Why does coating come off modern car interior parts?

[David]

Modern cars from BMW and Porsche to my Chevy Silverado have this leatherish grain paint on consoles, steering wheels, switches, etc and after a few years it starts to rub off. Why do manufacturers use it and can it be fixed?

I've been looking for a used Caymen and like my old 997, they all have the black coating missing off the AC switches exposing the white plastic underneath and it looks like crap!

On my Silverado and the ex-wife's BMW the coating comes off to expose the shiny black plastic underneath.

[HardDrive]

I've seen it too, but this never happens in my cars. I wonder if its related to people eating in their cars. Food grease on the switches?

[74-911]

Originally Posted by David

I've been looking for a used Caymen and like my old 997, they all have the black coating missing off the AC switches exposing the white plastic underneath and it looks like crap!.

Wifes 2006 Jetta has same issue. All the control knobs on the radio are sticky, black paint starts bubbling up then peels off leaving white plastic showing.

Eating in car is not an issue, this is just a defective product.

[Mrmerlin]

could also be some of the cleaners/protectants used on the car,
some kinds of things will degrade the new plastics so fast they can crack or crumble in a few days ,
same goes for coated surfaces

[911 Rod]

I'm looking to replace my 2004 BMW center console for the same reason.
The rest of the interior is mint!

[Jim Bremner]

water based paints with lead removed.

[gtc]

I've seen a few examples of this, and they all seemed to be cars that were intermittently driven. I had figured it was caused by humidity.

[red-beard]

Interior Door handles on our old BMW had problem. I removed them and removed the coating. It seems to be a non-slip coating. I do not know the cause, but we are in a high heat, high humidity environment in Houston.

[manbridge 74]

Because most vehicles today are fashioned rather than engineered.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

water based paints with lead removed.

Doubt that. Some of the new water borne stuff won't come of my hands with a brush, soap and water. Have to use acetone. I think the car interior problem is unique to some environments. Deposits from hands while using the items is a viable theory but doesn't account for areas seldom handled.

Blame it on global warming.

[Aragorn]

Couldn't you take the black parts off clean and sand and just plasti dip them? That seems to be the popular method on a few other boards to restore black plastic parts to like new.

[icemann427]

Some plastic parts of my Escalade are shedding, too. I read on a Cadillac forum that the manufacturer paints said parts to color match with the leather seats and other interior parts. Don't know if that is true but it makes sense...

edit: The people on the same forum said interior spray paint, which matches the manufacturer's color, is available and works very well.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Here's a company that makes their money refinishing those parts, particularly on high end stuff like Ferrari and Maserati: Sticky No More - Exotic Cars Interior Refinishing Services

Here's one of many DIYs to fix the issue: audipages Refinishing Front Armrests in an A8 (D2)

I think it's a combination of issues. Poor quality finish is an obvious one, but I think upkeep and use is also a big factor. My S8 uses those finishes in limited areas and still looks pretty good, but it was well taken care of. Some cars look like Freddy Kruger owned them. Supposedly certain cleaning products have an adverse effect on the finish, but conversely frequent cleaning with the right products will reduce your issues. Who really knows?

[cairns]

Wow thanks for the tips. It's happening on our "old" (2008) X5 and it's received excellent care. IMO the sun is baking the coating; it bubbles and then flakes off.

[nzporsche944s2]

I always thought it was moisturisers or hand creams? It happens in my wife's car (Audi) but not in my car (Ford)

[Buckterrier]

Because it's painted. And I'm not being a smart ass. More & more interiors are painted vs. in mold coatings. On top of that non paintable plastics are being painted, (because they're cheaper, yes cheaper vs. less expensive). By that I mean plastics that require adhesion promoters. Skimp on that coating, (even though it only takes .1 - .2 mils), and you've got trouble. Paint companies at the OEM level are required to pass very stringent specifications. Even a sweat spec. Paint companies make artificial sweat with various acids and other components to mimic a person's sweaty ass hands. The stuff smells friggin' horrible. And of course there are DFT, (dry film thickness), requirements. Low film builds can also be a culprit.
Bottom line, it's not the coating.

[sc_rufctr]

Why? ...BUILT IN REDUNDANCY...

You may think small stuff like this doesn't matter but to most non DIY people it can be reason enough to get a new car. Which is exactly what the manufacturers want.

Imagine spending big $$$ on a Ferrari/Porsche etc that develops this issue.

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Why? ...BUILT IN REDUNDANCY...

You may think small stuff like this doesn't matter but to most non DIY people it can be reason enough to get a new car. Which is exactly what the manufacturers want.

Imagine spending big $$$ on a Ferrari/Porsche etc that develops this issue.

I'm with you Peter. Especially on VERY high end cars. But again the OEM's make the specs the paint companies just need to pass them.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Imagine spending big $$$ on a Ferrari/Porsche etc that develops this issue.

Like my 996 that has this problem.
(ok... not BIG money)

[roadhog]

I have your answer. It is hand sanitizer. If you us it in your car dry your hand completely before touching anything.