Candy Stuck in Dash Defrosting Vent

Yeah, I've got some candy stuck in my passenger side dash defrosting vent. I've got a 99 Silverado Z-71.
I'm a teacher and I agreed with some parents to take their middle schooler to and from school each day. Big mistake. This kid has a chronic gas problem and one day he tries tearing into a bag of skittles. Instead of neatly tearing a corner off the bag, he pulls wither side with all his might and the bag bursts open and skittles go flying. Thus I have skittles down the front windshield defrosting vent in my truck. Whenever I make turns I can hear the little candies rolling side to side. I oughta smack this kid silly.
What can I do to remedy this problem? Is there any way to get at those vents easily to remove the candies? Is it going to be a big hassle? Should I send this kids dad a bill for labor?

Yeah, I've got some candy stuck in my passenger side dash defrosting vent. I've got a 99 Silverado Z-71.
I'm a teacher and I agreed with some parents to take their middle schooler to and from school each day. Big mistake. This kid has a chronic gas problem and one day he tries tearing into a bag of skittles. Instead of neatly tearing a corner off the bag, he pulls wither side with all his might and the bag bursts open and skittles go flying. Thus I have skittles down the front windshield defrosting vent in my truck. Whenever I make turns I can hear the little candies rolling side to side. I oughta smack this kid silly.
What can I do to remedy this problem? Is there any way to get at those vents easily to remove the candies? Is it going to be a big hassle? Should I send this kids dad a bill for labor?



:lol: im sorry man but.... :lol2:

I did this with a box of .22 bullets one night.

Wasn't my truck though. They stayed there forever.

Sounds like some major disassembly to me. I've messed around in the general area trying to fish an antenna cable through, but the defrost vents seem to be pretty isolated to me. Not a fix, but, maybe as time passes the Skittles will break down some and "stick" and you won't hear them rattle. Could even help this along with some water mist from a spray bottle?

But I'm intrigued by the real issue...the relationship between chronic gas and Skittles. New one to me. :confused:

:rofl: Im sorry but thats just funny. I got some stuff in my vents as well but I dont hear anything. I have a Buddy Christ on my dashboard with a bunch of that plastic jewlery you get from the quarter machines(big money sign and gold chains). Hes a pimp, anyway, One hot summer day the tape was kinda loose and my g/f knocked him out of his place and one of the chains slid into my dash vent. No chance ill ever see it again.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/nigel215/buddyc.jpg

The big $ is what went down the vent.

Norwood, I have that exact same truck. Same color, same window vent guards, Z-71. Heck, our tires even look similar.

I think you may be approaching the problem wrong, just because the candies went into the vent at the top does not mean that is how they have to come out. All the vents are connected to a main duct at the bottom under the dash, that is where those candies are rolling around. I know on the older trucks like my 88 full size jimmy it was a matter of a few screws and the entire lower duct would come out. Personally myself, i would gut half the truck to remove just one candy from the duct never mind a whole bunch, i hate squeaks and rattles. Have a look around under the dash, it may be a matter of removing that first shield that covers all the ductwork ect that was talked about in the thread about how to change the cabin air filters. Nose around , start taking a few covers off ect, even bang on the bottom of the duct work, i am sure you will hear them down there. Good luck.

I think you may be approaching the problem wrong, just because the candies went into the vent at the top does not mean that is how they have to come out. All the vents are connected to a main duct at the bottom under the dash, that is where those candies are rolling around. I know on the older trucks like my 88 full size jimmy it was a matter of a few screws and the entire lower duct would come out. Personally myself, i would gut half the truck to remove just one candy from the duct never mind a whole bunch, i hate squeaks and rattles. Have a look around under the dash, it may be a matter of removing that first shield that covers all the ductwork ect that was talked about in the thread about how to change the cabin air filters. Nose around , start taking a few covers off ect, even bang on the bottom of the duct work, i am sure you will hear them down there. Good luck.


HEY I WORKIN A SCRAP YARD BRING IT TO ME AND I WILL FLIPIT UPSIDE DOWN AND GIVE IT A SHAKE THAT CANDY WILL COME RIGHT OUTOFTHERE.LOL JOKES GOOD LUCK

HEY I WORKIN A SCRAP YARD BRING IT TO ME AND I WILL FLIPIT UPSIDE DOWN AND GIVE IT A SHAKE THAT CANDY WILL COME RIGHT OUTOFTHERE.LOL JOKES GOOD LUCK

The bad part is, that would probably work

Norwood, I have that exact same truck. Same color, same window vent guards, Z-71. Heck, our tires even look similar.

I'll have to get me some Skittles. :iceslolan :grinno:

Alright jokesters, if i could flip my truck upside-down, i'd probably do it. Problem is that its an extended cab so its just a little to heavy for me.

Kenny 1907, thanks for the tip. Soon as it gets above freezing i'll start workin on the thing and see what i can find down below.

Arg! I know children are a blessing but stuff like this makes me thankful not to have any children of my own.

What about where the HVAC Filters are? Could you take the filters out and look in there Maybe you could see it with a mirror or something??? Reminds of one of my co-workers he took his Factory CD Player apart and found almost $2 in change inside the CD Player...
Good luck, I hate annoying rattles and creaks...

How the hell did change get in the CD player? I've stuck a CD inside the slot between the CD player and the dash before in pitch black dark, but never change in the CD slot.

I rembere when I was little I stuck a paper clip in the tape player of my dads old truck. He dident like that and it never worked again.

Hey wagslick
Here's something to try if you are unable to "reach" the skittle with anything..cover up all of your vents, heat your truck up and hit the defrost on the highest, hottest setting! I don't recall skittles advertising that they don't melt! :)

Who knows how change got in there that was how he found it. Too bad it wasn't a Credit Card :P

Hehe I found a credit card in the overhead console in my truck when I bought it

Wag; You say you can still hear them moving around; can you ever see them through the windshield from the outside looking down into the vents?

(Might need to make a few hard left hand turns)

If you can; mayne a piece of copper wire or a hanger + a piece of gum could retrieve them??

It worked for me last year in my 02 silverado...

If not; just wait till your windhield needs to be replaced; and do it while the glass guy is prepping the new windshield.

Good luck..

-ToM D