Cracking steering wheel.

Has anyone else had a problem with this? I've only had my truck a few months and just over 7k miles (yes I drive a lot). My steering wheel is already getting 'micro cracks' on the edge top/bottom/sides. My G35 was doing the same thing, and I've never had any other car do this. It's like my hands are toxic to leather or something... granted I do have to park it outside and it's arizona but... so have all my other cars. Plus, it's only been since july...

 

You have a leather steering wheel?

 

Yes, so is the gear shift knob. TRD Package.

 

My father had an 05 SR5 and didn't have a leather wheel cover. It might be a newer feature or a regional thing.

If it's not too late a good leather conditioner and using a reflective windshield sunscreen might help keep it from getting worse. Baking that poor leather in the Arizona sun can't be good for it.

 

Yes/No. Typically no, however I work in a clean room and wear gloves all day... which of course makes them sweaty. I wash my hands a LOT though so I'd be suprised if that's really affecting it.

I refuse to use armorall or anything similarly shiny as it will damage the interior if you skip it more than a few weeks. I was using Megu's leather conditioner in the G, but I haven't used it on the taco as I feared maybe somehow that was causing it. The only thing I've used regularly is Eagle One... I find it strange though only the wheel would do it and not the gear shift if that was causing it.

I tried to get a pic of it... my camera can't focus on it at all :/

Hopefully if it gets worse I can get it exchanged before the warrenty's up... was able to do it with the G but that was Infiniti...

 

Just thinking out loud here, but if you're washing your hands alot (especially in the dry Arizona air), it is possible that your hands are lacking the oils that most peoples hands would naturally have. I assume these oils would normally get rubbed into the leather of a steering wheel, helping to keep it conditioned. But if your hands are lacking oil, they could actually be taking oils from the leather instead.

 

maybe it is detergent residue from the all of the hand washing?

 

Toxic Hands? You may want to grab the salad tongs when it's time to pee.


Go to the local Rub-N-Tug and see what they are using, I know my PePe' isn't cracked!

 

I have the same problem, little cracks every where. I armourall the wheel and it does stay outside 24/7. We'll see what the winter does to it, maybe in the spring I order a new one, with that said I have 46,000 on my 06.

 

Instead of using Armorall - get a leather specific moisturizer or treatment.

Armorall + water/moisture = S L I P P E R Y !!!!

If you get wet hands and grap that steering wheel - could be a safety hazard.

 

MMMMMmmmmm........

 

My Taco has done 2 summers in the Phx sun (with no shade) and there's no cracks on the wheel.

 

Wow, intersting to see this. My G35 I used ONLY leather specific treatment for it and the seats (seats never even phased by the sun, looked just as good as when I bought her). Noticed today doing some wheel'n that my hands do really sweat a lot... and found some really bad spots. I'll have to try my other camera and see if I can pic it. Drives me nuts because I can't stand stearing wheel covers, and gloves are a PITA.