What can I do about the chinsy plastic in my SR5

[hiker_jon]

Hi,
I have a new SR5 with black plastic interior. The backs of the rear seats are unbelievably easy to scratch and when they do get scratched blue plastic shows through. Very ugly. What can I do to fix this? I am thinking about painting some sort of black plastic/rubber coating over it. Anyone got a suggestion?

 

[westwind77]

Hi,
I have a new SR5 with black plastic interior. The backs of the rear seats are unbelievably easy to scratch and when they do get scratched blue plastic shows through.

I have an SR5 and I do NOT have any black plastic on the rear seats, only leather on the front and the carpet on the backsides. Black plastic on the sides of the cargo area, like all the trim models. Could you be more specific on where this plastic is?

 

[hiker_jon]

I have an SR5 and I do NOT have any black plastic on the rear seats, only leather on the front and the carpet on the backsides. Black plastic on the sides of the cargo area, like all the trim models. Could you be more specific on where this plastic is?

Its on the backs of the rear seats right where you have carpet. The carpet must be an option that I do not have. Maybe it comes with the pull out rear shelf.

 

[adio3x]

The leather package doesn't have the plastic on the backs. Im pretty sure only the cloths do. My only suggestion is like lay something ontop of it, maybe vinyl?

 

[ciaz]

Whoa crazy. I'd try to clean it off and if it remains take it back to the dealership and let them know what you think.

 

[LongBallLarry]

Take to an upholstery shop. I'm sure they can come up with a good, low-cost solution.

 

[Uneek]

Try something like what member 810moto did, http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/68344-rear-door-carpet.html.

 

[westwind77]

Its on the backs of the rear seats right where you have carpet. The carpet must be an option that I do not have. Maybe it comes with the pull out rear shelf.

Did you compare the other 4R's on the lot before you purchased yours? Seeing that black plastic on the back compared to the carpet would have been reason enough for me to upgrade to the next package, everyone knows how easy plastic is to scratch. That being said, get some dark carpet, take your time, cut it to a perfect fit and silicone it to the back of the plastic. That way you can remove/replace it later down the line if you wish.

 

[BrianLSU]

Wow, didn't know that, that sucks. When at the dealer I started going cross-eyed at all the options and packages, wanted this but not that, but had to get this if I wanted that.

Finally just got the Limited because I was tired of thinking abut it.

Here's what I'd do. Take the plastic pieces off or have the dealership help you. Take it to an upholsterer and have them carpet it for you. You can do it yourself to. Use a spray adhesive and form the carpet around the whole piece, sides too. Let the adhesive cure, trim the excess off the ends for clean fit and your done.

Or you can just buy the pieces from an online OEM parts house, probably the cleanest and easiest.

 

[philsey]

Well, you're obviously hauling stuff. You should have thought to cut a piece of carpet or something. I don't think anyone's plastic would have faired better, and I'd be astounded if the dealer can do anything.

Just postulating here: Will those plastic panels come off? If so, maybe they could be sprayed with something.

You need a PU truck bed liner, dude. Just curious, what the he!! are you hauling back there - bricks?

 

[hiker_jon]

Well, you're obviously hauling stuff. You should have thought to cut a piece of carpet or something. I don't think anyone's plastic would have faired better, and I'd be astounded if the dealer can do anything.

Just postulating here: Will those plastic panels come off? If so, maybe they could be sprayed with something.

You need a PU truck bed liner, dude. Just curious, what the he!! are you hauling back there - bricks?

We went on a camping trip. The seats were down and we had a plastic cooler on top of the rear seat. The plastic of the cooler was harder than the plastic on the rear seat back. I would guess that all the plastic in the back is the same soft stuff and will scratch up badly.

 

[kingpin748]

Well, you're obviously hauling stuff. You should have thought to cut a piece of carpet or something. I don't think anyone's plastic would have faired better, and I'd be astounded if the dealer can do anything.

Just postulating here: Will those plastic panels come off? If so, maybe they could be sprayed with something.

You need a PU truck bed liner, dude. Just curious, what the he!! are you hauling back there - bricks?

I disagree with that. You can definitely get different grades of plastic. I was a little surprised at how fast the plastic on the hatch of my LE got scuffed up. Nothing nearly as bad as the OP though.

I doubt the dealer will help you though.

 

[hiker_jon]

Did you compare the other 4R's on the lot before you purchased yours?

Here in Northern CA there aren't many 4runners to choose from. The closest dealer to me had NO new 4runners. Next closest had only LE or TE and said they could not get SR5's in their region. I finally found a dealer that was able to get a SR5 for me without a moonroof or 3rd row seats. Besides this I had no real choice of what options it would have. This experience leads me to think that the 4runner direction (bigger, heavier) may be right for some parts of the country, but here in N CA consumers have rejected 4runners. As I look around I see lots of 3rd gens still driving around, but not many 4th gens and no other 5th gens.

 

[hiker_jon]

My Solution

Dupli-color Truck Bed Coating. $9.99 a can at Kragen. Time will tell how durable it is, but it can't be worse than the original plastic. The seat backs are not the only places in the back of the truck with this easily scratched plastic. Toyota must save money by having one base plastic type (blue) and then thinly coating it to get the color they want. Do TE and LE have higher quality plastic?

 

[4Funnr]

I have a TE and the backs of my 2nd row seats are carpet.

 

[Vette168]

I have an SR5 w/ carpet on the back of my cloth seats....

 

[dognick]

Dupli-color Truck Bed Coating. $9.99 a can at Kragen. Time will tell how durable it is, but it can't be worse than the original plastic. The seat backs are not the only places in the back of the truck with this easily scratched plastic. Toyota must save money by having one base plastic type (blue) and then thinly coating it to get the color they want. Do TE and LE have higher quality plastic?

Does anyone know how I can get these plastic pieces for my seats? Parts dept. here has no idea what these are. I need a part number or name and I couldn't find it in the parts manual posted on this site or the parts catalog at the dealer warehouse. I'm sick of vacuuming up lbs of dog hair out of the carpet on the back of my seats and I'm definitely gonna do what hiker_jon did with his.

Thanks