Diamond ring inside front defrost vent!Do I remove dash? How?

[Ashvin]

My fiance got mad at me and throw her $15000 diamond ring in my 2000 Maxima GLE and the damn thing bounced around and found its way into the driver side defrost vent of the front windshield! I'm talking about the vents right under the windshield. I've tried everything! I have removed most things in the front panel but no luck yet. I think I need to remove the entire dashboard and look into the vents! but I cant figure out how to get the thing out. Can someone please help me get the dash out? Is there another way to get into the vents? Where do they go anyways? Please help me I'm desperate!

Modified by Ashvin at 11:23 PM 2/10/2007
Modified by Ashvin at 11:26 PM 2/10/2007

[aaronsnocker1]

I have an idea. And your idea was removed by beancooker. Be nice in my forum.Seriously good luck getting that out.

[Beancooker]

What year? Maxima I assume?

[MattB]

I'd see about getting an FSM for the car with dash disassembly instructions. Or perhaps the dealer could clear out the whole system and get it out.

[Beancooker]

I have all the FSM's... just need the year. It may be accessable from the in cabin air filter, behind the glovebox.

[Beancooker]

This is for the incabin air filter.

[aaronsnocker1]

wow take a joke much

[Beancooker]

I just assumed it is a 5th gen... 2000-2003

[Beancooker]

wow take a joke much

Wow, no, not when you say something violent like that to a new member.

BTW... your sig is too big. You need to edit it. You can find the sig rules in my sig, click on "sig rules".

[Ashvin]

Thanks Beancooker!It's a 2000 GLE. Those diagrams are fantastic! I pretty much took all those parts apart. I still couldn't get it out though. I didn't take out the passenger side airbag. Maybe that's why the whole dash is not coming out. Do I take the airbag out? I'm kinda scared of that, can you show me how to take it out? I did disconnect the battery before I started. Do you know where those vents go to anyway? Somebody said they might go into the depths of the firewall and I might have to cut a hole in the firewall. What do you think? Thanks again.

[MinisterofDOOM]

If I were in your position, I don't think I'd mess with the airbag myself. Too many things that can go wrong.

Somebody said they might go into the depths of the firewall and I might have to cut a hole in the firewall. What do you think? Thanks again.

I'm not sure about getting into the firewall (there's not really anything to be "in" with the firewall), but I found a mailbox key I lost at least 6 years ago sitting on the lip of the lower dash trim, right inside the fusebox cover about a month ago. I was messing with some fuses and noticed something shiny...very weird. NO idea how it got there. Look all over. Try the foot vent outlets, behind the glovebox, etc.

[Beancooker]

I would cut a hole in the bottem of the vents and stick my hand in there, before I would cut a hole in the firewall.

There is a tool, not sure where to get it, and it has a scope and a flashlight, and is about 3'long and as big around as a dime, and is really flexible. that would work great. If I'm near work tomorrow, I'll stop in and get the name of the company that makes it.

Well, you found NICO, so at least somnething good came out of this. Hope you stick around, and visit often!

[Ashvin]

Ok I'll leave the firewall alone. What about removing the airbags and the steering wheel though? Can you help me with that please Beancooker? Also I don't see the foot vents under the dash. Where are they?

[Beancooker]

The steering wheel... you need a security bit (star driver with hole down the center) to remove, without that, it's impossible. Passenger side airbag win't really help you too much to remove, I don't think, but, here ya go.









If possible, turn on heater and feel around for them, I also think there is a vent that leads under the seat, but I have never really looked.

[Ashvin]

Beancooker you are awsome!Man I so DO NOT want to remove the airbags and stearing wheel! From reading and looking at the first set of instructions you posted thought it seems like at least the passenger airbag needs to be removed before the whole dash will come out. I hope I'm wrong! the damn dash doesn't seem to wanna come out so far though =(. Also, I looked inside the in-cabin airfilter area. There was nothing but leaves and dead bugs. Funny. because when I bought the car they said it had a filter, but when I took off the cover and looked there was no filter, just leaves! and no ring unfortunitly. Is there more FSM's for the ventilation system? something that would show me where all the vents lead to?Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Modified by Ashvin at 2:30 AM 2/11/2007
Modified by Ashvin at 2:38 AM 2/11/2007

[Beancooker]

It is probably sitting on top of the defroster door switch.I have to go to sleep now, but I'll check this thread as soon as I wake up. Good luck!

[Beancooker]

Have you stood outside the car, and looked in thru the windsheild, and tried to look down the defroster vent?

[Ashvin]

I layed on the hood with a powerful flashlight and looked down the vents. No ring. I'll have to figure out where this defroster door thing is and see if I can get to it. Is there something that has the actual drawings of the ventilation system and ducts rather than the flow chart? Thanks beancookerp.s. What's you're real name? I owe you big time if I find the ring!
Modified by Ashvin at 4:18 AM 2/11/2007

[A.Tech]

beancooker, Where do you get all your FSMs?

[Ashvin]

I still can't get the dash out. Do I need to get the passenger side airbag out first? I'm not giving up yet but is there a certain type of specialist I should be thinking about turning the car over to to look for the thing? Would a body shop be good?
Modified by Ashvin at 2:03 PM 2/11/2007

[Beancooker]

Body shop would know what to do, but you can get it, it'll just be a PITA. I'll be back in a while, accountant is at my door.

[Ashvin]

OK the latest: no ring OfcourseI looked around the incabin air filter and cleaned that out. Also took out all the screws down there, and the took out the blower and pried apart the assembly around the condenser as much as I could and looked and tapped around there. I also found the foot heater vents and looked in there with no luck. I'm kindda stuck at this point. Can't look any further without taking out the whole dash. For that I think I need to take out the passenger side airbag. I don't have the tool for that. Looking like lost cause and a dismanteled Beautiful maxima.

[Beancooker]

Ash, check your email.

[Ashvin]

So I got the entire dash out and started fishing. I was hoping it would just be right there on one of the doors or in the heater unit but no! I have no idea where it's at at this point. Next step is I'm gonna have the AC discharged by my mechanic and take the whole heating and cooling system out and start dismanteling from under the hood. He said he might also be able to get a endoscope thing so I can look inside things with a camera. It's looking like a lost cause!! Glad I insured the thing under my home owners insurance! Should I change the heater core while I'm at it?

[Beancooker]

Well, since you have it that far apart, I'd change out the heater core, the instrument cluster, the head unit, and anything else you don't really like.

If ever there is a question about the dash, or what's under it, I'll be sending that person to you. I'm making you my official dashboard/vent system expert.

I totally forgot to see who makes the scope I was telling you about. I'll look at work first thing in the morning.

[Ashvin]

I FOUND IT! Last night at 2AM After 5 days and nights of searching I finally got the cooling unit out and got access to the heating core and still didn't see it. At this point as I was cussing and yelling in the garage I made one last reach and felt something smooth, and round! It was stuck in the tiniest least accessable spot imaginable between the bottom of the core and the housing unit! Unfreakingbelievable that it would got there! I sat there in the bare car on the floor, no seats even at this point, and looked at the thing for fifteen minutes. Called in sick today and put my car back together. Took me about eight hours! Then recharged the AC. My mechanic offered me a job and said I gotta tell you I didn't think you would pull it off. Disconnecting and reconnecting the heating hoses at the firewall was the hardest of all. Thanks for the help. Maxima interior expert Ashvin
Modified by Ashvin at 10:37 PM 2/14/2007

[MinisterofDOOM]

Good to hear.

If nothing else, at least you learned something about your car from all this...

[Beancooker]

Congratulations!!!

[maxhopper]

Glad it worked out for you!

Perhaps you should propose to Noah next.

just kidding

[swedishgirl]

HELP!I am in the same situation!

I got mad at my fiance and threw my engagement ring on him.Unfortunately it dell down in the vents infront of the windshield.

Has anyone any idea of how we can get it out..I have been crying alla day long and my boyfriend want to buy me a new ring..but it is not the same..

I want my ring back....I an sooo mad at myself right now..if only i could turn back time..

I am totally devastated...is it possible to try to find it ourselves?

Thank for any kind of help..