Vehicle interior lid for covering interior component airbag attachment

An interior body panel assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• an interior body panel having an outer surface including an opening portion for receiving an attachment for releasably attaching an associated vehicle component to the body panel, the opening portion including a bottom wall, opposed first and second side walls, and opposed first and second end walls;
• and
• a lid removably mounted to the body panel and having a closed position for covering the opening portion and an opened position, the lid defining a lid body having an exterior surface, a peripheral edge portion of the exterior surface being flush with the body panel outer surface, the lid body having an engagement member configured to releasably engage the first side wall of the opening portion,
• wherein the first and second side walls include respective first and second ledges configured to support a first end portion of the lid body over the bottom wall of the opening portion in the closed position, wherein in the closed position a second end portion of the lid body is spaced from the first and second ledges and is suspended over the bottom wall.

A method of covering an opening portion provided in an interior vehicle body panel comprising:

• providing a lid having a lid body sized to be received in the opening portion such that in a closed position of the lid an exterior surface of the lid body is flush with an outer surface of the body panel;
• releasably supporting a first end portion of the lid body in the opening portion;
• cantilevering a second end portion of the lid body in the opening portion, wherein in the closed position the second end portion of the lid body is suspended over a bottom wall of the opening portion;
• and
• pivoting the second end portion of the lid body inwardly into the opening portion to move from the lid from the closed position toward an opened position,
• wherein the opening portion includes the bottom wall, opposed first and second side walls, and opposed first and second end walls, the bottom wall including a retaining hole, and the lid body includes first and second engagement members and a retaining member,
• wherein the first and second side walls include respective first and second ledges configured to support the first end portion of the lid body over the bottom wall of the opening portion in the closed position, wherein in the closed position the second end portion of the lid body is spaced from the first and second ledges, and
• the method further comprising:
• releasably engaging the first and second side walls of the opening portion with the first and second engagement members of the lid body;
• releasably engaging one of the first and second end walls of the opening portion with the retaining member;
• and
• moving the retaining member at least partially through the retaining hole as the lid is pivoted from the closed position toward the opened position.