C**H

Just trying to draw some attention with the post subject but it did happen. Last Friday on the way to Florida I was using a small Bluetooth GPS receiver while using my phone for navigation. This thing is about the size of an iPod nano. I had the GPS on the dash and one second it’s there and the next second the Tahoe gobbled it up! It fell into the !@#$%* dash defrost vent.

I should say something like it slid across the dash and just happened to fall perfectly down one of the vent slots but that’s not actually what happened. I’ll admit that it fell through one of the slots because I basically dropped it in like a slot machine. I’ll explain.

I have used this same GPS in this Tahoe a few times before up in the dash and it has slid around a bit when turning corners. It does have a non-skid back but I’ve put a small piece of Velcro on the back so I can use the GPS and phone on a golf cart mount on the course for distances, but the Velcro prevents the non-skid from sticking to the dash. This Tahoe is not mine or I might have put another piece of Velcro on the dash. Anyway, I figured this time I would prop up the GPS in one of the vent slots to prevent it from sliding. It was still a little loose laying on its side so I turned it upright on the vent and it dropped faster than a coin in a slot machine!

You can imagine the look on my face as a hundred thoughts raced through my mind like…I can get that out, no hell I can’t…the whole dash will have to be pulled, the GPS is only $70 but I hate to throw away $$ leaving it in there, etc.. We did have a few laughs about how it looked like I dropped it in on purpose, and the look on my face, and about how the Tahoe can now be sold as having a built-in GPS.

So now that I’m through laughing about it, I want to get it out without paying for it. Otherwise it can stay in there. I can barely see the GPS as it rested only about 10” or so down in the vent, and seeing that the vent is funnel shaped, I think it may cause problems when running the defrost. The only way to see it is by looking down the vent from the outside of the windshield. We’ve already considered the 3-pronged, plunger type grabbers and magnetic grabbers but the slots are basically the size of the GPS and even though I haven’t tried it yet I don’t think it will work. Maybe another piece of Velcro on a stick will grab it, but the problem is the tight angle against the inside of the windshield will make it hard to fish it out. One person would have to do the eye-balling outside the Tahoe and the other would have to fish it out blindly.

The easiest solution I think is to remove the top dash panel and that’s where I’m looking for help in this forum. The dash has a panel near the windshield called the “top dash trim” (I think). The vent and light sensor are in this panel and you can clearly see the edge of this panel as it splits the top dash in half. The other half houses the passenger airbag and I DO NOT want to mess with that! I’ve already searched this forum and found only one other post saying the “top dash trim” can be removed to install a GPS Navigation system. Ironic, huh? The post says 5 clips hold the panel and the light sensor has to be unplugged. And now that I’m typing this I’m thinking why don’t I just PM that forum member? I’ll do that next but I might as well finish this book while I’m here.

Finally, my questions are…Can anyone verify this dash panel can be removed by prying the clips? What type of clips are they and what tool will cause the least amount of damage? We don’t want any rattles after we put the dash back together. And does anyone happen to know where I can view or print out the top dash trim panel removal diagram/instructions?

Thanks for your time.

C**H

I already found what I was looking for,no need for anyone wasting time posting replies. I found a thread in the tahoeforum of a guy doing the OEM Nav install in an 07 tahoe. He had pictures of every step including the dash panel removal. It looks very easy.

in2pro

Glad you found what you needed, but don't let that stop you from posting your experience working on your truck here!

d1nonly34

hopefully you got it out! lol

SabrToothSqrl

try working on boats! drop a bolt, and its down in the hole for EVER... but only if its a bolt you REALLY NEED... if your lucky you can get it back

az_broker

I just dropped something down the same vent!!! Can you link to where you found your solution or describe?