Is there a quick way to remove the top glovebox catch?  Or is the only way to remove the whole box and access from underneath?

44 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Is there a quick way to remove the top glovebox catch?  Or is the only way to remove the whole box and access from underneath?

Tom, I just had to comment that it's a pleasure to see you don't know absolutely everything! LOL You help so many people on this forum, (including me!) I hope you get an answer very soon...

I’d say very unlikely to be an easier way than taking the glovebox out.
 

Don’t think you can access it by taking the passenger side vent out or the small IP end trim panel. 
 

2 of the glovebox screws hold the latch anyhow don’t they? Then it’s just another 5 or 6 screws and maybe an aircon vent cover and you’re done. Or am I missing something else here that makes it a bigger job?

49 minutes ago, troy45 said:

I’d say very unlikely to be an easier way than taking the glovebox out.
 

Don’t think you can access it by taking the passenger side vent out or the small IP end trim panel. 
 

2 of the glovebox screws hold the latch anyhow don’t they? Then it’s just another 5 or 6 screws and maybe an aircon vent cover and you’re done. Or am I missing something else here that makes it a bigger job?

I think you might be confusing it with the main glovebox.  It's the top glovebox latch that I need to replace.  Looks like a simple push fit but with such wide plastic lugs that I don't think I could snap the old one out without risking damage to the box itself.  However, the box itself is push fit into the dash si there's scope for snapping plastic there if I try to remove the whole thing.  Especially in cold weather.

If you've only ever had an ST, your dash top will be full of cool dials so you may not have seen the top one before!

Hi Tom, never tried on this latch but have done it on similar. If you get a screwdriver under one end and slightly pry it out then using the corner of an old credit card you can slip it under the edge on the latch and push back the plastic clip. Probably have to do each side a couple of times to be able to ease it forward a little at a time.

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

If you've only ever had an ST, your dash top will be full of cool dials so you may not have seen the top one before!

Ah. 
 

That explains it, I did have a spare panel for the top of the dash that I was told would fit the ST but had a cubby bin there but it got binned in the end so can’t check that to see what looked possible. 
 

Hopefully other posts will be more use for you 👍

the entire top glovebox is just clipped to the top of the dash. Lift up the end that goes over the clocks, itll just pull free from the clips then lift the edge nearest you. I takes about 10 seconds to get the entire thing free from the dash then I'm sure you have an easier time replacing the catch

30 minutes ago, Lolboy77 said:

the entire top glovebox is just clipped to the top of the dash. Lift up the end that goes over the clocks, itll just pull free from the clips then lift the edge nearest you. I takes about 10 seconds to get the entire thing free from the dash then I'm sure you have an easier time replacing the catch

Thanks.  Hopefully give it a go tomorrow and will let you all know how it goes.

Turned out to be much easier than I thought!  

Before:

 

Whole panel levered out with small screwdriver - starting above the clocks as suggested above.

 

Latch tabs squeezed and pushed up and out.

 

New one pushed in and....boom!  Shattered into several pieces. 😒 

 

Not pleased!  Hopefully they'll allow a refund on eBay.  While the box was out though, I had easy access to the rear spring that holds it open.  I've just removed the spring and will let gravity keep it closed for now.

End result:

 

(Man, I miss the olden days of making forum guides! )

 

If you are near Reading Berkshire I’ve got a spare assembly complete apart from it hasn’t got the damper. Open and closes no problem just opens a bit quicker than it should.