how to take off side vent trim.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Yeah, the driver's and passenger's side vents are tricky to remove. Any tips?

[jdmconnected]

I'm assuming you're talking about the aircon vents.

Its been more than a year since I've done it, but I think that all you can really do is just pull , unless you want to stick a screwdriver or similar along the outside edges and pry it out, ruining your dash.
The drivers side is a little easier, since you can remove the mirror switch and can see whats going on a little better.

Start by pushing the bottom of the air vent inward and that gives you a nice strong place to grip. Then try to unhook on one side it by pushing inwards on one side (as in left or right) while also pulling on the other trying to slide the whole thing towards the same side you are pushing. Its much easier to do than to explain, but just think about how you're trying to unhook the side of the vent from the dashboard. You might have to work it left and right a few times go get it loose. Hopefully yours isn't stuck too bad, but don't worry too much, you're not working on a Nissan vent that will snap like a twig when you touch it.

Again, its been a more than a year since I've done it, and I'm not working from a FSM, so there might be a better way.

[Wiscon_Mark]

I dunno, those suckers still don't want to come out...I pulled really freakin' hard and....nothing. Either side. There must be some trick to it, and I don't know what it is

[2deadlegs]

There are two tabs at the bottom of the vents. You have to lift up on the bottom first. Use something flat and wide so you don't crack the plastic. The center ones come out first so practice on that and see what it is about and then repeat the same procedure.

[Wiscon_Mark]

2DL, the middle vents are a lot different on the 2nd gen from the side vents, cause they come off with the trim....the side vent's trim won't come off at all...

[jdmconnected]

Might be too late, but I was waiting for a while in my car today, so I had some free time.

I found the best tool for the job is a putty knife, used carefully of course, you don't want your results to look like mine. Normally visible parts were not damaged at all though.

You can either try to pop off the metal clips on one side (you're more likely to bend them) or just twist the putty knife to pop the sides of the vents out of their holders. I chewed up the plastic parts a little, hopefully you can avoid this by just twisting once you get the putty knife in, and keep gently keep pulling the vent outward until you twist on the other side.

Note I pulled the cover off the passenger side vent because I was pulling too hard, but it wasn't serious, and a junkyard was minutes away in case of critical emergencies. ;-)

Sorry about the grainy phone cam pics, the stuff you're aiming to pop out is circled.





Questions or suggestions for Mark?

[2deadlegs]

Yikes...I stand corrected. Thank goodness I have a gen1. Make that 2 gen1's.

[Disturbed_beast]

There is a better way to do that and that would be to take out the whole dash and pull the peace out from behind, i did that when i got bored and painted my interior pieaces

[jdmconnected]

There is a better way to do that and that would be to take out the whole dash and pull the peace out from behind, i did that when i got bored and painted my interior pieaces

No doubt that seems to be what Subaru intended!!

While the dashboard is out I can save you the work of painting with a JDM BG5C dash complete with dark wood grain trim you can swap in to get your car JDM tyte yo!

[busdriver]

WOW!!

check out those mirror controls!!

electric heaters for the mirrors!!

electric flipping and flopping of mirrors!!

Is that a Subaru??
definately a gen 1 though...

[Wiscon_Mark]

its a gen 2 and its JDM (hence, JDM connected) therefore it has all the electronic goodies. I do have electric mirror control on mine, but no heated mirrors (saved that for the upper models).

[jdmconnected]

According to the June '96 model guide power folding mirrors are standard on all JDM Legacy models.

Heated mirrors were optional on the 4WD Brighton wagon/sedan and AirSus Brighton wagon.
They came standard on the GT, 250T, GT-B, and Grand Wagon models.
LX models were not equipped with body-colored mirrors.

Not responsible for errors in translation