Steering wheel buttons melting
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
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2003 S 500
Steering wheel buttons melting
I have a 2003 S 500 with only 70000 miles on it & the control buttons of the radio & mode are melting .Its really very shameful for a car company known for their cars . I have called the head office of MB & they sent the car to Prestige Motors Paramus NJ . I will keep you guys updated on the outcome . 
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
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From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
Shameful? It's a 13 year old car...
Very common problem, the outer clear-coat gets gooey with age, it can be easily cleaned off with several chemicals and has no detrimental effects, or you can replace the buttons.
Get into almost any 6+ year old German car and the buttons will be worn/sticky/broken/messed up. Sooner on domestics/Japanese.
Very common problem, the outer clear-coat gets gooey with age, it can be easily cleaned off with several chemicals and has no detrimental effects, or you can replace the buttons.
Get into almost any 6+ year old German car and the buttons will be worn/sticky/broken/messed up. Sooner on domestics/Japanese.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
2003 S 500
Shameful? It's a 13 year old car...
Very common problem, the outer clear-coat gets gooey with age, it can be easily cleaned off with several chemicals and has no detrimental effects, or you can replace the buttons.
Get into almost any 6+ year old German car and the buttons will be worn/sticky/broken/messed up. Sooner on domestics/Japanese.
Very common problem, the outer clear-coat gets gooey with age, it can be easily cleaned off with several chemicals and has no detrimental effects, or you can replace the buttons.
Get into almost any 6+ year old German car and the buttons will be worn/sticky/broken/messed up. Sooner on domestics/Japanese.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 695
From: Northwest Illinois
2014 E350 also restored: 1969 Camaro convertible SS 1957 Chevy Belair 2dr hardtop
It may have cost $120,000 13 years ago but it is only worth a few thousand 3 years ago and now. I agree that it is a minor problem. Usually the cause is the car setting outside in the sun all day. If I spent $120,000 on a car it would be garage kept and only out in the sun when in use. Just replace the buttons. How much can that cost?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
Ferraris get the sticky button problem too
Just clean them , no big deal. It takes 15-20 minutes rubbing with goo gone
Mercedes might give you a free goodwill repair if this is your seventh Mercedes and you buy them all brand new , but for your average used Mercedes owner they won't do anything for you with a 13 year old car
Just clean them , no big deal. It takes 15-20 minutes rubbing with goo gone
Mercedes might give you a free goodwill repair if this is your seventh Mercedes and you buy them all brand new , but for your average used Mercedes owner they won't do anything for you with a 13 year old car
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Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 443
Likes: 118
'03 S55 (79K miles)
I have noticed that certain hand lotions, sun block lotions and mosquito repellents (containing DEET) cause plastic buttons to soften. And by that I mean soften, not just "get covered and needing to be cleaned off".
Be careful not to get these on plastic parts.
Be careful not to get these on plastic parts.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 405
Likes: 12
From: Sacramento, CA
W204 C300 2010
I had tried a few different combinations of chemicals/solvents to clean the steering buttons and the area around the head light switch. I had good luck with the headlight switch surround, but the screen printing white pictograms look a little more worn now. On the steering wheel buttons, I would say some like hand sanitizer might work well since it is alcohol based. The "deet" products might soften the black "soft touch" material on the buttons too much. My left side buttons the black material was slight torn and when cleaning the sticky stuff, the black part started to peel. I ended up taking all of the black material off exposing the white colored buttons. I temporarily covered the buttons with some automotive vinyl, I had carbon fiber print and used that. They are just black buttons now without illuminated logos.
On Ebay, they sell button stickers for most Mercedes, they are black automotive vinyl with white pictograms. On my wife's '10 C300, the little round radio buttons started to peel through. The sticker overlays worked okay, the size of the numbers is slightly different, so I will need to do all of them. I did order a setup of overlays for my W220 buttons, but have not installed.
I think that patience in cleaning will yield the best results. The sticker overlay method requires a skilled hand and good eyes
On Ebay, they sell button stickers for most Mercedes, they are black automotive vinyl with white pictograms. On my wife's '10 C300, the little round radio buttons started to peel through. The sticker overlays worked okay, the size of the numbers is slightly different, so I will need to do all of them. I did order a setup of overlays for my W220 buttons, but have not installed.
I think that patience in cleaning will yield the best results. The sticker overlay method requires a skilled hand and good eyes
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
Item 152037279560
Your buttons must be completely smooth and level to install these. If there's any sticky raised residue on the buttons it will look terrible . This is really only good if you have a black interior and the color has been rubbed off the buttons
Your buttons must be completely smooth and level to install these. If there's any sticky raised residue on the buttons it will look terrible . This is really only good if you have a black interior and the color has been rubbed off the buttons
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 405
Likes: 12
From: Sacramento, CA
W204 C300 2010
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCEDES-W22...ZW2aRB&vxp=mtr
I ordered these, but as I indicated, have not installed.
I ordered these, but as I indicated, have not installed.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 980
Likes: 224
2005 S500 Designo
Ferraris get the sticky button problem too
Just clean them , no big deal. It takes 15-20 minutes rubbing with goo gone
Mercedes might give you a free goodwill repair if this is your seventh Mercedes and you buy them all brand new , but for your average used Mercedes owner they won't do anything for you with a 13 year old car
Just clean them , no big deal. It takes 15-20 minutes rubbing with goo gone
Mercedes might give you a free goodwill repair if this is your seventh Mercedes and you buy them all brand new , but for your average used Mercedes owner they won't do anything for you with a 13 year old car
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 177
Likes: 5
From: Houston
1999 e320 ,2006 AMG S55
glad im not the only person this happened to. When i got mine the steering wheel buttons are super sticky i was gonna buy new ones for 192 or with a discount for 153.00 but i ended up just scrapping all the goo off with my finger nail and cleaning it with some detailer from the store.
The headlight switch is 10 times worse and idk how im gonna clean it,ill try goo gone and hand sanitizer and see which works better.
The headlight switch is 10 times worse and idk how im gonna clean it,ill try goo gone and hand sanitizer and see which works better.
