craigamuir

This website that the price is included in item 1. I've been pretty buddy-buddy with my Lexus service writer, Mike, since I owned my LS400 and he told me several times that item 1 and 2 go together for more than $13k. He had apparently checked for other LS460 owners with the same problem.


If just the bezel part (item 2) can be purchased separately, I might pay the labor to install it.


My problem is if the dealer consistently says "forget-about-it", where does one turn? (My car has full bumper-to-bumper Lexus factory warranty through 7/18)

craigamuir

I drive a lot of people around and everyone always says "hey, did you know that your vents are cracked up there on the dash? Oh, look it's on both sides, too" If they're sitting in the passenger seat, they then put their fingers on the cracks. Then I get to go through the whole why don't I get it fixed diatribe.


I recently had my front bumper liner replaced at a body shop. The service writer returned the car to me this Monday and said "wow, what a great car that is! I wish we could keep it. Say, did you see that the dashboard vent covers are cracked? ...."

SW17LS

Unless that was a change for 2010 you should be able to get that bezel separately.

Looking around, I can't seem to find that bezel just for 2010-2012. Maybe he's right...man that sucks...

johnnyg66

According to Lexus of S Atlanta the bezel fits models from 07 to 10. The part number for 11-12 is 5540550120. But it says for non nav systems. But the part number is listed for both Nav units and non-Nav. Its basically the same part with the only the center opening being different. Probably just a trim piece that could be filed off.

SW17LS

The 2010 is the same part as the 11 & 12. If it fits a 2011 it has to fit a 2010.

The shape of the piece is actually quite different, the nav buttons are different, etc. Its not going to work from pre-refresh to refresh.

Rhambler

One thing I've noticed, especially when I first get in after it has been sitting outside in the warm sun all day at work (it's been hot here lately), is that there are some tiny creaks around the dash area when the vents come on and blast cold air and I make the first turn leaving the parking lot. It never comes back, though, and if the temperature isn't warm enough, it won't even happen. It doesn't sound like something is rubbing, but it just sounds like something is flexing.

I get the sense that temperature extremes is flexing some dash parts. Again, for me, it's just the first turn, that's it. It isn't anything for me to take it back to the dealer as it's barely noticeable, but considering how quiet the car is, I can hear it. Either that dash piece has expanded in the warm sun, against the felt that holds all of those joints and it's groaning under protest having expanded.

There's probably a lot of force, torsional force on the dash itself during turns. I'm sure everything is fitted so tight, purposely so, that temperature variations can and do affect these pieces, especially organic pieces like wood. It naturally expands and contracts more so than plastic.

These stress cracks are a product of that and I'm sure people in environments where there are more temperature extremes and/or more humidity would probably be potentially affected more.

craigamuir

I ran all of this good input past my service guy and he replied that IHO the bezel is a bad design. It often cracks under heat & cold stress. He claims to have done it once before for a good customer on an 07 LS only to have it crack again within the year. He reiterated his advice to live with it.

johnnyg66

That's what is tough. Do I spend the 200 to replace the bezel only to have it crack someday?? If I do I hope I can add something behind that area to strengthen it if possible. Maybe someday I will.

SW17LS

If it were me I'd replace the bezel.

craigamuir

Me too. So, I stopped by the body shop yesterday morning (where I recently had the bumper liner replaced) to discuss filing an insurance claim for it (can do attitude & insurance labor rate of $42/hr). He said the insurance company wouldn't go for it but he would check it out as they're "a little slow right now". He called yesterday afternoon to report that he was unable to locate the bezel part separately on the 10 LS with the nav sys. Sorry.

______________________
2000 LS 400 Jade, 2010 LS 460 AWD Mercury Metallic

SW17LS

Wow...that's really annoying, especially because it was separate for the 07-09

eclipse641

No fixing. Learn to deal with it. Its not the end of the world. LOL

mbarron37

This is from 2016, I think it has been dealt with.