I had posted a YouTube video with this comment but I am gonna remove it, for a minute, and make a better video. Anyway: I just replaced a broken "louver assembly" by removing non-broken louvers (including the little connecting rod) from a panel I don't need. It was simple. I had searched the web a year or so ago and it said you had to take out the dashboard to replace the louvers closest to the doors. Well, I did this in under 15-minutes....a little tedious but I got the louver assembly out of one spot and back into the louver hole by the passenger door with zero problems.

When I say "louver assembly" I mean that what I replaced was both louvers connected by a connecting rod.

Just use something small and thin and pry out the bottom louver first - insert the tool between the louver assembly (the two louvers are connected by a rod). You pry it out by gently twisting the louver away from the housing. Pry out the bottom one on one side, then pry out the top louver on the same side. Pull the louver out, slightly. In my case this caused the entire assembly to pop out - the other side came loose once I tugged on the side where I had already dislodged the little plastic rollers that slide into the holes in the casing.

The whole thing popped out undamaged and I was able to insert the thing, simply reversing the process, where I had broken louvers.

 

Did you remove that louver assembly from loose dash, out of car? I couldn't figure out how to get it out of the dash in car in the junk yard.

 

I had one that was in the center console that I'm replacing......so, basically, I could have been at the junk yard. I just used that little knife....placing it as I showed....and twisted very gently on the bottom louver and then on the top louver. I gently pulled them forward a bit on the side where they were loose and then they just kind popped out of the other side. Maybe I got lucky but, I swear, on the first try it worked with no problems at all - and it did not break the little connecting arm that allows them to move together (that was my biggest concern - figured that thing might snap). Just get a really thin, but kinda strong, knife or something and place it between the housing and the louvers. Twist gently.....get the plastic tit out of the hole on the bottom, then do the same thing on the top louver. Gently pull that side out a bit - based on my experience it should pop right out. Just kinda reverse the process to install the thing.

 

^^ Thanks! ^^