'02-03 ES300 steering wheel, plug the side controls hole?
#1
'02-03 ES300 steering wheel, plug the side controls hole?
I had a crazy idea to put a 2002 ES300 steering wheel in my SC400, refinishing the wood and going airbag-less. The ES wood is too rosy for the SC's dash & door trim, and rather than try to stain the color to match, I was thinking of staining/painting it black to complement the tan & black 2-tone, as seen here:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/bui...ml#post9253398
You'll notice in those pictures, I currently have a RX300 steering wheel, but with the airbag disconnected because I could never get the stupid SC airbag light to clear. (If you ES guys don't have to deal with that SC-ism, consider yourself lucky!) Since I'm already without a functioning airbag, and am generally averse to a bomb in my face -- speaking from experience, they do more harm than good in minor accidents -- I decided to try building a frankenbag, patching up a blown horn cover and seeing if it could be salvaged. I don't think it would be wise to attempt pulling the cover off of an un-exploded airbag, given the effort required.
Other than being moderately unattractive, it feels as solid as one that's never gone boom. I used plastic epoxy and covered it with foil tape on the back for a bit more support. None of the airbag internals are required for making contact with the three horn contact points. In the never-ending name of weight reduction, ditching the airbag components also yields a very satisfying 2.0 lbs. Unfortunately, the ES and RX airbags are a slightly different shape, so I couldn't swap it in while doing wood refinishing.
That brings me to my question. I have no use for the Mode/Reset controls on the left side of the steering wheel. (Are those radio controls, phone controls, HVAC controls? The buttons are so minimalist and vaguely named, I can't decide which.) I could leave the black box mounted and just unplug it, but I prefer to remove anything that doesn't serve a purpose. Is there any sort of clip-in cover to fill the hole left behind, as seen below?
Left side of the ES steering wheel.
Here are a few more pics of the internal components and rebuilding of the airbag cover, for anyone interested.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/bui...ml#post9253398
You'll notice in those pictures, I currently have a RX300 steering wheel, but with the airbag disconnected because I could never get the stupid SC airbag light to clear. (If you ES guys don't have to deal with that SC-ism, consider yourself lucky!) Since I'm already without a functioning airbag, and am generally averse to a bomb in my face -- speaking from experience, they do more harm than good in minor accidents -- I decided to try building a frankenbag, patching up a blown horn cover and seeing if it could be salvaged. I don't think it would be wise to attempt pulling the cover off of an un-exploded airbag, given the effort required.
Other than being moderately unattractive, it feels as solid as one that's never gone boom. I used plastic epoxy and covered it with foil tape on the back for a bit more support. None of the airbag internals are required for making contact with the three horn contact points. In the never-ending name of weight reduction, ditching the airbag components also yields a very satisfying 2.0 lbs. Unfortunately, the ES and RX airbags are a slightly different shape, so I couldn't swap it in while doing wood refinishing.
That brings me to my question. I have no use for the Mode/Reset controls on the left side of the steering wheel. (Are those radio controls, phone controls, HVAC controls? The buttons are so minimalist and vaguely named, I can't decide which.) I could leave the black box mounted and just unplug it, but I prefer to remove anything that doesn't serve a purpose. Is there any sort of clip-in cover to fill the hole left behind, as seen below?
Left side of the ES steering wheel.
Here are a few more pics of the internal components and rebuilding of the airbag cover, for anyone interested.
#2
Lexus Fanatic
I can't endorse you driving around with a non functioning SRS system. You might be of the opinion that they are not safe but that doesn't matter if you get into an accident the insurance companies will see no airbag deployment, when they find out why your coverage will be void and you will be on the hook for all legal/medical bills and properly losses.
#4
More idea than solution, but it has potential. I disassembled the Mode/Reset controls to see if the bottom plate would plug the hole. It does, but it would need some work with the Dremel to smooth out. If I go that route, more likely I would use it as a template to cut a piece of ABS to shape.
I still haven't figured out what exactly those controls are... There are four of them listed on ebay under part #84244-33050. Three of them merely refer to it as controls or switches, and the other says it's for cruise control. I assume that's just a bad guess on their part, since: a) no one knows what it's for, and b) it connects to the same plug as the CC stalk. Even google was no help, only pointing to parts catalogs that merely refer to it as switches. I'm guessing it's some sort of multi-function ("Mode") control, but how much can it accomplish with just one ("Reset") button?
#5
That's not a crazy idea, it's a stupid idea, assuming you care about the safety of your vehicle. I would spend my money elsewhere. Headlight upgrades will give you more for your money.
Last edited by Chocolate; 06-16-16 at 12:37 PM.
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#8
Whether or not I have an airbag is completely irrelevant to the question asked in this thread and usage of the ES steering wheel, which would be incompatible with the clockspring, anyway.
#9
Lexus Fanatic
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