How To Repair Cup Holder

[widowmaker03]

Does anyone know how to repair 99 LS 400 the console cup holder? Mine is not jammed but it does not stay closed.

[SKperformance]

It does not stay closed because junk is blocking it.

You need to remove /clean and grease it.

It is easy and uses just a flat head screwdriver and a Phillips ,both located in your Lexus tool kit.

Put the car in neutral or 4/d , engine off.

Close the cup holder as much as possible ( use a helper to keep it closed in the other seat).

Open the lower armrest then place the flat screwdriver and lift up on the wood close to the cup holder on the vinyl. Do both side of the wood to pop up. The lift the wood and pull towards the rear of the car to release the other 2 clips by the ashtray. Move it to the side to expose the underneath.

Here is where you want to have a vacuum and Windex as it will be dirty under there.

Undo the 4 Phillips screws and lift up the cup holder . Clean it and remove the junk blocking it.

Luckily you asked today so it is fresh in my mind.

I just did my friends car today and it had some unspeakable things in there including a Bluetooth earpiece he lost.

[widowmaker03]

thx SKperformance

[rmk811]

Does anyone know how to repair 99 LS 400 the console cup holder? Mine is not jammed but it does not stay closed.

Dear SKP: Your instructions on repairing cupholder on '96 400LS are EXCELLENT!! Thanks so much. Took less than 10 min after i read your instructions.

Rick Katz in Macon GA

[widowmaker03]

I agree, the instructions were excellent.

[MotionMan]

It does not stay closed because junk is blocking it.

You need to remove /clean and grease it.

It is easy and uses just a flat head screwdriver and a Phillips ,both located in your Lexus tool kit.

Put the car in neutral or 4/d , engine off.

Close the cup holder as much as possible ( use a helper to keep it closed in the other seat).

Open the lower armrest then place the flat screwdriver and lift up on the wood close to the cup holder on the vinyl. Do both side of the wood to pop up. The lift the wood and pull towards the rear of the car to release the other 2 clips by the ashtray. Move it to the side to expose the underneath.

Here is where you want to have a vacuum and Windex as it will be dirty under there.

Undo the 4 Phillips screws and lift up the cup holder . Clean it and remove the junk blocking it.

Luckily you asked today so it is fresh in my mind.

I just did my friends car today and it had some unspeakable things in there including a Bluetooth earpiece he lost.

Does anyone know if this procedure is the same, or similar, on the 2003 LS 430?

MotionMan

[jainla]

Yes, it's very similar. You will have to do the following:

1. Set the Emergency Brake

2. Remove the Little cap holding the shift lock button (a key or small flathead will do just fine).

3. Push the button and shift the car into D

4. Pry off the bottom panel of the console (with the seat heater/cooler switches); insert a trim pry bar behind the left or right side and gently rock the panel up and down (push on the top and bottom) until the side pops off; careful you don't crash into the shifter! Disconnect the large connector and set this piece aside.

6. Remove the silver trim ring around the transmission shifter (it just prys off)

7. Grasp the big wood trim piece at the front and pull gently upward, you may want to rock it left and right and the clips should release

8. Pull up on the clips at the rear; if your cupholder won't stay closed try not to have it crash into the wood.

9. Disconnect the ashtray/storage console lead on the right hand side of the shifter; set the large piece aside.

10. remove the cupholder after undoing the 4 screws.

You may want to cover the center console trim piece with paper to keep from scratching it. Also cover whatever tool you use to pry the lower panel off with electrical tape; the wood trim scratches pretty easily (I used a clip from a CPU heat sink).

I did this when installing my bluetooth car kit and found all sorts of crap down there (post-its, crumbs, etc).

Hope that helps!

It does not stay closed because junk is blocking it.

You need to remove /clean and grease it.

It is easy and uses just a flat head screwdriver and a Phillips ,both located in your Lexus tool kit.

Put the car in neutral or 4/d , engine off.

Close the cup holder as much as possible ( use a helper to keep it closed in the other seat).

Open the lower armrest then place the flat screwdriver and lift up on the wood close to the cup holder on the vinyl. Do both side of the wood to pop up. The lift the wood and pull towards the rear of the car to release the other 2 clips by the ashtray. Move it to the side to expose the underneath.

Here is where you want to have a vacuum and Windex as it will be dirty under there.

Undo the 4 Phillips screws and lift up the cup holder . Clean it and remove the junk blocking it.

Luckily you asked today so it is fresh in my mind.

I just did my friends car today and it had some unspeakable things in there including a Bluetooth earpiece he lost.

Does anyone know if this procedure is the same, or similar, on the 2003 LS 430?

MotionMan

[G unit]

Bless you! That worked perfectly. However after completeing the removal procedure, I noticed a cylindrical piece of plastic, which was broken, sitting in the bottom of the cup-holder containment area. Am i to assume that is some protective cap to keep the small spring for the base where the cup bottom rests from coming off? It looked like someone tried to force it open and cracked that item. I may just leave the holder open although it seems to work flawlessly now.

Just wondering. Hate completeing assembly with extra parts lying around.

Thanks again. Wow, that was crappy under there.

G Unit (98 LS400)

[Lee Stephens]

I have both a 1996 LS 400 and a 2003 LS 430. Very helpful post, thank you. Question is whether I can put the better (open wider) cupholder of an LS 430 into an LS 400?

[mrhaiiro]

Thanks SKp, it worked like a charm!

[georgeead]

Thanks Motionman. It worked perfectly. The cup holder assembly itself was not too dirty at all. But beneath it was a disaster. I sprayed some Teflon lubricant on the joints that swivel to improve movement. But I am pretty sure that the dirt (papers, toothpicks, etc) that were underneath the assembly were obstructing the movement.

Saved me a lot of time.