Defrost Vents Popping Up F430

They're secured with spring clips on a few plastic posts that go through the dash.

If the vents have popped up and off the dash, then there's no way to remount them with the stock spring clips without removing the dash.

If your vents are still straight (the sun will sometimes warp those plastic vents and will no longer be straight), you can put a few gobs of silicone or hot glue along the dash and then the vents will attach back down to the dash with the "glue".

As a FYI, mine were glued down but ended up warping and hitting the windshield which would rattle and drive me crazy so I just pulled them both off.

 

I used industrial Velcro tabs on each end...works fine. Other than they've turned tacky they look fine.

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I used PVC(E) cement on mine. Best I know of for fastening porous to non-porous materials, e.g. felt to metal, leather to plastic, etc. Remains flexible after setting. I buy it by the jug for my pipe organ work, but you can find it on E Bay in four oz squeeze bottles. Smallest quantity you need is best as it has a 6 month shelf life.

 

Mine too have come up on the 430. One is up on the middle passenger, otherwise they are both bent. I am pretty obsessive about making them right, but I've seen so many that have the issu, I won't bother. It's like the dash getting heat spots and coming unglued, or some have the headliner fall down, just a known issue. Unless it's a utter eye sore, I leave mine alone. I did ceramic tint the front window to try to prevent any more damage do the dash. That and I apply leather conditioner to that top, more ruff portion of the dash to keep it staying moist.

 

Jason, Glad you brought this up..same condition for my vents I went with the Velcro method seems like it is working but I'm not 100% content with it..
When time permits I will fabricate new male tabs on vents which insert into dash..
K//

 

Your leather is shrinking which is why your vents are popping up. There is no stopping it and any fix will be temporary. Your next problem will be the leather "bubbling up" on the dash. I would get ready to drop $5K to have your dash redone - very common problem. If you do get it redone, there is a gentleman on here that makes aluminum vents to replace the plastic ones. I would recommend you use them as they can be bolted in and will not come up. The plastic clips are cheap and a problem.

 

Here's the problem. There is 3mm layer of foam glued to the leather then the leather and foam is glued to the F/glass dash in time the foam breaks/deteriorates and ur left with loose leather/ bubble/indentations on ur dash etc!. As Chris said the leather around the vents is dead. If you need billet vents PM me. Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I pulled the entire dash top off and replaced it with a brand new OEM unit that I found on ebay. It even had the same deviated stitching. I still have the original one which will make it faster to have recovered ahead of time if someone wants to go that route.

I also replaced the vents with rizzo308's billet versions as the original one's mounting tabs were broken off. For a cleaner install I chamfered its mounting holes and fastened using flush-mounted hex key screws. These will NOT break and pop up.

Just avoid direct sun on your dash to minimize this from happening to you.

 

Here's my dash in process of being stripped. Also you can see the crappy OEM ABS plastic vents and the fixing points that give way to the shrinking leather.

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Thanks for the pics. I was fixing my vents today and from your picture, I see that the post snapped off of my vents. Yeah, pretty crappy design.

 

Once the leather starts to dry out and shrink it's like a tsunami there no way of stopping it.

 

Mine warped so I pulled them off, cleaned them up and used adhesive to fix them to the vents.

 

I pulled my dash and installed Rizzo's billet pieces. If you see the plastic vent coming loose, it is your leather shrinking. If you notice it early on, immediately get the billet aluminum from Rizzo, and install. Since you are bolting the new piece in place, it will hold the leather in place and keeps it from shrinking further. apply leather conditioner, and you should be good to go. If you wait too long, you may not be able to save the leather.

 

I’d be interested If the billets can be installed without yanking the dash. What’s the cost of the vents?

 

Unfortunately, Rizzo’s Billet vents have to be installed by taking the dash out. They need to be tightened using a wing nut on the underside of the vent for each screw that you utilize to hold them in place. Trust me, it was a pain but I’m glad that it is done.

 

I agree it is a pain. I found a great thread here to remove the dash. If you wait, you will be out the cost of removing the dash anyway, and leather replacement. Big bucks! If you are handy and have tools, it is just time, not brain surgery. Just take lots of photos and you will be good to go. FYI, you do not need to remove the steering wheel itself to do this. Dennis

 

I'm interested in your billet units -- do you need to disassemble/R&R the dash to install them? I thought I'd ask publicly vs PM...but can certainly repeat in private

 

I personally bought Rizzo's billet vents and i couldn't be more happy with these vents. It requires the dashboard to come out but its worth the effort. The stock vents will not only worp but they will also become sticky and gooey.

 

Yep...mine have already done both...I’d love to find them in carbon


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That would be BaddAzz!!!!!!!