Anyone who has removed their (interior) A-Pillar

[Fakhelek]

I just got a boost gauge in anticipation of the MBC I ordered. Over lunch today I popped off the A-Pillar so I can get matching paint for the gauge pod.

Anybody that has removed the pillar knows that there are little metal clips attached to little posts inside the interior piece. The metal clips go into holes in the steel of the actual A-Pillar and hold the interior piece on.

Anyway, on of my clips stayed inside the hole instead of comming out attached to the trim piece. I heard a tinkling sound when I popped off the trim so I am sure the clip fell into the hole and down the inside of the pillar.

Has this happened to anyone else? Are the clips in any way standardized so that I can buy another? If not, any suggestions? Only thing I can think of is a magnet on a string and I don't look forward to trying to fish out the clip that way.

I would appreciate any help anyone can offer.

 

[MazdaspeedZOOM]

I just got a boost gauge in anticipation of the MBC I ordered. Over lunch today I popped off the A-Pillar so I can get matching paint for the gauge pod.

Anybody that has removed the pillar knows that there are little metal clips attached to little posts inside the interior piece. The metal clips go into holes in the steel of the actual A-Pillar and hold the interior piece on.

Anyway, on of my clips stayed inside the hole instead of comming out attached to the trim piece. I heard a tinkling sound when I popped off the trim so I am sure the clip fell into the hole and down the inside of the pillar.

Has this happened to anyone else? Are the clips in any way standardized so that I can buy another? If not, any suggestions? Only thing I can think of is a magnet on a string and I don't look forward to trying to fish out the clip that way.

I would appreciate any help anyone can offer.

If it fell it probably just fell into the bundled wires underneath the dash close to the windshield, I would take a gander underneath your dash and see if you can find it. Otherwise take the whole pillar into Mazda and talk to a parts guy and show him what you need they may just order you a new pillar but those are cheap so I guess it's totally up to you.

 

[t3ase]

As you can probably tell from the other metal clip that's still on there, it's just a V shaped bent piece of metal. Open your door and remove the side piece of the dash by reaching under the dash and pushing out on the side. You should then be able to see in there and hopefully find it. Did you happen to see where the clip popped off to?

 

[Fakhelek]

I didn't see the clip go anywhere at all. I removed the trim and heard the clip tumbling down the inside of the metal pillar. It was an obvious noise. If the clip had popped off and went somewhere there wouldn't have been any sound.

The main thing is that I didn't know how far the pillar extended and where it came out. If there is a hole in the bottom that goes into the interior of the car then I should be fine. The clip is either in the car or in the dash. Either way it's all good. My fear was that the pillar was a closed bottomed pipe.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm sure I will find it now.