Hi Guys,
new member here, just picked up a 2011 Starfire pearl ISF for my wife with 100k miles on the clock
I have been googling without any result if its possible to take pre-facelift steering wheel trim with the radar button and fit to the facelift steering wheel so the "Sport" button matches the radar button hole, I wanted to get rid of the aluminum side trims as I think the full black with blue bottom is more fitting to this interior but I don't want to go for pre-facelift steering wheel and loose the sport button.
and does any one know if its possible to pick up these pre-facelift side trims separately ?

TIA

 

It's sold as a complete unit. You would need to purchase the earlier model and move the Sport switch cover to the radar position on the earlier model switch gear.

 

Thanks for your answer Lobuxracer, I guess I will order from an earlier car and try to Frankenstein this together, I guess no one has tried this before, just feels like the aluminum covers take all the attention away from the nice shift levers behind the wheel

 

That's funny. I just replaced my '08s with the later model ones to get the sport switch on the steering wheel. If I had radar cruise, I would give you my covers, but mine did not have PCS from the factory.

 

As lobux said, you have to buy the switch assembly (which includes the trim and switches for both sides of the steering wheel). It seems potentially possible to swap your switches out into the black trim, though I've never tried it myself.

Here's a handy chart I made showing all of the available steering wheel switches:



Jeff

 

You could always wrap the switch plates. When I had my "F" I had it wrapped in CF.




Lou

 

Agreed, a good satin black or cf vinyl would work, making this more cost effective


Like @lobuxracer I will be looking to add the newer sliver buttons with Sport Mode..

Joe Z

 

When I had my ISF, I always drove in Sport Mode. Otherwise it was just too lethargic IMO. When I started the car my hand automatically went up to the Sport button on the dash, no looking required. I thought it was very easy to find. Didn't really need it on the steering wheel.

On my LC, the drive modes are on a stalk that protrudes from the right side of the cluster.

Lou

 

Don't get me wrong I want to keep the Sport button in the steering wheel, I just want to get the black covers with the same texture as the airbag on for more "Classic" look as I think the all black with blue bottom wheel is the most suiting for this interior,
it looks like the buttons are screwed to the cover from inside so maybe it can be separated, I just hope the Sport button and the radar button share same size, shape and location so it would be a straight swap

 

I went ahead and switched everything to black CF including my paddle shifters.

 

Its approx a $200 experiment at this point as no one has done it.

If the Sport Button shape is not the same size or shape as the Distance button, it may not cleanly snap in..

Only one way to find out









Joe Z

 

99% sure they're both 10 x 20mm. I measured the black housing (the outline of the PCS button is molded into the unit, just not punched through) and it measures the same 10 x 20mm the Sport button does on the silver switch set up.

Removing the covers is stupid easy once you have them off the steering wheel, and you could either swap covers or swap switch buttons very easily.

 

I just ordered a used set without the distance button and going to try a little DIY with the Dremel before I order a set from Lexus, thanks a lot for your answers guys, now I at least have some little project until I manage to convince my wife she needs better exhaust for her daily.
here is a small picture of the ISF with the other toys

 

Good stuff... And motivating post..

Since my car is sitting collecting dust, I requested a quote for the silver switches with sport button from Japan.
Comes out to approx $190 with fees & shipping.

Joe Z

 

There is a raised lip inside the cover to help guide you on exact positioning. I would suggest a scalpel or X-Acto knife to carve this out and trim to fit. There is a bevel to the cutout you'll see when you remove the silver switches, keep that in mind when you cut the hole for the new one. I have some practice with slicing Lexus instrument panel plastics, and I've found a #4 scalpel works really well. It also makes trimming to fit pretty exact. A rotary tool, like a Dremel, might be a little challenging. If I were going to try it that way, I'd suggest fixing the tool and moving the work, not the other way around. Just my preference, and I've done a fair bit of die grinder work in the past.

This is the inside of the cover, you can clearly see the ridge in the plastic outlining the position of the PCS switch.


This is the switch electronics board. As you can see, there is only one design, and even when the PCS or Sport switch is not present, the switch pad is there underneath the covers. If you wanted to change the illumination color of the PCS/Sport switch, you would only need to replace the LED at the bottom of this board with a different color. I was thinking it would be pretty cool to make it blue like the outline around the switch on the bright late model switches.




Here you can see the open spot for the PCS/Sport switch. It is an exact mirror image of the Mode switch. Also note the silicone rubber nub sticking up where the PCS/Sport switch would be. Quite literally, everything is there except the one plastic piece with PCS or Sport on it.



This is the silicone rubber pad. There is a mystery nub near the middle of the silicone rubber pad. The electronics have a switch pad underneath, but there isn't anything in an IS F that would press this nub. The electronics would make one think this is a redundant Display switch. Might be interesting to plug this in and see what it does for real.