How to tighten the sun visor?
03-29-05, 08:45 AM
#16
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Whoever has had their's replaced already might want to do a little research for everyone else. A lot of sun visors are made in two main pieces. The plastic rod and assembly for attaching to the roof and sliding threw the actual visor, and then the visor itself. Many times the visor is just a fabric wrapped piece of cardboard, or some material similiar to cardboard, that is bent in half around the rod assembly and then glued down. That being said... if you take a razor blade and cut around the edges where the two meet you should be able to cut open the visor and see whats causing the plastics to weaken in there.
03-29-05, 03:40 PM
#17
Leatherseats, great advice and suggestion, but I sure wish there were an obvious way to just tighten the visors, not looking forward to future years with these visors and the reported problems, after warranty.
03-29-05, 06:16 PM
#18
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Well here's an update. Lexus decided NOT to do anything about the sun visor that was replaced barely 2 years ago. The Lexus rep told me replacement parts are guaranteed for 1 year. I asked him if that is how long they should last or should they last say 3 years, or 5 years or forever? The rep was rather upset with me during our conversation. They did agree to look at the faulty fuel gauge but no promises.
I intend to write a letter this evening to the President of Lexus North America and tell him what he can do with his crap sun visors and remind him it will be a cold day in hell before I spend another $72,000 on another 430. Maybe then I'll get some satisfaction. Bud
I intend to write a letter this evening to the President of Lexus North America and tell him what he can do with his crap sun visors and remind him it will be a cold day in hell before I spend another $72,000 on another 430. Maybe then I'll get some satisfaction. Bud
04-01-05, 06:12 AM
#20
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pissing me off
Lexus is really starting to upset me. I have to take the RX300 in to the dealer to re-evaluate the fuel gauge problem. Another wasted morning. I wrote to the president of Lexus North America to ask him to intervene in the sun visor dispute. I'll keep everyone posted.
03-29-09, 10:06 AM
#21
Driver School Candidate
I attach my RX300 visors on clips and fold them down to block the sun or pin solar windshield cover w/ no problem. If I unclip them to block the sun from left or right side, I just clip them back afterward. Visors are heavy with build in homelinks, it is pretty obvious that they won't last long if left hanging on those hinges w/o support. 
03-29-09, 12:19 PM
#22
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Thread Starter
I bought a pair from ebay and decided to cut open the old one and here are my findings. There is a slight difference in visors .. the newer ones slide to extend on the shaft and the home link position has been move, but are interchangeable.
1. The plastic/fabric has a heat-bound seam. There is no practical way to cut it open AND put it back.
2. The metallic shaft has squarish cross-section. This shape provides stay positions.
If I was to do a fix this is what I would do:
Get a 1gallon or 1/2 gallon plastic milk jug or equivalent. [thinner the better .. so pick a brand that leaks often]. Cut out the corner length wise. 1/4" from the edge. This will give you an "L" cross-section plastic piece. Cut the end to form a point to allow you to penetrate the visor. Now stick it around the metal shaft and stuff it in-between.
Prior to replacing mine, I had stuffed a 14gauge solid core wire, but it did not work ... now I know why as it just sat in the corner.
Salim
1. The plastic/fabric has a heat-bound seam. There is no practical way to cut it open AND put it back.
2. The metallic shaft has squarish cross-section. This shape provides stay positions.
If I was to do a fix this is what I would do:
Get a 1gallon or 1/2 gallon plastic milk jug or equivalent. [thinner the better .. so pick a brand that leaks often]. Cut out the corner length wise. 1/4" from the edge. This will give you an "L" cross-section plastic piece. Cut the end to form a point to allow you to penetrate the visor. Now stick it around the metal shaft and stuff it in-between.
Prior to replacing mine, I had stuffed a 14gauge solid core wire, but it did not work ... now I know why as it just sat in the corner.
Salim
Last edited by salimshah; 03-29-09 at 12:47 PM.
03-29-09, 02:41 PM
#23
Well, firstly, whoever paid $206 (back in 2005) for a new driver's side visor with lighted mirror and Homelink got stiffed! I got one from LexusPartsWorld.com (Lexus of Roseville, No Cal) by telephone for $160. The passenger side without the homelink was just under $100. But in my case, the replacement driver's side was IDENTICAL to my original 1999 visor.
I tried looking inside my old one to see if there was any way to salvage the homelink for another car and possibly look at repairing the floppy hinge mechanism but it's a one peice molded styrofoam (very tough styrofoam) so there didn't appear to be any repairing it without destroying it and I couldn't get the homelink remote out without destroying that too.
The only fix I know of is a bit of a kludge - velcro!
I tried looking inside my old one to see if there was any way to salvage the homelink for another car and possibly look at repairing the floppy hinge mechanism but it's a one peice molded styrofoam (very tough styrofoam) so there didn't appear to be any repairing it without destroying it and I couldn't get the homelink remote out without destroying that too.
The only fix I know of is a bit of a kludge - velcro!
03-29-09, 05:39 PM
#24
Moderator
Thread Starter
velcro (with the spikes) catches the roof liner (although) it pulls the fiber out over time. Visor does not bind. So one has to resort to glue.
I also tried magnet, but it was too weak. I was planning to use the base of Phillips [sonic-care] magnets but since I got the replacements, it never happened.
The homelink came out very easy from my original visor (hidden screw).
Salim
I also tried magnet, but it was too weak. I was planning to use the base of Phillips [sonic-care] magnets but since I got the replacements, it never happened.
The homelink came out very easy from my original visor (hidden screw).
Salim
03-29-09, 09:22 PM
#25
Driver School Candidate
I was thinking instead of trying to fix it on the swivel arm side, how about on the opposite side where the visor clip is (nearest to center rear view mirror), maybe could stuff a piece of rubber in the clip to increase the friction. Or wrap the rod with something to increase it's diameter and therefore increase friction...
Cheapest repl I could find was $670 with homelink, bah-ha-ha...yeah right.
Cheapest repl I could find was $670 with homelink, bah-ha-ha...yeah right.
03-29-09, 11:03 PM
#26
Moderator
Thread Starter
That end rips easily.
Keep looking on ebay and I bought the pair for less than $100. The passenger end can be had for less than $50.00.
Salim
Keep looking on ebay and I bought the pair for less than $100. The passenger end can be had for less than $50.00.
Salim
03-30-09, 09:33 AM
#28
Moderator
Thread Starter
The Homelink module seems to have been shifted from the original I had ('99) and the replacement I got (later model 2001/2002). So the following may not apply [also my writeup is based on my recollection. Remove the vanity mirror and it is fairly intuitive. I had the fabric/plastic cover cut open from the start, so I cant say for sure if the thing would come out with the cover. I distinctly remember that I did not need to break the foam.
The garnish plate around the three button needs to be popped off (side clips).
Flip it over and remover the vanity mirror. (remove the light bulb cover and screws underneath).
There is one screw there that provides the electrical connection and that holds the homelink assembly. You have to snip the wire to pull it out.
I bought a 12v battery (similar size as AA) and wired it up to the remote and now have a spare programmable homelink remote.
Salim
The garnish plate around the three button needs to be popped off (side clips).
Flip it over and remover the vanity mirror. (remove the light bulb cover and screws underneath).
There is one screw there that provides the electrical connection and that holds the homelink assembly. You have to snip the wire to pull it out.
I bought a 12v battery (similar size as AA) and wired it up to the remote and now have a spare programmable homelink remote.
Salim
Last edited by salimshah; 03-30-09 at 09:42 AM.
03-30-09, 11:51 AM
#29
Moderator
Thread Starter
The replacement I got (2001/2002), the homelink buttons are in line with the support hing [towards the passenger]. In the '99, the homelink was towards the driver side door. It was out of reach for the passenger.
Salim
another difference:
my '99 had a hidden plastic extender ... which could be pulled out. The replacement slides on the shaft.
Salim
another difference:
my '99 had a hidden plastic extender ... which could be pulled out. The replacement slides on the shaft.
Last edited by salimshah; 03-31-09 at 10:48 PM.
04-28-09, 03:53 PM
#30
Darn...I was hoping to find some more "home remedies". My driver's side mirror "failed" on me about a year ago. I went with the gangsta velcro option, and it has indeed deteriorated the fibers in the ceiling (the fibers in the mirror itself were too fine for it to latch to, so I used velcro with adhesive tape on one side and stuck that part to the safety message on the visor, and the velcro side to the ceiling).
My intention has been for some time to try and inject something like the expanding canned foam, but I suspect that it will be too tight for me to fit the nozzle into. So I'll probably try some sort of smallert-tube epoxy. Has no one here tried that sort of thing? I'm hoping for some success stories.
This and my failed door lock actuators and cracked/falling apart key fobs are the main issues with my '99 RX300. I'm actually looking to buy a used SC430 and hopefully trade in my RX300, but I figure it would be worth my while to try to fix up some of these things as cheaply as possible before a dealer takes a look at it to give me their trade-in value.
My intention has been for some time to try and inject something like the expanding canned foam, but I suspect that it will be too tight for me to fit the nozzle into. So I'll probably try some sort of smallert-tube epoxy. Has no one here tried that sort of thing? I'm hoping for some success stories.
This and my failed door lock actuators and cracked/falling apart key fobs are the main issues with my '99 RX300. I'm actually looking to buy a used SC430 and hopefully trade in my RX300, but I figure it would be worth my while to try to fix up some of these things as cheaply as possible before a dealer takes a look at it to give me their trade-in value.