Bear with me, as this is my first post w pictures.
So, my cup holder broke the other day. I gotta wait for a new one. If you're anything like me, you wanna know how stuff works. This may save you from having to buy a new one:
- Pop the top piece off the dash

- Press a screwdriver into the two holes I indicated, pulling the whole thing
as you're pressing on them

- You might have to press up on a clip that protrudes underneath the holder
(if you don't remove the radio?)

- once you've got it out, push down on the gear to pop it out of
the channel (1st picture). Don't worry, it snaps right back into place, it's
just easier to pop it out to get the holder out of the sleeve

- Look at it and you'll see a tab on top and underneath that you need to
push down on to pull the holder out

- The clear plastic piece is the filament that directs the light from the plug at
the back to the cup symbol on the front of the holder. It goes in the
channel inside the bottom of the sleeve, but I couldn't put it AND the coil
back together, so I just left the filament out (getting a new holder soon
anyhoo)

- The Coil has two tabs that fit into the bottom of the channel inside the
sleeve. Once the coil is in place, There's a "bobbin" looking piece that slips
inside. This piece is what drive the cup holder forward when you press on it

- Once the bobbin is resting inside, you just need to carefully put the holder
back inside the sleeve (don't forget the gear. You can put it in BEFORE
replacing the holder

I know there's a few things I'm missing, but that's bc I figured all the rest is fairly easy. If I missed something lemme know. Also lemme know if this post is any good, seeing as it's really my first "guide"

Bret

- Fix whatever you need to fix (it's all pretty straight forward, popping arms
off pins etc)

 

good work... too bad that cup holder is useless unless you want whatever your drinking in your lap!

 

Y'know, I've heard that a lot.....I've never had a problem using it.....In fact I was planning on modding the console with a second one, since zee germans are clueless in the cupholder department.

 

Thanks, this was pretty useful and detailed. Mine is broken and will not open correctly. I'm going to pull it out and fabricate a mount for my garmin to go in its place.

 

I appreciate it. My new to me A4 has a broken, now stuck, cupholder. This helps.

Vat's cause you are in der car to drive it. Not fur a tea party.