I have recently purchased a 2005 Acura RL. I am slowing fixing it up. A few climate control bulbs are burnt out which I will fix soon. My biggest concern on the interior, besides the leather on the arm rests like everyone has issues with, is the gray rubber on some of the buttons is peeling. Some of them feel tacky to the touch. I thought they were dirty so I used some glass cleaner and a soft cloth to clean one of them. I quickly realized they weren't dirty but the rubber is coming off. I have to assume the prior owner used a strong cleaner or something that caused this to happen. My only option now is to remove all the rubber on the switches. It order for it to look right I will have to do it to all of them. The volume, cruise control, HFL, etc are all slightly peeling as well.

Is this fairly common? Do I have any other options besides replacing the entire unit, which is very expensive?

 

Happen to me on my first rl. Thought it was goo or dirt rubbed it off. Big mistake. I had to do all my cruise buttons for it to look decent. I'd just do the ones in same area and leave the rest and try to forget about it. Sucks but not much else you can do aside from rubbing them all out.

 

Well I realized right away what was happening but since half of it was already rubbed off I just finished it. It it the menu button. I will do the three other buttons in that section so they match. The problem is the am/fm button is also doing it. So is the volume controls on the steering wheel, mid display buttons, etc. I guess my only options is to leave them alone or remove all the rubber on the ones that are together so they match.

What cleaner should I use? Goof off is probably way too strong and could damage the plastic. Maybe goo gone?

 

I had the same problem when I owned an 05 RL. Really the only thing you can do at this point would be to replace the buttons entirely. I'm not sure if their's a way you could do so otherwise.

 

Same problem, never had this issue with any other vehicle I have ever owned. Its as if the knobs and buttons are melting away. Its especially bad on the steering wheel controls and turn signal and windshield washer knobs.

 

Yup! Same for me here. Since I just got the car used I can't say what is causing it. I am gonna assume the previous owner or detailer used a strong cleaner on the buttons that they shouldn't have.

Goof Off, for example, is one of the best cleaners I have ever used. It can remove just about everything. Unfortunately it will eat through almost anything, especially plastic. So if someone used a strong chemical like that I can understand why the rubber is peeling off.

If nothing strong was used it could just be that it wears out over time???

 

my buttons are the same way as well. i'm just waiting for a used good condition buttons to come up for sale to swap out

 

Possibly skin acidity eats them.

Try to keep them clean with a moistened microfibre.

 

The rubber is very brittle. Over time it actually hardens and it's very easy to peel/crack off. The main cause of it is continuous exposure from touching it, especially if you're finger nails are long. Mine is still in great condition because I put a layer of clear film to protect it and it has done it's job.

 

its ten years old.

 

Plastidip.

 

Take a look at any 10+ yo Benz or Bimmer and tell me if you see the same phenomena?

 

A 10 year old bimmer? Find me one on the road, and then we will compare the cars for issues.

 

my 2001 x5 has the same issues... all older cars have the same issue... its not just the RL lol.

 

...and then there is the glove box door melting issue. In addition to the switches, my glove box door on my 05 RL looks like someone punches it while its parked. It's like icing on a cake, just melts down. Its so soft and I cant seem to figure out what to do besides replacing it or covering it.

 

Smart move.

 

On Jack Baruth's TTAC thread "The Mega-Mileage Acura RLs of eBay," one wise-ass wrote in to say basically that RL's age poorly. He claimed they all suffer fogging headlight covers and this peeling on the buttons. I replied to him basically as you just did.

I've been lucky with the buttons so far, but hey, it's hard to defeat time, sunlight and oxygen forever. I wonder if part of my good luck is that I've had a garage-kept car. You think mostly about the top of the dash and the top of the back seat upholstery, but UV rays attack all plastics.

Might be interesting to see if some brave soul here tries 303 Aerospace Protectant on those buttons. It's supposed to work wonders for the durability of fiberglass boats, automotive upholstery and exterior weatherstripping.

I remember hearing about a similar problem with the very pleasant and stylish, but typically unreliable, Passats of about a decade ago. They had a soft-touch finish on a lot of interior surfaces that looked and felt really classy and expensive, but several years in would start to peel up like so many potato chips.

 

I have to agree that UV damage is the number one issue for degrading auto materials.

My RL is also garaged and the few clients sites I have worked at over the time I have owned the RL also had parking garages (I actually turned down a contract simply because the client was located next to the airport and had no parking garage!). Also finger prints, body oils may degrade the soft touch finishes applied to the buttons.

As a result I see my interior as new. My buttons have a few marks from finger nails but I have grown conscious to not use my fingertips. I also avoid cleaners with solvents. Aerospace 303 has, I believe UV protection and I wipe my dash and trim once a year. Otherwise a wipe with a soft damp cloth does all I need in typical car cleanings. I treat my leather periodically, not as much for cleaning as to protect from UV. Aside from some leather patina worn into my driver's seat, the rest of the leather looks new.

I am regularly noticing new vehicles (under a year old) that show more wear, fading and plastics degrading more than my 8+ year old RL. Some luxury brands offer ceramic buttons as upgrades. I think the soft touch buttons have proven to be a long term wear issue and expect we will see more durable materials trickling down from the luxury segment.

 

Tampa, do you use 303 on the buttons?

 

^^^

 

I wonder if this button problem is only on the 05's, because my 06 buttons are fine. I never use any cleaner on them, but I push the steering wheel buttons constantly (i.e. change radio station every time a commercial is on, make bluetooth calls, manipulate cruise control...). Frankly, I often wonder how they've lasted this long! It is well built.

 

I think it's caused by people using their nails to push the buttons, because my 08 has a good amount of wear on the buttons as well.

At one point I'll pull them out, strip the coating off and spray them with a clear plasti-dip.

 

same here and sux, but what can you do.. I was thinking about getting the wood steering wheel and wonder if it would come with new buttons..

 

It does not. New buttons are a whole new harness (~$260 IIRC)

 

Done here too!

 

PROTECT-ALL or Plexus is a excellent product...