I posted this on LexusOwnersClub and I'm posting it here too in case it can help anyone.

The little center sun visor on my 2000 LS400 stopped snapping up into the close position a few weeks ago.

Here is the almost zero cost way I fixed it.

Remove the center visor with a plastic trim removal tool - it's held in place by friction like much of the interior trim. Pry at the rear edge of the visor base to pull it down. Do not pry at the front or on the sides near the front of the visor base since it has tabs at the front that insert into the headliner and act as hinges as it is swings up into place when reinstalling it.

The visor is held in the UP position by a metal plate which is attached to the hard plastic base with three plastic rivets. The metal plate acts as a spring. When the visor is rotated upward to its closed position, the spring/plate contacts the flat side of the plastic rod to which the visor is attached causing the visor to snap upward. It's a little hard to explain and impossible to photograph but it will be obvious if remove the center visor.

What caused the visor to not stay in its up/closed position was that front plastic rivet holding the metal plate to the hard plastic visor base had failed and was no longer holding the metal plate/spring firmly against the visor base. The flat side of the plastic rod no longer pressed firmly against the metal plate/spring to hold the visor up ... it's a "cam action".

To fix, I first removed the remains of the failed plastic rivet. I then drilled a small hole through the center of the visor base where the failed plastic rivet had been.

Miraculously, I quickly found a screw, washer and nut in my gazillion hardware piece collection without making a trip to the hardware store.

It might look better if I had used a screw with a black head but it cannot be seen from the driver or passenger seats without looking for it.

The same fix should work on the other two plastic rivets if they were to fail. This fix saved me from buying a new center sun visor -- least expensive price I found was $68.38 from Sewell with a Club Lexus discount.

 

never had this problem but good to know

will throw it up on the sticky later tonight

 

I have this problem but have used my Garage door opener to keep it up. I'll have to try this fix. Thanks!

 

I've been meaning to make a thread asking how to fix this since I registered. You're a saint. I love you.

 

it would be more helpful if you could illustrate in your picture which way is facing up/down or front/rear. the sun visor flips in both directions too.

 

The tabs/hinges (for lack of better terms) are at the front of the center sun visor base - nearest the windshield. That the sun visor "flips in both directions" is not relevent to replacing a failed plastic rivet with a screw and bolt.

If you need to do this fix, after you remove the center sun visor from the headliner, all should be clear. There are three plastic rivets. I replaced the failed "forward" one with a screw and bolt but the fix should work on the "rear" other two.

 

thanks for the clarification. i was just making sure because in your first pic, idk which side the sun visor was facing (nearest to windshield or nearest to dome light). i know it's irrelevant towards fixing the sun visor droop, but i gotta know which side is which right (that's why i mentioned the sun visor could be flipped in both directions -> towards the windshield and away from the windshield. now i know.

 

I too had the same problem occur. Little visor would just flop down.

As Kansas pointed out, the 'plastic' rivet had released from the plastic body which meant the spring steel had lost its tension on the cam.

I picked up some 'Lightning Bond Glue' and 'Lightning Fill' from eBay. I think it was around $12.00.

Using small clamps I held the steel tight to the broken plastic rivet, poured a little 'Lightning Fill' on the hole in the steel where the old plastic rivet used to be then added a couple drops of the 'Lightning Bond Glue'. Being a Cyanoacrylate it set up quite quickly and the tension on the cam was reinstated allowing the visor to stay up.

This glue and fill material has found use in a number of places that demand a STRONG bond.

Just another option.

 

Thank you for this! Fixed mine in about 10 minutes today and works like new again.

 

Cool....Thanks! Mine was held up with a tie wrap when I bought the car last week. It was a quick fix thanks for sharing.

 

Fixed mine today! Thanks!

 

Thanks Kansas!!! Fixed mine just now and it was ridiculously simple.

 

oh I need to do this. I think mine failed one summer in AZ when I left it down. My guess is the sun and heat melted the plastic rivet and it came loose after that. Interior temps can get to 160-170 degrees in the dead of summer.

 

I also used this to fix mine. Thanks Kansas!

 

Jim - Check your PM's