Hi All,

I just picked up a 2018 RX450hL and it is very, very nice! Love it! It is the Luxury model with all the bells and whistles. But no CarPlay.

I decided to get a CarPlay adapter off of AliExpres for $180. I found a couple of videos on YouTube and everything went really well until... I tried to put the 10mm bolt back on the passenger side. I put a piece of paper towel in the socket to make it a nice tight fit, but it fell off anyway. I said few choice words and in a huff pulled back the socket on an extension and knocked the 10mm socket off the extension too!

Now the wife is pissed off that I have two things rattling around in "her brand new car". And I feel like an idiot.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I reach back there and retrieve the bolt and socket? Do I remove the side cover of the console. If so, how? Any YouTube videos you can point me at would be really, really, really appreciated.

Or do I hope it doesn't do any damage in there and just go find a 10mm bolt to hold the radio in place and call it a day?

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

-T

P.S. CarPlay is working great, better than I expected.

 

Posted this to a thread on the CarPlay adapter. Please ignore this one. Wish I could just delete this one.

 

I typically use a magnet on a stick, I have a handy little one that came on a telescoping rod. I also use a flexible bores ope to peek inside tight little spaces. Sometimes a pair of curved hemostats can reach in to grab stuff.

 

Thanks! I will look into that!

 

That was supposed to write “borescope” but auto correct got it….

 

I love magnets on a stick, always have a use for them. But if you can't get to the socket, I would try a small magnet on a string allowing it to fall near where the socket came off. Just make sure the magnet doesn't fall off the string.

 

If the magnet on a stick or string doesn't work take the car to a local mechanic. Not a good idea to leave that stuff down there. This has happened to all of of us who have ever worked on a car.
Local mechanics have years of experience dealing with simple problems like dropped bolts or screws. They may not even charge you.