You can still get those plastic tabs at the dealer. There is a left
and a right, marked with a L or R. You should have a total of 4 two
of each. On my van and the parts van one of each were broken where it
snaps in. They were about 3.00 each at the dealer.

Since you've gone this far if broken you might as well replace.

JFF

On Mar 7, 2008, at 12:51 PM, Jim Felder wrote:

With my late-model heater/air plenum sitting on the conference table
in my
office, I noticed that the bottom flaps are not only removable by
removing
the four plastic plugs that support the shaft as it sits through the
housing, but that it would be relatively easy to remove same with the
heater
in the car. I can't prove it until I put the heater in the car, but
it would
go like this:
First, pull off the lower heater cover. Then get a flashlight and
find the
four clips that pull out. I will send anyone a close-up on request. Its
difficult to see them, they are black plastic like the edges of the
heater
plenum they are contoured exactly like.

Make a note of how it comes out, if you put it in backwards it won't
seal.
Beware that the metal paddles that form the vent closers are not
perfectly
flat, there is an offset on each side that will force you to guide the
blades right between the raised plastic channels in the case. A
mirror and a
screwdriver and lying on your back might help. Anyway, a lot easier than
pulling the dash.

You cannot get to the upper vent flaps this way, only the ones that
control
hot air spilling into the cabin when they are supposed to be closed.

Jim