Silver steering wheel trim stupid idea in a truck!

Does anyone on TW know off hand if these trim pieces are replaceable? or can be removed? Took my truck to Toyota for it's first "Free" oil change at 5,000 miles. Would have done myself, but it was "Free" and I just don't have the time really.

Anyway, later on today while driving, much after I had left the dealer of course, I felt and noticed a gouge or scratch in the silver plastic trim on my steering wheel. Definitely wasn't there prior to my service visit. Also guy that moved my truck was a BIG dude, probably scratched it on his belt buckle.

You know when I first got my 2014, I said under my breath how stupid the design of that trim is, for a high-wear zone IMO, and it wouldn't be long before that trim there started looking like $hit. Anyway, I've been searching online at various parts diagrams, and not one breaks the steering wheel down enough to get those parts. Tried to pry the trim off with little luck, gave up before I broke it alltogether, (the lower portion snaps off) but the upper appears to be bolted or screwed under the air-bag assy (I really hope not) If there is no replacement part avail, I'm just going to sand it, and paint matt black and move on. But would still like to know how it comes off the wheel.

 

Yes they are, but you need to remove the airbag.

Disconnect you negative terminal
Locate 2 roughly 2 Sq.in. black panels on either side of the backside of the steering wheel and remove with a small flat head.
Remove the 2 torques head screws (think they're a T30?)
Carefully pull out the airbag portion of the steering wheel and rest it on the steering column.
Remove the 4 philips head screws holding the 2 side controls.

 

I'd go back to the dealer and say something. They will at least look at it and may do something for you. Especially if you bought it there. Do they want return customers???

 

Great, thanks!

 

I hear ya, but after the fact it's kind of here-say. Honestly, I didn't notice it until later in the day, while making a U-turn.

I didn't buy the Tacoma I'm driving today from them, but I did buy a 2007 there many years ago . Who knows, maybe I will just leave it as is, and possibly mask it off in place and Plasti-Dip it black? I wish I could replace with the base-model black trim. But I don't think the base black trim is available with the entune, and volume controls?

 

Again though, why that plastic trim curls under the steering wheel like that, is beyond me. Should be completely leather all the way around the ring. I feel like my wedding ring scratches it every now and then as it is, but it doesn't, just feels like it. I'm sorry to be OCD about this, I just hate having damage right in front of my line of sight when driving.

 

I would take it back. They broke it, they fix it. I would be more tactfull than that though

 

I hear ya, but it's not really broke. I can already see the movie on this though. The SO was pretty savy about damage when I dropped it off. He didn't look at my interior, but he did point out the rock chip in my glass, and went around the outside looking for scratches.

So they will most definitely deny it, not worth the hassle IMO. I would rather find the part and replace it myself, before anything else is damaged. I feel like cars/ trucks get a little more damage every time they are in someone else's hands.

I have yet to find a reputable tire shop that can remove lugnuts or wheel weights without damaging the wheel in the process.

 

I get you man ... I am so OCD it drives me crazy at times ... I am not a big fan of the silver trim on the wheel and have felt my fingers "catch" a couple of times.

As you have already said ... just let it go.

 

Does anyone know if the base Tacoma's with the all black steering wheel trim, had the full Bluetooth, Entune and volume control option? I think I found the parts here...

http://www.oemtoyotapartsgroup.com/...64292/Steering-wheel/455966A-4504-674470.html

And if I'm going to the extent to remove the Airbag assy, It would be worth the $33/ each to change to the OEM black version .Vs the IMO cheesy and easy to scratch silver.

 

Base models are black but do not have any options so there are no controls on the wheel as your model.

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/129966400/overview/

Look through the pics.

 

Looks like my only option may be to find the black trim from a '14 T4R, Trail like this. *Except my truck doesn't have that DISP button under the Bluetooth side. I wonder what that button does on the display? Perhaps it would work for something on my Tacoma?

 

I'd almost be willing to lose the steering wheel controls, I don't ever really use them, aside from the volume.

 

I like this ... day one I took out the center console and sprayed it black.

 

That was a good idea. My 2010, had the silver painted center console/ cup holder thing. Since I bought that truck used, always bothered me the previous owner scuffed it up so bad.

 

Could always sandblast your current plastics with a very fine media and then clear it with a matte finish.

I have sanded the silver of plastics before and it is alot of work to get it smooth enough to not show sanding scratches once cleared. Sandblasting or sodablasting was the best route.

 

Down the line I want to just color match mine to the headunit trim. Based on the color of the black headunit trim, I feel like Toyota black sand pearl is a good match. Getting black trim isn't going to magically protect it from scratches either. Then again I have never managed to scratch that trim so I don't know how black trim will fare any better than silver.

And honest advice, before you go ripping things apart, you should always check on here to see if someone has disassembled it. It could save you headache from tearing your stuff up and having to replace what you broke. In this instance someone has posted a thread a while back on how to take it off that could have saved you the trouble.

 

That's a good idea, I found this thread http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...ed-steering-wheel-audio-controls-my-08-a.html. Although it isn't a 2012+ Steering wheel, it should be close enough. I think I'm going to go the spray-it-myself route, but that leaves me with a silver painted volume control.

Going to wait and call Toyota on Monday and get an actual part number for the Toyota. I don't trust the online vendors, as Toyota made several variations of trim pieces and I don't want to end up with the wrong one.

 

I hate all this silver trim. I am going to buy matte black center console trim piece and AC vent surrounds from the base model. But the steering wheel trim from a base model wont work. I'll probably just end up plastidiping it for now until i come up with a better solution

On my old BMW coupe i wrapped all wood trim in matte black vinyl. Came out great. Perhaps i would try this instead of plastidip