Question about inside door panel

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EddieF @ Aug 2 2007, 07:28 AM) [snapback]489226[/snapback]</div>

I had a similar situation, well no, I was smoking a cigar and had the ash drop on the armrest. Needless to say some damage occured. Not bad but unsightly. I am just having the armrest re-upolstered when I have leather put in. (someday) The dealer also quited me, I think $550 for the door trim.

I would suggest combing the junkyards, but Toyota is really giving us the jammy on this part!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EddieF @ Aug 2 2007, 09:28 AM) [snapback]489226[/snapback]</div>

The adjuster has a database telling him the armrest is a separate item and can be purchased by itself. The dealer is telling you something different. Did you talk to Parts at the dealer? If not, ask them if the armrest can be purchased by itself. If Parts tells you the same story (you have to buy the whole door trim panel as a unit) check with a body shop (dealer's or a good independent shop) and see what they say. Perhaps the adjuster was quoting an AM (aftermarket) part. It's possible, if that is the case, that the armrest is being manufactured separately from the door trim panel itself in the aftermarket world.

 

the trim bezel should be available on its own. but if you want the arm rest replaced, that's the whole door panel.

 

Just to be clear, the smooth plastic part with the switches screwed onto the underside can be replaced by itself. This is the part that I think the adjuster was referring to. You can pull it up out of the rest of the door with your fingernails, it's just held in place by some plastic clips.

The cloth part of the arm rest is integral with the whole big plastic part (actually three parts - upper third, lower two-thirds, and upholstered piece) and is what the dealer was referring to. It hangs on the window slot at the top and plastic pop connecters anchor the edge to the metal door frame.

Both parts, switch cover and door interior panel, are fairly easy to R & R.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(EddieF @ Aug 2 2007, 08:45 PM) [snapback]489679[/snapback]</div>

You can look up the parts online. See:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...amp;catalogid=2

This is for 2006 (the year of you wife's car). For 2007's, the body parts catalog doesn't seem to be up yet, but most parts are identical. You can call to be sure.

- Tom