Focus Fanatics Forum banner

HOW-TO: Fix an air vent with broken clips (2005-2007)

18K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  kempd002 
#1 ·
When you pop out the rightmost vent to paint it (2005-2007), there is a good chance that the bottom two clips that hold the trim to the dash are going to break off due to the cheaper plastics Ford started using. Because of this, when you pop your vent back in, it will be attached on the top, but the bottom will move around and come out of the dash like it's on a hinge.

I came up with a fix for this if you run into this issue, once again proving my theory that duct tape can fix most any problem. [hihi]

When the entire vent assembly is out of the dash, take a look at the bottom of the assembly and follow these instructions, created brilliantly in MS Paint:



Use about 6-7 layers of duct tape. Any amount is fine as long as it doesn't come out from behind the vent trim. I did this trick with my dash and my vent has been securely in place ever since. Probably more securely than it was with those cheap ass clips.

Hope this helps someone out!
 
See less See more
1
#3 ·
Nice idea, I'm just worried what would happen to it when exposed to long instances of heat (Summer sun). But, since it's out of sight, I suppose it wouldn't matter.
 
#4 ·
oh no, more duct tape?
whatever works, but i suggest using a plastic/cold weld or epoxy rather than that evil silver tape.
its funny that i knew you were from a southern state before i looked beneath your avatar. you alabama boys really like this stuff eh? lol, im j/k here bro. if it works that is all that matters.

do i really have to sticky something that involves using duct tape?[scratch]
 
#5 ·
lol, I tried adhesives, but the problem is that the vent doesn't make contact with the dash when the clips are broken. You can't get it to seal because those clips are just floating in those gaps, and the actual trim doesn't touch the dash either. So this never worked.

Duct tape thickened these clips on the vent trim enough so that they would actually hold it in place in the openings they were to pass through. You can't see it at all, and the vent trim stays in place like new. Also, if you still wanted to pop it out again, it would be a whole lot easier to do than if you used epoxy.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top