2016-2023 Tacoma Interior Chrome Delete: A Complete Blackout Upgrade Checklist
The 3rd generation Toyota Tacoma is one of the most customized trucks on the road. Owners invest in lift kits, bumpers, roof racks, and lighting, but the interior often gets overlooked. One of the fastest ways to bring the cabin in line with an aggressive exterior build is a chrome delete: swapping the factory chrome accent rings and trim pieces throughout the interior with matte black replacements.
The 2016-2023 Tacoma has chrome on over ten interior touch points, from the climate control dials to the door pull handles. Removing all of it creates a clean, unified look that matches the blacked-out aesthetic most Tacoma owners are going for.
This guide is a complete checklist of every interior chrome piece on the 3rd gen Tacoma, what each replacement part is, and how to plan a full blackout upgrade using the AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit for 2016-2023 Tacoma.
Where Is All the Chrome? Mapping the 3rd Gen Tacoma Interior
Toyota used chrome accent rings on nearly every control surface inside the 3rd gen Tacoma. Whether you drive an SR5, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, TRD Pro, or Limited, the interior chrome layout is consistent across trims. Here is where you will find it.
Start at the dashboard. The three climate control dials (or two on dual-zone models) each sit inside a chrome ring. The air vent surrounds on the dashboard have chrome bezels. Move to the center console, and you will find a chrome ring around the cup holder opening, a chrome surround at the base of the shift boot, and a chrome ring around the push-to-start button. On 4x4 models, the 4WD selector dial has its own chrome accent. The radio has chrome-finished volume and tune knobs. The interior door pull handles on each door carry chrome trim. The steering wheel has a chrome accent strip on the spokes. Even the glovebox has a decorative inlay that catches the light.
That is over ten separate chrome surfaces, and every one of them is visible from the driver's seat. It is no surprise that "how do I get rid of the interior chrome" is one of the most common questions on Tacoma World forums. The good news is that every single one of these pieces can be replaced without paint, vinyl, or Plasti Dip.
The Complete Tacoma Interior Chrome Delete Checklist
Here is every interior chrome piece on the 2016-2023 Tacoma and the corresponding AJT Design replacement part. Use this as your planning checklist. All components listed below are available individually or as part of the AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit for 2016-2023 Tacoma.
Climate Rings. The chrome rings around the HVAC control dials are some of the most visible chrome pieces on the dashboard. AJT Design offers Climate Rings for standard 3-knob climate systems and a separate Dual Zone Climate Ring set for trucks with dual-zone automatic climate control. They pull off the factory HVAC shafts and the replacements press right on.
Vent Rings. Each dashboard air vent has a chrome surround. AJT Design's Vent Rings are snap-in replacements that pop out the factory chrome bezels and click into the same mounting points. No adhesive needed.
Cup Holder Ring. The chrome ring around the center console cup holder opening is one of the first things you notice when you sit down. AJT Design's Cup Holder Ring lifts straight out and the replacement drops in. Important note: the cup holder surround shape differs between automatic and manual transmission Tacomas. The standard kit fits automatic models.
Start Button Ring + 4x4 Knob. The chrome ring around the push-to-start ignition button and the 4WD selector dial both get replaced with the Start Button Ring + 4x4 Knob from AJT Design. The 4x4 knob unscrews from the selector shaft. A helpful tip from customer reviews: take note of the knob's orientation before unscrewing so you can align the replacement in the same position.
Push Start Button. The ignition button itself has a chrome finish on the factory part. AJT Design offers a matte black Push Start Button replacement that presses into the same housing.
Radio Knobs. The volume and tune dials on the factory head unit carry chrome accents. AJT Design's Radio Knobs replace them with a clean, all-black finish. These are a personal preference item. Some owners love them; others prefer to leave the factory knobs in place. Either way, they are included as an option in the kit.
Door Handle Covers. The interior door pull handles on each door have chrome trim that catches light every time you reach for the door. AJT Design's Door Handle Covers snap over the factory handles and eliminate the chrome without changing how the handle feels or operates.
Steering Wheel Trim. The chrome accent strip on the steering wheel spokes is easy to overlook until you black out everything else on the console. AJT Design's Steering Wheel Trim clips into the same mounting position as the factory piece.
Glovebox Inlay. The decorative panel on the glovebox door has a chrome or silver finish from the factory. AJT Design's Glovebox Inlay replaces it with a matte black version that blends into the surrounding dash panel.
Emblem Overlay. The badge on the steering wheel center can be covered with an Emblem Overlay from AJT Design. Note that overlays featuring the Toyota logo are no longer available due to a legal notice from Toyota. Current overlays use a non-trademarked design.
AJT Design vs. Plasti Dip vs. Vinyl Overlays: Which Method Holds Up?
There are three common ways Tacoma owners try to get rid of interior chrome. Only one of them is a true replacement.
Injection-molded ABS plastic replacements are what AJT Design produces. Each piece is manufactured to match the exact dimensions of the factory chrome trim it replaces. The parts snap into the same mounting clips and sit flush with the surrounding surfaces. There is no adhesive to fail, no film to peel, and no coating to wear through. AJT Design's parts are made in the USA from high-strength, impact-resistant ABS plastic with a matte black finish that holds up under UV exposure, temperature swings, and daily contact.
Plasti Dip is a rubberized spray coating that some owners apply directly over the factory chrome. It is inexpensive and widely available. However, Plasti Dip looks uneven on small, detailed surfaces like vent rings and climate knob surrounds. It wears quickly on high-touch areas, picks up fingerprints and dust, and needs to be reapplied periodically. Removing it cleanly can also be difficult if it does not peel in one piece.
Vinyl overlays are adhesive-backed films cut to fit over the factory chrome. They are a step up from Plasti Dip, but they come with their own problems. Vinyl can peel at the edges, especially on curved surfaces like vent rings and climate rings. It can bubble, trap moisture underneath, and leave adhesive residue when removed. On a surface you touch every day, vinyl does not hold up the way a solid replacement part does.
For a result that looks factory and lasts for the life of the truck, injection-molded replacement parts are the clear winner.
What Is in the AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit for 2016-2023 Tacoma?
The AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit for 2016-2023 Tacoma is priced at $120 (regularly $351), which represents up to $231 in savings over purchasing each component individually. The kit is fully customizable. You select which components to include from the available options: Climate Rings (standard or Dual Zone), Vent Rings, Cup Holder Ring, Start Button Ring + 4x4 Knob, Glovebox Inlay, Push Start Button, Emblem Overlay, Door Handle Covers, Radio Knobs, and Steering Wheel Trim.
That is 11+ individual components in a single configurable bundle. Most competing kits on the market cover only four pieces: the center console cup holder ring, push start button ring, shift boot surround, and 4WD selector. They leave the climate controls, vents, door handles, steering wheel, radio, and glovebox completely untouched. AJT Design's kit is the most comprehensive interior chrome delete option available for the 3rd gen Tacoma.
The kit does not allow substitutions beyond the configurable options listed on the product page, and partial returns are not accepted on bundled kits. If you are unsure about a specific piece, AJT Design recommends purchasing that component individually first.
AJT Design's sitewide rating sits at 4.7 out of 5 across more than 2,936 customer reviews. All domestic orders over $25 ship free, and most in-stock items ship the same or next business day.
Installation: How to Swap Tacoma Interior Chrome Trim in Under an Hour
The entire AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit can be installed in 30 to 60 minutes with no special tools. A soft plastic trim tool is helpful but not strictly required. Here is how each type of piece installs.
Climate rings pull straight off the HVAC control shafts and the replacements press on. Vent rings pop out of the dashboard vent housings with gentle prying and the new ones click into the same clips. The cup holder ring and shift boot surround lift out of the center console and the replacements drop in. Door handle covers snap over the existing factory handle hardware. The steering wheel trim clips into the spoke channel. The push start button presses into the ignition housing. The 4WD selector knob unscrews from the transfer case dial shaft.
AJT Design provides installation guides on their Instructions page, and individual product listings include additional photos and install videos. No drilling, no adhesive, and no permanent modifications to your Tacoma.
Automatic vs. Manual Transmission: What Fits What
This is the most common compatibility question in the Tacoma community, and the answer is straightforward.
AJT Design's Chrome Delete Kit is designed for 2016-2023 Tacoma automatic transmission models. The key difference is the cup holder surround: manual transmission Tacomas have a different cup holder shape that the standard kit does not fit.
All other components in the kit fit both automatic and manual transmission Tacomas. Climate rings, vent rings, door handle covers, steering wheel trim, glovebox inlay, radio knobs, push start button, and emblem overlay are the same across both configurations.
The 4WD selector knob and start button ring only apply to 4x4 models with push-button start. If your Tacoma is a 2WD model, it will not have the 4WD selector dial, and you would skip that component when configuring your kit. Both Access Cab and Double Cab configurations use the same interior trim layout, so cab style does not affect fitment for any of the kit components.
Going Further: Exterior Chrome Delete Options for the Tacoma
Once the interior chrome is handled, many Tacoma owners turn to the exterior. AJT Design carries BumperShellz, which are bolt-on bumper covers that replace chrome bumper surfaces with a paintable or pre-finished alternative. Lensun products cover headlight and taillight tinting. Emblem Overlays handle the grille and tailgate badges. Pairing a full interior chrome delete with exterior blackout pieces gives you a cohesive build from bumper to bumper.
AJT Design's full Chrome Delete Kit collection also covers the Tundra, 4Runner, and FJ Cruiser, so if you have more than one Toyota in the driveway, you can carry the same blacked-out treatment across your fleet.
The 3rd gen Tacoma is a truck that owners build to match their personality. The factory interior chrome is the one part of the cabin that works against a blacked-out, off-road-ready aesthetic. With AJT Design's injection-molded replacement parts and a bundled Chrome Delete Kit that covers 11+ components, you can check every piece of interior chrome off the list in a single order and a single afternoon.
Browse the full AJT Design Chrome Delete Kit for 2016-2023 Tacoma and configure your build today. Free shipping on all US orders over $25. Military, first responder, medical worker, and teacher discounts are available through GovX verification.