Threxx

I need to get the center console wood off without damaging anything (you know, the large piece that goes all around the gear shifter all the way from the arm rest to the radio and has all of the seat heater, ECT, and VSC buttons?

I found that I could pry the back end (the end closest to the arm rest) up pretty easily with a large flathead screw driver covered in tape (to avoid scratching).

I can't, however, seem to find a way to get the front (closest to the radio/ash tray) up. I mean I could just use more force, but it feels like something other than just a couple of push/pull type clips are holding it in. Something like the ash tray, maybe? If so, how do I get the ash tray out? Can't seem to figure that out either. I don't want to mess anything up, so anything else I need to know?

Thanks.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

you have to first pull out the ash tray. pull it out at around 45 degrees upward and it will come. disconnect the cigarette lighter, and then you can pull out the whole thing easy

Threxx

It squeeks quite a bit when I pull on it like I'm forcing it. You're saying that it will come out with no need to pull on any clips or anything, right?

DetMich1

Ash tray out first like Rominl said, then lift back end of wood trim clear of clips. Once free in the rear pull whole piece straight back to disengage the front end. Don't break it, cost to replace is about $670 (made for Lexus by Yamaha, the piano manufacturer, yeah they make motorcycles too but their logo is crossed tuning forks)

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i know the ash tray is pretty hard to come out the first time. at the right angle it will just come off (mine squeaked a lot too when it first came out). there are total of 4 clips for the ash tray i believe, one at each corner. that's why it's tight.

do this. put the car in neutral and turn off the ignition, give you more space. open up the ash tray, and take out the ash holder, give you more space. do NOT (repeat, do NOT) pull on the door, i guarantee you will break it. use the radio panel as a lever and pull the top edge of the ash tray that's still aligned with the radio at a 45 degree angle up

that's the best way i can put it @_@

Threxx

The whole reason I'm taking it off is to try and insulate it. Somehow it has become warped over time to where anytime somebody in the passenger seat barely rests their leg on it, it squeeks like an old mattress. LOUD. And even when stopping/accelerating and going over bumps, it'll pop and squeek a bit. Annoying. Are there any online junk yards that you think might sell me a new piece like this for under 100 bucks or so? Or maybe a member with cherry colored wood who is replacing theirs or parting out their wrecked car?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yes my center console aqueaked about too. i took it off, put some weather stripping, and very happy now

Threxx

OK thanks for the help guys!

You know what I finally figured out? I don't know if I'm just stupid for not understanding this, or if it just never was completely clear, but for some reason I thought that the ash tray only consisted of the part that actually swings in and out from the dash. Nope. It is attached to the plastic trim around it...

So, when you're tugging on it for it to come loose, make sure you aren't bracing yourself on the trim that is directly above the ash tray, or the trim to the sides, but rather on the very botton of the actual radio head unit. I found that it really didn't take much effort at all if I just sort of wiggled it from side to side a bit.

From there everything else came apart pretty easily. I got the center console wood and attached pieces out, took them into my kitcken, disassembled everything, put velocro pretty much everywhere that I could determine made a squeeking noise when pressure was applied, glued some sponge material in a couple of places where the screws went and velcro wouldn't have worked, put it back together, put it all back in, and I was golden. No more squeeks.

While I was at it, I pulled the speedometer guage cluster out, cleaned the inside of it (there was a bit of dust), and then lined the top with velcro. I very rarely ever got any squeeking from that area, but from time to time I have, and since others have,I figured I might as well.

Now as if in response to my hunt for rattles, my car has developed a new one which sounds like it's coming from my driver's side front door. Haven't really been able to tell where yet, but it's sort of a popping/clicking noise when going over bumps and stuff.

Hmmm... any ideas?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

haha well, at least you got it out congrats

about the door, try to take off teh door panel and see if some of the clips are bad?

ligflava

I've developed that noise too in my driver's side door panel. it's worse when i'm on the freeway (or at least above 45 mph). i brought it into longo lexus 3 times now. i'm picking up my car tomorrow morning and we'll see if it's been taken care of. i'll let you know how it turns out. if they fixed it, i'll post the technician's notes from my service record.

*keeping my fingers crossed* (third time's the charm) hopefully

btw, i've got a noise in the ashtray just like yours, and i'm hoping they got that out too. is your way to remove the ashtray assembly the same for a gs with factory navi and ML stereo? if they can't fix the noise, i might have to take matters into my own hands.

Threxx

The noise I had was coming from the wood on the side of the passenger side of the gear shift area. Not the actual ash tray. I just had to remove the ash tray to get the wood off. Having seen pics of both, it appears that removing the ash tray is the same no matter how your GS is equipped.

Let me know about the door!

You know what's weird? I've pushed and pulled everywhere on that door panel, slammed the door closed, etc, etc... no noise at all. It also seems that it occurs worse if I've had my window down and just put it all the way back up. If I leave it up all the way for a day or two then the rattle seems to be not nearly as bad. Still there. But much better. I wonder if this has anything to do with the problem I've had since I owned this car which is excessive wind noise from the driver's side window until it has been left up for a couple of days?

ligflava

Well, i got my car back from Longo yesterday...

the noise in the door is still there. however, maybe since it was a hot day, i didn't notice it as much. but they really didn't even get to duplicate the sound while my car was in the shop. anyways, the service note says they lubricated the door. whatever that means.

interesting tidbit, the diagnostic specialist, albert young, says that the whole door can sometimes move against the door frame. that might make a noise. he says the cure for that is to spray the weatherstripe with some silicon lube and it goes away. i do notice that the effort needed to open my driver's side door handle is not has high as my other doors. maybe i'll look into repositioning the latch on the door frame that the door mechanism hooks onto. perhaps tightening that down will tighten the door fit against the frame...and hopefully get rid of any "looseness" that might be causing the noise.

also, they couldn't fix the windshield defrost vent rattle that i get when i go over big sharp bumps. they've tried to fix that twice now...

the good news is that they got rid of a little ticking sound i get from the ashtray area. the bad news is that that sound was the least annoying of the 3 sounds from my interior.

good luck! i'll update if i have time to self fix my door as described above.

TLW

anyone have any pics of this being done ?

Threxx

I took pics with my camera phone. But they didn't turn out so great.

TLW

anyway of still posting them or are they gone