fkong777

2002 s430 after wiping down my steering wheel. The 4 buttons feel sticky. It seems like some coating is dissolving away and created a sticky film on the buttons.. Anyone have this issue and have a cleaning solution that will take away the sticky film? thanx

User110

You're not the only one. I haven't cleaned my wheel all winter and when my spring clean up came around, that was the time to clean it. Now it feels like I was eating a lolipop or something and I got it all over the buttons.

I want to clean it but do NOT want to make it worse.

ALi

newton22

Yes. The only real solution is buying new buttons.

ebolick

i tried everything to clean mine and i can get it clean but then the sticky stuff attracts the dust and makes things look even worse.

User110

I'm debating taking it off and clearing it or sealing it somehow.

ALi

notoriousALE

UGH! I though I was the only one with sticky, smeared buttons! This drives me crazy......are new buttons expensive?

Il Capo

I got rid of the problem by peeling that coating with my fingernail and a plastic retractable pen (retracted of course) and a damp cloth with windex to remove the residue, its time consuming and still have to do it on my glove box button! ARGHH!

chibenz

Yea nails work fine on 'em and then little cleaning. lol

Bugzee Malone

I had a sticky button when I first got my car.
I read on a MB forum that Windex did the trick.
I didn't have any on hand so I used alcohol and just kept on rubbing until that sticky crap came off.
Worked fine for me.

ALEV8

Hey what's the update on this issue. MB wants close to $300 special order for these buttons, and if I can clean them first then that will be fine.

Some have used Greased Lightning apparently with success, so a citric based degreaser such as Goo Gone might do the trick?

NRL

Don't use Goo Gone, it turns it yellow permanently. Going to have to order new buttons. And then seal the new ones.

babyman1737

How do you 'seal' the new ones? I'll have to order a new set too I think. My volume buttons are getting very worn.

StickyNM

sticky problems happens every where, sticky problems is around for many years. you may want to check up on the youtude fixing sticky solution to save the environment and use less plastic.

gorbys

mine was sticky too, I tried with citrus cleaner but that started to remove the gray paint so I had to stop. Had to use the fingernail and a microfiber cloth with interior cleaner to remove the sticky stuff in the end.
So it was a little work but well worth it, no more stickyness, except for the glove compartment button which will need the same treatment soon.

babyman1737

Are you a site sponsor?

eFeJota

Having tried all kinds of cleaning products, the best and the cheapest has been this method: fingernail + microfiber cloth (and a little patience)

legatolimo

I guess I found the solution for this issue.

http://stickynomore.com/

mercedes02

lysol bath cleaner works best. no need to remove buttons. spray on cloth and scrub with finger. that goes for the glove box button and the head light control section. it wont take off the markings or the color.

corkshoppe

poor mb design!

Warui

WD-40, a old wash cloth type of rag and about 30 minutes is all it takes to soften the sticky film..... use your fingernail to simply scrape the gummy stuff and wipe it off with the rag. Keep changing which part of the rag as the residue is stuck to it so clean and damp with WD-40.

Trust me on this one.... tried goo gone, alcohol, another goo remover but good old trusty WD-40 worked again!!!!

ajr62

happens as a natural deterioration of the material used for and/or on the buttons. goo gone works really well to dislodge the goo. i followed up with 91% isopropyl alcohol and the goo gone and the goo came off easily. typical 70% alcohol sold in drug stores won't work, needs to be 90+%, also can be purchased at the drug store. now good as new!

legatolimo

Whatever you going to use to clean the sticky residue won't ever be perfect, and the paint will eventually start coming off. $150 for new set of buttons is the way to go. Just make sure it's never cleaned with strong chemicals.

kraut56

Where do you get the buttons for$150.00??

legatolimo

I purchased them from MBZWholsale.

Mike5215

On my S500 I bought the buttons (actually a single assembly that has the left and right side buttons on it.) On my S430 I went the solvent and rubbing route, on the buttons and the headlamp control bezel. It's a little nerve wrecking at first because it feels like the buttons themselves are made of the gummy stuff, but there are actual perfectly preserved clean plastic buttons under the goo, and they look brand new when cleaned up. Just some mildly tedious work and patience involved.