Ls430 Cupholder Stays Out... Help

[2ton]

Hello all,

I'm new to this post having purchased a friend's LS430 last week. The car is in perfect condition except:

the cup holder's catch is not strong enough to stay back in the console. It is always in the popped out position. You can feel the catch try to hold it in, but the spring's force overcomes it.

The Lexus dealer wants $360 to fix it??

Is this a D.I.Y. job? Any tips on just getting to the catch part to adjust/replace the catch is welcome.

[billydpowell]

Probably has a french fry hung in it, try cleaning it out

the center panel pops out and you can gain access.

[1990LS400]

Probably has a french fry hung in it, try cleaning it out

the center panel pops out and you can gain access.

I don't know, Billy. It could be an onion ring. ;)

Seriously, Billy's right. Hard to say what kind of junk is gumming up your cupholder.

[2ton]

Probably has a french fry hung in it, try cleaning it out

the center panel pops out and you can gain access.

I don't know, Billy. It could be an onion ring. ;)

Seriously, Billy's right. Hard to say what kind of junk is gumming up your cupholder.

[2ton]

Probably has a french fry hung in it, try cleaning it out

the center panel pops out and you can gain access.

Thanks for the advice.

The center panel.. is it a press fit-in or are there screws to remove?

Will a plastic pry bar be needed or can this be done without tools?

[billydpowell]

Probably has a french fry hung in it, try cleaning it out

the center panel pops out and you can gain access.

Thanks for the advice.

The center panel.. is it a press fit-in or are there screws to remove?

Will a plastic pry bar be needed or can this be done without tools?

SEE PHOTO:

open console, ignition on (not running), mash brake, put in drive(so you can pull it backward), and GENTLY use flat blade screwdriver on left & right side of panel (by console), slide blade between trim and panel and lift up on the panel, it will come up, then pull away from dash, and clean it up..... then eat at home. (smile)

[1990LS400]

A PDF that Jainla sent to me shows removing both the "center console shift bezel" and the "control switch panel" in an LS430 before prying up the console wood panel which is held in place by four clips. The removal procedure for the LS430 may be a little different from an LS400.

The PDF is far to big to post here. The "control switch panel" appears to be the panel containing the heated seat switches and is held in place by a clip on each side. The "center console shift bezel" is the surround for the gated shifter and appears to have about six clips -- there is a warning about not scratching the bezel or damaging the clips.

Jainla's PDF is phone related so it may not be necessary to remove the control switch panel. I'll post a couple of images from Janilas PDF. One of the images shows the location of the clips holding the console wood panel in place.

[2ton]

A PDF that Jainla sent to me shows removing both the "center console shift bezel" and the "control switch panel" in an LS430 before prying up the console wood panel which is held in place by four clips. The removal procedure for the LS430 may be a little different from an LS400.

The PDF is far to big to post here. The "control switch panel" appears to be the panel containing the heated seat switches and is held in place by a clip on each side. The "center console shift bezel" is the surround for the gated shifter and appears to have about six clips -- there is a warning about not scratching the bezel or damaging the clips.

Jainla's PDF is phone related so it may not be necessary to remove the control switch panel. I'll post a couple of images from Janilas PDF. One of the images shows the location of the clips holding the console wood panel in place.

The PDF file is exactly what I have with the 2004 console. As the center console seems to go under the control switch panel, I will remove the switch panel first.

Seems like a piece of cake,if it wern't for coaxing six years of stationary clips along with settle-in goo to come apart...remove fry...put back like it was...try not to scratch and dent everything.

Thanks for the diagrams. Will post photos of my removal on this post if anyone is interested.

[jainla]

i would definitely remove the lower switch panel first. The wood trim piece around the shifter actually pokes underneath it a little bit; and the clips in the front are very close to the edge. I'm not sure if it will come off without it.

In my megapdf on taking my car apart to install the parrot there are I think a couple photos of the center console sans the wood trim piece.

After you remove the switch panel you'll probably have to remove the center trim ring around the shifter and then pull upwards on the trim piece. You can grasp it more easily once that lower switch piece is removed then pull from the front.

The cupholder sits in a well along with all the other stuff in there. I found a stack of post-its under mine when i pulled it out (you can remove the cupholder screws with a phillips head screwdriver). What's most likely happening is that something is jamming the mechanism; or preventing the cupholder from retracting fully and letting the lock catch.

Good luck!