side vent woes...

[BahnStormer]

It looks like the REAR clips on mine are trashed... I thought one had just popped a little loose, but when I tried to remove the panel, it looks like the previous owner had just glued* all the front and rear clips in place, so they couldn't be removed without breaking the clips...

The exterior of the vent looks cosmetically fine, the front clips can be replaced, but the rear ones are a mess. Probably no major rush as I'm sure I can just glue it back in place for now, but that's a not a long term fix.

Does this mean replacing the vents entirely or is there a standard "forum fix" to sorting these out in a way that means I can still remove and replace them if I ever need to clear the drains, etc?

*Looks like the same black glue that they'd fudged the EML with.... 

[andyroo104]

Are the clip holders damaged on the rear if the vents or just the fitting holes ?

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[paulj]

If you can get the old clips off, others have recommended vehicleclips.co.uk as a useful resource!

[Enjay]

I'm just trying to establish which clips have gone.

The clips towards the front of the car are white push-in ones very much like door card clips (but a bit smaller). 

The rear ones (from memory) are part of the vent cover itself and merely slot into place on the rear edge of the vent hole allowing the vent cover to (sort of) hinge forwards to allow the front clips to line up with their respective holes and be popped into place.

If the vent is the facelift type, the vent will be made of 2 pieces of plastic: a grey/black bit and a body-coloured bit. (PFLs are just one piece.)  There are sort-of clips holding the two parts together but they are more like permanent push through tongues on the black part that go through slots on the coloured part and then (on my car at least - not sure if Toyota or previous-owner-done) the tips of the tongues are melted to make them too big to fit back through the slot and thereby make the join permanent.

So, which clips are we talking about?  The white ones at the front (unlikely because OP says rear), the ones at the rear that go on to the edge of the vent hole in the body or the ones that hold the black/grey plastic and the body colour plastic together (in a FL vent)?

[BahnStormer]

I'm just trying to establish which clips have gone.

...

So, which clips are we talking about?  The white ones at the front (unlikely because OP says rear), the ones at the rear that go on to the edge of the vent hole in the body or the ones that hold the black/grey plastic and the body colour plastic together (in a FL vent)?

All the clips seem pretty messed up: I think the previous owner had prised out the vents from the rear edge first, snapped all the claws that seem to be part of the vent (it's a 2007 Sable, so FL, all colour coded)... while the previous owner was on a roll, it looks like he has then also damaged the press-stud clips on the front edge.... and the icing on the cake: then glued everything together and pressed it back in, so now that I'd tried to remove it again, the press studs have all been damaged even more.

I'm just going to get some contact adhesive and press the vent back into place: seems to stay in place fairly well even without glue and hopefully the contact adhesive will be soft and rubbery enough that it won't shake loose.

I'm gathering I'll probably need new vents to fix this properly, so worst case: it falls off, I don't notice and I'll have to buy a new vent anyway...

[BahnStormer]

If you can get the old clips off, others have recommended vehicleclips.co.uk as a useful resource!

Thanks - I've bought a pack of the front clips off eBay - I'll pull it all apart on the weekend and grab some photos.

[Enjay]

snapped all the claws that seem to be part of the vent

Claws!  That's a much better description that I was struggling to come up with.

I'd agree with what you said.  It sounds like yours are pretty messed up (fortunately, only from behind).  Replacements would be the best option long term and they do come up reasonably frequently on ebay (various prices) or you could try one of our friendly associate breakers.  Obviously, you might want/have to wait for some that are the right colour. 

Holding them temporarily with some kind of removable adhesive makes sense.  Fortunately, other than for drain cleaning, there isn't too much need to get behind the vents so, with any luck, you won't need to take them off again before you get around to replacing them. 

[StuC]

New vent time.

I have a spare set of pfl ones to get you out of a hole if you want? (whilst you source some new ones)

[andyroo104]

I have some facelift Sable Grey vents that I was going to keep but would be willing to let them go for a good price to you if it helps you out, although I would have to put them on the private ads to keep within the club rules.


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[StuC]

I have some facelift Sable Grey vents that I was going to keep but would be willing to let them go for a good price to you if it helps you out, although I would have to put them on the private ads to keep within the club rules.

You are awesome, you know that right?!

So many goodies in your garage! Lol.

[andyroo104]

I have some facelift Sable Grey vents that I was going to keep but would be willing to let them go for a good price to you if it helps you out, although I would have to put them on the private ads to keep within the club rules.

You are awesome, you know that right?!

So many goodies in your garage! Lol.

Ssssshhh, its a secret stash don't tell the wife.


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[StuC]

@andyroo104 lol. What stash?

[andyroo104]

@andyroo104 lol. What stash?

Car parts, lol.


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[BahnStormer]

for a good price

definitely interested - any idea what you'd be  looking at for them? let me know if you're going to post them in the sales section!!

[andyroo104]

How does £25 collected sound to you ?
If interested let me know then I can post them in the for sale thread for you.

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[StuC]

@andyroo104 #bargainoftheweek

[BahnStormer]

How does £25 collected sound to you ?
If interested let me know then I can post them in the for sale thread for you.

DONE!

@andyroo104 #bargainoftheweek

Agreed!