This CANNOT be happening....%*&@*^ dash

C

CroMag

New member
First let me say that I have been lurking here for a while and have picked up a lot of great stuff, so thanks. I tried searching to find the answer to my current problem with no luck, so...



I just purchased a 2006 Outback and on the second day I had it, I wiped off the dash with a clean, dry towel. The problem is that in one pretty good sized spot, it is now grey. I tried again in an inconspicuous location and if you wipe hard enough or scratch it, it definitely loses its color.



The dealership was no help (big shock), so I need to fix it on my own. Has anyone ever heard of a similar problem? What do you suggest for trying to restore a black matte finish? I tried a couple of Meguiars products with no success. I would rather not dye it unless it's a last resort, but there has to be a decent product that can restore the black and not leave a glossy finish. What have you found to work?
 
Tried to take pics, but I couldn't get the area to show up very well. May try again tomorrow when the lighting is different
 
velobard said:
Ditto!!! Don't touch it again till you get a Subaru rep involved.
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+3

I wouldn't put up with any excuses. Subaru has to handle it if you only wiped with a clean cloth. If the dealer won't, go up the ladder to Subaru National Office. If they refuse, there's legal options I'm sure if its under warranty.
 
I would make the dealer get involved. But, I have been around a lot of Subarus and never heard of this. I am guessing...and could be way off...that it might be from something the dealer used on the dash.
 
Definitely don't try and repair it yourself and make the dealer get involved with Subaru. You paid good money for a new car and that should come under the category of a cosmetic defect covered under warranty.



:waxing:
 
Is this a brand new 2006 or a used 2006?



There are glossy and there are matte dash products but like others are saying get Subaru USA involved. Don't wait.
 
Thanks for the feedback so far. The issue I am having with the dealer is that they are saying that there must have been some abrasive part of the towel that scratched the dash, so it's not a problem with the dash itself. That's possible, but I believe unlikely and besides, I don't think the dash should be nearly so fragile. It was a dry towel after all, not sandpaper or laquer thinner.



The only ways they saw to fix the problem were to either have their detail guy dye the dash or to replace the dash. Neither of those options were appealing to me - I don't want to have a spot dye - it will almost certainly not match, and I don't want to dye the whole thing since it's just one spot. I also don't want them to yank the dash as I can almost guarantee that things will never be as tight as they are right now once they tear everything apart.



I'm a person who doesn't like others to work on my vehicles unless it's something I absolutely can't do myself. I would rather be sure it's done right.
 
So what kind of solution are you looking for? I would expect a best-case scenario from Sub would be to install a new dash.
 
My ideal solution would be to find a product that I could apply myself that would help make that section of the dash less noticeable. That's mainly why I went back to the dealer in the first place. I saw a product here called Smart Dressing that sounds like it may work - but I have no experience with it. Or I'm sure there are other products that people could recommend.



Even if they did offer to replace the dash, I'm not wild about that idea. I know the car will never be the same. I would rather have a scuffed dash than a dash that constantly rattles. I would bet those guys have never repaced a dash on an 06 Subaru and I don't want to be their first crack at it.
 
CroMag said:
Thanks for the feedback so far. The issue I am having with the dealer is that they are saying that there must have been some abrasive part of the towel that scratched the dash, so it's not a problem with the dash itself. That's possible, but I believe unlikely and besides, I don't think the dash should be nearly so fragile. It was a dry towel after all, not sandpaper or laquer thinner.



The only ways they saw to fix the problem were to either have their detail guy dye the dash or to replace the dash. Neither of those options were appealing to me - I don't want to have a spot dye - it will almost certainly not match, and I don't want to dye the whole thing since it's just one spot. I also don't want them to yank the dash as I can almost guarantee that things will never be as tight as they are right now once they tear everything apart.



I'm a person who doesn't like others to work on my vehicles unless it's something I absolutely can't do myself. I would rather be sure it's done right.
Click to expand...



If you want it taken care of, it seems like that's the only logical solution that the dealer is offering, otherwise you'll just have to learn to live with it. If it doesn't come out right, make them do it until it's done right. I had a stereo shop (very highly reputable one) that put a hole in my headliner of my Lincoln Navigator when installing the alarm system. They didn't want to pay for a new headliner at first as tney wanted me to have a company that does repairs fix it. After going round and round, I agreed to let the company do it and they said if I was dissatisfied in any way, they would replace the headliner. The guy came to look at it and said there is no way he could repair it and make it look right so we agreed that the stereo shop needed to have it replaced, which they did.
 
CroMag said:
First let me say that I have been lurking here for a while and have picked up a lot of great stuff, so thanks. I tried searching to find the answer to my current problem with no luck, so...



I just purchased a 2006 Outback and on the second day I had it, I wiped off the dash with a clean, dry towel. The problem is that in one pretty good sized spot, it is now grey. I tried again in an inconspicuous location and if you wipe hard enough or scratch it, it definitely loses its color.



The dealership was no help (big shock), so I need to fix it on my own. Has anyone ever heard of a similar problem? What do you suggest for trying to restore a black matte finish? I tried a couple of Meguiars products with no success. I would rather not dye it unless it's a last resort, but there has to be a decent product that can restore the black and not leave a glossy finish. What have you found to work?
Click to expand...



Cromag, I just realized you're in Portland also. Here are a couple numbers for guys that do interior work that might be able to take care of your problem. It's probably best left to a professional rather than trying to do something yourself and possibly make it worse.







Robert Keppel

RK Auto Restoration

503-757-4432.



or



www.colorglodallas.com



email Larry from above website as he's in Texas, but has a dealer he works with here in the Portland area. He gave me his name and number at one time, but I seem to have misplaced it.
 
CroMag said:
Thanks for the feedback so far. The issue I am having with the dealer is that they are saying that there must have been some abrasive part of the towel that scratched the dash, so it's not a problem with the dash itself. That's possible, but I believe unlikely and besides, I don't think the dash should be nearly so fragile. It was a dry towel after all, not sandpaper or laquer thinner.



The only ways they saw to fix the problem were to either have their detail guy dye the dash or to replace the dash. Neither of those options were appealing to me - I don't want to have a spot dye - it will almost certainly not match, and I don't want to dye the whole thing since it's just one spot. I also don't want them to yank the dash as I can almost guarantee that things will never be as tight as they are right now once they tear everything apart.



I'm a person who doesn't like others to work on my vehicles unless it's something I absolutely can't do myself. I would rather be sure it's done right.
Click to expand...



Not sure what else the dealer can do other than dye the dash or replace it. The only other thing they could possibly do is give you another car and I think an ice cube would have a better chance of surviving in.... well you know where :D



There is no way that a dry towel would have stained your dash, it is more likely that there was a problem with the dye job done when the dash was manufactured. I can't see this as something that will be able to be just cleaned off.
 
rjstaaf said:
There is no way that a dry towel would have stained your dash, it is more likely that there was a problem with the dye job done when the dash was manufactured. I can't see this as something that will be able to be just cleaned off.
Click to expand...

The more I think about it, the more I think you really need a new dash. If this happened this easily, it's most likely going to happen again and be an issue as long as you own the car.
 
I agree, There must be something wrong with the plastics in that dash if this happens this easily. Some pics would help alot. Sorry to hear about your problem, it's a lousy situation :sadpace:
 
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