Leather on dash delaminating
10-11-2017, 08:26 AM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Leather on dash delaminating
Hello all, I have a question. I have a 2014 3LT Z51 and I noticed the other day that the leather in passenger side dash is pulling up form the pad (there is an air bubble under leather) right where the stitching meets the defroster. Here is a pic, if you zoom in you can see a line that looks like discoloration in the dash. The part that has air under it is closest to windshield. Anyone else have this problem? The picture makes it look better than it really is, there is a definite noticeable discoloration and car is out of warranty so this concerns me cause it will get worse. I use sunshades religiously.
Last edited by RVC; 10-17-2017 at 06:53 PM.
10-11-2017, 08:28 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Someone else posted a similar problem several months back. His was also a 2014 and it was no longer covered under warranty.
10-11-2017, 08:36 AM
#3
I would take it to the dealer and see if they can goodwill a replacement.
Or if that doesn't work, call GM customer service and see what they can do for you. I had my gauge cluster go defective on my Monte Carlo and it was out of warranty for two years and GM customer service arranged with the dealer to have the cluster replaced. GM would pay for half of the replacement, which I thought was quite sporting of them.
If you don't ask, you don't know.
Or if that doesn't work, call GM customer service and see what they can do for you. I had my gauge cluster go defective on my Monte Carlo and it was out of warranty for two years and GM customer service arranged with the dealer to have the cluster replaced. GM would pay for half of the replacement, which I thought was quite sporting of them.
If you don't ask, you don't know.
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Double Aught (05-29-2019)
10-11-2017, 09:49 AM
#4
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '13
Several C6 people with the 4LT leather dash were reporting the same problem, so it looks like GM is establishing a new "Corvette Tradition" to go with the new idea of a leather dash.
10-11-2017, 10:40 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
Leather dashes are notorious for delaminating/cracking, etc. A common issues for BMW as well, at least their older cars. Using a windshield shade helps reduce the heat load on the dash but I guess it's too late for your car. Sorry for your trouble.
Last edited by rmorin1249; 10-11-2017 at 10:40 AM.
10-11-2017, 10:55 AM
#7
Drifting
Ours is bubbling between the frames that outline the HUD port. I searched this forum for other incidents and found several other owners who decided just to "live with it" which is what I, too, decided. I purchased one of those dash mats to cover it and also protect the rest of the dash (though sight-unseen it's a moot point). I know; a 3LT with a mat looks cheesy...
My alternative was to let a reluctant dealership R&R a new dash panel in our car. To paraphrase, the service writer said something like, "we're willing to do it, and obviously it's covered under the warranty, but there are so many electrical connections it's a risky endeavor and we're not sure you wouldn't be opening a can of worms of electrical problems. They could be constant enough that we could find and fix them, or they could be sporadic and rare enough that replicating the problem might be a nightmare. We suggest that we could just make a small cut and inject a syringe of glue in the area."
His summed up my forum research very accurately--there are at least two forum authors who complained about sporadic electrical problems after a dashboard R&R (you can find them with a serious search). I decided just to cover it with a dash mat because I'm not sure how a glue that dries hard might look under a soft "leather" surface. And there's the cut to consider.
My alternative was to let a reluctant dealership R&R a new dash panel in our car. To paraphrase, the service writer said something like, "we're willing to do it, and obviously it's covered under the warranty, but there are so many electrical connections it's a risky endeavor and we're not sure you wouldn't be opening a can of worms of electrical problems. They could be constant enough that we could find and fix them, or they could be sporadic and rare enough that replicating the problem might be a nightmare. We suggest that we could just make a small cut and inject a syringe of glue in the area."
His summed up my forum research very accurately--there are at least two forum authors who complained about sporadic electrical problems after a dashboard R&R (you can find them with a serious search). I decided just to cover it with a dash mat because I'm not sure how a glue that dries hard might look under a soft "leather" surface. And there's the cut to consider.
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Double Aught (05-29-2019)
10-11-2017, 11:30 AM
#8
Race Director
Some things just don't change between redesigns. With all the new parts that GM supposedly used you would think they would have replaced them with good ones.
10-11-2017, 01:04 PM
#9
Take a look.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-new-dash.html
10-11-2017, 02:50 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
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Hello all, I have a question. I have a 2014 3LT Z51 and I noticed the other day that the leather in passenger side dash is pulling up form the pad (there is an air bubble under leather) right where the stitching meets the defroster. Here is a pic, if you zoom in you can see a line that looks like discoloration in the dash. The part that has air under it is closest to windshield. Anyone else have this problem? The picture makes it look better than it really is, there is a definite noticeable discoloration and car is out of warranty so this concerns me cause it will get worse. I use sunshades religiously.
If it is covered by warranty I wouldn’t hesitate to let them remove and replace rather than it gets worse and in other spots and then goes out of warranty. I don’t see any other option unless slit the leather close to the windshield and let any air pockets out and then use a heat gun and see if that would shrink the leather and smooth out the air pocket. If that works I would then get leather glue under the leather and apply pressure and smooth it out.
Again, if it were me I would get it done under warranty as it’s not much more screws to undo than when I changed my dash pad.
Last edited by KGrant; 10-11-2017 at 02:52 PM.
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A320Flyer (09-25-2018)
09-25-2018, 08:09 PM
#12
Wow! I couldn’t see what you were talking about until now. I changed my dash pad so I know the hours I put it to just do that so I can see if they need to remove the entire dash how it could take 10-15 hours. The dash panels at the windshield probably just snaps in and out into place.
If it is covered by warranty I wouldn’t hesitate to let them remove and replace rather than it gets worse and in other spots and then goes out of warranty. I don’t see any other option unless slit the leather close to the windshield and let any air pockets out and then use a heat gun and see if that would shrink the leather and smooth out the air pocket. If that works I would then get leather glue under the leather and apply pressure and smooth it out.
Again, if it were me I would get it done under warranty as it’s not much more screws to undo than when I changed my dash pad.
If it is covered by warranty I wouldn’t hesitate to let them remove and replace rather than it gets worse and in other spots and then goes out of warranty. I don’t see any other option unless slit the leather close to the windshield and let any air pockets out and then use a heat gun and see if that would shrink the leather and smooth out the air pocket. If that works I would then get leather glue under the leather and apply pressure and smooth it out.
Again, if it were me I would get it done under warranty as it’s not much more screws to undo than when I changed my dash pad.
09-25-2018, 08:29 PM
#13
Burning Brakes
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I bought a 2015 earlier this year and had mine replaced. The car was CPO and I argued that it should be covered and GM paid half and the dealer who sold me the car paid half of the remaining. Really sucks, but happy to have it replaced.
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ShadowB (07-23-2019)
09-25-2018, 09:58 PM
#15
Drifting
My 2015 has this problem I am out of warranty and havent even asked about it. For now I will live with it. I may go to an upholstery shop to see if there is any way to glue it down. but Im not holding my breath on that 
10-02-2018, 04:45 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
10-02-2018, 08:20 PM
#19
Vinyl needs to be glued as well and GM is using the same adhesive on the vinyl as they are for the 3 LT dash. I would think if people would only put down a dash mat the dash temperature would be greatly reduced which would reduce the likihood of the adhesive failing. Excessively high temperature and UV are the culprit when leather detaches. It's a failure of the adhesive.
10-02-2018, 09:24 PM
#20
Vinyl needs to be glued as well and GM is using the same adhesive on the vinyl as they are for the 3 LT dash. I would think if people would only put down a dash mat the dash temperature would be greatly reduced which would reduce the likihood of the adhesive failing. Excessively high temperature and UV are the culprit when leather detaches. It's a failure of the adhesive.
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LimeRay (11-21-2019)