My interior air vent sliders that allow the vertical flaps to rotate left / right seem to have come disconnected from the actual vent flaps. In other words, the slider just freely slides left to right without adjusting where the vents blow.

Anyone had this problem and know of any easy fix or trick to reconnect the mechanism? The dealership said they could just 'replace the vent console' for a very nice price - not worth it.

Kinda ghetto, but right now I'm using a pocket knife to reach into and manually adjust the vertical vents (they still all move in tandem).

 

I had the same problem. While I was doing my iPod install I found a little black plastic piece. Basically, two prongs on an oval base. I put it in my pocket because I had no idea what it was. I later noticed the same problem you are having, but only on one side. So, I looked at the functional vent and then the non functional vent. Something was missing and it was the part I had put in my pocket weeks ago. I had held onto it. I removed the center vent assembly, slid the piece back in and put a dab of superglue on it. Problem solved. It was never really broken, it had just come out of it's holder. The point of this longwinded statement is: Look at one of your functional vents and you'll see the piece that you've probably lost. Then look around, mine was right there on the floor!

 

I just discovered the same problem. On both the driver's side and also the driver's side of the center stack. I wasn't lucky enough to find any pieces on the floor--and its been cleaned (at the dealers a couple of times...hmm, think they'd know what that was before their vacuum cleaner picked it up!).

I didn't notice it broken at the time of the CPO pickup or I would have called it out and no doubt they would have fixed it to get the sale. I was told at my local dealer this item is "trim" and not covered by warranty. I wondered why it wasn't covered by the CPO pre-check. I was told it just wasn't on the CPO checklist. I asked how something with such lightweight use could get broken. "Slamming the vents from side to side." Uh, yeah. That's how I take out my road rage, on my A/C vent controls.

$625 for the two parts. Because of course it is the entire vent assembly. I'm a bit steamed.

It may be time to head to the dismantler's to see if they've a 996/7 dash that I can cannibalize for these itty plastic pieces that cost more than $300 each, effectively.

If anyone has words of advice, wisdom or just consolance, I'm up for it. I love my 997, but c'mon. My Audi I've had for 10 years and after 200k miles one of the window switches is just a little loose. In my Porsche with 40k mi there are little parts that just sproing out of their dash vents onto the floor? Whaaa?

 

I share in your frustration. I bought my car from a private seller so there was no CPO certification or warranty. Having said that, I guess it doesn't matter. I also did not discover it until after a few days in the car - it's not something you would easily notice.

For the last 1.5 years, I've just lived with it...it doesn't really bother me that much. I've used a pen to manually adjust the vents to the position I want them, and just forgot about it after that. It is kinda annoying that the slider just moves back and forth with any medium+ g turn.

I have a similar issue with the trim strip above the glove box that conceals the cup holders. It doesn't always click back into place and takes multiple tries. Sometimes if I hit a bump, it pops open. Again, the dealership just wanted to replace the entire cup holder assembly. I didn't even ask for a price...

If it ever gets worse, I'll look into a salvage yard to get the parts and replace them myself. That's probably your best bet unless you have gobs of money sitting around - of course, in that case, just buy a new car, right!?!?