Sticky Leather

What is the plasti-dip that you used? Could you post a picture of it? All 4 of my doors are bad. I wish there was a way to remove that section and just replace the leather. Thanks!

 

It is a spray on rubber coating. Cheapest at Lowes in the spray paint section.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Plasti-Dip-Flat-Black-Flat-Spray-Paint-Actual-Net-Contents-11-oz/3543514

I have seen one person mentioning bringing panels to an auto upholstery place and I will do that if this does not last. So far still good and not sticky.

 

2015 platinum black leather. Issues on both front doors and passenger dash stitching. What a joke on this not being fixed by Toyota!

 

I've been detailing my own cars for 25 years. And a couple years ago, I tried leatherique leather care system.

Leatherique is the real deal.
It's a non petroleum based, non alcohol, non toxic product. Water based.

It's a 2 step system. 1) rejuvinator oil(which isn't oil)
2) cleaning product

You vacuum up your leather.
Then you put the rejuvenator oil on heavy. And let it soak for a day or more.
II absorbs into the leather then the dirt and grime lifts up to the surface.
The next day you it'll be dry and coated shiny.
Then you spray the cleaner on, and wipe off all the grime that got suspended and pushed up on top of the leather.

It's genius, because it is letting the leather get conditioned and it's bringing the contaminants up to the surface. It's a gentle way to clean leather. This is car is 20 years old. The leather was stiff. You don't want to scrub stiff dry leather. It just ruins it more.

I bought this car used, recently, and it had never had it's leather cleaned. Leatherique cleaned it to near new.

The steering wheel has colored stitching. The stitching was pure black on this car from hand greases. After soaking in leatherique, the thread fibers released the dirt and grime. And it wiped away clean.

If you have leather. Use this stuff
It made this 20 year old leather look and feel excellent.

 

Here's some seats I used leatherique on.

soaked in the conditioner for 3 days.

Then cleaned off the conditioner.

Those 25 year old leather seats feel 98% new again.

This is just a good cleaning with the right product. The more effort you put in. The better the results

 

Even on a platinum. The door panel leather and the dash leather. Is actually pleather. And what happened to your parts, is they got damaged. Believe it or not, when you put products on leather and vinyl, if applied in direct sunlight. It can heat to 175° on the surface. That's actually enough to fry things. Weird things can happen to pleather, like getting sticky and breaking down.

It was probably stuff a car wash put on. That ruined it.

 

That looks great MULL163! Any sticky issues with this July 100 degree heat? I am tempted to tape off all the good areas of my doors and put this on it. It’s spray on you said , found at Lowes, I believe. I just wanted an update to how it’s doing since you did it.

 

Still looks great and no stickiness. Where I live, it only gets in the high 70s and low 80s max. Also I always use a windshield screen when parked. I was in Palm Springs for a week with 100-112 days and nothing changed.

Plastidipped my chrome mirror covers and badges and they are holding up well. Next is the silver/chrome of my grill. Just bought black wheels, so my black out it almost complete. Buaaa-haa-haaa!

 

2015 Platinum CM with 74k miles from OKC here having the same issue.

Around Labor Day last year, my no.4 instrument register panel (pleather wrapped vent panel above the glove box) PN 55064-0C021-C2 started "melting". It was getting sticky and blistering and nothing I did to clean it would help. The PU coating just peeled off, ruining the texture. So I replaced it for $145.02 from Sparks.

We just had a summer of 100+⁰ days for close to a month. A couple days ago...I think it was only in the 80s or 90s, it was disheartening to discover the same thing just started happening to my passenger front and rear door panels. It was 63⁰ this morning and not tacky to the touch, but I could still see the finger smudges in the finish. It was 91⁰ when I got back to the truck and everything was tacky again.

At first, I simply thought maybe it was a fluke with the dash vent trim. But now, I'm a bit concerned. I have the rain vents, crack my windows, use a windshield sunshade, have tinted windows, park in the garage when possible, and never use Armor All or harsh chemicals...only Meguiar's leather and vinyl products. I just came across this thread where it seems that a lot of us '14 and '15 Platinum owners from warmer states are having the same issue. On toyotanation, it seems that Platinum Sequoias with Red Rock interior regardless of year are having a serious issue with this as well.

I seen some used 2020 panels for sale for like $300 each. I looked up the part numbers for the front passenger panel...
67610-0C560-C1 for 2015-2017 MSRP $828.67. Lewis Toyota in Topeka sells it for $572.92. 67610-0C561-C1 superseded with 67610-0C562-C1 for 2018-2021 MSRP $948.68. Lewis Toyota in Topeka sells it for $655.89. No interchangeably between the two according to the parts catalog. As you can guess, this is going to add up quick for 4 panels. I've never had this happen before...to any car or truck.

Does anyone know of any particular difference between the '15-'17 and '18-'21 Platinum door panels? I wasn't aware of any interior changes other than instrument cluster and TSS features. Did Toyota physically change something or improve the materials used? If I purchase all new panels (Toyota genuine parts only have a 1 year warranty), will this just happen again in another 6 to 7 years? I asked the folks at Jim Norton Toyota, but wouldn't you know...no one has heard of this issue, recall, or campaign. Of course I don't have a warranty. They don't even know the difference between the '15-'17 and '18-'21 Platinum door panels. Their only recommendation is to replace the panels or reupholster them. Not surprised there.

I spoke to someone at Upholstery Unlimited. He said that this is prevalent in the automotive industry, not just Toyota. Manufacturers cheap out on materials and don't use a marine grade vinyl that is resistant to UV. He went on saying that it's also a matter of economics...since it's a petroleum based product, as gas prices increase, the quality of vinyl decreases. He said that he can duplicate the pleather color, texture, and stitching for $140 per panel using a marine grade vinyl. The problem is that he's not confident that they can put the panel back together since everything is plastic welded. They haven't had much luck getting panels like this back together even with epoxy or plastic welding. Of course Toyota didn't design the pleather trim to just simply clip or screw in. They won't charge me if they are unsuccessful, but then I really would have damaged panels. Right now, they are 3 weeks out for a 1 day turnaround.

So, I'm at a loss here whether I should attempt to reupholster the panels, replace them with new/used Platinum panels, or just call it a day and replace them with SR5 panels and modify the driver panel to accept the seat memory switch. Obviously, this is a problem that SR and SR5 owners don't have to deal with. I guess companies figure that if you can afford the truck, you can afford the recreational parts replacements...or they expect that everyone trades in their truck to obsolve them of their problems.

I seen where MULL163 cleaned off the gew and plasi-dipped the pleather. I'm not knocking his fix; I think that it's great that worked out for him, but I don't think that I'll be attempting that. LOL

 

Four months later and the Plasti-Dip still looked good. UNTIL, my daughter decided to put her feet up in the panel during our 7 hour drive to drop her off at college. Didn’t think about it or notice until I get home and was cleaning up the car. Looks like her socks covered feet loosened up the plastidip near the stitching. Going to take off the panel and touch it up.

My conclusion is that for this panel, it is ok to use PD making sure no one puts their feet on it. So for any panel that will have human touch I would not recommend.

The chrome mirror covers still look great and the PD has not come off or changed at all after 5 months of driving and car washes. Even the Costco car wash does not affect them.

 

Tundra Platinum... 2016, original owner, has those same quilted panels on dash & door.
Really glad I found this forum. I thought I was losing my mind... it seemed like a mystery spill or something.
Like the rest of you it developed the sticky dash pad on the passenger side.
Tried to clean it and it quickly tore up... to reveal it is dreaded PLEATHER!

In my case this is only present on the dash panel. My doors are OK. When I bought this truck one of the first things I did was get
UV protectant window tint everywhere but the windshield. I think that might be what is saving my doors.
You might want to consider UV tints if you're having the door panel issues.

 

Mine started this today 2014 platinum with 111k miles. Drivers side panel.

 

@Roman

I've been researching the Platinum CMAX trim components that seem to be having UV degradation issues for 2014-2016MY so far. I believe that I've summarized the list by MY application, however the part catalog application results further vary depending on 4x4 vs 4x2, 3UR-FE vs 3UR-FBE. I've also limited my search to the JBL panels (apparently the JBL system was optional for 2014-2017MY Platinum even though they were more likely to have it, but standard for 2018-2021MY). I wouldn't think that driveline and engine type would affect these interior trim parts so much as the production variations that were offered per MY.
For example:


The door panels had a change in 2018MY with a supersession in 2020. These don't cross over to 2014-2017MY. What are the actual differences between the 2014-2017MY and 2018-2021MY door panels? Are they different in features/fitment or did Toyota improve the materials used?

Anyone with some insight, feel free to chime in. TIA.

67601 BOARD SUB-ASSY, FRONT DOOR TRIM, RH
67610-0C560-C1 AUDIO-AVN & JBL, BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2017) PLAT CMAX
67610-0C562-C1 BLACK/WARM SILVER, TRIM2* (2018-2021) PLAT CMAX
**supersedes 67610-0C561-C1**

67602 BOARD SUB-ASSY, FRONT DOOR TRIM, LH
67620-0C580-C1 AUDIO-AVN & JBL, BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2017) PLAT CMAX
67620-0C582-C1 BLACK/WARM SILVER, TRIM2* (2018-2021) PLAT CMAX
**supersedes 67620-0C581-C1**

67603 BOARD SUB-ASSY, REAR DOOR TRIM, RH
67630-0C420-C1 AUDIO-AVN & JBL, BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2017) PLAT CMAX
67630-0C422-C1 BLACK/WARM SILVER, TRIM2* (2018-2021) PLAT CMAX
**supersedes 67630-0C421-C1**

67604 BOARD SUB-ASSY, REAR DOOR TRIM, LH
67640-0C420-C1 AUDIO-AVN & JBL, BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2017) PLAT CMAX
67640-0C422-C1 BLACK/WARM SILVER, TRIM2* (2018-2021) PLAT CMAX
**supersedes 67640-0C421-C1**

55061 REGISTER SUB-ASSY, INSTRUMENT PANEL, NO.1 (DRIVER SIDE)
55061-0C031-C2 BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2021)
**supersedes 55061-0C030-C2**

55064A REGISTER SUB-ASSY, INSTRUMENT, NO.4 (PASSENGER SIDE)
55064-0C020-C1 BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2015) PLAT CMAX
55064-0C021-C2 BLACK, TRIM2* (2014-2021) PLAT CMAX
**supersedes 55064-0C020-C2**

 

Same issue on my 2014 platinum... very frustrating! Following for any new updates on fixes or future recalls. I do use chemical guys leather conditioner and lather it on thick when it does have sticky spots, and that does seem to help for a few days. As soon as it gets hot out though (frequent in Florida), the sticky starts to come back. I have dark window tint plus the full windshield tinted which has probably helped delay the issue, but it is now happening on all 4 door panels and dash piece.

 

I have a 2014 Platinum and all four door panels are tacky. It started earlier this year with the rear passenger door, and I thought my daughter had spilled something on it and it baked in the sun. No type of cleaning or leather conditioner worked...and now it's happening to all four door panels. I even have tinted windows, and UV protected front windshield. Toyota needs to OWN UP to this shitty flaw......perhaps if we all chime in to their corporate office about the issue (we know damn well they're completely aware of it), and demand a recall....if they don't want to issue one, then we can threaten legal action. Guaranteed this is happening to most owners of these model year Tundras.

 

As much as one would with this would light a fire under them in order for them to take action, they will do nothing. It's not a safety issue so legal action would not work and they can easily chalk it up to "normal wear and tear" without a penny being spent by them to remedy the issue.

 

2014 Tundra Platinum...windows have been tinted limo since I bought it. Top of front doors are sticky just like everyone else's. Thought it was just me.

 

Update all 4 of mine are doing it. Tint over factory and covered since new to me in 2017.

I took some pictures of my buddies new to him 2020 and his panels look just like my 2014. Has anyone found a solution or newer panels yet?

 

Anyone? Mine is so bad, can’t touch the top of door and I live in mid Louisiana and it’s always hot. My only real gripe about my truck.

 

This issue is a widely known example of Toyota using crap product in both Lexus and Toyota vehicles from around 2012 through to around 2018-2019. Not sure if the newer generation vehicles will be plagued by this ongoing issue, too soon to tell on some models unfortunately.

The fabric backing of the "pleather" will eventually reveal itself as the outer vinyl degrades and lifts when you touch it, brush up against it, clean it or interact with it in any way. Also avoid direct eye contact as that can make it feel threatened, thats how sensitive this crap is.

Wife's 2013 Avalon had all four door armrests and center console cover replaced by me using eBay aftermarket replacements. I happen to be good with upholstery work so it was far easier to replace than repair for me but a coworker had to take their Lexus RX350 to an upholstery shop for some replacement panel work. The shop came across a product called Sticky Dash Fix that stopped the melt and "fixes" the tackiness that this issue creates but it cost my coworker retail + margin + labor to get the product. It did fix the dash which was going to be the huge part of the repair bill if it didn't work so the product was cheaper.

It's shocking to me how many times a week dealerships had to say "never seen this issue" to a customer and Toyota hid from their bullshit choice of materials for a decade on this. YouTube is full of videos addressing replacement panel installation, techniques for slowing the melt and forums are full of people asking the same questions you guys have been pondering for 2-3 years now. And yet they shrug and go "hmmm, odd, nope, never heard of that".

If you want to slow the process, denatured alcohol works well to take the sticky away but it's only temporary until you either replace the panel or use some two-part fixative system like Sticky Dash Fix. I'm not affiliated with them, I just know they're an option if you need something desperately. If you can't find denatured alcohol, I had success with isopropyl alcohol 91% and a dose of Olde English furniture polish to slow things down but that was a blind luck science experiment at best. As everyone likes to put on the label, test in an inconspicuous place. I hit it with a heavy, wet dose of alcohol on a rag to lightly clean/blot the surface and did not touch the sticky surfaces directly with fingers, only a rag. Dont scrub or rub or use pressure, just smooth the surface with your wet rag THEN LEAVE IT ALONE. Let the alcohol sit on the surface and soak in. This will dry the oozing goo.

I left it for several hours and then did a light tack touch test. The tackiness goes away and then I applied a couple of conditioners to the test areas, using griots vinyl dressing, some Lexol conditioner, a third one I don't remember now (it was "meh") and the Olde English polish. The furniture polish seemed to work best so I applied it lightly several times until it was shiny and it soaked in, went back to looking normal and eventually stopped the insipid weep/ooze/gooey routine until a few weeks to a month had gone by and it started up again, slowly, because of Florida hell, aka June July August.

Just remember, it you wipe it enough, you can transfer all of that sticky vinyl from the cloth backing it was made with onto another, new cloth backing called a rag. I think this is where the old adage about polishing a turd will, in fact, result in nothing more than getting $h!t on the rag.

Thank Toyota every chance you get for screwing the pooch on this trim choice and telling far too many people on a weekly basis "hmmm, haven't seen that before. Must be your choice of detailing products. Sucks to be you. Do you want the recommended GDI fuel system treatment?"

Jake

Edit: here is a Lexus forum playing "how do I fix this issue". His solution was LineX

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls...on-for-the-melting-cracking-arm-rest-fix.html

 

Just got the same issue on my 2015 Platinum. Only on passenger side door, drivers side is fine which sees 20x more touching/wear.

 

Awesome, thanks for taking the time to write that up.

 

Thanks for all the info. Just bought my 2015 tundra platinum 8 months ago. 115k miles at time of purchase. No issue when I bought it. Truck is mint inside and out. Now that summer is here 2 doors have the sticky…. ‍♂️ Figured there has to be a solution for it.
I had planned on trying to cover it with a leather repair, but wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Any opinions on if that would help?

 

The consensus seems to be that there has to be a step to stop the sticky phase "meltdown" once it has started and then seal the vinyl with something that cures over it like a top coat for the most permanent repair.

Since I posted to this thread, I had to take some armrests from several office chairs at work to a refinisher. (Seems the material used during mfg doesn't like lotions some of the female staff use on their arms/elbows) .

In talking with them, I mentioned the Toyo/Lex sticky interior vinyl and they said essentially the same thing: stop the sticky with a solvent based prep like denatured alcohol and seal it with a sealing top coating. One of them mentioned they'd had good luck by gently blotting Pledge Restore & Shine "with Orange oil" on the sticky parts of a car that had them change out their panels. Since the customer didnt want the old stuff returned, he tried a few different things.They were clear about the Pledge not being a permanent fix and it would require repeated applications but it was effective at stopping the ooze. (They reinforced that what they had used was not the usual Pledge in a can, this stuff comes in a plastic sprayer bottle.)

The shop owner said it looks like the glue Toyota used is the culprit and over time as the adhesive breaks down from heat exposure, it can't escape downward through the base foam and panel so it turns into a chemical fight between it and the top surface covering, the vinyl. He said there was a chance that the vinyl would have performed acceptably over the life of the vehicle had the adhesive been something different.

 

Leatherique is the best Leather cleaner and dressing on the market BUT YOU MUST FOLLOW the directions exactly or you'll be sorry.

 

2015 Limited owner. Have the same issues. Joining the thread just in case someone finds a solution.

Was told the same bullshit by the dealer, "never seen this before" and proceeded to quote me $7000 to fix it.

I'm in south Florida and it definitely gets worse with heat. I believe it to be related to the factory glue or a reaction to the dressing the car detailers use. But as few times as I've had the truck detailed I voting that the factory glue is breaking down.