What is this funny bracket for...?

[arijaycomet]

Car: 2010 Tesla Roadster 2.0
Location: Under the shifter buttons, in that storage tray just aft of the cigarette plug
What: Black bracket held in place with two screws

Anyone know what this thing is for? It looks like it would hold something, and it has a small opening where it almost appears a wire would have been? Like an MP3 HDD or something belongs here? Or some sort of phone bracket mount? Any clue?

 

[josh-io]

That's the the iPod goes. The wire that came out of there is the 32 pin iPod connector.

 

[DeedWest]

That's the the iPod goes. The wire that came out of there is the 32 pin iPod connector.

I think you’re referring to the dock area that’s visible in front of the PRND buttons. This bracket the OP is referring to is underneath those buttons in the console “tray”, against the rear of the trim piece.

My theory is that it could hold a spare key, as that seems to fit perfectly. Other than that, it’s a spooky mystery to me.

 

[gregd]

I think you’re referring to the dock area that’s visible in front of the PRND buttons. This bracket the OP is referring to is underneath those buttons in the console “tray”, against the rear of the trim piece.

My theory is that it could hold a spare key, as that seems to fit perfectly. Other than that, it’s a spooky mystery to me.

According to the car's Owners Manual, page 7-7, it's for storing the iPod connector (the one that sticks up through the slot in the front of the "shift" buttons) when it's not in use.

 

[slcasner]

In the 1.5 model the 30-pin iPod connector comes up through the bottom of that bracket as shown in gregd's photo. The iPod would rest in the tray under the console since there is no place for it on the top of the console. I guess that bracket is vestigial in the 2.x models.

 

[gregd]

In the 1.5 model the 30-pin iPod connector comes up through the bottom of that bracket as shown in gregd's photo. The iPod would rest in the tray under the console since there is no place for it on the top of the console. I guess that bracket is vestigial in the 2.x models.

Vestigial is probably correct. I see no way to have the cord from the iPod connector feed back to the bracket - it's heading in the opposite direction - and managed to set off the car's alarm while fussing with it. I wonder if the 2.5's corrected this (mine is a 2.0)?