Heat & A/C Bezel Removal...Need help

[PonyBoy90]

I had one of those coffee cup holders/cradles that works on a spring and plastic clamp that attaches to the heat/ac bezel vent flap. Yep, that's right, the clamp is attached to one of the horizontal "fins" on the bezel itself. I bought the car a couple of years ago with it already on and as I'm anal about the condition of my car both inside and out I've never dreamed of using it to hold a heavy X-Large coffee or any drink for that matter as I could risk cracking the bezel and then having a headache looking for a replacement titanium grey one.
It was time to remove it when I saw my girlfriend actually using it on a previous trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, as I was detaching the spring, the small little back clamp plastic piece fell down into the vent (piece is about the size of a dime). I can see it but just can't reach it. I've tried tweezers, coat hanger wire, you name it. I'd need to remove the bezel. How do you remove the bezel?????? Or will I have to remove part of the dashboard?????

PS, the vent it's caught in is the righthand "center" vent, closest to the passenger side of the car.

Thanks

 

[trbkrb]

If you look inside the vents with them pointed up or down, there are retaining tabs on each vent, on the top and bottom. These are what hold the whole vent assembly in place, both vents and the surround. You can carefully pry them down say on the top, then you can work with the entire vent assembly to remove it. Then just press the tabs back into position and reinstall the vents and surround. I have at times had to pry up the bottom ones also to get them out. So far I haven't broken any of the tabs, but they can break, so be careful.

Good luck!

Thomas

 

[PonyBoy90]

The vent I need to remove is the right center vent. As you know there are 2 vents next to each other in the center of the console. Am I able to remove one vent using your method, or does pushing down on the tabs mean I will be removing a "unit" that houses both vents? Thus 2 tabs (top & Bottom) are located on the right hand side in the RIGHT vent and 2 tabs (top & Bottom) are located in the left hand side vent in the LEFT vent.

OR

Does EACH vent have 4 tabs, 2 on the right (top & bottom) and 2 on the left (top & bottom)?

Please be specific as from your description I don't know if doing what you say applies to removing just one vent or the UNIT/HOUSING that holds BOTH vents.

Thanks

 

[Black331Stang]

grab 2 of the forizontal pieces 1 with each hand a pull out...it will pop right out...and it just snaos right back in..simple as cake

 

[Black331Stang]

o and as for the othr method, ive done it twice, once on my car and once on my friends...broke at least 2-3 clips on each one...PITA if u want to keep it...i have the gauge cage so it didnt matter. and on my friends even with 3 snapped off...it still clips in fine and stays in place..u cant even tell.....just do the other method...they pop right out....or if your not using that coffee thing or dont wanna risk it, just leave it in there..wont do no harm

 

[Black331Stang]

sorry for all teh posts im tired and keep forgetting....the way TRB described, he said to take out teh whole unit...both vents.....there are 4 clips on the top and 4 on teh bottom...there are no clips on the movable vents, just pull them out. and either way...to acces these clips u have to remove the vents so just pull them out..and u should be able to get that piece

 

[trbkrb]

Yes there are 8 tabs total for both vents, all in one unit. I just pry them a little bit to releve the pressure.... my luck I would probably break the vents themselves if I pulled on them without prying the tabs some. I don't pry them all the way out, just so you can see where they are looking straight at the vents.

If you only want to remove one of the vents, you can put a thin screwdriver in either side where the up /down pivot is, and pry it out. But again be careful. The parts are all plastic and I have broken them loose... luckily not my black ones The vent will snap back in place to replace it.