A/C Vents Won't Stay Put!

[we_call_him_doher]

Hey all,

The A/C vents in my car at the top of the middle consonsole (above the radio and trip computer) won't stay put in the position I put them in. Whenever I try to move them either up or down so that the A/C blows on me, the vents just move all the way down all by their selves. Is there a way I could fix this? Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks

[shogun]

Check if the motor brackets are broken. That is quite often the case and then it does not work.
I once posted a fix for that with a bracket with a lot of pics. Should be in archives.
Also go to my website below, search for Johan & Sean page and check for center vents. If you are unlucky the flappers are broken.

[joshua43214]

Do you mean the knob rolls back down on its own? I have taken vents apart on other cars and added a paper shim on the roller to add some extra friction. Never tried it on a BMW, but my car does the same thing, I just havn't gotten arround to trying it yet.

[shogun]

Stepper motors fix
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/200205/

broken mixing flaps
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/johan/center_vents/center_vents_v1.1-1.html

[Gearhead]

Shogun,

Good links, but I think he's talking about the actual vents themselves. (Air direction left/right; up/down from the center vents). Mine do the same thing. When they're hot and the plastic is expanded, they stay in place, but barely. Once the A/C cools them down they get loose and move around on their own shooting the incoming air at random.

I saw a post somewhere where Gayle mentioned using one of the lines of loctite on them at the pivot points. Added enough friction so that they'll stay in place. I'll see if I can't dig that up. It's also on my "to do" list.

John

[Gearhead]

Here it is... http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_37.htm She's using Loctite #242. Pics too.

John

[Russell]

I did this. worked great. just enough resistance.

[winfred]

pull the vent out and look at the side and you should see a little C shaped piece of metal, you can pull that out and put a little bit of a bend in it to make it poke out and make more friction, or you can put a piece or two of fishing line behind it to make it stick out more

[gale]

She's using Loctite #242. Pics too.

John

Correction, that's "gale" not "Gayle" and it's not "She". Besides, when have you ever seen a post by Gayle with any technical expertise? ;)

[632 Regal]

*hahaha*
Correction, that's "gale" not "Gayle" and it's not "She". Besides, when have you ever seen a post by Gayle with any technical expertise? ;)

[we_call_him_doher]

Thanks guys. By any chance would anyone know how to remove a JVC
KD-SX980 head unit? Or maybe a website that would help? I didn't install it so I have no clue how to remove it, and the PO has the headunit owners manual.

[winfred]

most aftermarket head units need a couple 1/4" or so wide strips of metal to pop the latches shoved in on ether side


Thanks guys. By any chance would anyone know how to remove a JVC
KD-SX980 head unit? Or maybe a website that would help? I didn't install it so I have no clue how to remove it, and the PO has the headunit owners manual.

[Gearhead]

*Yikes*

My apologies to Gale and Gayle.