Replacing Vent

[85_6mge]

Before I end up breaking something perhaps someone here has an answer on how to r & r the thin dash vents. I have a new one to replace my broken pass side and have pulled the 2 lower sections of the dash off and removed the ecu but am now blocked by the large plastic housing for the mid level vent. Does this vent housing pull out w/o any more disassembly or is something going to break if I try and force it down and out? TIA

[CJSREDPRA]

Greg.

Easy way I can remember this:

Side defroster vents: Undo the brass "C" clip, disconnect the plastic hose from the main vent plumbing & CAREFULLY slide the vents out. Unless they are already broken, it sometimes does not take much for them to crack.

Passenger side "Main" vent. Quasi PITA to remove, because of the way it sits underneath the dash pad. Only good way to do this, is to remove the upper dash pad. I almost thought it could be removed w/o taking off the dash pad, but then I just remembered the steps that need to be done. So.... dash pad comes off. Look underneath & you'll see a "rectangular" looking tube that is attached to the bottom of the dash pad (in the TSRM page I posted, it will be part of the "duct" that is in the top center of the page). 1 screw holding in the duct. Then 3 phillips head screws holding the vent assembly to the upper dash pad. With the screws off, you then need to carefully "push in" the vent assembly so that it will come off, on the inside of the pad.

Drivers side "Main" vent. Bigger PITA to remove because the instrument cluster "hood", & the instrument cluster needs to come out for access. Then you have to work your way around the steering wheel & the steering column. "Easiest" way for extracting this vent assembly, is going the whole nine yards & removing the upper dashpad. This vent is also held in by the usual 3 screws.

The 2 "Center" Main vents. This one "UNFORTUNATELY" you have ZERO options!!!! The upper dash pad HAS TO BE REMOVED!!! The 2 center vents are actually "1 single unit" & they are held in by 4 of the standard Toyota Black screws at each of the 4 corners of the vent assembly. And many times, they are on pretty tight. Too much of the HVAC crap is blocking the way to access the screws. Easiest way to get them out (and screwed back in) is the upper dash pad removal.

<----- In all of the upper dash pads that I've pulled & sold for peeps, I usually clean up the air vent assembles of all of the dirt & dust. Based on how everything is located underneath the dash pad, this is how I know what a PITA it is to try & remove things w/ the dash pad still in the car.

Oh, and YES!! THINGS WILL BREAK if you try to force them out (pry them out) from the outside.

The exploded view of the upper dash pad pretty much says it all.

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Librar...ion=BO&Page=41

Once you get the vent assemblies out, you then have to disassemble the "vent assemblies" to get the vent slats out. The assemblies are held together by 2 plastic clips. Carefully use a flatblade screwdriver to seperate the assemblies, the plastic clips can also easily break as well.

[85_6mge]

Chris,

Much thanks for the detailed reply. I only need to replace the skinny vent at the upper right side of the dash but because the larger lower pass side vent tubing/piping is right below and blocks direct access I was hoping there would some to way to get it out of the way w/o having to pull the whole damn dash, i.e., the upper portion. Well I'm back at it tonight...Thanks, I think...lol

Greg