Steering wheel plastic cracking

[93-Oct Mayne]

The plastics in this car are of VERY low quality. Everywhere.

^This. It's ridiculously easy to scratch the plastic on the center portion of the steering wheel. Same with the dash trim above the glove compartment.

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[Karguy]

Must be the same supplier that makes the toys of McDonalds Happy Meals…They should be embarrassed especially looking at the prices they charge for these vehicles Momo wheels should come as standard equipment and not that Fisher Price my first car stuff !

 

[Magic88]

Likely a defective component. I'm sure the dealership will take care of you.

I will say, that's also the reason I went with ceramic tint on the windows all the way around.

On your tint, did they do anything to prevent water from seeping under your dash? My tint guy uses ceramic, but won't tint windshields because he's concerned about water getting into the wiring. I've got a customer who use to tint his, but his contact went elsewhere.

I've got the top of the windshield tinted but like the idea of the whole thing done

 

[Zig]

Must be the same supplier that makes the toys of McDonalds Happy Meals…

although some of those toys are pretty indestructible

 

[Mustang1987]

Must be the same supplier that makes the toys of McDonalds Happy Meals…They should be embarrassed especially looking at the prices they charge for these vehicles Momo wheels should come as standard equipment and not that Fisher Price my first car stuff !

 

[Crew4991]

Must be the same supplier that makes the toys of McDonalds Happy Meals…They should be embarrassed especially looking at the prices they charge for these vehicles Momo wheels should come as standard equipment and not that Fisher Price my first car stuff !

As we get older, the toys just get bigger.

 

[INSANEMUSTANG9]

On your tint, did they do anything to prevent water from seeping under your dash? My tint guy uses ceramic, but won't tint windshields because he's concerned about water getting into the wiring. I've got a customer who use to tint his, but his contact went elsewhere.

I've got the top of the windshield tinted but like the idea of the whole thing done

Yeah just use a tinting dash towel, only car I’ve ever tinted that has issues after windshield tinting was an Acura MDX, electrical went nuts

 

[Magic88]

Yeah just use a tinting dash towel, only car I’ve ever tinted that has issues after windshield tinting was an Acura MDX, electrical went nuts

Electrical calm down after it dried out, or a bill getting it fixed?

 

[Skye]

On your tint, did they do anything to prevent water from seeping under your dash? My tint guy uses ceramic, but won't tint windshields because he's concerned about water getting into the wiring.

FWIW, I've had mine covered in 70% XPEL ceramic and never experienced an issue. Getting the windshield tinted is not as common as doing the sides or back, but it's getting there. Here, they do all kinds of makes and models. I've never read of anyone having a problem.

If water is a concern, they could disconnect the battery at job start. Once done with the tint, they could allow for everything to air dry well before re-attaching the connection/s.

 

[Magic88]

FWIW, I've had mine covered in 70% XPEL ceramic and never experienced an issue. Getting the windshield tinted is not as common as doing the sides or back, but it's getting there. Here, they do all kinds of makes and models. I've never read of anyone having a problem.

If water is a concern, they could disconnect the battery at job start. Once done with the tint, they could allow for everything to air dry well before re-attaching the connection/s.

Great idea! Let it sit for a day or two in his shop

 

[INSANEMUSTANG9]

Electrical calm down after it dried out, or a bill getting it fixed?

Somewhere in the rain sensor got water in it so wipers were just going off by themselves till the sensor dried out, just on newer Acura, never had any other problems

 

[Skye]

@Ford Motor Company

I feel I discovered a design flaw in the S650 steering wheel.

In the initial post, we can see how the metal portion of the wheel is surrounded by the plastic. It's a given the metal will expand at a different rate, and against that border. While it might not break as quickly as the OP's did, for the life of the car, the stressing and relaxing will continue.

See the attached image of an S550 wheel. While the metal will expand, it man-spreads against the rest of the wheel, and later relaxes, without breaking anything.

In a future refresh, consider an updated design.

 

[Zig]

@Ford Motor Company

I feel I discovered a design flaw in the S650 steering wheel.

In the initial post, we can see how the metal portion of the wheel is surrounded by the plastic. It's a given the metal will expand at a different rate, and against that border. While it might not break as quickly as the OP's did, for the life of the car, the stressing and relaxing will continue.

See the attached image of an S550 wheel. While the metal will expand, it man-spreads against the rest of the wheel, and later relaxes, without breaking anything.

In a future refresh, consider an updated design.

But the bottoms not flat - although i do find that the location in question does allow one on the wheel and …

 

[metroplex]

For those that are saying use a towel, tint the windows, etc... I understand those are great suggestions. But the OEMs typically test their vehicles in extreme temperature conditions (like -40 degrees to +120F ambient). If the steering wheel plastic is reported to be cracking on numerous steering wheels, it is a defect.

I remember on my 07 GT that the Ford running horse emblem on the steering wheel would actually oxidize underneath the clear coat. It's probably contamination of the aluminum or metal they used, and all 4 of my factory wheel center cap "Ford ovals" fell off one winter.

 

[INSANEMUSTANG9]

Cracking on wheel started getting worse so did Carbon add-ons wheel cover

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