ON my second set of tray table latches going on my third. The first time around they lasted 6 years before they shattered. The replacements I got in November self destructed today, they litterally spontaneously shattered and fell to pieces.

 

Thats not good. Where exactly do they break ? As my car is still quite new to me, my rear guests frequently open the tables because they've never seen anything like this before in a car..... should I ban them from fiddling ? (I already have all the rear seat movement and rear entertainment locked out!)

 

The first 2 broke after 6 years of little use around the screw holes and rear tabs. The new replacements have not been used and did not break at the screw holes. The tabs on both did break and one of them completely shattered into about 20+ pieces.

The plastic is very delicate, fragile and brittle.

The third set has been ordered at the dealer and I want to know what to do to keep this from happening again.

 

I just checked mine as a result of your post. An oh five vdp. Seems good right now but I detect a little roughness in opening, so I put some Dupont Teflon Drylube on my finger and spread onto the latching surface. Presto, smoothed right out. I think it will help prolong life of latch.

 

How snuggly is your latch assembly attached to the rear of the seat? Mine stick out a little for the leather and have play, even with the screw all of the way. Something must be off, how can the originals last so long until the dealer replaced the head rest motors and now I'm on my third set of latches?

 

Jhummer,
I think You are onto the problem...the DEALER touched it!
Seriously the installation needs to be properly done or there will be torque on the latch and it will fail.
Mine are flush, just a slight clearance, and very even in appearance.
Try finding another vdp so you can see how it trims out. Then jump on the dealer to fix it correctly!

 

Here is a pic of the newest set of latches. See the gap? I am only going from memory before the dealer serviced the seats but after many years of trouble free use, I do not recall the gap or the looseness. I have them tightened down just enough to hold the latch in place but the entire assembly is still loose. The dealer had them tightened all of the way, but that resulted in a second set of broken latches.

Can you compare this pic to yours?

Much appreciated!

 

There's a gap there.
I will try and send a pic of mine.
iPad camera. Needs better light. I will push outside and try and capture it.

 

I need your email to send an iPad pic.

 

Thank you for sending the pic. I'd say they look similar enough. I guess when you are as much of a stickler for detail as I am and after someone else has serviced a particular area you tend to go down that path of over analyzing and questioning what is correct and what isn't, especially after 3 sets of parts replaced.

 

To add to suffering extensive hail damage last Thursday at GSP airport (waiting for quote from body shop) the left tray latch fell apart yesterday. I've read about the potential fixes (whoda though baking soda would give instant crazy glue cure?) and will try gluing the bits back together but, if that doesn't work, where can I get a replacement?

Thanks all.

Stephen

 

Replaced a latch recently. FYI, the latches are same from 04-13 Just get the color correct.

If I recall, I sourced mine from a dealer on eBay for about 75$.

Thanks-
Mag

 

Renewed!

 

was that easy to install... any tips?