Coins inserted in air vent!!

[57focus]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me please. My daughter who lives 80 miles away, has a focus estate and my grandson, bless him, put some coins in the air vent on top of the fascia. This is the vent that blows air onto the windscreen. She phoned an AA man who told her not to drive the car and to take it to a dealer straight away to have the fascia taken out and the coins removed. She was also told that this operation would take about 4 hours to perform. Now I have had a look at this air vent on my focus and to be honest I can't see that dropping the coins in the said air vent would be that serious a problem other than perhaps an annoying rattle. Could anyone please inform me if it is a serious problem that needs immediate attention, and if so does the fascia have to be removed, and if so is 4 hours a reasonable estimate to do this? Also can it be resolved simply by DIY? Many thanks.

[artscot79]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me please. My daughter who lives 80 miles away, has a focus estate and my grandson, bless him, put some coins in the air vent on top of the fascia. This is the vent that blows air onto the windscreen. She phoned an AA man who told her not to drive the car and to take it to a dealer straight away to have the fascia taken out and the coins removed. She was also told that this operation would take about 4 hours to perform. Now I have had a look at this air vent on my focus and to be honest I can't see that dropping the coins in the said air vent would be that serious a problem other than perhaps an annoying rattle. Could anyone please inform me if it is a serious problem that needs immediate attention, and if so does the fascia have to be removed, and if so is 4 hours a reasonable estimate to do this? Also can it be resolved simply by DIY? Many thanks.

to be honest ide assume that it will fall into the main vent trunking behind the dash it could end up going into the blower motor and ruin it ide take the two main vents on the dash out and get one of those small magnetic pens that extend and slot it in the vents and see if it picks it up first never done a fascia on a 57 focus but i removed a whole dash in a vw passat in 3 hours so ide say 4 was taking the mick a bit

[57focus]

to be honest ide assume that it will fall into the main vent trunking behind the dash it could end up going into the blower motor and ruin it ide take the two main vents on the dash out and get one of those small magnetic pens that extend and slot it in the vents and see if it picks it up first never done a fascia on a 57 focus but i removed a whole dash in a vw passat in 3 hours so ide say 4 was taking the mick a bit

Cheers artscot79, I think the little blighter put copper coins down so I don't think a magnet would retrieve them :(

[artscot79]

Cheers artscot79, I think the little blighter put copper coins down so I don't think a magnet would retrieve them :(

giv ford a call im sure that they will tell you what the situation is the aa sometimes get it wrong

[SierraYankee99]

Depends which vent they went down. The centre ones have a tube behind them that goes straight to the blower motor but the side vents drop into horizontal pipes which go behind the dash. These are relatively easy to get out with a good pull and remove the coins. The centre ones you'd have to take out the blower motor which is tricky in the least. The AA were just being over cautious to remove liability. The car is ok to drive I just wouldnt use the blower motor till they are removed.

[57focus]

Depends which vent they went down. The centre ones have a tube behind them that goes straight to the blower motor but the side vents drop into horizontal pipes which go behind the dash. These are relatively easy to get out with a good pull and remove the coins. The centre ones you'd have to take out the blower motor which is tricky in the least. The AA were just being over cautious to remove liability. The car is ok to drive I just wouldnt use the blower motor till they are removed.

They were put down the vent on the top of the fascia in the centre, there is only one. On the scale of 1-10, 10 being the most hardest, how tricky a job is it to take out the blower motor?

[jeebowhite]

They were put down the vent on the top of the fascia in the centre, there is only one. On the scale of 1-10, 10 being the most hardest, how tricky a job is it to take out the blower motor?

about 7 for an average mechanic, as its a complete dash removal, blower removal, and then re-installation

[bigjock]

i hope santa's been informed of this! lol

[57focus]

i hope santa's been informed of this! lol

Cheers everyone for your help. It looks like a big job then so I'll put it to my daughter with the options. Will probably keep fingers crossed and hope the blower does't get damaged, and yes he was given a good telling off, he's only 3 and I think he was thinking he was putting some money in a money box. Kids eh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jcoventry]

When I was a kid I managed to somehow damage one of the air vents in my dad's Citroen AX. :P

[skyman114]

As four days have past i thought i`d ask ......Any change yet ?? .... i`ll fetch me coat ...

[57focus]

As four days have past i thought i`d ask ......Any change yet ?? .... i`ll fetch me coat ...

No, she has decided to leave things as they are at the moment as it appears that it is not too serious a problem to worry about, the engine won't blow up or anything and see how things go and perhaps remove rhe fascia when the weather is better. But thanks for your concern..... :)