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Loose Center Console Lid Fix

86K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  BSC249  
#1 ·
Hey everyone I just wanted to quickly show something that apparently is a common problem on our car. So I lent my car to my neighbour for the past month as his car broke down. One night when I went to use it I noticed that the lid on the center console was completely loose. Firstly he broke the tab that kept it locked in place, secondly the hinge was only hooked in on one side. When I went to buy a new lid, one of the techs was saying the pins that go into the hinge often back out. At that point without taking anything apart yet, I wasn't sure if the pin had backed out, or he broke the pin altogether.
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Following the service manual, the part is actually referred to as the, "rear console". All you do is take the felt mat out of the bin to reveal two screws. Unscrew them, and the rest is held in by tabs.
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Next carefully remove the "upper panel" (the panel that surrounds the infotainment commander) by loosening the e-brake boot and gently prying off the panel from back to front. I had to squeeze my fingers under the panel to push the tabs inwards while pulling up. Jiggling it helps. Look underneath and undo the one harness for the commander.
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Next remove the SD card panel by slipping a flathead into the top edge to pry off (underneath the "clip A" text boxes). Look underneath and undo 3 harnesses for the cig lighter, SD slot, and USB.
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Pull the sides of the rear console outwards and pull the whole thing back.
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With the bin now off the car, I removed the cover on the backside to reveal the hinge, and the pin did indeed back off on one side. I thought it was one pin that slides through the hinge, but in actuality it is two. I swapped the lid and tapped the pin back into place and put everything back together in the reverse order.
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#14 ·
My granddad always said: "3 things you don't lend.. your wallet, your car, and your wife" (in that order). :D
Funny! Adding one more to that "do not lend list": A chainsaw. Loaned out two. One came back needing a new bar and a new chain. The other one came back needing both and more. Never again will I loan out one.
 
#12 ·
Just a word of caution, LOL - I pushed the pins back in with the lid open. There's a stop on the underside of the lid that has to be in the closed position in order for the lid to properly operate. Fortunately, one of my pins was still sticking out just a bit, so I pulled it out again and I was able to make the adjustment. Thanks for this great thread! Easy peasy fix.
 
#13 ·
I have a 2015 touring manual.
Seems I pressed a little too hard on the command module big control knob while messing with the Nav. The whole panel fell into the center console well. :( It was easy enough to remove the plastic console cover with fingers (amenity box lid open), disconnect the wiring harness to the control unit. I snapped the module back into place & replaced the top of the console only to see the rearward portion of the module was loose again.
Took it apart again. this time I LOOKED at how it secured : by two small tabs on the front and two pieces of TAPE covered with a blue felt & black felt patch. HOW CHEAP CAN YOU GET??? No wonder it pushed right in.

I replaced the two way tape, used the same felt & put some first-aid fabric tape on a couple more seams of the module and re-assembled. Its holding so far. Watch when reassembling: put the front tabs in first, then tilt-down the console to seat the rest of the tabs. Watch they don't bend outside the console or you'll be doing this again. Ask me how I know.
 
#18 ·
The rear console lid fix works

Thanks to tlyons for the "carefully pry off the back of the console box " fix. It was the solution for my 2016 Mazda3 Touring. Both of hinge pins on mine had worked their way out. After reassembling, I used electrical tape on the outsides to hopefully prevent the pins working loose again.

BTW Mazda has info on the problem. Not allowed to post a link here, so just Google "rear-console-lid-is-loose-2014-2015-mazda"
 
#21 ·
I had the exact same experience as the OP, but unfortunately my car is no longer in warranty, and a replacement armrest console is like $155. I was able to find the part number for just the broken black plastic triangular hinge (BHN16445YA), which I ordered for $6, and I'm going to see if it's possible to replace just that part rather than the whole console. The root problem was the same - a pin had come undone, which I was able to quickly fix after reading this thread. If anybody has any insight on how to disassemble the armrest itself, that would be sweet. Otherwise, wish me luck!
 
#22 ·
In case anybody else has this issue with needing to replace the black plastic triangular hinge, the leather armrest part can be removed from the rest of the lid by separating the leather part away from the plastic along the sides. It's held in place by some tabs, which hopefully you can see in the pictures.

Moral of the story: if your armrest is loose at all, fix the hinge pins as described earlier to avoid doing further damage. If you waited until it was too late, the lid locking mechanism can be replaced.
 

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#23 ·
This forum is a lifesaver! I've had my 2015 Mazda3 for about a month now, and I figured the center console was broken, until I found this thread. So this past weekend I followed the instructions here and "pushed" one of the pins back into place...and PRESTO....all better! Thanks everyone. :clap
 
#26 ·
Update to my own post in case somebody has this same question in the future..

They don't sell the triangular latch piece on it's own anymore. They only sell the "Lid Upper" which is the entire piece that sits inside the leather/rubber cover and inlcudes the latch. It's not terribly expensive, and it's worth getting if you want to restore the function of the latch. Part number is: BHN1-64-140A.

In order to replace, do the following:
  1. remove the back cover of the rear console.
  2. Back the 2 pins out of the hinge to remove the lid from the console. I used an allen key and a mallet to back both out a few mm to allow a pair of pliers to grab them.
  3. With the cover now removed, pry the rubber/leather out lid off the inner lid using a trim tool.
  4. Replace "lid upper" with broken latch with new part. Re-installation in reverse order.

And in case you didn't get the new "rear console panel" - the part number is BHN1-64-471-02​. This part has 2 ribs to prevent the pins from backing out again (see picture). Make sure you use this part or risk having the latch break again (due to a mis-aligned lid).
 

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