leather quality on steering wheel

I agree the leather quality is lackluster at best. I've had some success using lexol leather conditioner, massaging it ( no homo) into the leather while the car is sitting out in the heat. It has definitely softened up a bit.

Learned my lesson with my 2013, premium was a total rip off, nothing was actual leather. My base 2016 is miles better than my 2013 premium

yankee-carpet-bagger said:

I agree the leather quality is lackluster at best. I've had some success using lexol leather conditioner, massaging it ( no homo) into the leather while the car is sitting out in the heat. It has definitely softened up a bit.

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It's.

Not.

Leather.

Not one bit.

It's vinyl.

NoVaGT said:

It's.

Not.

Leather.

Not one bit.

It's vinyl.

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It's funny though, I took my car in because the "leather" seats starting to crease badly after only a few hundred miles of ownership. Ford said it was characteristic of the authentic leather.. Really pissed me off and made me wish I went with a base model. Learned my lesson next time around

I had all kinds of problems with the leather steering wheel. If I got into the car and my keys or my nails hit it just right, it would rip it or tear it up.

I've got 35K on my 2015 and my wheel has very little wear on it. I use a sunshield on the windshield while at work, vary my hand placement and don't use a death grip. The steering wheel in my old 2007 Focus was still nice when I sold it at 150K miles. No, you shouldn't HAVE to do these things but it takes very little effort to keep it nice.

finally. Ford is going to change it under warranty

NoVaGT said:

It's.

Not.

Leather.

Not one bit.

It's vinyl.

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Interesting. I'm fairly certain regulations dictate some sort of leather material must be used in order for Ford to use the term "Leather" in their advertising. I've always been under the impression that the center inserts are leather and everything else is color matched vinyl.

millhouse said:

Interesting. I'm fairly certain regulations dictate some sort of leather material must be used in order for Ford to use the term "Leather" in their advertising. I've always been under the impression that the center inserts are leather and everything else is color matched vinyl.

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I'm sure there are "rules" but they might not require what a "typical" person would consider leather.

FWIW (and I don't know WIW) I had factory leather takeoffs (Roush) installed in my S197 base by a shop that has tons of magazine spreads (not why I picked them) and the owner looked at them and said there is very little leather there, think particle board but with cows and way more filler than cow, to paraphrase. LoL

Mine still looks fine without any discoloration or excessive and premature wear. After a year and 17k miles. I don't hold my wheel in a death grip and wear leather gloves on and off. I also condition all the vinyl/"leather" parts of the car every now and then.

Competition Orange said:

Mine just wore through the outer plastic (leather my ass) layer in one spot.

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sebounet said:

finally. Ford is going to change it under warranty

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Mine just came in, getting it replaced Thursday.