The Younger Mrs S.' new (second-hand) 500 has dubious centre air vents.

One of the vents works okay. The rotating open/close button doesn't seem to roll all the way up... it stops about half a centimeter short... but it flows air or not, correctly depending on the button.

The other vent doesn't flow any air at all.. but the rotating open/close button operates through the entire range and rolls all the way up (open) and down (closed).

I'll remove the vents to have a nose around behind.. but does removal require the radio to be removed first?

Has anyone else had a similar problem and what am I looking for (apart from the obvious dislodged pipes/jammed vanes)?


Ralf S.

Yes. I’ve had a few that had come apart inside. If you take the coloured dash part off. From memory I don’t think the stereo comes out. When the panel is off it will reveal two torx screws at the bottom of the vent. Remove them and then yank it out.

The vents are in two parts. There are tabs all around. Stick a screwdriver in the tabs while pulling the two bits apart. You need to line up the fins and push it all back together.

Next questione (since I haven't had much chance to send next door's 8-year old lad under/behind the dashboard with a head-cam .. yet..)

How does the flash dash come out? Does it just "pop in" (knobules in to rubber grommets) or is it a couple of screws somewhere and then try to unclip it?


Ralf S.

Small piece just pulls off. The big bit is held on by screws under the lip by the parcel shelf. There are two from memory. Then just yank it.

At least it's not the side air vents. You need a special tool to get those removed