t2d2

iTrader: (8)

It's been covered elsewhere how to disassemble everything in order to get to the center vent / wood trim for removal. What hasn't really been resolved is how to get that stinkin' left clip out without destroying it. It's been suggested that it can be accessed from below through the stereo opening. That doesn't appear possible to me, having looked everything over with most of the surrounding stuff removed. (If you can figure out how to get the air tube out from behind the vent, that may be a different matter.) What I did figure out, however, is that you can get to it from the left side by pulling the gauge cluster and reaching around behind. You'll be able to feel the metal spring clip in the back.

Unfortunately, the plastic is so brittle that even that gentle coercion was more than mine could handle. By the time I had wiggled the vent free, the left side clip was just sitting there detached... At least it's a clean break, unlike the shatter-upon-contact method of working from the right side alone, so I can probably epoxy it back together.

If you're lucky enough to find a center vent in good shape and have to remove it yourself, I think it's worth going to the extra trouble of pulling the gauge cluster out to do everything possible to preserve the precious vent. A related tip that I also came up with today, having to drop the steering column to get the cluster out with no power to use the tilt motor, is to loosen the four big bolts (14 or 17mm, I think it was the latter) to let the whole column drop. You can loosen two and remove two to get several inches of clearance. I was able to get the cluster out in a matter of seconds with all that extra room to work, as opposed to miserably failed attempts on my working cluster due to the incredibly stubborn plugs. Doing so for center vent removal would probably give you enough space to get the cluster out of the way without actually unplugging it.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

I want to say I looked at the cluster, decided I was too tired, and proceeded to hulk it off. went back in ok for missing some clips.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

I suspect that's what most people have resigned themselves to, judging from my not yet having seen one without the clip broken off the left side. Mine holds in place without that clip, as well, but some people are pretty finicky about chasing down rattles and every little attachment point tends to help.