[Starkid1987]

I'll try to keep this brief. got my 2012 civic in august of 2012. I can't remember exactly when but I think it was approximately 6 months after owning the car I noticed cracking in the leather in the steering wheel near the bottom left side. I'll post a picture. I took it to a local dealership at the time and they warrantied the steering wheel for free no issues. Get the new wheel everything is going fine. A few months ago I noticed it happened again. Same issue minor cracking basically near the edge of the steering wheel between where it heads back to the back and the front. basically the very edge. again I'll post a picture for reference. I take it in again to same dealership and they said now that it's scratches and won't replace it....I am furious. happened today btw. The service guy said he'd speak with the DM of the service dept to see what he could do for me. I wasn't really in the mood so I ended up speaking with the GM as soon as I got the car back from them. I showed him where it was and he said, well my manager said it appeared to be scratches. Now I'm looking really for any other examples of any other guys that have had this issue.

I'm already going to be contacting corporate about the issue and several other places because they said I did it basically. The cuts are basically as if somebody had taken a knife to them because they're hairline cuts it appears..

Thanks for reading the post guys sorry it was so long.


TL : DR Si steering wheel leather is cracking. wanting to know if anybody has had similar issue more than once. Or hell just at all even.


Here's the pictures. Just noticed that it's also happening on the bottom of the steering wheel also. Now again you can see it's like right on the edge of where the leather wraps around the wheel itself.

 

[cb1111]

Sorry, but the pictures show scratches from normal wear. What, if anything, do you use to clean your steering wheel?

 

[immajackuup]

Sorry, but the pictures show scratches from normal wear. What, if anything, do you use to clean your steering wheel?

x222

 

[teamrubixcube]

Yeah, I don't see anything out of the ordinary either. It's bound to wear in a bit just from using it day-to-day. There are bigger things to fret over.

 

[Starkid1987]

I haven't used anything to clean it. Also it sits in a garage when not driving so idk how it happened other than from stretching around the wheel.

If it is from normal wear then that's some shitty as leather they're using for our cars.


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[cb1111]

It is a scratch. Maybe from a fingernail or a ring.

How many miles do you have on the car because that wheel is awfully shiny.

Get a bottle of LeatherMasters strong cleaner. I suspect that the wheel will look much better.

 

[Starkid1987]

I only have 17k miles on the car.


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[capacivic]

I use Mink Oil on my leather boots.

I used to use some kinda stuff (forget the name) for my leather baseball glove.

Perhaps there is a product suitable for leather steering wheels.

It would have to be something that isn't slippery, though.

Are you getting some caustic substance on your hands? From work perhaps?

Leather can dry out and get messed-up.

Water can also damage leather.

 

[SICoupe]

I think I'm with everyone above, it looks like normal wear to me.

 

[edillen3953]

A little black shoe polish or leather dye should fix that...

 

[Jamis]

The pictures look like abrasions from something. Leather requires some care. All leather will crack and abrade more easily if it is allowed to dry out. About every 6 months, I use Mequiars Gold Classic Cleaner/Conditioner on the leather pieces in my cars, including the steering wheel, shift knob, door panels, as well as the seats. My eleven year old P5 steering wheel has abrasions like you show, but it's from wear, not bad product.

 

[scottyrocks]

Another great product for leather is Pecards. Rub it in, and allow it to soak in and dry for a while before you drive. You don't want a slippery steering wheel.

 

[cb1111]

I use Mink Oil on my leather boots.

I used to use some kinda stuff (forget the name) for my leather baseball glove.

Perhaps there is a product suitable for leather steering wheels.

It would have to be something that isn't slippery, though.

Are you getting some caustic substance on your hands? From work perhaps?

Leather can dry out and get messed-up.

Water can also damage leather.

A little black shoe polish or leather dye should fix that...

Mink oil is bad for leather and shoe polish will make your hands black.

Lexol and many other products will leave a greasy residue - especially if you use too much.

My favorites are LeatherMasters for leather in decent condition and Leatherique for weathered leather.

 

[cb1111]

Shiny leather steering wheels are inevitable because your hands "polish" the leather but that doesn't happen until 40 or 50k miles if regularly cleaned.

Early "shiny" steering wheels are usually caused by dirt that accelerates wear but can often be mitigated by a good cleaning.

 

[Punksk8ter62]

i have the exact same scratches on mine. My scratches were caused by the button that holds your pocket tougher on jeans. pissed me off so bad when i did it. moved the steering wheel up a touch, hasn't happened since. GL though.

 

[capacivic]

Nothing stays shiny forever. I like wear. Look at the Millennium Falcon ... it looks awesome *because* it's so beat-up.

Wear is just how life works. *YOU* are wearing out. You will get old and die someday, (probably, unless Google solves death.)

Just enjoy the wear Yee ha!

 

[cb1111]

Nothing stays shiny forever. I like wear. Look at the Millennium Falcon ... it looks awesome *because* it's so beat-up.

Wear is just how life works. *YOU* are wearing out. You will get old and die someday, (probably, unless Google solves death.)

Just enjoy the wear Yee ha!

Actually, the steering wheel starts off matte and gets shiny with wear.

Invest in a bottle of LeatherMasters Strong Cleaner and a bottle of leather protecting cream. A good cleaning every 4 months or so will keep all the leather bits looking like new.

 

[Gotch]

...Steering wheel is not "leather", it is an injection moulded rubber, water won't hurt it.

 

[EffBee6fromthe209]

...Steering wheel is not "leather", it is an injection moulded rubber, water won't hurt it.

Wrong and right.
Lower models use mold injection.
Si is wrapped in pleather and stitched.


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[Gotch]

We are both wrong and right...lol...

I'm wrong in that it is polyurethane not "rubber" and it is the polyurethane that is stiched, not a pleather covering.

Either way, it is not leather...