I was really hoping my first post here would be something more fun, alas, heres what I have.
Dropped an ecig battery into the left center vent on a (brand new) '18 fit through a miraculous freak accident. I definitely want to retrieve it, the hacker part of my brain is thinking about static discharge and condensation, coupled with li-po battery.... BAD. Feel free to correct me if I am over thinking this one!

After vigorously searching these and other forums to little avail, I started by pulling the cabin air filter, hoping it made it there. No luck. The diagrams and photos I've been able to find make it look like the vent almost drops directly into the heater core itself...
I'm hoping there is 'turning veins' or something to block any foreign objects from dropping into the body of the heater core, but I have been unable to find a diagram detailed enough to know for sure. Anyone dealt with anything like this before? I would greatly appreciate any input. I'm thinking of taking the vent cover off and using one of those grabber dealies. The other idea I had is to get the local football team to turn it upside down and shake it vigorously....
Any witticisms, help, even criticism greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
fitn00b

 

thought vapers only drove WRX's..



if you dropped it in the left vent chances are it will be near the left vent. i dont know how big those batteries are cause i dont vape even though i am an STI owner.. but im thinking no bigger than a LR44?

 

Have you tried removing the center vent cover to see if it's stuck there? Not sure if the device is ferrous where you can stick a magnet down there to try to retrieve.

About reason not to smoke lol

 

How in the world did you drop that into this vent??????

 

Turn your Fit upside & shake vigorously. ;-)

 

i like that idea the best.

 

Double back duct tape and tape it or roll it on to a long baling wire. Coat hanger wire is probably too stiff. Stick it into the vent and let it do some hunting. This is how I retrieve lost coins between seats and center console in other cars.

 

Hey bud! Sorry for the freak accident, but hopefully this will ease your worry.

The lipo battery packs in a lot if ecigs nowadays are fortunately insulated very well, and the only thing that can cause a catastrophic failure would be a hard short for the most part, and I don't believe the temperatures within the HVAC system get even close enough, even near the heater core, to get hot enough to cause any kind of thermal instability within the lithium-ion.


so as long as the positive and negative contacts on the Lipo pack don't magically somehow both contact a metal surface completing a circuit you're really not in any kind of danger.

Hope this helps!


I still urge you to get it out! but you can do so at a leisurely Pace now.

 

Use this as an impetus to quit the habit.

 

Here's some info on removing that center HVAC grill. That might get you more access: http://metraonline.com/files/product...7883HG_web.pdf

 

I just took apart my dash to install a subwoofer. If this is the air vent right above the infotainment screen it's pretty simple getting it out but kind of a pain (like plan for about an hour of wrestling with it). Check these videos for instructions.


It helps to stop by an auto parts store and pick up a set of trim removal tools. They're plastic chisel like objects that you can use to give you some leverage into the plastic parts. Like $10 but it keeps you from damaging the plastic using other tools.