Hello, new to the forum, have a question regarding my 2016 Honda Civic's steering wheel- the airbag cover portion specifically. When I first bought my car last year and before I had the windows tinted, I had major issues with the plastics releasing gasses and leaving a sticky residue on the inside of my windows.


I took it back to the dealer at first and of course my stupid salesman had no clue what it was, though he should have. After some googling, I figured it out myself. Anyway, that's a non-issue since I had the windows tinted, EXCEPT for the aforementioned part of my steering wheel. It looks really ugly and cloudy and I have to wipe it off occasionally.


Is this because I live in the Southwest and it's so flipping hot in the summer?


Another thing is that I have some spots on my steering wheel from where they tinted the windows and obviously sprayed something. The business that tinted my windows swears they only used baby soap in my car, but I find that hard to believe.


I had the windows tinted in my other Civic and never noticed anything of the sort after the tint job, but it was a '99 and the plastics were totally different in that car, so.


Any insight would be appreciated!

 

This has been an ongoing problem with many different brands of automobiles,I have used many different things to eliminate the sticky steering wheel without much success,I usually just wipe the wheel with plane water when ever I wash the car,occasionally I use upholstery cleaner. As far as the window tint they only use water with a few drops of soap are used to adhere the tint to Windows,make sure when you clean your windows to use only glass cleaner safe for tint,Windex will dissolve the adhesive on the tint.

 

Oh really? Is it the components they're using in the interior plastics these days, do you think?


My '99 Civic's plastics looked practically brand new when I traded it in last year because I'd taken such good care of that car.


I do know not to use any ammonia-based window cleaning products on the tinted windows.


I asked about the spots secondarily because I would think that water on a paper towel should wipe up a gentle soap (which I have done), but alas, they are still there.


Thank you for your reply!

 

I have no issues with my 2000 Accord or the new Accord,but I have a Ford F-350 crew cab that the steering wheel is sticky,I don't know for sure but its possible that both Hondas have window vent shades and good luck. we leave the windows down about two inches to vent the heat in the summer. I don't know what could possibly be on the steering wheel (spots) but try a leather cleaner upholstery cleaner . If the spot looks like it's on the leather rather then stained try a little lacquer thinner sparingly.