steering wheel buttons wear

[Alexfino]

Hello, it is true that the buttons on the steering wheel wear out quickly, I have that doubt since they have sold me a car with 50,000 km and the volume up and volume down buttons on the left are quite worn

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[NGOT8R]

My daughter had a Focus and the coating wore off of her volume buttons too. I asked her if she had picked at the coating and she told me that she hadn’t. When I saw that on her car, it confirmed that it would be a matter of time before it happens on mine. I’m guessing it would be more likely to happen on a daily driver which sees constant use of the volume buttons. I alternate between using the steering wheel buttons and the ones below the NAV screen to help slow the wear rate.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I've seen this on some cars and often wondered how that happens - because in all the years I've been driving and the cars I've owned, I've never had steering wheel, stereo or HVAC buttons wear off...

The only conclusion I can come up with is, during heavy traffic, people must sit there licking their steering wheel or get hungry and naw on the buttons .... or just constantly rub their fingers/hands over everything in the car during each driving interval.

 

[br_an]

You can replace that component

 

[Alexfino]

I've seen this on some cars and often wondered how that happens - because in all the years I've been driving and the cars I've owned, I've never had steering wheel, stereo or HVAC buttons wear off...

The only conclusion I can come up with is, during heavy traffic, people must sit there licking their steering wheel or get hungry and naw on the buttons .... or just constantly rub their fingers/hands over everything in the car during each driving interval.

during each driving interval. .(( Probably))

 

[NGOT8R]

I've seen this on some cars and often wondered how that happens - because in all the years I've been driving and the cars I've owned, I've never had steering wheel, stereo or HVAC buttons wear off...

The only conclusion I can come up with is, during heavy traffic, people must sit there licking their steering wheel or get hungry and naw on the buttons .... or just constantly rub their fingers/hands over everything in the car during each driving interval.

 

[ORRadtech]

My '18 is approaching 89k miles, it's my DD. I use the radio control buttons and the CC ones every day and they look like new. All the steering wheel control buttons on my '12 Edge (250k) and '14 Fusion(97k) look like new as well.
The only cars I've ever had this issue with were late '90's Chrysler/ Plymouth vehicles. Three of them did it.
I do recommend being very cautious with cleaning chemicals around all controls though. They can very easily degrade the lettering.

 

[Earlsays]

I have been told that lotion does this

 

[KingKona]

The S197 buttons were painted plastic. They wore badly.

I believe the S550s are cast through with the colors, so it's not an issue.

OP, can you post some pics for us to see?

 

[TonyNJ]

Hello, it is true that the buttons on the steering wheel wear out quickly, I have that doubt since they have sold me a car with 50,000 km and the volume up and volume down buttons on the left are quite worn

No.

 

[WD Pro]

I do recommend being very cautious with cleaning chemicals around all controls though. They can very easily degrade the lettering.

I have been told that lotion does this

Yeah I have seen aggressive cleaners strip the text off buttons (Siemens washing machine) and sun lotions strip text off sunglasses frames (Oakley’s).

On the other hand and in my experience more common, I have seen the build up of skin oils on old buttons and controls mask the lettering and build a slick glossy surface that looks worn. Check out an office workers keyboard after 12 months of daily use / typing (especially a user who wears makeup and uses moisturisers …)

Sometimes a mild cleaner / upholstery cleaner can work wonders to restore them - just go slowly and try a small spot first

If the plastic has a coating (looking at you VW with your early Passat era cars) that’s started to peel / delaminate, your screwed …

WD

 

[Alexfino]

Yeah I have seen aggressive cleaners strip the text off buttons (Siemens washing machine) and sun lotions strip text off sunglasses frames (Oakley’s).

On the other hand and in my experience more common, I have seen the build up of skin oils on old buttons and controls mask the lettering and build a slick glossy surface that looks worn. Check out an office workers keyboard after 12 months of daily use / typing (especially a user who wears makeup and uses moisturisers …)

Sometimes a mild cleaner / upholstery cleaner can work wonders to restore them - just go slowly and try a small spot first

If the plastic has a coating (looking at you VW with your early Passat era cars) that’s started to peel / delaminate, your screwed …

WD

thx

 

[Mike Pfeifer]

I knew a guy that had some skin condition where the oils were acidic and he would wear off the markings on anything in weeks. Also, hand lotions and sanitizers are terrible for interior trims in general, they soften the materials over time.

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