You know - the padded part where your arm rests.

Mine has developed a permanent "dent" where my elbow rests, and I'd like to get in there and rearrange or rework the padding. But I can't tell how to get the top off that thing.

There appears to be a square plastic panel on the underside of the cover itself - do you pry that off to get access to screws or something?

Any help will be appreciated.

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Can't be done, your only alternative is trade the car in for a 2010.

Sorry Mike, I am of no help.

Seriously though, if you don't get any help here, try a good auto body place in your area. I have an excellent one near me and he can take anything apart and repair it. And if he can't do it, he knows someone who can.

 

Maybe these pics will help:
Pull off rear A/C vents, then there are four bolts that hold the console on.

 

Thanks, Joel. But I'm not sure this gets the top cover (the lid) off. This looks like it will leave me with the whole console in hand, but the lid still attached.

Surely there's a way to get just the hinged lid off without pulling the console ...

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Mike...probably need to remove the entire console to access the screws from underneath that hold the cover on.

I'm experiencing the same thing in my car. I'm going to ask that the 'fix' be covered under warranty, but I'm gonna wait till my warranty is almost over.

I'm not leasing, so I'll want he repair to last as long as possible after the warranty period is up.

Don't you want enquire if Park Place will fix this for you?

 

I considered asking about warranty, but I figured they'd just tell me it's normal wear and tear. Like, your big fatass elbow is the problem, buddy.

I'm surprised to hear it's also a problem with black interiors. *

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* (It's a private joke, folks.)

 

Had my armrest replaced under warranty when the car was a year old. It is now 7 months later and the new one is doing the same thing. I am going to talk to my service adviser about the problem. I use the armrest a lot and have never had this happen in any of my other cars. I believe the foam that Lexus is using is the problem. It seems to be thin and is not able to recover to the original thickness, causing the depression to become permanent.

I leased my car but may consider buying it at the end of the lease. I might just wait until closer to the lease end to have the armrest top replaced again.

 

+1. Same here. El-cheapo foam!!!!!

 

Just as a follow-up, I was in to the dealer today for an oil change and pointed out the dented arm rest to my service advisor.

When he came to get me to tell me the car was ready, he said a new cover would be here on Wednesday. Covered by warranty.

Thanks, CL!

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man, now that's great service!!!!!

 

WOW. Kudos to the SA. I am hesitant to even to ask my dealer to do any work that will be visible to me and requires some common sense, especially after the disaster with the front seat bottoms TSIB.

 

When I first got the car, I did notice the foam in the armrest is not as firm as other cars, which I believe it would leave a possible permanent indention in the arm rest. So I'm careful not to elbow it as much.

But I agree, there should be a fix for this soft foam. Eventually it would dent permanently and worse off, crack the leather if not well maintained.

But yeah, will have to get warranty to change it out when warranty is near end of term.

 

My elbow enjoys the softness of the foam, but it should hold up better. It's not like my elbow weighs 100 lbs or anything. It looks like the foam either crumbles or just takes a "set" and doesn't rebound after being compressed a little.

Either way, it's substandard IMO.

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