Center armrest slides forward!!

BoltPals:

Just discovered that the center console armrest slides forward! I love that. My Honda did that, and I prefer the elbow position. I do not see that listed in the manual anywhere. I have the LT trim line.

I'd tugged on it already hoping it would but it didn't budge. I guess I will have to try harder!

roundpeg said:

I'd tugged on it already hoping it would but it didn't budge. I guess I will have to try harder!

Click to expand...

The thing that you pull to open the armrest compartment also allows the armrest to move forward and back.

The armrest compartment can only be opened when the armrest is in the fully back position.

I will try that, thanks!

Personally, in my limited test-drive time, I found the center armrest very annoying - at its rear-most position, it's still right where my elbow wants to be.
I may have to modify it to be lower or farther aft. (the armrest, not the elbow...)

EldRick said:

Personally, in my limited test-drive time, I found the center armrest very annoying - at its rear-most position, it's still right where my elbow wants to be.
I may have to modify it to be lower or farther aft. (the armrest, not the elbow...)

Click to expand...

Me too. That is why I am pleased that it comes forward. It is now in a nice position for me.

EldRick said:

Personally, in my limited test-drive time, I found the center armrest very annoying - at its rear-most position, it's still right where my elbow wants to be.
I may have to modify it to be lower or farther aft. (the armrest, not the elbow...)

Click to expand...

Would it help to adjust the seat higher?

Speaking of the Center armrest, does anybody know if you can get an aftermarket locking mechanism to hold the tray in place, so it would block access to what is below the arm-rest tray?

flamaest said:

Speaking of the Center armrest, does anybody know if you can get an aftermarket locking mechanism to hold the tray in place, so it would block access to what is below the arm-rest tray?

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I do not know. But I'd be willing to bet good money that it will never happen. Even if you could lock it, the plastic tray is so flimsy that nothing below it would have any real security.

boltage said:

The armrest compartment can only be opened when the armrest is in the fully back position.

Click to expand...

I found this out, but not before I thought the latch had already broken. IMO, a poor design based on cost not how it should work.

Peterson23 said:

boltage said:

The armrest compartment can only be opened when the armrest is in the fully back position.

Click to expand...

I found this out, but not before I thought the latch had already broken. IMO, a poor design based on cost not how it should work.

Click to expand...

Stay away from Toyota then. Our Venza's armrest has several positions, and only one allows you to open it. We've had the car for four years, and I still haven't mastered the various positions.

I don't think it's a bad design. It comes part & parcel if you want an adjustable armrest. If they really want to save costs, they would have made the armrest nonadjustable.

After one week, my center console latch failed; in order to open it, I have to stick my finger underneath and probe around for the latch. The works are inside the arm rest, and I don't want to take it apart myself. So I will probably bear with it until my first maintenance appointment, which will be one year given my mileage. A minor annoyance, but I will settle for this glitch if this is the only one. So far, after a month, it has been a terrific car.

My center console has trouble closing sometimes and I have to put a little more force into the closure to get it to lock. Wonder if mine will fail like yours after a while, given the extra force being required. I guess I don't need to open it that often anyway.

It took me four months to discover this. I reported in numerous surveys that the latch failed after one week. I was going to take it apart, but decided against it. Was waiting for the forest 7,500 mile service (tire rotation). Manual silent on the latch only working when console fully back.

I have read these posts and tried 4 times going to the car, and I CANNOT MOVE the center armrest. If anyone would be so kind as to post a picture how it's moved, please!

My "arrest" has a box in it, and the hinge area in the back has no evidence of being movable, and the front does not budge (the console itself is ONE PIECE), so I can't figure our how it'd move.. Does only the cover slide?

I'll wait for a picture anyone can provide. Maybe they changed the design in production!

Aloha!

It is just the cushion part of the rest that goes forward about 3 inches. Just grab the cushion part and pull it forward. It takes more force than you think. It slides forward.

Thank You Andrich!
I tugged and tugged and no budge! I finally gave it a "Thump" on the back end of the Cushion while pulling
and it got loose! I can now slide it just spreading my hand over the whole cushion and move it forward. It goes more than 3 inches! There's a detent at half the travel area.

Also, the cover can be opened in the forward position. Just look at the latch before you slide it open, and all you need to do is push up on a part of the latch that gets left behind when the cushion (and latch button ) is moved away when it slides forward. It takes just a little while to practice, and I can now do it in a couple of seconds. It's easier than moving the cushion back, opening, then sliding it back after it's closed. .....