| Removing cabin air exhaust vent found inside left rear cubby | |
A recent shopping trolley bump in a car park left a ding on the left rear, low down, close to the tail light.  My 19 year old L322 is a caravan tow tug, not a show car, so a quick panel pop and a lick of paint was called for. I got out the panel beating tools (rubber mallet and pieces of softwood) then stipped out the inner panels (removal clearly explained in workshop manual) but couldn't get access because the extraction vent was in the way.
There was no obvious way to remove this and I couldn't find any instructions anywhere. The workshop manual has a picture labelling it "Forced ventilation outlet" on page 82-2 and that's it. Searches for "L322 Rear Left Trunk Air Vent" found a few pictures and a BMW part number - 8385388. Still no instructions, but I did get to see a few pictures. 
The vent has 4 fold-out tabs, 2 along each long side ~30mm from the ends. The whole assembly and the hole it fits in is romboidal with the wide end towards the front of the vehicle. The inner rear clip is completly inaccessable with a piece of (steel) floor beside it while the space betweeen the outer (steel) wall and both outer clips is too narrow for an adult hand to fit. Only 1 clip can be easily depressed.
So here is how I got it out -
1 - Force a spatular down ~50mm at ~50mm from the front, behind the 1 accessable clip, rotate the spatular counter clockwise to depress the clip then tilt the top front corner outboard and pull up.
2 - After a bit of wobbling and tugging the front end releases.
3 - Rotate the unit counter clockwise while sliding the rear forward.
4 - As the romboid widens in this direction and the clip moves past the metal barrier it is easy to get the spatular in to depress the 2 rear clips. Outer first, tilt the unit inboard, then release the last, outer clip and lift the unit out.
If anyone has a better method please tell all.
bye. 2003 TD6, EGR delete, vortex crankcase breather update, performance chip, UHF 2 way, Android head unit, crash camera on dash, always-on rear view camera to mirror screen, LED DRL`s, Electric trailer brake controller. FSR replaced. Pulling 3T caravan all about Australia
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