andynpz

I wiped on silicone lubricant then polished with a microfiber towel. Repeated several times in the mall parking lot while I waited.............and waited!

Significant improvement if not total cure - no badd effects so far

Cheers, Andy

BLUICIDE

Hi. Had the same goo (noticed during/after APSIS steerings wheel upgrade.) The airbag felt like and resembled the sticky side of black electrical tape. Here's what I did, and it looks feels new. Go buy some GOOF OFF 2 low odor plastic cleaner. Comes in a plastic orange pump spray bottle. Says safe on plastic. Grab a towel to save the drippings from you seat, horn, etc.. Grab a handful of microfiber towels. Pull horn fuse (under hood). Spray some cleaner near a spoke of your steering wheel. You're gonna have to scrub with a microfiber rag, else will leave lint etc.. It took me about an hour to get the whole bag clean. I was blown away by the goo that had "morphed" into the crap that ruined 4, maybe 5 microfiber towels. Try it, I highly recommend it. Thought I was gonna have to go get a new bag, so I was ready for anything to fix it. Plastic cleaner and microfiber towels, a lot of elbow grease, you should be good as new. I am.

BLUICIDE

For the cause of the goo... I think a strong non diluted leather cleaner was the culprit. It (the bag) ain't leather. Keep in mind, the cleaning will take patience and you'll think your bag is disolving. Mine didn't and looks new. I'd describe the result as no shine, no sheen, no sticky, just right, and the same as the new APSIS wheel. If I knew how to post a pic, I'd do it in a second. If you like, you can email me and I'll send you b4 and after pics. rgt1962@att.net Hope this helps. Sticky is meant for tires.

DeeGee

I'd also be thinking it was the stuff you've been using to clean it

My Vert lived in Vegas for 3 years and even with temperatures of up to 126 degrees it never showed any signs of softening.

andynpz

Gone real sticky again after a summer in storage in FL. I'm nervous about the goop off route, so I tried the talcum powder. Kills the stickiness and looks OK once you wipe and polish with a microfiber cloth.

Will report further if it goes sticky again

BLUICIDE

Hi andynpz
Honestly, I thought my airbag was melting, or (after doing some reading)disolving. Get some water-based vinyl cleaner and some micro fiber towels, pull the horn fuse, place a large towel to catch the drippings and scrub that thing clean. I would not mislead you. It occurs to me that your ab still has some type of emulsion taking place. Scrub that sucker as if you had a new spare. You'll be amazed. I thought I was rubbing the finish off of the bag, but, it was actually the "gunk" that had accumulated onto it. I could actually scrape some off with a fingernail, thinking, "Oh $hit". Well, the result is priceless. You have a cleaner/preserver on there that is made for leather (or something), screwing up your perfectly good vinyl. If your steering wheel ab looks like the gleam on my console, SCRUB!

andynpz

Well, Bluicide, that's quite a speech! And it was a litle sticky this morning, so I'll go to Ace Hardware tomorrow and give it a go.

Your photo is certainly very encouraging.

It's tough being a perfectionist, isn't it?!!

Cheers, Andy

BLUICIDE

Hi Andy, Tom sent this email after his success. He used a different product, though basically the same label. Let know how your results turn out. Maybe take a before & after pic for other members. Take care.


From: Tom Cross
To: rgt1962@att.net
Sent: Sat, October 8, 2011 11:40:39 PM
Subject: Re: Corvette Steering Wheel melting!
GT,

Thanks for the input. I tried like crazy to find the "Goof Off 2" but after calling every hardware store, auto store, and home improvement stores, nobody had it! One hardware store however had " Lift Off 3" which was a water based cleaner safe for plastics, and was for graffiti, lip stick etc. so I tried it and like you, after about an hour and several microfiber towels had a nice looking airbag cover that had no stick and a nice finish! I was so delighted with the success, especially after pricing the cost of a used airbag on Ebay or worse, the dealer for a new one!

Thanks for the tip!!!! It saved me an airbag.

Tom

BLUICIDE

I have found this forum to be FULL of perfectionists. It's all about helping folks out, and their grin factor afterwards.

andynpz

You're right about that.

Like Tom, I haven't yet found GOOF OFF 2, but I did find Goo Gone... and it is orange colored.... and it is claimed it will deal with anything sticky. Will search further before I do a test area.

Cheers, Andy

KN6VV

Andy, I'm the "Tom" in the email above! Do not use Goo Gone. I had some but it is a petrolium base and not good on the plastic in my opinion. I found the LiftOff 3 at a local hardware store, a water based cleaner and similiar to the GoofOff mentioned and my airbag cover is still looking new weeks after the cleaning!

Would you believe that I later found a local store with the GoofOff that you might try. It was in our local Harbor Freight tool store!

Don't rush this until you get a proper cleaner. The good news here is you do not need a new airbag and the sticky stuff will clean off with the right cleaner!

Tom - KN6VV

BLUICIDE

See attachment, this is the stuff.

BLUICIDE

Found a good b4 and after set. You can tell the pink microfiber towel was new (where new Apsis leather wheel meets air bag) which is why you need to prevent dripping, etc.. The picture in the earlier post is the finished product. No regrets.

andynpz

Hey, just in time! I didn't even test it yet.

I looked in several stores today but no luck, and having checked the websites for both goof off 2 and lift off 3, I see the similarity and the necessity to use the water-based product.

Tooling around hardware stores in a Corvette with the Florida sunshine is not a hardship

Thanks for the before and after pics - clearly vital to have a silk finish airbag cover with that APSIS wheel.

Cheers, Andy

KN6VV

Andy,

If necessary, I see the Lift Off 3 and Goof Off 2 available on Amazon.com so you can always have it shipped to you if necessary.

Also reference the post by BLUICIDE earlier, there is some scrubbing that is necessary but I did not push "down" too hard on the vinyl while cleaning. Remember the membrane for the horn button is under there. These can be broken if too much down pressure is placed in the horn button locations.

Here is what they look like and cost to replace them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/C5-1997-98-9...item3a6bf5cf2e

smithd7

I've used 303 aerospace protectant on my '99 since new,no problems.
I use it for almost everything. Check their web site out.

303products.com

Road Runner

I've used Armor All for the last 10 years and my C5 sits out in the sun all day -no issues. Sorry to hear about your issues, but I don't think its the cleaning or lack of cleaning products.

rr

andynpz

A thousand thanks to Bluicide and KN6VV for their advice and encouragement about overcoming "STICKY AIRBAG SYNDROME" with Goof Off 2.

Looks and feels like new now, guys - took about an hour and a half - time well spent to get one step closer to perfection

Cheers, Andy

BLUICIDE

The Highlander

will home depot have this goo off 2 or similar product?

How about h7 degreaser? Will that work?