Dropped two screws into the dash

m4rkw · August 31

2006 RX. After having a vent replaced my dash was rattling awfully, so today I took it apart and wrapped all the loose ends with felt tape.

Put it back together and the rattle is gone, but in doing so I stupidly dropped a couple of screws into the well where the gear shift lever is. They were awkward to screw back in and I didn't think to use blue-tack at first.

So far they don't seem to be causing any issues or rattling but it's annoying me that they're there. I got one of those flexible tube things from Halfords with a magnet on the end and poked it down all the angles I could get but no luck, since I can't see down there it's impossible to know where the screws might be.

I'm probably going to just leave it but if anyone has any suggestions they'd be most welcome. I think if I could remove one of the big panels to the left or the right of the gear shift that might allow me to retrieve them. Failing that it would probably have to be the gear shift itself which looks like a fairly involved job, probably not something I'd want to tackle. I'm guessing there's no way to retrieve them from underneath since the gearbox is probably there.

adrian-gregory · September 1

If removing the panel that surrounds the gear lever would help it is pretty simple to do. Mines a 400h and I guess it will be the same for you.

I used a trim tool just now to check.

Slide the centre console backwards.

Gently pull on the lower part of the silver trim in the case of my car.

Work the thinnest part of the trim tool into the left (in this photo I have already pulled the part off), then repeat higher up and then on the other side. the final photo almost (!) shows the location of the clips you are releasing it against. Hopefully, that will give you better sight lines for the magnet.

. .