimM6GC]

Turn the trim piece over and you will see the screws that attach the ashtray to the trim piece. In my car, the screws attach the round cup holder to the trim piece. Install in the reverse sequence.

Go for it!

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by JimM6GC

Turn the trim piece over and you will see the screws that attach the ashtray to the trim piece. In my car, the screws attach the round cup holder to the trim piece. Install in the reverse sequence.

Go for it!

Sir, I like the way you want to help people. I highly respect you!

[JimM6GC]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Sir, I like the way you want to help people. I highly respect you!

Thanks, M6! And I haven't even tried to take off my own door panel yet! I know there is another person who wanted to know how to take off the door panel, and I will post a similar explanation whenever I get around to doing that (I did get the instructions). However, that may take awhile if I get picked in the next few days to serve on a jury that is supposed to consider a murder case.

[Bönz]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Sir, I like the way you want to help people. I highly respect you!

I second that. One hell of a guy to go thru all that for another member. Bravo.

[WWnyc]

Here, here!!

[AMS640]

Originally Posted by JimM6GC

Turn the trim piece over and you will see the screws that attach the ashtray to the trim piece. In my car, the screws attach the round cup holder to the trim piece. Install in the reverse sequence.

Go for it!

Hats off to you Sir !!!! Huge respect!

Cannot thank you enough for going through the whole explanation! That walk through deserves its own thread. I can confirm I have now removed the coins

Once again thank you and its awesome to know there as still helpful people out there

[bmwjpn]

Bravo for sure!