Technical 2004 2.0 JTD. Fork in vents!

[Zog]

What? No! I'm being quite serious!

On a trip recently, breakfast at the camp, The Boy put his fork on the dash.

Later, when I put the brake on sharpish, the fork slid forward and disappeared down one of the slots under the windscreen.

Now, when I corner, I can hear the thing sliding from side to side, which is annoying (and I'd like it back...).

I can occasionally see a bit of the fork, but it's stainless, and only very weakly magnetic.

Is there a way to get it out without dismantling the whole dashboard, please?

 

[Steo M]

Remove the vents beside the stereo and pull the unit out, you should have as much access as you need to put a hand in or grab the fork with a long nose pliers.
If you can't get it from there, what about sliding something long and thin through the dash, put a dollop of super glue/Araldite to the end of the implement and stick it to the fork and let it dry, then pull it out?
Another idea would be a plastic tube with a string going through it and noose at the end, try loop it around the fork handle and pull the string tight to grip the fork and pull it out?
Something like this..https://goo.gl/8VqE1Z
Regardless of the fork rattling about and annoying you, it would be as well to remove in case it shorts out the electrics and causes serious damage.