Armrest Breakdown Deterioration - Melting? (1 Viewer)

[lesgarten]

The two door armrests on my two drivers doors are breaking down. The passenger sides are largely OK, with the exception of a slight softness to one of the Armrests on the passenger side.

This is not a drip from above. It is a sticky oily area that is breaking down. These two drivers side doors face the sun all the time. I think that is what is accelerating their breakdown. This problem manifested itself on a lot of plastic products in the 2000's. My Microsoft Mice did it as well as some Logitechs. A lot of my shoes did the same thing. Basically unworn dress shoes just melted while in the closet. I had a number of JBL studio monitors did the same thing, they had a rubberized coating on them that turned to goo. VERY expensive monitors.

Anybody have a solution besides changeout? It really doesn't clean up with much. I'm hoping someone has a solution for this because another set will most liely do the same thing given time.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

That's awful. Have you tried to take them apart to clean? You can find where the upholstery is tacked on and remove it all.

I do know what you mean about that rubberized coating turning to goo. It's happened to me with different things similar to what you mentioned over time. Super frustrating!

 

[lesgarten]

That's awful. Have you tried to take them apart to clean? You can find where the upholstery is tacked on and remove it all.

I do know what you mean about that rubberized coating turning to goo. It's happened to me with different things similar to what you mentioned over time. Super frustrating!

First thing I did was simple green, didn't touch it. I'm pretty clueless about what to do with it. On the other things I had issues with, I removed the rubber coating. That won't work here though.

 

[NorCalFJ100]

I think you will need to completely take apart the door card. Are you familiar with how to remove it from the door itself? You'll need to start with that and then figure out how to take the material apart...

Now, a better course of action perhaps is to find a local auto upholstery shop and bring them the door cards. I'm pretty certain once it's all removed it can be cleaned throughout. They'll know exactly how to take it all apart and put it back together.

Do you by chance have access to a steamer? That could also work...

 

[OwnerCS]

Sorry to see that. I didn't realize those are made out of plastic. I just received a new one for my LX from a parts supplier in South Florida that had the best price in the country. It looks like the plasticizer is working its way out of material. I would see this often when I worked at an Italian car dealership back in the 1970. The plasticizer in the dash would leave collect on the windshield as an oily substance.

I found a few videos on how to remove the goo. Looks like a common problem with Ferrari, Alfa, and Mustang.

How to Fix Sticky Interior Buttons Gooey - Cheap & Easy

Many Ferrari's along with other manufacturers suffer with the horrible black sticky goo interior rubberised coating after a few years. In the video I will sh...

youtu.be

 

[lesgarten]

I think you will need to completely take apart the door card. Are you familiar with how to remove it from the door itself? You'll need to start with that and then figure out how to take the material apart...

Now, a better course of action perhaps is to find a local auto upholstery shop and bring them the door cards. I'm pretty certain once it's all removed it can be cleaned throughout. They'll know exactly how to take it all apart and put it back together.

Do you by chance have access to a steamer? That could also work...

Hi,
Don't have access to a steamer. Not entirely certain why I need to remove the door card? How would that help me with the seeping goo issue? The goo is excreting from the handle/armrest itself.

 

[lesgarten]

Sorry to see that. I didn't realize those are made out of plastic. I just received a new one for my LX from a parts supplier in South Florida that had the best price in the country. It looks like the plasticizer is working its way out of material. I would see this often when I worked at an Italian car dealership back in the 1970. The plasticizer in the dash would leave collect on the windshield as an oily substance.

I found a few videos on how to remove the goo. Looks like a common problem with Ferrari, Alfa, and Mustang.

How to Fix Sticky Interior Buttons Gooey - Cheap & Easy

Many Ferrari's along with other manufacturers suffer with the horrible black sticky goo interior rubberised coating after a few years. In the video I will sh...

youtu.be

The mustang video has something going on, thanx! His problem was similar to mine.

 

[NearJetties]

Related question— do you have to remove the whole door panel to remove the padded and stitched section behind the grab bar/armrest?

 

[lesgarten]

Related question— do you have to remove the whole door panel to remove the padded and stitched section behind the grab bar/armrest?

I am pretty sure you do.

 

[lesgarten]

Just to complete the circle here.

I used Oxy Clean. It did clean up the Goo! Yay! Only thing that would touch it.

But all is for naught.

The rot is internal I'm sure, it just ended up coming back. I'll have to replace them it seems.