Cheap Fix for Sticky Melting Parts

First post for me. Can't seem to find a guide here or other places about our sticky interior. My car is a 2012 Cali and I am in Australia. Most of the parts are still good but they are starting to go sticky and melt. My HVAC Panel was one of the worse parts. It’s soft enough to have deep scratches on it. Dust and hair are stuck all over it as well.

My options were:
-send to one of the companies to re-skin and have no ac for 6 weeks
-buy a A$2500 new panel and see if it'll last more than a few years
-or applied a US$45 “sticky melting solution” protective solution and hope for the best

I’m glad to say that the last option worked out well. Cosmetically it is surprisingly good as long as steps are taken to address the finishing. Some treated parts had survived a couple of years in the Australian heat so the treatment stood the test of time as well.

Below is my way of applying it if you are interested:


The parts need to come off or the surrounding area needs to be masked. The “solution” is a thick, white, liquid similar in consistency to wood glue. It’s difficult to control in sharp angle and crevices. Knobs are taken off the HVAC here.

I cleaned the parts with 70% alcohol first to remove most of the dust and debris stuck on it. I also tried the cleaning solution from the same company but it was thick and difficult to control and it melted the surface more than 70% alcohol.

Once cleaned to a reasonable degree, I applied the 1st coat of the protection solution with a brush. I then texturise with a flat sponge surface (below) and then a small sponge roller from a hardware store. Let the coat dry for 30 minutes and then reapply in the same way.


The product looks white when applied but it drys clear. It drys with streaks if it’s just applied with a sponge or brush. If you like a good finish then it has to be texturised before it cures. If you have ever painted a wall with a brush and roller then you’d know what I mean. This is what it looks like 30 minutes after the first coat:

After 3 coats the finish is good enough to be displayed on the dash.

It’s not perfect but it’s also not cheap hard plastic either. The scratches hide well under the texturised surface. Best of all, no waiting for parts to finish and relatively cheap.

 

Yeah, the protector solution seems to keep the parts from going sticky for over 2 years now.

I tried it on this floor boot/fuel button 2 years ago. Only 1 coat. I didn't like the finish, got streaks on it from brush strokes. Since the buttons are on the floor I didn't really mind.

So far it kept this part from melting again. The surface did scratch though.

The HVAC was going very sticky but I left it until it was unbearable cos I was worried about the appearance after I apply the solution. This solution is too thick to spray. So I thought I'd texturise it instead, thankfully it came up well. I was fully prepared to buy a carbon cover to cover it if it was ruined from the protector solution.
IMG_6428.jpg
Image Unavailable, Please Login