any suggestions to open a stuck ashtray after having my car detailed?

 

The ashtray on my 2004 S500 sticks as well. I typically push the ashtray in 10 to 20 times before it actually opens.

 

which ashtray front or rear?

 

it is my front ashtray.

 

did you do any repairs before? give me a short history back ground so we can find an ideal approach. Normally it might be an item )paper, card passes) that gets stuck while it is inside the ashtray, they tend to pop up and block the swing out tray, another way to approach this issue is to try to push it in and use a credit card inserted to the top opening gap and aide it to pull out, do this with absolute care not to damage the surface veneer finish as well as the plastic components.

 

The idea about the old credit card worked great. I got the ashtray open cleaned it well and lubricated it with dry silicone spray on the runners etc. Opens and closes like new. Oh BTW took out the lighter and lubricated the mechanisim that raises the lighter.