Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I was just playing around with a couple of guages on the dash thinking to myself that I better not let the little plastic shim type things holding the gauges in fall down the front of the dash...

A second later, one of the plastic doobas popped out and promptly fell down in to the vents pointing up toward the windscreen.

Any suggestions on the easiest way to recover this little, but crucial, thing?

Fan on full noise

How light are they? If they don't weigh much you could try turning the demister on flat out and blowing the suckers back out.

Flip the vehicle on a steep hill climb?

Something sticky on a bit of string or coathanger, doubled over insulation tape?

Stick a small hose on to the portable dust vac and it might pick the sucker up.

Hrmm, I just noticed that the air flow selector isn't working (and it's not because of the thing I dropped down there), so looks like I'll be pulling the dash apart on the weekend.

Sorry dude, but you're in for a prick of a job. Most of the dash, and even the wiring loom needs to be pulled back to get at the fan ducts. Its a one piece section that runs full length of the firewall.

Its easier to get the dash out with the steering wheel removed too.