Interior door panel bubbling/separating

Just noticed my front passenger side arm rest fabric is bubbling/separating from the under padding. When it gets warm out the separation gets worse. This pic is while it is cooler and the bubble is smaller.

It is a 2016, so out of warranty. I've looked online and they only sell the entire interior panel for ~$250! Does anyone know if/where I can buy just this padded sub-section? If not, can it be easily removed, *repaired*, and reinstalled? *Peal back, spray adhesive and relay fabric*

I see on the 2nd gen this is an easily bought and replaced part for $20. Hoping to find similar fix.

 

Hmmm

 

So you can replace just the vinyl on that part, though your not going to be able to find the same material. So now is your chance to do some custom door panels.

Remove the whole door card, there should be plastic welded pins on the backside that hold that part of the panel on. Cut those and you can then peel off the vinyl and put on new using spray glue.

Then just put the panel back together, glue the parts you cut and should be good to go.

 

PEEL

 

You can see the white part on the top right of the panel. Each of those white circles are bits of plastic that is melted over to hold it on. Once those parts are cut away you can remove that insert and recover it.

 

I was wondering if I could peel back just the bubble, spray adhesive and relay it.

 

5nahalf, thanks for pic

 

You can probably do that too. I bet you could use the little red tube that comes with a bottle of wd40 to spray adhesive in there without having to peal back a big chunk of the vinyl.

 

Doesn't look like there's any excess material on the back side. I'd have to make sure to be able to re-stretch back exact. Maybe I'll live with the bubble.

 

I would getting a syringe and needle and inject silicon or something similar. Would just have a couple of small holes. If that didn’t work I would spring for the new insert.

 

Put a small hole in the white plastic where the vinyl is coming up, spray adhesive in and press down. No need to mess with the vinyl itself.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Put a series of small holes though. Will give it a try once I find a nozzle for my can of spray adhesive.

 

I'd personally heat gun it then press it with something curvy for a few minutes. Be careful with the heat gun, you can melt it. If that fails I'd pass by an upholstery shop. They can probably knock it down in a few minutes and possibly not even charge you for it.

 

Normal.

 

I pressed down on it with a rolled up towel. It held for a bit and returned. I didn't apply heat though. I'll try that before taking panel off.

 

Not for a +35k truck.

 

Inside joke. It's the default Toyota warranty answer.

 

You referring to poor over quality of this 3rd gen? I did have foggy clear coat issues that the dealer had to have entire truck polished to remedy. Rear diff, searching shift points and rattle from A pillar/tweeter cover.

 

Toyota service departments often come back with "it's normal" when presented with obviously not normal defects.

 

That is true. It took me 3 visits before the dealer called out a Toyota rep. for paint issue.