[nmlss2006]

I own a 2013 Passion.

I wish I could say I'm happy with it but that really would not be fair. It's extremely useful for parking in the city. For the rest, it has had a string of minor problems that would have made me sell the car - if only there were an alternative with the same length, which there is not.

Latest in the series: the interior plastic is becoming sticky. Not only the rubber portions, the plastic trim on the doors and on the radio surround has started doing this.

Has anyone else encountered this? Any possible solutions save for ripping everything out and replacing?

 

[smark]

Get a vinyl plastic cleaner. Give that a try.

Never had a issue, with sticky interior plastic parts.

 

[1983JZR3W]

I have heard the radio knob has a tendency to get sticky after a few years. My '09 has done this. But no other rubber or plastic interior part has gotten sticky.

 

[Jo e Lefors]

I own a 2013 Passion.

I wish I could say I'm happy with it but that really would not be fair. It's extremely useful for parking in the city. For the rest, it has had a string of minor problems that would have made me sell the car - if only there were an alternative with the same length, which there is not.

Latest in the series: the interior plastic is becoming sticky. Not only the rubber portions, the plastic trim on the doors and on the radio surround has started doing this.

Has anyone else encountered this? Any possible solutions save for ripping everything out and replacing?

Try murphy oil soap and rinse well. It's pretty mild and safe.

Too bad you're so limited with parking options. There are so many better ( almost any) small cars out there, to put up with smarts inadequacy and quirks. Example gas tanks, shifting in to reverse, subwoofers, crazing roofs, catching fire....

 

[nmlss2006]

Thank you guys. From what I know, soap will not help very much - once rubber or plastic deteriorates chemically and starts getting a tacky surface, that's mostly it.

I was hoping for a specific idea but I get the feeling the least bad one would be to have everything covered in leather. If only there were a real upholstery shop in the vicinity...

As to the car, to be honest I have owned two - one a long time ago, when the smart was new, and one the past three years - and I have to admit, I have not had any major faults. OTOH, the string of minor faults has been pretty long and consistent and the quality of... many things, among them the interior plastic, is simply not in tune with what the car costs (especially with the present cost stateside, I should say).

As to parking, well, you can take a 7er into any city and park, BTDT, but the smart has the size advantage AND the 'who cares about dings, the panels are plastic' advantage. That has made me put up with the rest... so far.

 

[stevenjb]

Try Goo [Be] Gone

Sent from my KFFOWI using Tapatalk

 

[nmlss2006]

Uh folks, I know I came here asking for advice and this is sounding stranger by the minute, but I would strongly advise against using Goo Gone on any plastics the appearance of which you care about. Same for acetone or xylene... though I may try with 3M's adhesive remover.

I shall report back, in any case. And look for that place in the UK which used to sell leather covered panels for the 451.

 

[1983JZR3W]

The only sticky piece in my '09 451 is the radio volume knob. I thought about putting a black thimble over it, but I am now looking for the correct size black rubber vacuum line cap. All the ones I have in my tool box are too small or too large. Off to Pep Boys in the morning.

 

[phillysmart]

In my Florida '08, used Q-tip and nail-polish remover to completely clean the sticky black off the radio volume control knob. Underlying white knob looks fine.

No other surfaces have been a problem.

-Barry-