Steering wheel matt black peeling

[fourwheels]

2016 C250d Premium Sport Plus
Interested to know if anyone has experienced the matt black surface of their W205 steering wheel blistering and peeling as in photo.
7 year old car which I have owned from new but this has only started recently and is in several places around the wheel. I have never used used cleaners or for that matter hand cream. Can’t make out if the plastic rubbery film is an intentional finish which is reaching end of life, or perhaps a protective film that was never removed.

 

[Spudgunandy]

It could be hand sanitizer??

 

[Petrol Pete]

Or poor build quality ?

 

[rayaans]

Mines a 64 plate and it has nothing like that
Maybe been cleaned by the dealer when in for service or something previously?
I know during covid they were spraying all sorts of stuff onto the steering wheel

 

[fourwheels]

Thank you for the replies.
I haven’t used hand sanitizer for a couple of years, even then we were careful to keep it away from the car.
Do all cars have that very thin film over black areas. Which ever way you look at it it’s not a hard wearing surface

 

[Slartibartfast]

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[fourwheels]

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Wow, thank you. At least I now know that I’m not alone with this problem and it probably has nothing to do with the way I clean and detail. But after nearly 6 mins of hearing about Simple Green I am no wiser as to how I can correct the damage.

I noticed tonight (whilst waiting for the wife in a shady spot) that the edges of the film were adhering quite tightly to the surface, whereas on a hot day they bubble and curl up. Also the damage is all round the steering wheel Matt black edges if you look closely.

If the damage gets too noticeable it might be a case of waiting for a hot day and gently peeling it all off.

Poor show though for Mercedes(& BMW), I expected better.

 

[Petrol Pete]

It would appear my guess post #3 was a good one.....

 

[fourwheels]

It would appear my guess post #3 was a good one.....

I think you are correct. I had no idea there was a film ‘wrap’ on the steering wheel, until it goes wrong most people wouldn’t. Surely a steering wheel can be expected to see a lot of handling yet that film seems thinner than kitchen cling film. Anyway time to move on. Thanks everybody for your input.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I think it odd that some people say the problem might be hand cream/sanitiser/sun cream/etc (OK I know sun cream can cause havoc with exterior paintwork) , but surely the steering wheel of a car is the only place where human flesh is in contact with (for long periods of time ) the vehicle . I am sure there some are some exceptions !

So the steering wheel should be designed to take the abuse , or are we all expected to wash our hands in pure mountain stream water before we go for a drive. ?

Just like people who have cars with white leather seats should not wear blue Denim jeans ....oh , wait a minute ...

 

[fourwheels]

I can’t speak for how others use or abuse their steering wheel but I don’t use sun cream, hand cream, or even sanitiser. That aside this damage is on what you might call the spokes and around the edges of the centre boss. these are not areas that you normally place hands or fingers. I think it has aged and deteriorated and the sun of the last few weeks has caused it to bubble and then burst.
Thats pretty much what was said in the video above.

 

[Petrol Pete]

OP , if a bit of IUK sun did this I wonder how owners of these cars who live in Arizona or Australia are getting on. ?

Poor build quality.