Dafug is this?

Inside my glove compartment is this...."device"? Has a mounting bracket so I'm assuming it is factory the lid comes off and has a spring loaded slide. Also there is a white powder substance inside the tube?

 

Looks like the piston/dampener for the glove box.

 

A used Russian cocaine smuggling device

 

As Sig45 said, damper piston for glove box door. It has to come off to change cabin air filter. PIA to put back in

 

Put it back in………?
I put mine right in the trash can…….

Yeah, I wasn’t working that hard to put it back in.

 

Not sure why everyone has a difficult time with it, I've had my glovebox out probably 30+ times and mine is still in place and functioning.

 

Where in the Russian was the cocaine stored?

 

There is probably a trick to it.
I didn't have the patience that day.....
I "deleted" a future problem.

I just know not to let my glovebox slam open.
The only reason it's there is because "plastic".
Those "cheap" plastic tabs would likely break off if you let it slam open with a lot of weight in the glovebox.
If they didn't break, they flex and pop out letting all the stuff fall in the floor board.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/stupid-glove-box-damper.61466/page-4#post-30043079

 

I have zero issues taking my damper on or off with a simple pinch with my fingers of the mounting post to compress the two halves. The damper comes right off (or on). What makes it a PITA for everyone?

 

X3

 

How many people actually put gloves in the glove box is what I want to know.

 

Working hard to put it back in? How was it difficult for you?

Like... you're presumably able to operate a vehicle on the road around other vehicles so how did you struggle with the glove box?

 

Getting the eyelet to pop back on over the nub.
And then having it pop back off at the top while trying to press the the bottom section.

I didn't find it important enough to me, to spend much time on it.
The goal was to replace the cabin filter. I accomplished that goal.
The dampener was of no concern to me.

Same goes for the HVAC light on the mode control.
I could careless that it doesn't work. I know where the settings are, I dont need the light.

Sure popping the gauge assembly out is super easy. But again, not important to me.

 

I release only the glovebox side of the damper to change my cabin air filter. The instrument panel side can stay connected.

 

Good to know.
I removed mine years ago.
Don't know why the whole thing came off.
But it did......

And it's no longer there.

 

*cough, cough* the late, great Mitch Hedberg once said " it's so damn literal."