I just did a swap because my S5 glovebox was not sitting flush on one edge and I have OCD so I decided to grab one from the wreckers which was an s4 one.

if anyone is doing this swap for whatever reason the latches ARE different. The S4 latch is fairly larger/longer so it won't sit flush if you just install it as is. You need to swap over just the mechanism (latch) which is easy as you just need to remove the handle/lock with two screws and then there's only two screws holding the latch/spring/bar and hold downs.

just trying to save someone else the headache when they swap it.


i have attached a photo and the S5 is the bottom one and the S4 is the top one.



From left to right

Return spring
Two hold downs with screws
Bar used in conjunction with hold downs
S5 latch
S4 latch

 

HAH i found one of those latches in my hardware drawer and couldn't think of what it could possibly be from! thanks, it was really bugging me every time i saw that thing haha

 

Lol well you're welcome.

It's funny how Mazda would change one small thing for no apparent reason ... The only thing different is the actual latch part, the bar and spring are identical.

 

I'd say cost, but it seems they're both metal. The one I thought was plastic was S4, so that didn't make sense.