JoePGT5S

I'm currently trying to track down an annoying dash rattle and think it may be coming from inside the driver's side dash vent (either the very top of dash or the one at chest height). These are the vents to the left of the instrument cluster.

Does anyone know the technique for removing these vents? I feel they should just pry off from the outside, but wanted to check here first so I didn't break anything.

Thanks in advance for any input into this.

Joe

silverd2

There is a single screw below the vent to be removed, then it carefully pulls out. I believe you need to remove the knee panel below the steering wheel to access it...that involves removing 5 bolts, 2 below and 3 behind trim inserts (careful with the OBD2 plug/wiring). The upper vent has the same lower screw mounting, that is accessible after you remove the lower vent.

On the passenger's side, the glove compartment has to come out to access the vent securing screw.

JoePGT5S

silverd2: Thanks for the response. Gosh, I'm certainly glad I checked here before doing any prying. I do have the bentley guide, but couldn't find any details after lots of hunting around (indicative of my inexperience with the guide perhaps). I've had the knee panel off a few times trying to track down the rattle, so I can at least do that part now :-)

Thanks again,

Joe

JoePGT5S

Just to report back; yes it was a single bolt for the lower vent (after knee panel taken off) and then another single bolt for the middle vent (access through the lower vent). The very top vent next to the windshield (left side of dash) was a pry off (front clips up and then back slides forwards and out).

Thanks again for pointing me in the correct direction here.

silverd2

I found the instructions in the AC section of Bentley...under "...components in passenger compartment..."

JoePGT5S

Thanks - I now see it in the Bentley guide. Initially I spent my time hunting around the Body/Body Interior section, thinking that this would be trim related.

silverd2

Agreed, with where that should be in the manual.

P.S. 233K on the original non-rebuilt trans?!

You may be approaching (or holding) the all time record for a ZF 5HP24A trans.

JoePGT5S

It's does seem unlikely from everything I've read here; however the previous owner was extremely strict about using a dealership only for all service (even buying oil to top up between changes) and provided all the service records when I purchased the car. The only record I can find regarding the transmission is a rear seal replacement.

So I have to admit I've made a bit of an assumption here; that there has never been any transmission work done on the car. It's possible the previous owner made an exception to the dealership and omitted that paperwork from the massive stack of service records I got with the car.

I've over 10k miles into the car myself and have to say I had terrible 'transmission-anxiety' when I first got the car and spend far too much time reading transmission horrors on this forum. However after the first few thousand miles I gave up trying to listen for any little noise that could indicate imminent failure. Well, that's not true, I still suffer from transmission-anxiety but haven't required medication for it yet :-)

silverd2

Well, it's not impossible...just not very common (unfortunately) to make that mileage without a trans rebuild.

goethe6889

Were you able to fix the rattle?