Need help identifying this object...

Anyone know what this is? It's the black tube with the white cap, attached to the side of the glove box, about 1" in diameter and about 3" long. Thanks in advance.
Mark


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

I believe its to slow the speed of the glove box when opening and connects up inside the dash. Easy to put back on but since mine pops off every time I open the glove box i just leave it off. Haven't had any problems with it not being connected.

 

its like a shock for the glovebox. Mine is crapped out since the mount on the dash side for it is also made of plastic and grew weak and now wont hold it.

 

Yep , glovebox damper

Hey OP , you get your TPMS reset ?

 

You will have to take that thing off to change your cabin air filter. I've always found that it's a pain to get to stay back on as the little plastic tabs don't like to bounce back after being squished. I have no idea why they designed it the way they did, probably something that someone thought looked good on paper.

 

If the plastic tabs the damper snaps over won't hold it anymore because they've been squeezed too many times, I read that you can insert a small sheet metal screw between them, pushing them out, and holding the damper in place.

 

Peter, I haven't had a chance to look at the TPMS yet. I'll get to it sometime this weekend and let you know how it goes.
Mark

 

That object is an over engineered piece of crap...that's what it is.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/137493-cabin-filter-change.html#post2684203

Look at the first picture. I had to do this the other day when I changed my cabin air filter because it wouldn't stay on either. I stuck a screw in there like that after grinding down about a 1/4" on the tip of it so it would sit flush. The trick for me was to pop off that little circular cap on the tip of the tube so that it's not airtight. It makes extending inner tube easier. Attach the it as shown in the picture then fully extend the inner tube (I used my finger and pushed it from the inside) and then raise the glove box as much as you possibly can, to the point you are smashing your hand, and you should be able to get that bottom hook around the little snap. Then you have to slowly work your left hand out from behind the glove box while making sure that upper snap thing doesn't come undone. Huge pain in the ass. Don't forget to put that little cap back on the damper tube or else it won't drop down slowly.

 

Thanks for the info Cody. That job does look like a pain in the ass and for no significant gain. Since I am happy with the speed with which my glove box descends, I shall leave that job for the distant future when my glove box descends too quickly or I'm bored out of my head and need something senseless to occupy my time.
Mark

 

Wow ... I love TW. When I replaced my cabin air filter I had to pop that off and now it won't stay back on. I was just going to cram something into the clip that it snaps over once I put it back on .. something to spread it a bit more and keep in on.

Thought I was the only one with the problem.

 

Haha I didn't mean to scare you away from it. It's honestly not that bad but it took me a couple tries to get everything back on perfectly. Should only take you a few minutes to put back together. If you have a tiny screw lying around I say go for it.

 

Hi Peter, I finally found the section on TPMS in the owners manual. I'll be resetting the pressure to something like 25 PSI. Then if I see the low pressure icon, I'll know it's serious.
Thanks,
Mark

 

Just set your tires to the pressure you are going to run them at , and reset the system there , the light doesn't come on unless the tires go down by 5 lbs or so