159 Carpet issue

Cool Jesus · October 14, 2011, 10:44:47 PM

Hi guys, the wife is starting the threaten bodily harm if I don't fix this carpet issue. As far as I'm concerned if I don't notice it from the driver's seat, it can wait till the next service. Anyhow, we (the wife) pointed out the passenger footwell carpet pulling away from the centre console. The hole for the securing plug seems to have dropped and the carpet appears to be shrinking. Can't see any reason for it pulling away, initially re attached the plug and carpet and had to force it back on (carpet was wanting to pull away hard), eventually pulled the plug out and broke it. No I have the wife chasing me with a big stick. Has anyone else come across this? Anything I can contemplate before my demise?

Regards

colcol · October 22, 2011, 09:26:47 PM

To help save your marriage, you could go to an Alfa Wrecker and get some second hand carpet clips, but they too will break as you pull them out, next thing is to try Repco, as they have a range of these clips, having a sample to take with you would help, or try a resto place for cars, in Melbourne we use Rare Spares or Bill Thomson rubbers, but you are from N.S.W., so try a similar place, you could try a scrivet, which is a cross between a screw and a rivet or a christmas tree clip, that has 'branches' coming out the side to attach to the floor as you push it in, hope this helps, Colin.

Cool Jesus · October 23, 2011, 11:48:47 PM

Thanks Col, figured on doing something along those lines. You know how it is the minister for home affairs keeps adding to the 5 minute agendas which never fits my own priorities. Its a curious issue the way its pulling away. May have to try to pull the carpet back across somehow, but me thinks it will be a job for the service center as it falls due soon.

Thanks again Col.

kaleuclint · March 10, 2014, 12:44:38 PM

Know this is a a long time dormant topic, but I have exactly the same issues. And yes -- didn't notice because you can't see it from the driver's seat. Will be checking if car is still under warranty. This is just a bad look, even crap cars don't have gaps of this kind between carpet and console, and rips around the clip.

Craig_m67 · March 10, 2014, 01:38:16 PM

The clips are really a single use item. Removing them usually tears or mangles them, ensuring it will only fall out again later if reused. Don't forget it may have been removed by somebody else (during a service) to gain access to any of the bits under the middle of dash; aircon, pollen filters, pfaff with the stereo or creaks rattles around the gearstick.

The good news is the clip is used all over the car, so you can carefully remove one from somewhere else (holding the carpet under the rear seats) and swap or relocate them

The side piece will fall down without the clip as there is nothing else holding it up.

Cool Jesus · March 10, 2014, 03:12:29 PM

Should have posted a resolution on this issue. Still non the wiser as to why it occured, however I managed to find a similar clip and with a bit of muscle and will power I forced the carpet back across towards the center console until the respective holes married up and then just clipped it in place. My thoughts are that due to the padding beneath the carpet and I can only imagine the method used to install it leaves the carpet pulled across towards the door and after time, with passangers entering and leaving the carpet was slowly pulled away towards the door. Muscling it back, ie grabbing the loose end and forcing it back to the centre with my foot and body weight, helped to pull it back in place. I've since sold my beloved 159, but from memory it seemed to do the trick. The carpet did still remain a little short in its fabrication, requiring the occasional finger manipulation to push the top edge of the carpet back under the palstic console. Evenso the clip did seem to keep its place at the time, can't say if its still holding up though.

Nate Dog · March 10, 2014, 03:20:20 PM

Cool Jesus out!

Cool Jesus · March 10, 2014, 03:31:09 PM

Oh yeah, thanks Nate...

Cool Jesus is out!

kaleuclint · March 11, 2014, 10:45:39 PM

Thanks CJ, I'll see if the dealer has the clips. Had to do the same with those round black plastic clips that hold those plastic covers in place under the seats next to what would (in a RWD) the transmission tunnel. Could even be the same item. I still reckon there will be a gap at the top though.

colcol · March 12, 2014, 04:43:57 PM

For the clips, you could try ebay, sometimes the UK dealers have clips online, at a not too silly price, if they are a one use clip, if they are a multi use clip and they have broken, you could try a Alfa Wrecker, such as Monza Motors in Bayswater, Victoria

kaleuclint · April 12, 2014, 08:47:37 PM

It's going to LD's for them to sort out under warranty. Josh is well aware of the issue.

kaleuclint · May 06, 2014, 08:19:27 PM

159 is back from LDs. New passenger footwell carpet installed under warranty which is apparently taller and from what I can see now fills the gap up to the console. Even gained a cargo net that is fitted to it, same as C-class. I'll have a better look in daylight but very happy so far!