I have a Lexus LS430 with the taupe interior and have two problems that I can't find a solution to. The first is the dash. It has a matt finish by design but there is a glossy area in the center which is about 3 inches in diameter. I have only had the car for a few weeks so I suspect the prior owner may have had a radar detector or navigation unit stuck to the dash and now when it was removed it has left behind this gloss area. I have tried various interior dressings such as Meguires instant detail but nothing seems to restore the matt finish. In desperation I took it to a company (actually a Franchise) called Fibernew that restores leather and vinyl trim) and they coated the dash with a finish that worked in part but was poorly applied and made the dash look patchy. I spent the day removing this and have at least got in back to how it was originally. I would welcome any suggestions The second problem is the drivers armrest which seems to have lost part of its color and it looks as if it is dirty. However, cleaning does not remove the dark area but if anything makes it worse. Do detailing shops have the skills to restore the finish in this type of situation?
I would skip the detail shops all together and go to a quality uphoulstery shop. Ive had some success and some failures removing that radar glue u speak of. First try an adhesive remover, if that doesn't work try laquer thinner. You should try both of these methods in a very small area (1/2 a thumbnail) to insure you are not going to have a bad reaction As for the armrest...If you say its not dirt, then I would guess it is dye off the previous owners sport jacket or something. Best method for removal on this is re-dye Good Luck and let us know how it all turns out :chips:
I have attached photographs of the two areas in question. The arm rest looks more as if the original color has been worn away leaving behind a darker almost dirty looking under color. I agree that re-dyeing is probably the only solution. However, I am not sure how to go about this. Does anyone have any recommendations of what product to use? The top of dash seems free of any adhesive and I think what I am left with is the damage to the surface. The standard finish is a matt effect and so I was hoping to there might be a product that would dull the surface. Other than that I am faced with redyeing the whole dash cover which is not a nice prospect. I would be concerned about making it worse.
I can possibly see how a steam cleaner could help with the dash issue but I suspect the arm rest is a color loss issue.
Not sure about the dash problem, but the armrest doesn't look like it's losing color, it would probably turn more white than black if it was losing its color. I suspect it's really dirty. It's a gross visual, but the oils from skin can probably cause the shine and darkness on the armrest. I would try a good interior plastic cleaner that has no shine such as 1Z Cockpit Premium or 1Z Deep Plastic Cleaner.
