After much searching I found a replacement for my glovebox.
I was so excited and wasn't thinking and tried my only key in it.
It locked no problem but won't UN-lock!!!! How can I get it open?
PLEASE HELP!!!!

 

This is a pure guess but its worth a try! Try the Valet button and unlocking the car with the remote.

If the above fails try this, cut and pasted from elsewhere on the web. I would give recognition but I cannot remember where I got it from!

"Without valet key it cannot be opened.-------In that case, you need to open the glove box manually, with the help of thin tip/ flat screw driver.You need to insert the screw driver at the top slide space of the glove box.The glove box door lock latch is exactly at center of top.Slide the screw driver in the top and screw driver will stop when it meets the latch.Push the latch with screw driver and pull the glove box Handel to open it and it should release.Dont pull the glove box handle very tightly, it can get cracked. "

 

I have searched for an answer to my issue and find the last response the most likely or possible way for me to open a glove box which have a lock tumbler that rotates 90 degrees when key is inserted, but the pivoting plastic pull will NOT budge from its position when closed and locked. The glove box won't open using the keys. It seems to me that the keys and tumbler are fine as the key rotates in the lock as it should. I assume that there is a disconnect between the levers which hold the pull down in its locked position with box door closed and the release that should happen when the key is engaged and turned? Shouldn't the "open/unlocked" position of the keyed plastic pull allow for the pull to open towards me on a pivot? That doesn't happen. After reading the last entry above, it is clear that someone has tried to open this box with a screwdriver or similiar tool which left obvious scratches. I am hoping to find a way to avoid trying this method. HELP!

 

Caveat: - I *think* that the mechanism hasn't changed from the '98.

If the handle won't pivot, then it thinks it's still locked. 90° clockwise from the vertical to lock, 90° anticlockwise to unlock.
The latches are at each side of the glovebox and no easy way to get to them:



Fortunately, the hinges at the back of the drawer are accessible from the footwell. Remove the four torx bolts holding them and you should be able to slide the whole thing forward enough to disengage the latches. Watch out for the string-driven thing that damps the lowering of the drawer.

 

Michaelh I was able to remove the front door of the glove box by following your instructions. Afterwards, I drilled the three rivets to gain access to the lever with the lock that is not functioning as it should. The lock cylinder rotates to the right which locks the door of the glove box by restricting the movement (pivot) of the lever that one lifts to open to door. When the cylinder is rotated clockwise 90 degrees with the key in it to lock the lever and keep it from being lifted (lifting the lever withdraws rods on each side of the door which keeps it from opening), the lock cylinder has a spring that returns the cylinder and key to the vertical position. To unlock the glove box, the key must be rotated counterclockwise in order to allow the lever to be pulled up and withdraw the rods. I can't figure out why, but my keyed lock cylinder will NOT rotate counterclockwise 90 degrees. It moves about 45 degrees and no further. The oblong part which keeps the lever from moving in the locked position DOES NOT move at all when the key is rotated clockwise! the white section is vertical in the unlocked position
ANY ideas from the group?

unlocked

locked

 

Getting there
You may be deeper into this mechanism than most have ventured...

I've pinched a pic. from t'interweb that shows the view from above:



It's clear that the plastic cam is only meant to rotate 90° as the stops are clearly visible in the above pic.

My guess is that there are two tabs that are 90° apart on the inner circumference of that cam, and a corresponding peg on the metal shaft it fits on. It may be that one of the plastic tabs has broken or bent and is jamming things?

I would remove the cam from the shaft to see what's going on in there. It is held on by the small tang (I can only see one - are there two?) just visible at the end of the shaft. Be very gentle with this old Jaguar plastic.

 

yes, there are two tang- 180 degrees from the one that is visible.
I will give this a go and see what I can.

 

It's not locked and you're using a valet key, are you? I'm sure you're not, but worth asking before you take the car apart!

 

Oh heck, bladerunner I never gave the valet key a thought. Jagvert, please tell me you're using a black-headed key and not the green one.

 

I've just tried my valet key in the glovebox lock, and it won't turn in either direction.

 

Not using valet key😂

 

Well, I have decided to bail on this effort to get the glove box lock sorted out. I tried to get the white plastic piece which turns on the shaft to back off by moving the tangs away from the keyed shaft. I was unsuccessful in doing so and don't want to break this piece as I don't see a market for its replacement so......we will put the latch handle back together and figure some way to either replace the rivets I drilled to access this mechanism from the glove box lid or perhaps use some glue and hope that it holds. Wife and I agreed that we will never insert a key into the glove box lock going forward. Who needs a lockable box anyway?

 

Glad I didn't send you on a wild goose chase.
I had to search for my valet key as it had been put in a 'safe place'. I don't think it's ever been used.

Likewise, I don't lock the glove box. If someone wants to open it, they will destroy a locked drawer to do so.