2018 Ibiza FR steering wheel leather degradation

[MrMeeb]

Hi all,

I've had my 2018 FR for just over 2 full years now. I noticed recently what I thought was a bit of dirt on the top of the steering wheel, so rubbed at it. To my dismay I saw black flakes left on my finger. Upon closer inspection, there's clear signs of the leather (pleather?) beginning to wear off along the top of the steering wheel. I think this could quite quickly become really unsightly. I don't wear any rings, and my partner who does drives very rarely. I'm also not a big user of a 12 o'clock hand position, so it's not like my hand is always at the top of the wheel.

There's some larger patches but I fear that all of the white speckles here are areas where it's beginning to go.

Has anyone else experienced this? Tips to prevent further degradation, or repair existing? Aside from the obvious of buying a steering wheel cover (no thanks), or a replacement wheel.

Thanks!

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

That doesn’t look to be a leather steering wheel

 

[José Silva]

That doesn’t look to be a leather steering wheel

That's what I think too mine is leather and its different and it has small holes in it.

 

[MrMeeb]

Interesting, My steering wheel has the same look - FR, red stiching, flat bottom etc (including holes at 3 and 9). A brochue from Jan 2019 says all but the base spec are leather steering wheels.

 

[SRGTD]

Interesting, My steering wheel has the same look - FR, red stiching, flat bottom etc (including holes at 3 and 9). A brochue from Jan 2019 says all but the base spec are leather steering wheels.

@MrMeeb - from your description, I’d say your steering wheel is the genuine OEM article. Bear in mind that in addition to items of jewellery worn on the hands / wrists, products such as hand creams can degrade leather steering wheel covers, as can sweat on the driver’s hands, sunlight and heat.

Assuming you’re looking to return your steering wheel back to new condition. If you’re planning on doing it yourself, you might like to consider the following;

• You can buy renovation kits for leather covered steering wheels with prices starting from around £20-£25 (try an internet search for ‘leather steering wheel restoration kit’). You can also buy special fillers and stains specifically for leather damage. I’ve never used any of these products so can’t vouch for how good they are, but maybe something to consider?
• A cheap alternative option might be to try some old-style wax shoe polish of the correct colour, applied with a soft cloth and left to dry / soak in before buffing off. Not something I’ve done so again I can’t vouch for whether or not it’d work, but it works on scuffed leather shoes so might be worth trying on a small inconspicuous test area. If it doesn’t work then you’ve always got the polish to use on your shoes!
• There are steering wheel restoration videos on YouTube that deal with repairing various types of steering wheel cover damage. It would probably be worth checking out those dealing with similar damage to yours.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to do it yourself, there will be specialist automotive re-trimming companies or leather upholstery repair companies who could do it for you. However, anyone who’s any good is likely to be quite expensive. I would personally have a go at a DIY renovation - IMHO the key to a good result will be will doing some thorough research, being methodical and taking your time.

Good luck! Please update this discussion topic with how you decide to proceed, along with pictures of the results.

 

[MrMeeb]

Thanks all. I'll look into leather restoration options and see what I land on

 

[alpineSi]

Not a factory restore, but a cheap option if things get a lot worse: I wrapped the top third of an old flaky wheel in the black rubbery tape you can buy in sports shops for tennis racquets. It just stuck to itself, so easy to do with some minor trimming at the ends. Never got sweaty (it's hot here), and I've missed that level of grip on every OEM wheel since.