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C6 Corvette: How to Repair Your Ashtray Door

Why pay a mechanic to crawl around in your Corvette's interior to replace an ashtray? You can fix this yourself with five bucks worth of epoxy, a little more than an hour of your time and just a little bit of patience.

By Keith MacDonald - January 22, 2015

This article applies to the C6 Corvette (2005-2013).

If you have a broken ashtray, every bump or railroad track on the road will cause it to open. The constant opening and closing of the ashtray door can often become a frustrating distraction. A distraction that can ruin your cruise. Don't spend a few hours at your Chevy dealer for an ashtray installation. In many cases the issue is not the striker on the door itself, but the inability of the interior latch mechanism that doesn't have enough “bite” to hold onto the striker. The good news is, this is a very simple DIY fix! Learn how to fix it yourself and save yourself the expensive cost.

Materials Needed

  • 1 package of 2-part epoxy (J-B KwikWeld works well)
  • A small screwdriver
  • Dental floss
  • Wooden toothpick
  • #180 grit sandpaper or coarse nail file

Step 1 – Remove the ashtray door

Using a small screwdriver, gently remove the door by prying the door against the edge of the ashtray compartment. Then, carefully pry it out of the hinge. You will need to be cautious while removing the ashtray door. It will save you that dreaded trip to the dealer.

Figure 1. Remove with care to avoid chipping or bending the surrounding case.

Step 2 – Apply epoxy to the striker

Mix a very small batch of epoxy or J-B Weld. Using a toothpick, apply the glue to the striker end or “knob.” Don’t attempt to expand the end knob in one application; instead, allow the epoxy to set. Then, mix a second small batch of glue and apply a second time to expand the end of the striker.

Figure 2. Expanding the tip of the door striker allows the latch to hold onto the door.

Pro Tip

You can use two tiny pieces of plastic and add epoxy to either side of the striker.

Step 3 – Shape the epoxy on the striker

Using fine sandpaper or a nail file, shape the larger striker end to its original—albeit larger—shape. Finally, using dental floss, wrap the return spring on the inside end, so you can keep it above the stop “shelf” inside the base assembly. Once the door is set, remove the floss and enjoy driving without your Corvette offering you a smoke every time you hit a bump.

Pro Tip

Chevrolet eventually fixed this problem with a new latch assembly, so if you want to remove all of the ashtray assembly and install a new latch assembly, you'll need GM part #10324612. Also, by removing the ashtray and the ashtray holder, it'll be easier to re-install your repaired door. Once it's in place, simply slide in the holder and ashtray. Then, you're done!

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