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Ford Focus - Replacement cover for dashboard storage box? - niall76

The plastic clip that keeps the lid down on my dashboard storage compartment, Focus Ghia 2006, has broken off completely. I wondered if i could get a replacement lid online anywhere, and if it is easy to fit?

Thanks

Ford Focus - Replacement cover for dashboard storage box? - cjr

Same thing happened to mine. Very annoying.

I brought a replacement lid from Ford (Part F1519315 - black) - cost £31.50 plus VAT.

To fit it, you have to remove the storage box body along with the thinner plastic trim which goes over to the right side of the dash.

It is all a push-fit unit - and I started on the right hand side at the front (i.e. nearest you) - the first few clips come out of the dashboard foam relatively easily. Be careful with this step as the thin section of trim is rather brittle. I managed to crack mine at the back :-(

The trick to this job is releasing three plastic sprung lugs that hold the front of the storage box in to the dashboard foam on the edge nearest you. I used a plastic kitchen spatula which was thin enough to slide in round the front right corner of the storage box. The foam gives reasonably easily. The clips are on in the centre in line with the catch mechanism and on either side on the front edge of the box by the corners.

Once the lugs are free, you can lift the whole storage unit and trim out of the dashboard. It was easy to see how to fit the new lid by removing the return- spring and then extracting the hinge rod. It all went back together pretty easily and popped back in to the dashboard easily.

The whole job took me 30 mins and most of that was working out the trick to using a flexible spatula to push back the plastic sprung lugs.

Ford Focus - Replacement cover for dashboard storage box? - jcg11

I've had exactly the same problem and had to pay almost £40 from a main Ford dealer for the repacenent lid. I followed the instructions above, kindly given by cjr, and the new lid has gone in with relative ease. I used a smoothly rounded metal tea knife to ease the whole plastic unit from the dashboard. Yes, definitely start from the right and work towards the left. The three lugs immediately to the front of the storage box are certainly the trickiest to get out, and requires a little more force to lever them out of the dashboard housing. Once out, disconnect the spring, remove the retaining metal rod and remove the old lid, which I found a little fiddly to get out. Again, yes, fitting the new lid and replacing the whole unit in the dashboard is straightforward.

Ford Focus - Replacement cover for dashboard storage box? - spurious20

This happened on my Focus. Rather than spend forty quid on another lid which would probably break again ( nasty little plastic catch) I just removed the spring. Now the lid stays down and the box can still be used.

Ford Focus - Replacement cover for dashboard storage box? - GEORGE J M SMITH

Same problem here, Rather than spend money on a replacement which will eventually fail due to its poor design, I removed the complete box as above starting at the right hand corner and working my way to left side using nothing more than a couple of flat bladed k****** knives. after removal i removed spring and re-fitted box. To facilitate easy opening i stuck a small self adhesive catch to centre front of lid top. hope this helps.