How Do I Retrieve Items From Behind My Glove Compartment?
by Richard Ristow
Glove compartments are fairly easy to remove temporarily. All that you need to complete the project is a screwdriver. Often, a cabin air filter or a vehicle's computer module are located behind glove compartments.
Removal
Open the glove compartment. Look for stops along the sides or the top of the compartment and undo them. If there is a strut involved, unscrew the end attached to the dashboard. There may be hinges along the bottom that you need to unscrew. Also, many compartments have retaining clips behind them. Pushing the compartment inward should disengage them.
Cabin Air Filter
A cabin air filter is part of a vehicle's air conditioning system. It screens particles out before air enters an automobile's engine compartment. Cabin filters do not have standardized locations. If a vehicle features this filter, it could be found in a variety of places, but it is behind the glove compartment in many vehicles.
Automotive Computers
A vehicle's computer is sometimes located behind a glove compartment. Depending on the make and model, a computer also goes by the names electronic control unit, electronic control module or powertrain control module. No matter the name, this hardware is the center of a vehicle's On-Board Diagnostic system.
References
- "Popular Mechanics Complete Car Care Manual" The Editors of Popular Mechanics; Hearst Publishing; 2008
- "Chevrolet & GMC Pick-ups 1967-1987"; Larry Warren & John H Haynes; Haynes Publishing Group; 1998
Writer Bio
Richard Ristow has written for journals, newspapers and websites since 2002. His work has appeared in "2009 Nebula Showcase" and elsewhere. He is a winner of the Science Fiction Poetry Association's Rhysling Award and he edits poetry for Belfire Press. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and has managed an automotive department at WalMart.
