2007 Explorer new owner, weird question

[webnet]

OK. Just bought this 2007 LTD. Carfax report shows no damage/accident history at all. Everything runs/works fine. Question is this "white" marks on the inside of driver & passenger front doors. See picture. It is almost like the tan door panel is faded.
One person told me this meant the side air bags were deployed and they leave this type of mark.
So, my question is, has anyone seen this before? If so, does it in fact mean the airbags went off? Or have you never seen it, then I lean towards someone put something on the panels that rubbed off or bleached them...
Thanks.

 

[webnet]

shoot, can't post a picture...

 

[webnet]

(lost photo)

 

[Campnham]

My 04 had it as well as my 08 has it. It's from the sun...

 

[webnet]

OK. That makes more sense to me than an airbags doing it. If an airbags went off and they replaced the side pillars and dash, why wouldn't they do the door panels as well...

 

[Tech By Trade]

My 07 has it, sun bleach. Supposedly you can get matching paint and do the door but I didn't bother. My steering wheel leather is in the same condition.

 

[BrianDye]

Thats just faded from the sun. Mine are way worse. ONLY the tops of the door panels. Dash, and everything else still looks factory new.

 

[swshawaii]

Faded inner door panel tops are extremely common. Sucks that I have an immaculate interior with four ugly panels.
Haven't had the guts to remove them and use a propane torch yet, waiting for more guinea pigs before trying. LOL

Using Heat to restore Plastic and Vinyl Trim
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306683

 

[beauboy]

DO NOT...REPEAT...DO NOT use a heat gun or torch to try to bring your color back. It is way too easy to "melt" your plastic door panel. Yeah, I know. Many of you will say that you should just take care doing it and you won't melt anything.

First off, the "heat treatment" method is only temporary. Second, Lowe's sells a Valspar spray paint that matches your tan interior so close that no one will ever notice until you point it out. (M5702 is printed on the bottom of the can - paint code?).

Oh yeah, as soon as you paint your door panels, get some window tinting on your front windows and you'll never have this problem again.

I bought my '07 EX Limited 2 years ago and after 1 month I re-painted my door panels to fix the fade. They look great and no one has a clue.

Hope this helps.

 

[deves2]

mine looked exactly like yours. White on top.
I used LVP and it came out looking good.

 

[webnet]

mine looked exactly like yours. White on top.
I used LVP and it came out looking good.

What is LVP?

 

[deves2]

LVP is a paint for cars etc. It stands for Leather, Vinyl, & Plastic.
Google it
I got mine on Amazon

there is also a product made by SEM that is a paint for your door issues that matches you interior color.
I should mention that the color that I used #326 is NOT a perfect match to the other doors. I went with camel and some of the model years changed the color a little and called it stone. My interior was stone, not camel that I bought. (I found this fact out later) So I painted the pass door also as it needed it and you cant tell its not a perfect color match.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

DO NOT...REPEAT...DO NOT use a heat gun or torch to try to bring your color back. It is way too easy to "melt" your plastic door panel. Yeah, I know. Many of you will say that you should just take care doing it and you won't melt anything.

First off, the "heat treatment" method is only temporary. Second, Lowe's sells a Valspar spray paint that matches your tan interior so close that no one will ever notice until you point it out. (M5702 is printed on the bottom of the can - paint code?).

Oh yeah, as soon as you paint your door panels, get some window tinting on your front windows and you'll never have this problem again.

I bought my '07 EX Limited 2 years ago and after 1 month I re-painted my door panels to fix the fade. They look great and no one has a clue.

Hope this helps.

except for in my state you just start getting really expensive tint tickets... michigan law is any % tint on side windows but cant extend down lower than 4 inches from the top..... nobody does that it looks stupid... lol

 

[beauboy]

Yes. Your state tint laws would be an issue. I'm in Florida so it worked well.