After a brief encounter with a deer, the windshield shattered into a million small pieces. Many of these pieces fell down the defroster vent and the larger vent located on the dashboard. Can anyone tell me how to carefully remove the large vent grille so that I can attempt to vacuum out the small pieces of glass in the HVAC ducts?

 

You will have to remove the upper dash pad, on either side of dash, when you open your doors, you will see two small panels, they pry off, and there will be two screws holding the dash pad on on either side. Unscrew them, and your dashpad/grille will lift right off.

-Chase

 

How did the MINI make out? Got Pics?

 

btw, if you have a late model R53, then the dash is held on by about a zillion more screws and thingys than the early model ones. I once tried to remove my 2005 dash---and the old "how tos" were written for earlier models. They are totally misleading. I even talked to my dealership techs, and *they* hate later model dash repairs...and they are getting paid to do it!!

Good luck with the glass removal.