[camryman]

A passenger of mine somehow managed to break the rear cup holder mechanism that keeps the flaps closed. So now one of the flaps won't stay shut and the armrest can't return to the flush upright position without taping the flap shut. Very frustrating.

Anyways, what's the best way of fixing this? Is there a replacement part for the cup holder component? Or does the entire armrest need to be replaced? Is ordering OEM from the dealer the best route? Or are there reputable vendors to find used replacement parts?

[wcs2229]

The whole armrest appears to be a single part:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=52_4360

You can always try pulling out the plastic cup holder to see if you can fix the problem.

[ZZZZ]

Agree with wcs. Try to dismantle and see if you can fix. Otherwise (personally), I'd just add a flexible magnetic strip to one half and a piece of metal to the other to keep it shut.

[camryman]

Thanks guys. I think the DIY fix route (with a magnet like suggested) is probably the best option. Replacing the whole armrest feels like overkill.

[wcs2229]

The 2 covers are held down with small retractable tabs as in the attached photo.

You can check if one of them got stuck and can get unstuck.

[imGS49]

I have the same issue. Can you share how you managed to fix it?

I wonder if this would be covered under warranty...