Gen 6 V6 Upper Shield Clip Removal

[gdanaher]

This seems silly until you need to do it. On the V6 there is a hefty plastic shield which prevents easy access to the radiator cap, A/C service port and some other things (upper air intake shield). It is held in place by a half dozen clips. Standard looking things. Push the clip in and then press the center in fully to expand the base. Easy. Now, try to get it out. I've broken these things and replaced them at nearly a buck a pop. Have some more right now and decided I would fabricate a tool to pop the center out. It doesn't move. They lock in place and trying to pry the center results in breaking off the head. Dealer service guy looks at me in his normal manner. Has anyone played with this and found an easy way to get these out in a timely manner without destruction of the clip? It might be easier to find some generic clips with the screw-in center but I haven't given up on these yet.

[bandit]

You push the center in with your finger or a small screwdriver or something. Than you take a flathead screwdriver and lift up the entire clip. Once the clip is removed, push the center out so that sticks up. When you put it back in and the clip is in the slot, you put the center down so its flush.

If its not coming out, you're not pushing all the way down.