Something fell in the vent. Now what?

[hexx]

I have a weird problem. I have my phone mounted in a cradle which sits on that flat ledge where the nav/multi-info display and information display are. Today, a clip from the cradle broke off and -- in a "one in a million shot" -- fell into the left most center vent (to the left of the Hazards button). Here's where I start to worry. Where will that clip end up? Are there filters along the way that will catch this and keep it from getting into the engine? Or does the vent open into the engine? Is there any way I can access the vent and extract this piece? This is a 2012 Mazda3 5dr iGT.

 

[thuzil]

It will probably end up sitting at the bottom of the venting plenum somewhere before your blower motor. It will not end up in your motor, everything with regards to the HVAC system is under the dash (except for the obvious parts like AC compressor and such that are in the engine bay). I would suggest getting a long piece of heater hose or something like that with a 1 inch diameter. Tape it to the end of your shop vac hose. Remove the vent cover (some pop out and some have screws on the back). then stick the hose down and see what you pick up. If it is not rattling around then it will probably just stay where it is if you leave it.

 

[hexx]

...It will not end up in your motor, everything with regards to the HVAC system is under the dash (except for the obvious parts like AC compressor and such that are in the engine bay)...

@thuzil

I know very little about the inner workings of car HVAC systems... You seemed pretty confident that the part would not end up in the motor. Is this because the HVAC system is basically "sealed off" from the motor?

It is not making any rattling noises right now, but I will probably try the vacuum trick to get it out. I've read in some other forums that sometimes objects will "fall out" from the floor vents. Is this a possibility also?