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Did you accidentally drop something in your car vent and want to get it out? You've come to the right place! Rest assured that whatever you dropped isn't gone—you just can't get to it. Because your car's air ducts are a self-contained system, anything in there can be retrieved. It's just a question of how. Here, you'll find pretty simple DIY methods you can use to recover whatever you've lost. In the event you still can't get it out, call on your favorite local mechanic for more help.

1

Remove the vent cover for greater access to the duct.

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  1. The vent cover isn't molded to the dash in most older cars—if you use a little leverage, you can just pop them out. You can usually tell at a glance if this is going to be possible.
    • A flat-head screwdriver works to get in between the vent cover and the dash.
    • You usually won't hurt anything by doing this, but if you give it a little nudge and it doesn't seem to move, consult your car's manual to see if there's some trick to taking them out.
    • If the vent cover is molded to the dash, this could limit your options somewhat since you won't have open access to the duct. Just open the vents as much as you can.
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3

Use long forceps if you can see the object.

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  1. Use long hemostat forceps to reach in and grab the object. Go slowly and take care not to push the object further down the duct in the process. Some forceps have a locking mechanism for more security.
    • If you're good with chopsticks, you might be able to use them to grab the object the same way you would use hemostat forceps.
    • If you weren't able to get the vent covers off, you might need to twist your forceps or adjust the grip to pull your object through the slats. You could also switch to tweezers to get the job done. Just remember—it fell down in there, so it'll come back through!
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4

Try to suck the object out with a Shop-Vac.

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  1. A household vacuum with hose attachments might also work, although a Shop-Vac tends to have more suction. Empty the vacuum out before you start so it'll be easier for you to reclaim the object from the vacuum. Then, aim the hose down the vent.
    • For a Shop-Vac, use a filter with a general household filtration level.[3]
    • If you've taken the vent covers off and you have a small enough hose or attachment, send it straight down the duct. It'll be more likely to suck up the object if there's less distance between the object and the end of the hose.
5

Get a flexible pickup tool to go around bends.

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  1. Buy a flexible pickup tool, similar to the snake tool you might use to unclog a drain. You'll probably want to go with the simplest model, although you can get fancy versions that have lights and even cameras attached to them.[4]
    • If you can't see the object, you'll probably have to do a little blind poking around with your tool until you're able to grab the object and pull it out. It can take some patience, but it's worth it if you're able to retrieve the object on your own.
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6

Attach something hard and flat to your pickup tool.

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7

Remove your cabin air filter.

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  1. Check your car's manual to locate the cabin air filter. It's typically either under the dash or behind your glove box, although some are in the engine compartment. Once you access the filter, it should slide right out. If your object has traveled all the way through your vents, you'll find it resting on the filter.
    • There's no real way to know for sure if the object has fallen this far without pulling out the filter. Fortunately, they're typically pretty simple to remove.
    • Look at the condition of the air filter while you're at it. If it looks pretty dirty, you might want to go ahead and replace it. Your local auto parts store can help you find the right filter for your vehicle's make, model, and year.
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Tips

  • Shine a flashlight down the duct while you're working—it'll help you see where you're going and what you're doing. You might even be able to see the object you're trying to grab!
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About This Article

Jason Shackelford
Reviewed by:
Auto Technician
This article was reviewed by Jason Shackelford and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD. Jason Shackelford is the Owner of Stingray Auto Repair, a family owned and operated auto repair shop with locations in Seattle and Redmond, Washington. He has over 24 years of experience in auto repair and services, and every single technician on Jason’s team has more than 10 years of experience. This article has been viewed 65,324 times.
63 votes - 86%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: May 27, 2024
Views: 65,324
Categories: Lost and Found
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 65,324 times.

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