I am so disappointed that this happened. Upon getting in my car the other morning I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.. a crack above the ac vent in the plastic trim. Lexus Corporate has kindly agreed to cover the cost of the part, leaving me to cover labor. I'm still so irritated that something like this broke in this caliber of a vehicle.

Anyone else have this problem?
I would rather replace it ourselves and save the money to cover bigger future problems if this is an indicator of how my future ownership of this vehicle will be. If anyone can point me to a helpful thread in removing this trim, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not great with navigating through this site so a link would be very helpful. Thank you!

 

Well, I guess it depends on how handy he is/was removing and installing car stereos! I believe there are instructions in some posts on this website on how to remove the navigation/ventilation surround.

 

This happens on many different Lexus Models. Figure you have a super hot day, then you start pushing out ice cold AC. the temp change in the plastic over time will cause this to crack. First time I've seen it happen on an LS460/600 though.

 

Hi Johnny, I have had 3 other Lexus' and never had anything break on them. Literally zero problem cars, so this has been very bothersome to me since this is supposedly the most luxurious car they produce. Just very disappointing is all. I thought three awesome cars in a row had to be attributed to the Lexus brands unsurpassed quality.. guess I was just lucky.

 

"happens on many different Lexus models"?

I don't think so. It certainly hasn't occurred on the four models I've owned or the countless loaners we've had over the years. And that's in Alabama where the sun always shines (and shines and shines!). Also, it's not like Lexus engineers and material specialists are not aware of the application - dark plastic exposed to 70% direct sunlight, then hit with a blast of 45F cold air - many times a day, every day, all year long. Lexus is NOT blindly selecting any old plastic or indeed EVERY single Lexus would exhibit cracks. I suspect either an injection molding fault and/or a bad installation in which a defect was created and thermal cycling then worked its magic to produce catastrophic material failure (a crack). Lexus is replacing the part gratis, labor should be minimal, result should be excellent.

 

Mine is cracked in the same exact place also. I did see there is one for sale on ebay for 1 or 2 something.

 

First time ever seeing this issue.

 

You can watch this video: Six screws DO NOT need to be replaced when reassembling. Clips hold everything tight.
Cables DO NOT need to be removed from the back of the Radio or NAV if you're careful.
Pad the gearshift with a towel so you don't scratch any wood veneer.

Throw in a Prestigious Society NAV Override before reassembly. You'll love it!

Sounds scary, but you can do it. Each item is very rugged.
Good Luck.

 

i have the same exact problem

 

You have to remove the navigation unit to get that out. It's one piece. Then you have to take apart that navigation unit to get that off. You're better off taking the money to replace the part and pocket it. It's really not that bad of a crack.

 

Thank you everyone for your responses and video post! I will show my hubby and see if he wants to do it. It's surely not the end of the world that this happened.. i know, but it is discouraging that I buy the supposed top of the line in luxury and something breaks lol. I truly appreciate everyone on here, I love this website and always look forward to reading all the threads for our LS's. Thanks again everyone.
- Roxanne
For those of you that have this same issue, do you plan on fixing it?

 

Just because one thing breaks doesn't mean this is still not a luxury car. Regardless of what you pay for anything, things will break and it doesn't mean you throw your hands up and chalk it up to bad quality. Sounds like you have one issue that is fixable and the dealer will take care of it. You should be happy that Lexus is taking care of the part.

Million dollar jets break, it just happens some times.

 

same issue with mine, never thought to ask the dealer about fixing it. Does not bother me that much.

 

Wow! So that's four cracked vents on various LS460s (assumption since LS460/LS600h forum). I'll have to ask my service manager about this one next time I'm in - looks like a peculiarly repeatable issue that Lexus should be made aware of. This repeatability makes me think either fabrication, finishing, storage, or installation of the part is creating a defect which then undergoes thermal stress and fails. Thanks for all the reports.

 

it really doesn't look that bad and i clean my car in and out at least twice a week.

personally I would use a bondo type adhesive ($6) and glue that part, sand, then touchup paint.

removing all that does not look to be worth the time and effort for a small crack
I have swapped an entire luxury car interior myself and am very experienced in removing such bezels/ console and even then I would not bother with replacing this...even with a free bezel!



fix: notice the amenities like a self closing door and you'll forget a small crack that serves no structural integrity . Sorry this had to all happen. Beats a falling tree on your sunroof...



p.s. every luxury vehicle has issues. if anything, the bigger more expensive models tend to have more issues. Cars like the corolla rarely has issues and is not anywhere near luxury. Cadillacs have issues all the time and are considered luxury. My buddy's escalade interior door handle broke simply trying to open the door. LOL!!!