Steering Wheel Leather coming off
 

My wife's 2014 FRS is not even a year old and the leather is coming off the steering wheel. Anybody else have this problem? Thanks Jerry

Steering Wheel Leather coming off
 

I've seen it around a lot. It hasn't happened to me personally but I'm at 10k now. I know a friend with over 30k that has it worn around the thumb placement. Seems to be pretty common. Basically it'll wear the most and quickest where you place your hands. Oh last thing if it gets bad enough you could get it replaced under warranty, it's been done, look around.

Thanks we have an appointment with the dealer on Monday. Hopefully they have an upgrade, this should not happen! Never had this happen on any other car we have owned.

Most likely due to a lotion she uses or some kind of skin care product or soap, etc that is not playing well with the leather.

I've seen this happen in the BMW world with the soft touch coating on their plastics not liking certain skin care stuff........or your wife has very acidic oil on her skin naturally which can also cause this.

To be fair the "leather" on the wheel is junk. It is nothing like the leather on Lexus or BMW steering wheels. I peeled mine off and replaced it with alcantara.

I think i'll have to agree with the previous post, its the leather quality(crap)probably not leather. I'm the type of person to wash their hands after doing anything that may possible soil them and my car's wheel looks like it was dipped in oil just after a week of use and being cleaned. Keep us posted on what they say at the dealer.

did you do this yourself? How did it turn out? any pics??

I did. It turned out fairly well for a diy But there were some unforeseen issues. Primarily the fact that the alcantara isn't nearly as thick as the leather so overall the wheel is thinner now. There are also a couple of wrinkles that I was unable to get out that are bugging me as well. Overall I'll probably be getting JPM to make me one before to long.

One more thing, she only has a little over 4,000 miles on her Frs in 11 months.

Have any pictures?

Just over 4000 miles on the car.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7485/...bccd1d28_c.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7543/...db07eef5_c.jpg

Mine also peeling. I attribute it to holding on too hard at the track.

I'm planning to take it in soon for that. Also going to mention the check engine light for coil pack. And sticking windows in cold.

Wish me luck lol

Does she wear a ring that is rubbing on it?

No she doesn't wear rings her Has Arthritis and can't get them on now.

I read somewhere that the Japanese "leather" literally has a painted surface, it will peel off exactly like that eventually. I'm not sure if leather care products have any affect, but I use them anyway.

I really want to reupholster my wheel in proper high quality leather, but It will take a while as a lot of it is hand sown and I can't be without a wheel as it's my DD. Been keeping my eye out for the skeleton of a stock wheel, but haven't seen one for a decent price yet.

I reupholstered the gear knob on my last car, it looked great, better than the stock "leather".

JPM usually does a core exchange program where they send you a wheel and you send your core back to them. That way you don't have to be without a steering wheel or buy a second one.

Still waiting for the steering wheel option to go back up on their site though.

How in the world do you guys do this to the wheel so quickly? Do you use a Siberian death hold?

I 2nd that, my wheel neither gets dirty/oily from use nor has it started peeling. I've yet to clean my steering wheel in the 7 months I've had the car and it still looks like it did the day I picked it up.

Lol no death hold from my wife! I think that some of the wheels they had made for them were defective.

I will check mine carefully, if this crap happen i will swap to momo

Is this car garaged? Does she have a car cover or sunshade for it?

I recall reading other threads about this exact same problem where the cause appeared to be UV damage from sunlight. Using a sunshade is supposed to delay or prevent this from happening.

And you live in Florida.

Kept in the garage and she uses a sunshade outside too

Same deal happened to me. I got a new wheel with a different material replaced under warranty. *shrugs*

What kind of wheel did they give you to replace the FRS wheel?

Total warranty repair. Let us know what the dealer does.

What type of hand lotions or skin creams does she use? I have a friend who is a physical therapist and often uses biofreeze gels with patients and has issues with her leather wheels. (non subaru)

No abrasive skin cremes

How do you know it's non-abrasive to leather??

Her other cars had leather wheels and no problem. I am going to ask the dealer to put a different wheel on. And wear pealing is only on left side of wheel

It looks like the exact same wheel but the material used to wrap it is different. It's a lot harder material, more plasticy than pleathery.

The newer wheels aren't shiny when new like the old wheels. Still looks like something on her hands and/or sun getting to it...

Take it an get it replaced. Don't take no for an answer. Toyota produced a piece of garbage for a wheel, they are responsible. I was denied coverage for this initially, went up the ladder till the wheel was replaced.

Thanks! Heading to the dealer this morning, will be report back what they say Jerry

Dealer, Central Florida Scion sells a lot of FRS's and they said this was the first one they had seen with the steering wheel peeling. Ordered a new wheel and will install next week! :thumbup:

<update>
 

Steering wheel replaced and new wheel feels a little harder on the outside. Service manager said the same. New wheelis warranteed for the remainder of the 3yr 36,000 mile warrantee. Central Florida Scion takes good care of there customers!!😀