Removing face-level air vents

ajm · Oct 29th, 2003, 21:41

Hi all,

Pretty much all the face-level air vents in my 850 have been broken by the previous owner (who thankfully seems to have been very careful with the rest of the car!).

Does anybody know how to remove them without breaking things further? The Haynes manual says to tilt them downwards and pull them out, but doesn't give a direction to pull them - upwards, diagonally upwards or horizontally. A tentative tug doesn't really give any enlightenment so if anyone has removed these I'd be very grateful for advice.

I don't know if these are fixable in any way, but I don't suppose they'd be too expensive from a scrappy? I've not asked the dealers but I'm guessing they'd want more than I'm willing to pay!

Cheers,

AJ

Oct 30th, 2003, 09:36

Hi AJ,

The Haynes manual is spot on with its directions. All I can tell you is that you need to yank the buggers out...a tentative tug won't do it. I myself have taken them out on several occasions to get the top of the dashboard off (trying to eliminate rattles!). I have yet to damage them and I would consider myself a novice. My only problem with getting parts from a scrappy is that they never have 850s in stock!!

Rgds,

Colm

ajm · Oct 30th, 2003, 11:38

Thanks for that - I was rather wary of tugging too hard on them on the grounds that the directional slats had all broken and so their sturdiness was questionable!

I have to admit I've never seen an 850 in our local scrappy (which covers a pretty wide area). I was thinking more of these slightly more "up market" vehicle dismantlers which tend to specialise in one make of car.

I'll have a wee look at them first (if I can muster up the courage to rip bits out of my otherwise perfect dashboard!) to see if I can work out a way of fixing them.

Cheers for the help,

AJ

ajm · Oct 30th, 2003, 14:05

Just in case anyone else has the same problem in the future - face-level air vents "broken" in that the direction control ceases to move the other slats in the vent...

As Colm said, the vents come out with a good tug/twist. Repair was nothing other than a good wash in hot water, followed by "snapping" the slats back into place. The kind of repair I like, quick and free!

Obviously the buildup of dust and grit over the years led to the vents becoming stiff to operate and the PO pressing in on the knob in the middle enough to dislocate it. I imagine a cabin/pollen filter kit would prevent the buildup of dust, but I'm not sure I could really justify the expense - I don't mind hoovering now and again!

Cheers,

AJ

Oct 29th, 2003, 21:41	#1
ajm Master Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:52 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Inverness	Removing face-level air vents Hi all, Pretty much all the face-level air vents in my 850 have been broken by the previous owner (who thankfully seems to have been very careful with the rest of the car!). Does anybody know how to remove them without breaking things further? The Haynes manual says to tilt them downwards and pull them out, but doesn't give a direction to pull them - upwards, diagonally upwards or horizontally. A tentative tug doesn't really give any enlightenment so if anyone has removed these I'd be very grateful for advice. I don't know if these are fixable in any way, but I don't suppose they'd be too expensive from a scrappy? I've not asked the dealers but I'm guessing they'd want more than I'm willing to pay! Cheers, AJ

Oct 30th, 2003, 09:36	#2
colm.deasy Guest Location:	RE: Removing face-level air vents Hi AJ, The Haynes manual is spot on with its directions. All I can tell you is that you need to yank the buggers out...a tentative tug won't do it. I myself have taken them out on several occasions to get the top of the dashboard off (trying to eliminate rattles!). I have yet to damage them and I would consider myself a novice. My only problem with getting parts from a scrappy is that they never have 850s in stock!! Rgds, Colm

Oct 30th, 2003, 11:38	#3
ajm Master Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:52 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Inverness	RE: Removing face-level air vents Thanks for that - I was rather wary of tugging too hard on them on the grounds that the directional slats had all broken and so their sturdiness was questionable! I have to admit I've never seen an 850 in our local scrappy (which covers a pretty wide area). I was thinking more of these slightly more "up market" vehicle dismantlers which tend to specialise in one make of car. I'll have a wee look at them first (if I can muster up the courage to rip bits out of my otherwise perfect dashboard!) to see if I can work out a way of fixing them. Cheers for the help, AJ

Oct 30th, 2003, 14:05	#4
ajm Master Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:52 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Inverness	RE: Removing face-level air vents Just in case anyone else has the same problem in the future - face-level air vents "broken" in that the direction control ceases to move the other slats in the vent... As Colm said, the vents come out with a good tug/twist. Repair was nothing other than a good wash in hot water, followed by "snapping" the slats back into place. The kind of repair I like, quick and free! Obviously the buildup of dust and grit over the years led to the vents becoming stiff to operate and the PO pressing in on the knob in the middle enough to dislocate it. I imagine a cabin/pollen filter kit would prevent the buildup of dust, but I'm not sure I could really justify the expense - I don't mind hoovering now and again! Cheers, AJ

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