2009 Saturn Astra - Broken Fuse Cover/clips (fuse box in engine bay)

2009 Saturn Astra. Replaced a blown washer fluid fuse. It was cold today and I somehow managed to snap both plastic clips that secured the fuse cover in place. Now it just kind of flaps in the wind and I am unable to secure the cover. I did get an extra long zip tie on one side, holding somewhat. Does the whole thing need to be replaced? Thanks

Get a second zip tie and keep both of them snug. No need to replace the fuse box.

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Thanks. Having trouble getting a zip tie on the other side. Very tight fit. Thinking I might go full redneck and use some duct tape as a stop gap measure on the other side. Is regular duct tape strong enough if I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the surface first? Or is there a better adhesive.

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Gorilla tape.

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ah thank you… wish I would have thought of that when I was at Canadian Tire earlier. Does Gorilla tape hold well in cold areas.

Don’t know about cold area’s as I live in the south but it always work’s for me.

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Looks like Gorilla Tape is all-weather. Great suggestion. I’ll get some tomorrow and seal that sucker up.

I thought gorilla tape was great, it is for a while but my experience is it will fail and leave a mess. If you could do a bowline knot that is a slip knot and when tightened holds around the box that is what I would do. But I am a hillbilly. The rabbit comes out of the hole goes around the tree then back into the hole, FANTABULOUS slipnot that when tightened will not slip!!!

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A new cover shouldn’t be too expensive. Maybe $18 US GM list (subject to verification of part number).

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Interesting. I may try that. Box is in an awkward place and hard to get anything around it. Took me an hour just for one zip tie to fit on the left side of the box. I’ll try gorilla tape first and when I take it in for service next month i’ll see if they can secure it with that method or another zip tie.

The thing that blows is not only the clips on the cover shattered but the clip holder on the box itself broke right off. Annoyed the hell out of me.

Zip tie would be good, them things are great. could be easier than a string and knot, but if you can do the proper fix that is #1 recommendation. We get quite a few repair fixes requests from people who do not know where the money for their next meal is coming from, so Drive on!

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Zip ties are the way to go, then. A new fuse box would be over $500.

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Junkyard (auto recycler.) Take a bucket and get every small part you need in one trip.

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Used is a possibility (see here). Prices range from $35-$200+ for a used fuse block. You’d have to decide if the cost (plus labor) is worth it.

A self-adhesive Velcro strip at the point of the broken clips,and Bob’s your uncle. Maybe a pop rivet or two (check for clearance first) to make sure they don’t come off.

I would think pop rivets would be a problem in the future to check fuses.

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Pop rivets to secure the self-adhesive Velcro strips.

(Belt and suspenders…)

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Velcro sounds fine but as previously stated I would think pop rivets would be a royal PIA if you need to check fuses, plus I do not like the concept of popped rivets metal floating around in the fusebox when you have to remove them.

The pop rivets would hold the velcro to the plastic box. They would not be floating around. Whether they could be used depends on access to the sides of the box, and whether sticking their rods into the hole would cause a problem. The rods are removed once the rivet is secured. There would be no need to remove the rivets. They stay in place with the velcro they are securing to the box.

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