Sticky Tacky Dash

[Huddud]

I am new to the forum and a new owner of a 2002 IS300. Need some help on repairing/replacing/painting... for the rubberized sections of the dash. This material used is like a rubberized coating that scratches and leaves prints. How do I deal with this mess. Can it be removed revealing some harder plastics material underneath? Please advise if you have had issues with this. Thanks

[smooth1]

If your talking about the trim around the center dash controls and the radio, I can only tell you that there is no way to repair it that I have found other than pulling all the components out, taping it all off, and using 1000 grit wet sand paper and just reasand the whole trim piece, then paint it black with a flat black for plastics. Then reassemble it. It's the only way I was able to fix one for someone elses IS 300.

[Lexus300Stock]

how do u take those pieces off??

[JENunnez]

A friend of mine just bought a IS300 for his son and it had the same problem. He took it to the dealer and worked out a deal with them to change all those parts for around $700.00.

See what your dealer can help you with, but you have to be firm yet willing to negotiate.

[Blayd]

how do u take those pieces off??

If u have to ask..dont. youl tear something up.

[Lexus300Stock]

i have it too... leave ur car out in the heat, having the front facing the sun... it baked the top of my dash... and when i went to go grab a piece of bug off my dash, it was sticky and gooey.. i was like "WTF.. my dash is melting!!".. i left it alone.. i aint gonna touch it ..

[smooth1]

I'm confused now. Are we talking about the trim piece around the control panel in the dash? Or the dash itself? or the passenger side airbag cover?

To remove the trim piece around the center control panel, you have to start by removing the the false floor panel in the tray at the top of the dash or if you have the 04-05 compartment, open it, and pull the fabirc bottom piece up to expose the 2 screws that hold the trya or compartment in. Once that is removed, you can work your way down by removing the ac controls and cd player. Make sure you tape off the trim piece with masking tape so you don't scratch it further. Then then small column at the bottom which holds the heated seat buttons on the auto and or the ETC for the manual trans versions, that piece just pops out by pulling out and downward at the same time. Once all these are out, then you can pull the trim piece out of the car for refinishing. ( Yeah, it's alot of work, but you do what you have to.) I used 1000 grit wet sand paper and LIGHTLY sanded the entire piece back to smooth again. Then I used automotive base coat paint with alot of flex added ( What they use for painting plastic bumpers ) and then I clear coated it with a flat Polyacrilic clear coat , actually I gave it several coats of that. It's been well over a year and looks as good as new.