My $7 Interior Upgrade - Center Heater Vents

[Meteorite_Marty]

Well, during a visit to my local Toyota dealership, and while waiting for my car to be serviced (routine maintenance), I sat in a brand new 2009 Yaris hatchback.

When I was in there, I noticed a minor cosmetic difference in the newest version of the car that I really liked the look of. The center heat vents are now a matte black. Seeing this was enough to convince me to change mine to black, having mulled it over for many weeks now (without ever knowing the 2009's were like this as stock).

So, on the way home, I decided I would change the color of my center heater vents to Black, instead of having that ugly stock white that seems to have nothing to do with the theme of the car.

I used a product called Krylon Camouflage, Ultra Flat Black. This is an adhesive plastic paint, that is simple to use and makes the finish look like it was originally done in black. Spray lightly from a distance. I used about 4 coats, which can be applied 30-seconds apart. Dries fast, and is ready to touch in 15-mins. Cures in 1-hour. Scratch/chip resistant in 7-days.

Taking the center dash apart was easy. The center heater vent pops right out, and aside from popping out the electric clips to the hazard light swithc and passenger air bag alert indicator, the operation is completely tool-less. I removed each individual slat of the vent, and painted them separately.

Dismantling the center heater vent is a bit tricky, so I recommend doing one half at a time so you have something to compare against when reassembling. Its easy to see how it all goes together, and you will not break anything (the pieces give easily).

I have been debating whether or not to do this for a long time, and seeing it on the 2009's was my final push. The idea was to match my silver dash kit side heater vents, to unify the look of the interior. I hope my work inspires others to give it a shot too!!! Sorry for the "excessive" pics. Lots of before and after. Some specks on the black vents are NOT imperfections, just dust/fluff from wiping it off that the flash over exposes.

[Meteorite_Marty]

A few more pics from 2 days later, showing a more broader scope of the interior as well. Paint has been resiliant so far, and does not rub off.

[taKuto]

nice mod, definitely looks better in black

[jinxor]

That looks like a nice mod...
Great job mate!!!

[dallas]

Good work, It looks good :thumbup: I used the exact same stuff to color match a scratch on the dash, which is sadly painted and not solid black plastic.

[Meteorite_Marty]

Thanks for the remarks! The thing I like best, is that it doesn't "look" spray painted. Very natural finish.

Just wanted to tie it into the theme of other side heater vents, together with the silver casing of the dash kit.

[coheed]

I used that exact paint on the back bumper of my truck. And I can attest to the fact that this paint is tough. If trees wont make it come off, skin oil wont. :w00t: Very nice, I was thinking of doing the same thing.

[Meteorite_Marty]

I used that exact paint on the back bumper of my truck. And I can attest to the fact that this paint is tough. If trees wont make it come off, skin oil wont. :w00t: Very nice, I was thinking of doing the same thing.

Glad to hear it is durable. I was concerned with heat/cool air flow of the ventilation system having an adverse affect on the finish. I suppose the paint can handle that too, if it is meant for outdoor purposes and all weather, like you mentioned.

[PHXDEMON]

Looks way better than stock. I want to do this with my vents as well as all the silver trim that runs down the middle of the dash.

[Pitt Yaris]

Black is definitely better. Wonder what the whole center panels painted with that same paint would look like

[DefStarYaris]

I'm gonna get some of this stuff and possibly do the same. I had the same experience as you, sitting in an '09 while my '08 was being serviced and I really liked it. I may do my toyota emblems on the front and back of the car a nice matte black, do you think this stuff would be suitable?

[TickleTimeTim]

that's looks awesome. definitely gonna try that soon. one question though, does your car now smell like spray paint? i know after having wet clothes in my car once and having the air conditioning run, on hot days unfortunately the smell starts to come back. have you noticed yet or did you let it sit out long enough?

[Shroomster]

if you don't wanna go the spray paint route hit up Kcalb Siray's thread about dye-ing the interior plastic pieces with fabric dye....

by the way looks good Marty....

[evil genius]

Looks good. I have a 09, funny thing is when I found this site and saw all the pics of peoples cars, I thought all of you painted it white. Geez, I'm an idiot.:laugh:

[Klinton]

looks good man

[JustAnotherAsian]

i've used that can on my laptop. nice results, but a bit grainy no?

i think it looks better than the slightly-mismatched-silver slats. how is the durability in your opinion?

[1NZYaris1]

dam Marty, that looks great :clap:.
for a man thats keeps things to factory instal's , this must have been outside your comfort zone.
The funny part is, we can all see how proud you are of it , because of all the photo's :thumbup: , and so you should be , congrate's on a Mod well done.:drool:

[Meteorite_Marty]

dam Marty, that looks great :clap:.
for a man thats keeps things to factory instal's , this must have been outside your comfort zone.
The funny part is, we can all see how proud you are of it , because of all the photo's :thumbup: , and so you should be , congrate's on a Mod well done.:drool:

I emulated a factory standard by copying the 2009 look. Otherwise I would not have done it. So I'm still "comfortable." LOL

[Meteorite_Marty]

that's looks awesome. definitely gonna try that soon. one question though, does your car now smell like spray paint? i know after having wet clothes in my car once and having the air conditioning run, on hot days unfortunately the smell starts to come back. have you noticed yet or did you let it sit out long enough?

There is an odor, like fresh paint. But it does say on the can it takes 7 days to cure. It seems to be subsiding, either that or I am getting high off fumes. One of the two! :iono:

Joking aside, its a new smell, very slight, like anything plastic. Its not overbearing. I will keep an eye (nose) on it and let you know after the 7 days.

[kuyachris84]

Looks great! Wanna do mine? lol

[kimona]

Minor mod for a nice improvement.

[MadMax]

Well done, but the big question is whether to paint or to use the fabric dye route (http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16160)...

Cheers! M2

[BLAZINBLUEVITZ]

Well done, but the big question is whether to paint or to use the fabric dye route (http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16160)...

Cheers! M2
or just buy the 2008 S or 2009 vent which is already black/dk grey.....

[MadMax]

or just buy the 2008 S or 2009 vent which is already black/dk grey.....

I probably will have to after I screw this up! :iono:

You got part #s and/or a price?

Cheers! M2

[kuyachris84]

Where do you get that paint?

Also.... how'd you remove this part in the picture below...

Is it easy to remove?

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9771/heater2.jpg

[BLAZINBLUEVITZ]

I probably will have to after I screw this up! :iono:

You got part #s and/or a price?

Cheers! M2
55670-52010-C0

[uncleyaris]

good ol' Canadian know how!

[Meteorite_Marty]

Its easy to remove. I can do a labelled diagram of how to remove the surrounding plastic. Catch it later!

[Meteorite_Marty]

or just buy the 2008 S or 2009 vent which is already black/dk grey.....

I decribed the part to my dealer via e-mail, and he says its $150. That is way too much.

So I sent a second e-mail with a picture and a reference to the part number that was given earlier (55670-52010-C0). I am not sure if this is the right part number. Hopefully it is cheaper than $150.

I don't want the whole housing, just the slats and turn dial.

[Meteorite_Marty]

Here is some instructions on how to remove the dash panels. Its really simple, almost like LEGO. Every part of the dash has pop pins, which are really rugged. Don't pull too hard on anything, or you might risk scratches.

The trick is to know where to start, and follow the correct order. Imagine, peeling an onion and getting to the middle.
Hope this helps.

[Meteorite_Marty]

Where do you get that paint?

Also.... how'd you remove this part in the picture below...

Is it easy to remove?

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/9771/heater2.jpg

I bought the paint at a hardware/automotive store chain here called Canadian Tire. I imagine Home Depot or other stores would have the same product. Some of the USA members here siad they used the same product , so I know it is available in the states. Maybe they could tell you where they got theirs?

Instructions provided in diagram.

[Meteorite_Marty]

i've used that can on my laptop. nice results, but a bit grainy no?

i think it looks better than the slightly-mismatched-silver slats. how is the durability in your opinion?

My camera makes it look grainy. Its not grainy or rough at all to the touch. The texture is so smooth, it is impossible to tell it wasn't black plastic to begin with. It is not shiny at all, and looks like proper dash plastic should be. I will try to take some bright daylight pics to show the surface texture better. Its very uniform though.

I'm quite impressed with the ease of use and durability of the paint. If you read the instructions on the can, you will yield excellent results. Its not your typical runny/drippy spray paint. Kind of powdery and very light. Gets into nooks and crannys with excellent coverage.

Hope that explains things a bit more.

[MadMax]

Actually, the small shoppette across the street from where I work actually has it; so it should be easy to find. I would check WalMart as I believe I have seen that paint there before...

I am thinking about this...thanks for the detailed instructions on how to take the console apart!

Cheers! M2

[JustAnotherAsian]

My camera makes it look grainy. Its not grainy or rough at all to the touch. The texture is so smooth, it is impossible to tell it wasn't black plastic to begin with. It is not shiny at all, and looks like proper dash plastic should be. I will try to take some bright daylight pics to show the surface texture better. Its very uniform though.

I'm quite impressed with the ease of use and durability of the paint. If you read the instructions on the can, you will yield excellent results. Its not your typical runny/drippy spray paint. Kind of powdery and very light. Gets into nooks and crannys with excellent coverage.

Hope that explains things a bit more.
oh no. i didn't mean that it looked grainy in the camera, i was just asking if you thought it was grainy. imo, it's not good for the laptop- especially in the palm-rest area. it feels a bit weird imo, but maybe it's cuz i sprayed incorrectly (cold weather).

[hatchbackkid82]

I'm actually planning on doing this today, plan on painting the whole silver area. the original paint is chipping off of it. Going sand, the original paint of, prep for primer and the pain the sam ultra flat black, i'll try to take pics

[MadMax]

I got the fabric dye, and now am debating whether to go that route or to simply spray-paint them...

Cheers! M2

[kurokoma-kun]

Funny, I was just staring at those vents yesterday, wishing they were different color! Nice job meteorite marty :w00t:

[hatchbackkid82]

Here you guys go.

[Altitude]

I got the fabric dye, and now am debating whether to go that route or to simply spray-paint them...

Cheers! M2

I dyed mine. Looks good. Only problem was the plastic "angle adjusters" underneath each vent didn't dye too well. They darkened up a bit but nothing like the vent slats themselves. They looked sort of purplish-gray so I ended up having to paint them.

[Meteorite_Marty]

I'm actually planning on doing this today, plan on painting the whole silver area. the original paint is chipping off of it. Going sand, the original paint of, prep for primer and the pain the sam ultra flat black, i'll try to take pics

The spray I used requires no sanding or primer. I suppose you are sanding in order to even out the surface, since you had some chips?

[Meteorite_Marty]

Here you guys go.


Did you dismantle everything, including the heater vent housing. Would like to see a more clear picture, but looks good from what I can tell from the picture.

[hatchbackkid82]

Yeah i took everything apart. Hold on i got you a better picture

[hatchbackkid82]

I left the vents white, i tried spay painting them black but, end up breaking them and having to order new ones:frown: don't want to go through that again. Looks real good, did a lot sanding, used 360 grit it was very fine. Ended up doing this twice came out looking perfect the second time:thumbup:

[hatchbackkid82]

those swirl marks around the a/c controls are from the flash they're really not there, those white spots are duct in the first pic, and yes i know i need gas

[Meteorite_Marty]

those swirl marks around the a/c controls are from the flash they're really not there, those white spots are duct in the first pic, and yes i know i need gas

If you broke your vent slats, where did you order new ones? Did you have to order the whole assembly, or just the slats? And since you replaced them back to white, why not order factory black anyhow (as seen on the 2009)?

[hatchbackkid82]

You gotta be kidding me they com in black? I order them off ebay, the stealership wanted like $150 for the center vent assembly, they wouldn't just sell me the slats:mad:

[MUSKOKA800]

A huge improvement. Silver to match the dash might have worked too.

[1stToyota]

Thanks for making mine look bad now. :wink:

Dumb question: Your stereo. I noticed 6-disc. Is that an upgraded unit? Mine's a single CD, but I thought it was supposed to be the upgraded unit.

[Meteorite_Marty]

Thanks for making mine look bad now. :wink:

Dumb question: Your stereo. I noticed 6-disc. Is that an upgraded unit? Mine's a single CD, but I thought it was supposed to be the upgraded unit.



The 6-CD changer with surround sound and MP3 is the top-level deck Toyota provides for the Yaris. Plug-and-Play into factory wiring. Less than 15 minutes to install.

This did not come with my car. though There are 3 types of decks; standard single CD, single CD with MP3, and 6-CD with MP3. I replaced my single CD with MP3 for the 6-CD top-of-the-line option.

I bought my deck on eBay for $5 brand new in box. Yes five dollars!!! Paid $35 for shipping for a total of $40. Dealer wanted $200.

I bought 2 of these decks from the same ebay vendor on different occasions (just to have a backup deck if one fails).

[Meteorite_Marty]

You gotta be kidding me they com in black? I order them off ebay, the stealership wanted like $150 for the center vent assembly, they wouldn't just sell me the slats:mad:


Where did you find them on eBay. What was your search criteria?

[1stToyota]

The 6-CD changer with surround sound and MP3 is the top-level deck Toyota provides for the Yaris. Plug-and-Play into factory wiring. Less than 15 minutes to install.

This did not come with my car. though There are 3 types of decks; standard single CD, single CD with MP3, and 6-CD with MP3. I replaced my single CD with MP3 for the 6-CD top-of-the-line option.

I bought my deck on eBay for $5 brand new in box. Yes five dollars!!! Paid $35 for shipping for a total of $40. Dealer wanted $200.

I bought 2 of these decks from the same ebay vendor on different occasions (just to have a backup deck if one fails).

Thank you. Never knew there was a 3rd option. Mine looks like the one in Hatchbackkid82's posting. Mine sounds pretty clean but not a lot of power.

[auxmike]

I'm in NY, and I too have that silver Canadian 6Disc high end unit. BUT, I got mine for .99 cents! On Ebay from a Canadian source. Shipping was $35.
Wanna bet we both bought from the same place???
Be advised this unit does NOT work with the USDM AUX jack so you can't hook up your iPod to it. Trust me,I tried it....:frown:

[hatchbackkid82]

I just typed in Yaris AC vent or center vent

QUOTE=Meteorite_Marty;304672]Where did you find them on eBay. What was your search criteria?[/QUOTE]

[Carpe_Diem]

I left the vents white, i tried spay painting them black but, end up breaking them and having to order new ones:frown: don't want to go through that again. Looks real good, did a lot sanding, used 360 grit it was very fine. Ended up doing this twice came out looking perfect the second time:thumbup:

hot 99.5!

[hatchbackkid82]

:biggrin: yeah listening to the Kane Show