Sticky Dash - Armor Oil Blames VW plastics

[felixoscar]

Hi there,

Sections of my dash have become sticky over time the lid that you press to reveal the drink holders and the section around the fan speed, fan direction etc dial and section under the hand brake. I have only used Armor Oil Original Protect now and then on my dash since the car was new. I got in contact with Armor Oil to say what their product was doing and they said its not there product and have said that the plastic the dash is made of over the years is deteriorating and its a VW fault.

I would love any advice on how to remove the stickyness and if anyone's could tell me if their car dash in the same sections is deteriorating like mine. Is it a VW problem?? Please Please help.

[50pence]

it is a fault, best thing to do is scratch it all off with ya nail,easy.

[BrickMan]

OK, if this is what I think it is, i've seen it happen to quite a few cars, but never vag cars, they usually have VERY good plastic. BUT...

1) if your a smoker, that attacks plastics, turns them brown, and they crumble and go sticky
2) dash wipes, packaging usually says try it on a small area first. because, especially if your in a hot country, they irritate the plastics, they either discolour, harden, soften, break up, or most often, go sticky and start crumbling away!

Worst plastics I've come across are EURO ford plastics, smokers destory them in no time, and dash wipes are a big no no, anything remotely 'soft touch' will disolve in a very short space of time no matter the weather conditions.
jap plastics tend to be hard and FUGLY, BUT they seem to hold up well against teh dash wipes.

I just don't use them, simple foam pad and VERY small amount of detergent gets pretty much any staining off them, and doesn't attract dust.

[felixoscar]

Thanks Brickman & 50spence for your help. Brickman I think you are right about the plastic on my VW Dash, as the only pieces that have deteriorated seem to be the same kind of soft looking plastic. I have owned the car since new and I am not a smoker so it can't be that, BUT it is very hot in Australia + the stupid Armor Oil stuff I have been using I think has finally taken its toll on my dash. I have so far tried soapy water with no luck any other suggestions? As I hate the way it is, as the rest of my car is perfect and to sit and look at it all day while driving really tickes me off.

[BrickMan]

if the plastic is already detoriating the only way to solve it is replace it I'm afraid.

Once its started, thats it, its buggered

a scrap dashboard isn't a lot of money (in the uk, for a polo 9n, prob £20-50 in minty nick) the only trouble is airbags, most scrap/parts cars that are modern have been crashed, so at least some bags have gone off, effectively ruining the dash, or get a new one from vw, but again, thats prob ££££

thankfully I think teh 9n's squishy bit ontop of the dash is a seperate componant,

[felixoscar]

Thanks Brickman for all your help, lucky it has affected very small sections of the dash so I will just have put up with it. I know for next time never to use Armor Oil on any of my new car plastics. You are so lucky over in the UK all our parts in Australia are very expensive, it is usually double the price out here.