Weird Melted Steering wheel leather on Eddie Bauer

[bobhri]

Hi Everyone "new member here" Has anyone had this problem? The steering wheel on my 2005 Explorer Eddie Bauer melted. At least the leather cover did. I found it after a recent day with 98 degrees. This is right at the top of the steering wheel when wheels are straight. Not at a seam. It looks like the leather blistered and melted. Weird! It feels awful as I grab the wheel and looks awful too. Any suggestions on how to touch up or repair??? Thanks, Bob

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Hi Everyone "new member here" Has anyone had this problem? The steering wheel on my 2005 Explorer Eddie Bauer melted. At least the leather cover did. I found it after a recent day with 98 degrees. This is right at the top of the steering wheel when wheels are straight. Not at a seam. It looks like the leather blistered and melted. Weird! It feels awful as I grab the wheel and looks awful too. Any suggestions on how to touch up or repair??? Thanks, Bob

don't mean to put you down, but i've know a few companeis to do this.

are you sure it's leather? or some knockoff material? sometimes the makers will put the cheap stuff where it'll get used a lot. So the steering wheel might not be.

but as for fixing, i'd imagine you could go to an upholstery shop and they coudl do it in a jiff.

 

[bobhri]

Steering wheel melt down

Josh, thanks for the reply. I don't know what material it is but the ford dealership said it looked like the plastic under the leather melted and blistered the leather. hard to believe! I'm hesitant about taking it to an upholstering shop because it may not match the rest of the steering wheel or if they have to do the whole wheel it may not match other interior color exactly especially after a few months. I already have that goin on with the passenger airbag cover, but I'll check it out. thanks Bob

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! The easiest way around this is to get a steering wheel cover. Put a reflective sun screen in the front windshield to prevent this from happening in the future.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Josh, thanks for the reply. I don't know what material it is but the ford dealership said it looked like the plastic under the leather melted and blistered the leather. hard to believe! I'm hesitant about taking it to an upholstering shop because it may not match the rest of the steering wheel or if they have to do the whole wheel it may not match other interior color exactly especially after a few months. I already have that goin on with the passenger airbag cover, but I'll check it out. thanks Bob

you ever look into getting an aftermarket wheel? like from autozone or something? i'm looking for the NOS switches, i'm going to wire them up for the cruise control, cause you really only need the "on" and "set" switches.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Some companies like Grant make replacement wheels, but you won't have an air bag.

 

[bobhri]

Steering wheel melt down

Welcome to this forum! The easiest way around this is to get a steering wheel cover. Put a reflective sun screen in the front windshield to prevent this from happening in the future.

Thanks BrooklynBay, I thought of that but I don't really like steering wheelcovers. Had I known something like this could happen I would have put up a sun screen. Weird, never happen before to any vehicle I owned.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Send KBabiak a PM or an email. He might have a different steering wheel for you.

 

[bobhri]

steering wheel meltdown

Send KBabiak a PM or an email. He might have a different steering wheel for you.

Thanks Josh and BrooklynBay, I look into the aftermarket steering wheels. I know ford said it would cost about $400.00 to replace with a factory wheel. They also said I would be able to use my current airbag. Thanks again, Bob

 

[BrooklynBay]

Another place to check is WWW.FastPartsNetwork.Com.

 

[jrford]

'05 may not be common in the Junkyard but you might find one. They may ship it to you.

 

[toocalm]

I have the same thing on my 04 EB....it is rough and looks melted.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

www.car-part.com is a good source for used parts. It puts you in touch with any salvage yard within an area you specify that has the part you're looking for.

I had my leather wheel re-dyed about a year ago, and it's going to need some touching up again pretty soon.

 

[Demoman]

wheel skins

Hello,
I too am looking for a re-wrap of my steering wheel. I had a Navajo that i just replaced the steering wheel in. not to much trouble but no air bag either. My exploder has goo ozzing out between the stitches. I found a site called wheel skins that offers what looks to be replacement leather for about 50 bucks. I asked them to forward their instructions or post them on their website.
Good luck,
The Demolitions Man. 82nd all the way!

 

[thebigtoe]

Hi Everyone "new member here" Has anyone had this problem? The steering wheel on my 2005 Explorer Eddie Bauer melted. At least the leather cover did. I found it after a recent day with 98 degrees. This is right at the top of the steering wheel when wheels are straight. Not at a seam. It looks like the leather blistered and melted. Weird! It feels awful as I grab the wheel and looks awful too. Any suggestions on how to touch up or repair??? Thanks, Bob

replace it....no good fix

 

[Curtis]

Is the wheel tan? here's one for $99
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003...026QQitemZ390040515869QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW