Maybe I'm just a retard, but the clips holding the air duct over the battery are not coming out. I attempted in vain to help someone get jump started today and failed because I couldn't get the air duct off to get to the battery. How do the clips on the air duct work? They look like you simply unscrew them and to look at the owner's manual one would agree. They're just plastic so I'm a little hesitant to force them out. Anyone have any tips? It shouldn't be that hard to access the battery...

 

I believe they are a philips head that u turn like a half turn then it pops up and u remove it. Be weary about jump starting with a new car. I'm not sure about Mits(I should ask) but I know some manufacturers will void the electrical warranty if u jump start another car. That was one of the 1st things they told me when I bought my Honda Civic Si a few years ago. Too many people who don't know how to properly do it, mess something up and try to say their electrical system quit working somehow.

 

Take a flathead screwdriver/swiss army knife and wedge it under the screw head. Pop it off that way. This is what I do when I need to get the clips off.

Otherwise, if you have a super gentle hand, DO NOT push down when you turn the screw. Any downward force will push the screw back in and lock the clips.

 

^^ agree. I just get a flat head underneath it to pry up while unscrewing the phillips head screws gently. It usually ends up with them just popping out anyway. I think it's a bad design since it's right over the battery but if that's the worst "bad design" in the car then we're doing pretty good.

 

My method to remove those is to push from behind (when the car is cool). If you can reach your hand or a short screwdriver under/behind the radiator support, you should be able to feel them and push the center plastic piece out without damaging it from prying. I don't even need a screwdriver when I remove mine.

 

this is what u need to do, "push or hold" them from the underside and then unscrew them, whats happening when you try to unscrew them without doing this is they are just freely turning.

 

The harder you push down while trying to unscrew them, the more they will resist coming out. When I installed my Evo X FMIC, I found the best method for removing them was to use the phillips head of a interchangeable screwdriver in your bare hands/fingers, as opposed to in the driver. Apply as little pressure as possible because the anchors that the threads go through are meant to expand with down pressure.