'99 A4 cup holder stuck

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Cherri - 08 Sep 2008 22:16 GMT

I have a '99 A4. The in-dash cup holder will not come out, and the cig
lighter won't open. They had been working just fine, but a couple of
weeks ago they just locked up. Can anyone help me?

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TonyJ - 08 Sep 2008 23:48 GMT

> I have a '99 A4. The in-dash cup holder will not come out, and the cig
> lighter won't open. They had been working just fine, but a couple of
> weeks ago they just locked up. Can anyone help me?
>

It could be an environmental change affecting some dirt or spilled pop
causing them to stick.

Try to spray with a lubricant like silicone using the spray tube usually
attached to the can to get it in to the internal sliding areas. If it
opens, clean the sliding areas and apply a bit more lubricant.

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Cherri - 09 Sep 2008 14:38 GMT

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. Both the in dash cup holder and cig
lighter are locked somehow, nothing was spilled. When you push them
they do nothing. These two gadgets are too far away from each other
for such an explanation. The hide-away cig lighter is down by the
parking brake. Trust me, they are not stuck, they are locked. Has
anyone else had this happen?

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daytripper - 09 Sep 2008 19:48 GMT

>I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. Both the in dash cup holder and cig
>lighter are locked somehow, nothing was spilled. When you push them
>they do nothing. These two gadgets are too far away from each other
>for such an explanation. The hide-away cig lighter is down by the
>parking brake. Trust me, they are not stuck, they are locked. Has
>anyone else had this happen?

On the B5 A4, neither the dash mounted cup holder nor the center console ciggy
lighter have anything resembling interlocks - they are both strictly
mechanical devices. There is no "lock" on either one, just spring-loaded
retaining mechanisms...

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Dano58 - 10 Sep 2008 15:07 GMT

> I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. Both the in dash cup holder and cig
> lighter are locked somehow, nothing was spilled. When you push them
> they do nothing. These two gadgets are too far away from each other
> for such an explanation. The hide-away cig lighter is down by the
> parking brake. Trust me, they are not stuck, they are locked. Has
> anyone else had this happen?

You may have to try prying them open - gently - with a screwdriver or
narrow putty knife while pushing them in. As noted above, they aren't
electrical and aren't related in any way. It's just coincidence that
they are both stuck.

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

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Bill - 09 Sep 2008 15:49 GMT

What happens if you pull the battery connections? (Then wait some period of
time, then reconnect).
Will that affect something else?
By pulling the battery, it may reset the error condition preventing those
from working, maybe?

>I have a '99 A4. The in-dash cup holder will not come out, and the cig
> lighter won't open. They had been working just fine, but a couple of
> weeks ago they just locked up. Can anyone help me?

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(!) - 10 Sep 2008 06:51 GMT

> What happens if you pull the battery connections? (Then wait some period
> of time, then reconnect).
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>> lighter won't open. They had been working just fine, but a couple of
>> weeks ago they just locked up. Can anyone help me?

they are not electrical.........just a mechanical lock/latch...........ie
push so far to release and light push to latch.

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