Thread: Dropped down Demister Vents - how to get a bolt out ?!

While waiting for some rescue advice, I've removed the pollen filter and looked down the hole.

Its a very deep hole and while I found lots of leaves and dirt, no bolt.

Might be worth checking and vacuuming yourself, as this car has been dealer serviced for its whole life and its clear no-one has ever looked down there.

Would really appreciate any ideas on how to access the bolt.

A heavy magnet on a piece of string. Most ducting nowadays is plastic, the magnet should fall as far as the bolt you are seeking.

x2
Except I would use a small rare earth magnet which is many times stronger than a normal magnet . Available at Jaycar for a few $.use some hot melt glue to attach to the string.
Regards Philip A

do the same thing I do when I drop a ball into a series box...

turn it upside down and shake.

The problem with using rare earth magnets is they will stick to every thing but the bit that you want.

If its found its way into the heater box... where the drain tube connects and then goes down to go through the floor is where you need to look.

That is the lowest point of the heater box and the inside is slopped so the moisture goes down and out of the car. So if u disconect the rubber hose that goes onto the heater box drain it maybe there or stuck in the rubber hose hopefully....

So I'm not the only one to ever do this

Good luck

Skuilnaam

Great suggestions everyone, thanks very much.

Will try magnet first, then look for the heater box - I assume I do that from underneath the car?

Originally Posted by CBH25

Great suggestions everyone, thanks very much.

Will try magnet first, then look for the heater box - I assume I do that from underneath the car?

Sorry no in the inside of the rangie. The heater box in the centre of the dash usually has two drain pipes one on either corner of the heater box. If sitting in the drivers seat remove the left hand panel lower dash front of console, there will be a rubber flexable pipe that goes from the lowest part of the heater box to the floor of the car, these are the heater drain pipes. (uknow when u have had the aircon on and you move the car and there is water on the floor, thats where it comes from its the condensation formed on the aircon matrix inside the heater box). The inside of the heater box is designed so the condensation goes down to the two drain points and then through the rubber tubes and out of the car onto the road.

Thus when u drop the screw if its not sitting on one of the blend motor flaps it will go down the heater box to the bottom which is the drain points. so it will be hopefully sitting in the mouth of the plastic fitting on the bottom of the heater box or stuck in the rubber tube that connects to it.

have fun