Hey guys

I've a 1997 TH altera. Basically there is a slider on the drivers side vent in the centre console, just like the one on the other side that opens/closes the vent, 'cept it has a little blue diagram on the bottom and a little grey diagram on top.

What does this thing do? I thought it was recycled air or exterior air but thats what that little slider under the heater gauge does.

The reason being is that it's broken, the drivers side clip of those 2 vents is broken as is the device the slider is connected to, so if i want to move it i have to get under the pedals and pull the metal wire myself.

So long story short:

What does it do?

and is it expensive to replace that part (i'm guessing the whole centre vent as the slider piece thing is moulded into the rear of the vent.

Cheers guys!

being a KL owner, i dont have this
but im interested

can you post a pic up of it please?

unless its an individual vent re/circ thing?

(didnt TN maggies have that sorta thing in them? i had a mate who had one, and i *think* i remember the side air vents having a 3way selector - fresh/off/recirc? prolly wrong on that one tho! so dont quote me!! lol)

im pretty sure one means open, one means close, maybe im thinking of the wrong thing, can u post a pic

im pretty sure one means open, one means close, maybe im thinking of the wrong thing, can u post a pic

lol have to agree with you there.

When you have your heaters on, especially to get rid of mist on cold mornings, and the heat just gets too much on your face, turn that slider thing to the blue side.

You'll notice cool air comes to the centre console vents, while hot air is still going to windsreen to get rid of mist.

Woo hoo!

But then if your still freezing your *** off, then turn the slider thing to grey. Hot air will continue as usual through all the vents.

The cable is pretty easy to dislodge, especially when taking out the centre console.
Just took a few turns of clipping the cable back on and trying to align it just the right length and easy fix.

Hope that helps,
Tom-k

ahh i have always wondered what that was! lol

thanx for that it was really helpful!!!

I really like this feature, I find it very comfortable to have some cool air on my face while the rest of the car is being warmed.

Yeah one of the features i like most because the woman likes the car at 26 deg like they do and i cant stand it so i slide it up to blue and i get outside air on my face. Nice. Problem solved.

When you have your heaters on, especially to get rid of mist on cold mornings, and the heat just gets too much on your face, turn that slider thing to the blue side.

You'll notice cool air comes to the centre console vents, while hot air is still going to windsreen to get rid of mist.

Woo hoo!

But then if your still freezing your *** off, then turn the slider thing to grey. Hot air will continue as usual through all the vents.

The cable is pretty easy to dislodge, especially when taking out the centre console.
Just took a few turns of clipping the cable back on and trying to align it just the right length and easy fix.

Hope that helps,
Tom-k

**** yeah that helps!

Thanks man!

Now to fix it lol, like i said that mould is broken, so the only way to change it is to pull the cord itself, the vent unit's driver side clip is broken too. So i'm guessing if i get a new one i'll just have to reattach the clip, I havn't checked since it broke, i think i might need the whole thing because the wire is moulded to vent panel.

(didnt TN maggies have that sorta thing in them? i had a mate who had one, and i *think* i remember the side air vents having a 3way selector - fresh/off/recirc? prolly wrong on that one tho! so dont quote me!! lol)

i was 3/4's right on it :D

I have an Owners Manual.

To remove the center vent you have to make up special tool which grabs at the back of the vent so you can pull it out
I made up a tool from some high tensile wire but any stiff wire should be ok
around 3 mm thich
get piece about 30 cm long and put it in vice and hammer down wire to 90 degree bend at c which is around 30 mm
After this is done then grind it off so c is only around 5mm (very critical)
a is the handle and can be around6 to 10 cms
b is around 20cm

* a
*
* b
**************************
* c

The tool can be put into bottom on the left and right side of the vent and pulled with some force which should dislodge the clips
Dont for get to undo wire cable underneath dash on drivers side

**** yeah that helps!

Thanks man!

Now to fix it lol, like i said that mould is broken, so the only way to change it is to pull the cord itself, the vent unit's driver side clip is broken too. So i'm guessing if i get a new one i'll just have to reattach the clip, I havn't checked since it broke, i think i might need the whole thing because the wire is moulded to vent panel.

I can't remember what the moulded bit looks like, So I don't know if its fixable.

But you have to decide whether its worth to have this simple function stuck on one position most of the time. Eg Cool and warm air, or warm and warm air from the vents.
OR
Find another centre console vent which should have the vent cable attached to it already.

Surfer, dude, I own a TJ so I could be wrong with the TH centre vents,
but do you really 'have to make up special tool' that you describe? My two hands do the same job.

Tom-k

yes you do as some idiot tried to pull mine out with out tool and smashed up my vent
it only takes a few min to make out of some wire

I can't remember what the moulded bit looks like, So I don't know if its fixable.

But you have to decide whether its worth to have this simple function stuck on one position most of the time. Eg Cool and warm air, or warm and warm air from the vents.
OR
Find another centre console vent which should have the vent cable attached to it already.

Surfer, dude, I own a TJ so I could be wrong with the TH centre vents,
but do you really 'have to make up special tool' that you describe? My two hands do the same job.

Tom-k

Cheers man! the cable and clip is perfectly intact but where it was attached has broken off...so i can pull the entire thing out and move it overseas if i wanted to. The clip on the right side is broken so it sits slightly lob sided but hardly noticeable so it's okay.

Also, if anyone can be bothered helping me: My center console cover sits about 0.5 cm away from all my controls, that is, there is a very small gap between say the console cover and the temperature selector, demistor/Aircon switch, and head/feet vent selector exc, so the cover doesn't sit properly. This happened after i took out my HU to install some RCA cables. Does anyone know what this could be? everything is screwed in properly and seemed to clip in fine at the time. The only issue i could diagnose really is that when i put the HU back in that chassis thing that holds the HU in place was bent around a bit (mainly where the lower drivers side screw goes) perhaps this is why it doesn't sit properly? Perhaps the chassis thing is extruding beyond it's regular position and stopping the console cover from sitting properly.

Cheers guys!

I have an Owners Manual.

I couldn't find anything in the owners or operations manual about it!

I couldn't find anything in the owners or operations manual about it!

I have before, TH Sports here, but I forget where.
Manual needs a search function!?