The picture says it all. I’d love to re-paint these the Lexus badge and the trim pieces around the phone / radio controls and want to make sure they are removable before I start probing with my panel / pry tools. Haha.
Steering wheel Lexus badge / trim removal?
- Thread starter GrizzlyClint
- Start date
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I don’t know for sure, but based on past experiences; the badge isn’t easily removable and replaced, you’ll effectively ruin it. The controls can be removed by removing the airbag (usually tabs you depress with a screw driver and poking through small access holes on the backside of the steering wheel).
The steering emblems are held by mounting tabs into the airbag cover. I’ve seen people remove the cover from the bag and then dissect off the emblem, but that’s a little sketchy to me messing with the airbag. The other way is you can gently lift the emblem edges and cut these tabs away with a razor blade until you’ve worked your way around the whole emblem and it finally comes off. The risk in doing it that way is you accidently cut the airbag cover. Might just be easier to try and mask it off and plastidip. Yet another option is there was a TacomaWorld member selling steering emblem overlays on Etsy at one point with a variety of designs. Just goes right on top. I imagine overall dimensions of the T and L emblems are probably same.
Steering controls should be easy. For extra safety you can undo your battery neg terminal. There is usually a pop off plastic cover on either side of the steering wheel back plastic. One of these pop covers might be the one that surrounds the cruise stalk. Behind these are torx bolts which you undo, and they don’t usually come out they just float in place once unbolted. Then the airbag should come off, just be careful of the 2 wires and horn wire going to the back of it. I usually just set it up on top of the wheel while doing the rest. Controls are probably just then held in by a few Phillips screws. Once those are out they should just pop off. You can further disassemble and remove the buttons from the outer shrouds for an easier paint job.
Steering controls should be easy. For extra safety you can undo your battery neg terminal. There is usually a pop off plastic cover on either side of the steering wheel back plastic. One of these pop covers might be the one that surrounds the cruise stalk. Behind these are torx bolts which you undo, and they don’t usually come out they just float in place once unbolted. Then the airbag should come off, just be careful of the 2 wires and horn wire going to the back of it. I usually just set it up on top of the wheel while doing the rest. Controls are probably just then held in by a few Phillips screws. Once those are out they should just pop off. You can further disassemble and remove the buttons from the outer shrouds for an easier paint job.
- Thread starter
- #4
Good stuff thanks guys. For the L badge I may just tape it off and paint it the same color I’m gonna paint all the matte silver trim inside.
- Thread starter
- #5
Oh by the way, will the airbag still go off with the battery not connected? I don’t feel too good fiddling around with it.
I’ve pulled the negative battery terminal and just let the dome lights use up the small residual juice in the system and done work on the airbag area quite a few times and never had an issue.
Usual rules apply, just be gentle with it, set it out of the way on top of the steering wheel, don’t even need to disconnect the wires. If you do want to disconnect it you have to disengage the clips where the wires plug in before the wires unplug. I pulled my entire steering wheel when I replaced and had no issues either.
The rare occasions I’ve heard of bags going off in a Toyota were the seat or curtain bags and it was because the person whacked the impact sensor and didn’t disconnect the battery.
- Thread starter
- #7
Thanks mate. Sounds like I just need to do it and not be a wuss about it. Hah.
