YotaCarFan

I am sharing a tip that others might find useful.

I find that the button to turn on the front camera (on Technology Package vehicle) is poorly positioned, since my view of it is obstructed by the steering wheel. It is possible to move this button to the left about 2" to make it more visible.

Method: Note that there are 3 black blanks (knockouts or dummy panels) on the switch panel where the front camera switch and the VSC Off switch are. Moving the camera button to the leftmost opening of the panel (occupied with a blank) makes it more visible.

1. Remove plastic dash panel adjacent to hood release button. Do by gently pulling straight off. Disconnect electrical connector for trunk/fuel door by pressing tab and pulling straight off.

2. Remove plastic dash panel containing camera switch. Do by gently pulling straight off. Note positioning of connectors; take a picture of the rear of the panel with a digital camera if you are worried you may not remember how to reassemble it.

3. Remove electrical connector from camera switch by pressing tab and pulling straight off.

4. Remove camera switch by gently inserting small flathead screwdriver straight into gap between top of black switch and beige panel from back side of panel, gently angling screwdriver to expand gap, and simultaneously gently pushing front of button with other hand. This will disengage top tab of button. While maintaining some pressure on button to keep top tab from re-engaging, remove screwdriver and insert into gap between bottom of black switch and beige panel from back side of panel. Disengage bottom tab in same manner as top tab. Button assembly will now pop out of back of beige panel.

5. Remove electrical connector from leftmost blank. Remove leftmost blank from panel using method above. This is where you'll install the camera button later.

6. Snap blank into opening in back of beige panel where camera button used to be.

7. You will notice the electrical connector formerly in the blank can no longer reach it. Since the blanks serve to only physically secure the connectors from rattling (no electrical connections are made to them), it does not matter to which blank the electrical connectors are secured. Swap the electrical connectors between the blank you just installed and the blank to its left, so all unused connectors are secured in a blank. Note: Blue and gray blanks are physically identical.

8. Button assemblies and dash panel openings are keyed to ensure proper assignment during factory assembly. It is thus necessary to cut off one of the tabs from the camera button to insert it into its new home. Look at the front of the button (camera icon facing you and right side up). The small black tab on the upper right side needs to be cut off. Place button face down on soft surface to prevent scratching. Gently use sharp utility knife to shave off the plastic tab. Be careful not to allow blade to contact front of button to avoid cosmetic damage.

9. Snap camera button into leftmost opening in beige dash panel. Snap electrical connector into back of it. Gently move wiring harness to left to ensure no stress on connector.

10. Snap beige dash panel with modified buttons back into dashboard.

11. Reconnect electrical connector to trunk/fuel buttons of other dash panel. Snap this panel back into dashboard.

12. Verify panels are all completely snapped in - surfaces should all be flush. Turn on headlights and verify all buttons light up. Turn on car and press each button one at a time to verify all function correctly.

Argelius

This sounds great! I think I'm going to try this. I originally had the front-view camera set to automatically come on. Unfortunately, 95% of the time it activates (when going below 5mph or whatever the trigger is), I'm at a stop light or some other place where I want to see the radio controls or something, not the camera.

Being able to see the button more easily will be a huge improvement.

JamesDemo

The other thing that drive me crazy is have those blank button spaces it like you are missing something. Thanks for the info. Time to get out the tools.

Canesguy

Yup, those blank spaces should not be in a (near) luxury car. They are something one would find in econo-boxes.

YotaCarFan

I totally agree. I could perhaps overlook one blank. But, THREE blanks next to two switches?!

One thing that impressed me about the ES350 I used to own was the attention to design details like this. On the ES, there can be up to four buttons in the same area where the HS has the blanks. However, there are at least three different variations of dash panel for the ES: one with 2 openings, one with 3 openings, and one with 4 openings. Thus, regardless of whether your car has options requiring 2, 3, or 4 buttons, there are NO blanks.

I will say this, though. The blanks are curved in a stylish manner, and the use of black makes them appear more like switchgear and less like blanks. So, at least they gave us luxury blanks

The only other car I have owned with so many blanks was an '87 Hyundai Excel - it was a fully loaded US spec model but obviously lacked some buttons the Korean home market consumers could buy.

moolman

What your car doesn't have all the blank filled up like mine?



Just kidding but even the Japanese HS still has one blank cause you need a place to put the rocket launcher button somewhere.