Air vents swallowing things

[amf3]

Hi everyone!

I really hope when you stop laughing, you'll be able to help me out here.
I had a brand new Nokia E71 (expensive phone) fall down the driver's
side airvent (you know that little cover which opens above the steering wheel)
and fall even further down through the hole in the body work.
What is the best way to recover this? Is there a chance it will drop out onto
the road if I drive the car?

I can't believe I am the only person in history to have lost something down those vent holes - there is no grill or anything, so stuff quite large can plummet.

Many thanks
Sam

 

[reidalpine]

You just Had to have the latset smallest phone didn't you??
surely must be the first 4 with an Inbuilt phone c",)
sorry-couldn't resist!
-call up your phone to get a better idea exactly Where it's at-then use one of those flexible long thingies with a magnet or best, a claw on it-get hold of some Really sticky stuff put into the claw and keep poking it down there.You'll have to keep on 'fishing' till you get hold of it then lift it up ever so gently!
sounds daft but I've managed to fish up amazing stuff this way. -R.

 

[amf3]

Thanks matey - it made me smile
Well I actually thought to get a claw thing tomorrow because when it was just behind
the dashboard it was reachable, but now it has fallen through the hole in the body work and I think it's down somewhere near the floor of the car. I'll try the grabber if I can find a long enough one, nothing to lose - but ugh! Well, phones are just things and noone got hurt, not a bad accident for a car in that respect but i'm lightly banging my head against the wall here...

Thanks again
Sam

 

[reidalpine]

hope you get it out somehow Sam! These airducts leads to the heather-matrix in-under the heater fan ,so my guess it will be behind the fan somewhere...It's fairly easy to take out the plastic-housing containing the fan .etc but seriousely I would call the phone up first to localize it the best you can before dismantling. Shouldn't think it could fall further down than the fan..If you start the fan and it's there you should be able to hear it rubbing against the fan.. Also stick your fingers into the Rh and Lh air-vent outlets to check if you could be So lucky! -R.

 

[amf3]

Hey! Well I called the phone, and it's definately down there
(with a full battery so I can enjoy calling it for up to 200h according to Nokia's website)
Now i'm sure you were half expecting this next question, apologies if you were because you're right, but how do I remove the fan housing/unit ? Is it done from inside the car
or under the engine somewhere?

I tried to take the dashboard off but I quickly realized that it wouldn't really help as the metal body of the car is still between me and the phone. (I didn't try -too- hard to take the dashboard off as I have to drive the car in the morning to drop someone off in town). If the fan is easily (Fairly easily) removable then I have high hopes of getting my too tiny too expensive phone back

I am in France at the moment so i'm wondering if the Renault Garage would even understand what I was talking about (or care) if I told them - but if it's doable with a socket set, a spanner and a screw driver i'd be happy to give it a go!

Sam

 

[reidalpine]

There are a few screws holding the heater-housing(the black plastic housing you see in the middle of the car. where you have the 2 speed switch for the heater-fan.
screws are on each side of the housing 2 each side I think, and also one or two under a small plastic-cover if my memory serves me right..
Or these under the ecover might be for loosening the fan itself-Try the screws along the outer side of the housing first..
All screws are on the inside of the car Just loosen them and try (carefully) to pry the heater-fan housing back from the firewall -Pull it backwards a little
try to flip the regulator for directing the air upwards or downwards.It might be trapped there...
If you turn up at the Renault garage they would probably lock you in a room and then some nice 'uncles' in white frocks will take you to a nice quiet rubber-clad room... -R.

 

[reidalpine]

We are talking about a R4 right????? if so- just procede removing the screws each side of the fan-housing and pry it carefully rearwards...
remember next time you put the phone on top of the dash to choose silent-signal with vibrator ON -that way you can call it and it will vibrate it's way down and out Hahaaaaaaaa! -R.

 

[amf3]

We are indeed talking about the R4

I don't know if I can manage 379€ but I think I owe you a few beers next time i'm in Norway.

It was right where you said it would be, resting behind the cooling fins behind the fan unit. Took a bit of a struggle to get the fan unit moved aside enough to reach it but I got it and it's working perfectly. (Was in it's leather cover so no scratches).

That is worth SO much to me Thank you
Seriously, beer is on me next time i'm in the area...

Sam

 

[reidalpine]

this is just 'another day at the office'here on the Fab-4um. c",)
Only glad I could be of assistance Sam! -R.

 

[amf3]

Cheers
Much appreciated

 

[pepper]

I have an E71, how you managed to get that down there in the first place, could do with some explaining?

Did someone think "oh thats a good place to put my phone" by any chance?

 

[amf3]

I think someone did think that, and I think it could have been the lovely passenger I was driving into town the other day after I asked her to put my phone somewhere safe. I can't be certain - it might have been me, mind distracted by other things but I honestly don't remember putting it up there on the dash. And those flappy air vent things do look awfully like pockets for holding phones, parking tickets or small bottles of wine. (It's a french thing)

But yes, I can confirm an E71 with leather case will fall all the way down, two levels of holes, to come to rest just behind the heater/fan unit where it will be quite safe until you can pull it out again.

 

[reidalpine]

Hi Sam and pepper! -I think this could be a nice Competition here on the forum.Who will be able to get the Largest phone down there And come up with the "best" explanation.
-As of now Sam is in the lead!!
Also it would be the most natural addendum next time Haynes or Clymer upgrade their workshop-manual ..How to get your misplaced thingy outta where it's not supposed to be in the first place... -R.

 

[angel]

That happened to me in 2006, in my army duty, when the passenger put his phone on the dashboard vent, thinking it was a purpose-built cell phone holder. We went to a beach from a twisty and steep road but amazingly the phone stayed there, and it was only when he tried to take it with him that the phone slipped from his hand and dropped into the scuttle panel (we could hear it falling lower and lower!).
After laughing a lot I assured him that it would go no deeper, but I would have to remove the complete heater to get the phone out.

Renault must had had a lot of complains from cellular phone users back in 1978 (we have said it a lot of times...the R4 is way ahead of its time!) when they put mesh on these vents, and also added these two compartments either side of the mirror on the GTL, as a better place to put your cell phone...