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I had a 3LT 2012 Grand Sport that I just traded in for a 2026 3LT HTC Stingray. The delam issue finally hit my 2012 in 2023, about a year before I traded it to the dealer. So it took nearly 12 years before I had a problem. I thought I did something wrong until I started seeing others post about this issue. Anyway, on my 2026, I'm now religiously using a high quality windshield sunscreen whenever I leave my car parked outside for long periods of time. Hopefully, I'll see no issues, but will not keep this car for 14 years either.
My question is does it ever happen with 2LT? Now that they offer contrasting stitching on 2LT that might be the way to go.
I don't have a 3LT to inspect, but I don't think the two are made the same way at all. Chevy says the 3LT has "Leather-wrapped upper instrument panel, door trim panels and console cover". By contrast, Chevy doesn't make any claim about the 2LT and "wrapped" or the 1/2LT counterpart "Mulan leather" (reportedly bonded leather, which is a mixture of shredded leather and things like polyurethane as a binder). I have a 2LT with GT2 seats, so my only hope of leather is in the seat and back side bolsters and the headrest. Even there I've been told that it's not real leather (it seems to be real leather), despite Chevy specifically saying it's leather (some people think the seat inserts are the only Napa leather and the bolsters are Mulan, Chevy specifically says that my GT2 seats with microfiber insert are "Napa leather seating surfaces with perforated sueded microfiber inserts"). Just pointing out how confusing it is and how many opinions there are.
Anyway, my point here is that the non-3LT surfaces do not appear to be Mulan leather wrapped surfaces, just some form of vinyl. I'm not going so far as to say 3LT is 2LT with Napa glued on top, I don't know what surface the Napa is bonded to, I'm just saying they are fundamentally different, apparently, and I suspect that only 3LT has a chance of dashboard buckling. I doubt it happen with 2LT at all, due to those fundamental differences.
Most of the interior appears to be molded (a recent thread call it a "Rubbermaid" interior). A few of the surfaces have some padding (the main body of the dashboard, the armrests, and the piece in front of the armrests (this piece actually starts out hard on the aft end for something like and inch and a half, then drops to a foam backing. So I don't know exactly how it's built up, but in any case the leather wrapping, which no doubt uses an adhesive, has bonding problems not found in the base build.
I don't have a 3LT to inspect, but I don't think the two are made the same way at all. Chevy says the 3LT has "Leather-wrapped upper instrument panel, door trim panels and console cover". By contrast, Chevy doesn't make any claim about the 2LT and "wrapped" or the 1/2LT counterpart "Mulan leather" (reportedly bonded leather, which is a mixture of shredded leather and things like polyurethane as a binder). I have a 2LT with GT2 seats, so my only hope of leather is in the seat and back side bolsters and the headrest. Even there I've been told that it's not real leather (it seems to be real leather), despite Chevy specifically saying it's leather (some people think the seat inserts are the only Napa leather and the bolsters are Mulan, Chevy specifically says that my GT2 seats with microfiber insert are "Napa leather seating surfaces with perforated sueded microfiber inserts"). Just pointing out how confusing it is and how many opinions there are.
Anyway, my point here is that the non-3LT surfaces do not appear to be Mulan leather wrapped surfaces, just some form of vinyl. I'm not going so far as to say 3LT is 2LT with Napa glued on top, I don't know what surface the Napa is bonded to, I'm just saying they are fundamentally different, apparently, and I suspect that only 3LT has a chance of dashboard buckling. I doubt it happen with 2LT at all, due to those fundamental differences.
Most of the interior appears to be molded (a recent thread call it a "Rubbermaid" interior). A few of the surfaces have some padding (the main body of the dashboard, the armrests, and the piece in front of the armrests (this piece actually starts out hard on the aft end for something like and inch and a half, then drops to a foam backing. So I don't know exactly how it's built up, but in any case the leather wrapping, which no doubt uses an adhesive, has bonding problems not found in the base build.
It's been clear since my 3LT 2020 C8 and now my 2024 3LZ E-Ray because GM states in print (Pic below!) GM states that the seating surface on GT2 seats is Napa leather. Napa leather is tanned dead animal hide. GM states for the GT2 Bolters they are made from their coined name Mulan. Mulan can be anything as it's there name. If you had microfiber inserts, yep perhaps some other Napa leather on the seat surface BUT the Bolsters, as GM states, are Mulan.
Vinyl and Mulan etc are sold on wide long rolls so the parts to be cut can ne nested and cut by computer controlled cutting machines for minimum scrap. Can't do that with tanned dead animals as it contains defats from rubbing on a fence and other skin defects. Part patterns have to be placed around those defects. Yep buy a Rolls Royce that is what they do!
BTW I could not tell the difference in my 2017 Grand Sport 2LT Vinyl Dash and the 3LT Mulan Upper Dash Pad I bought and added. Some see the difference. Vinyl faux leather looks fine to me. The point is Mulan can be anything. For the C8 it's not clear exactly what it might be BUT it is a MANMADE MATERIAL.
It's been clear since my 3LT 2020 C8 and now my 2024 3LZ E-Ray because GM states in print (Pic below!) GM states that the seating surface on GT2 seats is Napa leather. Napa leather is tanned dead animal hide. GM states for the GT2 Bolters they are made from their coined name Mulan. Mulan can be anything as it's there name. If you had microfiber inserts, yep perhaps some other Napa leather on the seat surface BUT the Bolsters as GM states are Mulan.
Vinyl and Mulan etc are sold on wide long rolls so the parts to be cut can ne nested and cut by computer controlled cutting machines for minimum scrap. Can't do that with tanned dead animals as it contains defats from rubbing on a fence and other skin defects. Part patterns have to be placed around those defects. Yep buy a Rolls Royce that is what they do!
BTW I could not tell the difference in my 2017 Grand Sport 2LT Vinyl Dash and the 3LT Mulan Upper Dash Pad I bought and added. Some see the difference. Vinyl faux leather looks fine to me. The point is Mulan can be anything. For the C8 it's not clear exactly what it might be BUT it is a MANMADE MATERIAL.
I realize that was true of 2020. But it's 2026. Not only does the Chevy website state explicitly that my seat configuration has Napa leather, it feels like leather to me.
And to be clear, there is not another area of the car that remotely resembles leather to me. Only the seat and side bolsters, and the headrest surface. The sides of the headrest are fake, for instance, and the rest of the car feels like vinyl.
But this is the reason I made those disclaimers in my post. People have different information over different years. You are essentially saying that Chevy is outright lying about the seat configuration AND I can't tell leather from fake. I'm not saying I'm immune to a really good fake, and to be clear, this isn't the greatest leather I've experienced, but if fake it's certainly the most convincing fake I've come across. Also, there are sections of fake leather on the non-body-contact parts of the seat. They are very different from the leather on the bolsters.
I'm going to trust my senses in this case, especially since Chevy agrees with me. I have read convincing accounts that earlier C8 models used fake leather on GT2 bolsters, and I trust they were true at the time, so it seems likely that Chevy changed at some point. I've seen your collateral, I've attached mine. Notice the distinction between Napa leather on the seating surfaces (bolsters are seating surfaces, so is the headrest) and microfiber inserts.
Do you have pictures of the plethora of C8 3LT's with delaminating issue you saw? Would be nice to see what you are referring too.
No didn’t take pictures. 3 of the ones I saw were 3LT, all 3 were delaminated around the HUD, all 3 had other areas also delaminated. I was shocked how bad it was. 2 were 2024’s, to me that is crazy.
No didn’t take pictures. 3 of the ones I saw were 3LT, all 3 were delaminated around the HUD, all 3 had other areas also delaminated. I was shocked how bad it was. 2 were 2024’s, to me that is crazy.
Were the two 2024s at a dealer that apparently decided not to get the issues fixed under warranty? Perhaps the warranty was blocked for some reason?
Would be interesting to know how many 3LT's the original poster looked at. The odds of seeing it 100% of the time in a sample group of 3 or more would seem to suggest that it is a very common problem.
I realize that was true of 2020. But it's 2026. Not only does the Chevy website state explicitly that my seat configuration has Napa leather, it feels like leather to me.
And to be clear, there is not another area of the car that remotely resembles leather to me. Only the seat and side bolsters, and the headrest surface. The sides of the headrest are fake, for instance, and the rest of the car feels like vinyl.
But this is the reason I made those disclaimers in my post. People have different information over different years. You are essentially saying that Chevy is outright lying about the seat configuration AND I can't tell leather from fake. I'm not saying I'm immune to a really good fake, and to be clear, this isn't the greatest leather I've experienced, but if fake it's certainly the most convincing fake I've come across. Also, there are sections of fake leather on the non-body-contact parts of the seat. They are very different from the leather on the bolsters.
I'm going to trust my senses in this case, especially since Chevy agrees with me. I have read convincing accounts that earlier C8 models used fake leather on GT2 bolsters, and I trust they were true at the time, so it seems likely that Chevy changed at some point. I've seen your collateral, I've attached mine. Notice the distinction between Napa leather on the seating surfaces (bolsters are seating surfaces, so is the headrest) and microfiber inserts.
GM words have not changed since 2020. all their marketing literature (that Pic is unusual) does not say what material is on the Dash, door panels etc. Some countries do not allow manmade faux leather to be called Leather. Australia is one. Toyota was sued and now defines their "faux leather" by stating: "Toyota's SofTex® is a lightweight, durable, and stain-resistant synthetic leather material made from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blend. Designed to mimic genuine leather while offering better durability and breathability, this eco-friendly material generates 85% fewer CO2 emissions and 99% fewer VOCs than traditional synthetic leather. Wish GM would do similar with Mulan and say where it is used! They have been using the word Leather with the C7 and now C8 when it's their ManMade Mulan. When it's real tanned dead animal hide they always prefiss leather with the word Napa. That was a Tanning process developed in Napa CA in the late 1800rds (why I use Napa NOT Nappa.)
FYI, Mulan is another word for bonded leather. It typically consists of 5% leather scraps and 95% poly. Personally I much more prefer the Mulan material. Easier to take care of, don't have to worry about leather conditioners and stands up way better to the elements! Very much a concern here in S. Florida.
GM words have not changed since 2020. all their marketing literature (that Pic is unusual) does not say what material is on the Dash, door panels etc. Some countries do not allow manmade faux leather to be called Leather. Australia is one. Toyota was sued and now defines their "faux leather" by stating: "Toyota's SofTex® is a lightweight, durable, and stain-resistant synthetic leather material made from a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blend. Designed to mimic genuine leather while offering better durability and breathability, this eco-friendly material generates 85% fewer CO2 emissions and 99% fewer VOCs than traditional synthetic leather. Wish GM would do similar with Mulan and say where it is used! They have been using the word Leather with the C7 and now C8 when it's their ManMade Mulan. When it's real tanned dead animal hide they always prefiss leather with the word Napa. That was a Tanning process developed in Napa CA in the late 1800rds (why I use Napa NOT Nappa.)
Facts:
The Chevy website says the seating surfaces of my GT2 seats are Napa leather
The seat and side bolsters, and the headrest surface appear to be leather
There are no other surfaces in the car that are remotely like those seemingly-real leather surfaces
Do you understand why I believe Chevy? If those surfaces are in fact Mulan leather, then Mulan leather is not used in my car except for those surfaces. I'm with you on wishing they stated what surfaces were Mulan explicitly. For instance, is it that stuff that covers the headrest pillars in the GT2 seats? And the side of the headrest? The padded armrest in the car? Honestly, I can't figure out what in my car is supposedly Mulan leather, it all seems to be some vinyl-like material, except for the bolsters and headrest. Is there any part of your car that you can confidently identify as Mulan leather?
The "unusual" pic is their "Build & Price" configuration system on Chevrolet dot com. When you get to the tab for configuring the interior, read the Interior Color choices, the ones pertinent to the GT2 seats. I've attached a screen grab. Notice that half the choices are "sueded microfiber inserts", so no matter how someone might try to spin "seating surfaces" to mean only the inserts (LOL), it clearly includes the bolsters.
This is what I think...the sides that don't have body contact are likely Mulan leather. They are not a thick, have a slightly different texture, and it's very common in furniture making, including car seats, to cheap-out on the parts that don't have body contact (fake leather often degrades due to oils from skin, cross-linking the polymers and cracking as it ages). The pillars material seems a little thinner still and might be just a vinyl and not Mulan.
The headrest is also Napa, but the sides are microfiber. So it seems the only Mulan in my car might be those outside pieces of the bolsters.
I had a 2010 Grand Sport 4LT and it was 14 years old with 22k miles on it when I traded it. It had no issues with the dash, thankfully. But, having learned about the potential for problems, it definitely swayed me away from getting the 3LT in my C8. The base C8 dashes are a far cry from the rubbermaid base C6 dash. I don't miss the leather one bit. In fact, I really wish car manufacturers would just stop with the leather nonsense once and for all. It's a terrible material to use in the extreme environmental conditions of a car interior. And they've somehow convinced everyone that it's "luxurious". Look at some of the high-end cars like Ferrari, Aston, etc. and see how those otherwise beautiful cars are let down by their dash leather shrinking and pulling away from the vents and windshield. This has been going on for many many decades but they still keep using it. I have a 2015 Lexus with almost 100k miles and it has their brand of fake leather (nulux or something like that) and the seats still look amazing. I'd personally like to see more cloth options come back in addition to synthetic leather.
I'm not saying it's not an issue on some cars. But did anyone consider that the reason those particular vehicles were in the used car lot was because the owners of those cars didn't want a delaminated interior? That means the sample is tainted. My 3LT C8 interior with 14K miles in two years (with contrasting stitching) is perfect. My previous 3LT C7 with 25,000 miles in 8 years had no delimitation and zero issues. In fact, zero issues of any kind in both cars, and the C8 has the HTC that I use all the time, and again, works perfectly. Mechanically sophisticated vehicles are prone to issues, and that's why we have warranties.
If I had found a '24 on a lot with that issue, I'd ask that it be repaired under warranty before purchasing it. A '24 should still have a year or so remaining on warranty.
I'm not saying it's not an issue on some cars. But did anyone consider that the reason those particular vehicles were in the used car lot was because the owners of those cars didn't want a delaminated interior? That means the sample is tainted. My 3LT C8 interior with 14K miles in two years (with contrasting stitching) is perfect. My previous 3LT C7 with 25,000 miles in 8 years had no delimitation and zero issues. In fact, zero issues of any kind in both cars, and the C8 has the HTC that I use all the time, and again, works perfectly. Mechanically sophisticated vehicles are prone to issues, and that's why we have warranties.
If I had found a '24 on a lot with that issue, I'd ask that it be repaired under warranty before purchasing it. A '24 should still have a year or so remaining on warranty.
I agree...That is exactly what i said in an earlier post...
I originally was planning on getting the 2LZ trip because I felt like it was the best “value”…then I looked at the 3LZ and there was no going back.. it is significantly (In My Opinion) nicer...
My 2008 3LT dash delaminated about 2 months ago. The car was sitting under a blue sky/bright sun. Air temps were in the mid 70s, but the dash board felt hot to the touch. This heat was responsible, but it's not like my car was sitting out in the July Arizona sun. I'm going to try to keep the sunlight off of the dash of both my C6 and C8. I have plans to remove the dash of the C6 and have an interior shop repair it. About Porsches.......I've read that late model Porsches now have a delamination problem also.
My 2008 3LT dash delaminated about 2 months ago. The car was sitting under a blue sky/bright sun. Air temps were in the mid 70s, but the dash board felt hot to the touch. This heat was responsible, but it's not like my car was sitting out in the July Arizona sun. I'm going to try to keep the sunlight off of the dash of both my C6 and C8. I have plans to remove the dash of the C6 and have an interior shop repair it. About Porsches.......I've read that late model Porsches now have a delamination problem also.
I wonder if the leather is glued (bonded) to the 1LT/2LT dash, or whether the substrate is different. The same would be true of the doors.
The Chevy literature refers to parts of the door and dash being "wrapped in Napa leather". It seems the easiest route to "wrapping" is to glue the leather on top, and that won't be anything like making those parts of the car leather from the design up. In other words, I have doubt that these leather treatments are functionally the same as how cars were built in the old days, this is just added trim. As such, it will always have this bonding problem, as the leather and vinyl will always have different expansion with heat, and the heat may at the same time affect the glue. This is just speculating, I'm not saying how it is, just how it seems.
I wonder if the leather is glued (bonded) to the 1LT/2LT dash, or whether the substrate is different. The same would be true of the doors.
The Chevy literature refers to parts of the door and dash being "wrapped in Napa leather". It seems the easiest route to "wrapping" is to glue the leather on top, and that won't be anything like making those parts of the car leather from the design up. In other words, I have doubt that these leather treatments are functionally the same as how cars were built in the old days, this is just added trim. As such, it will always have this bonding problem, as the leather and vinyl will always have different expansion with heat, and the heat may at the same time affect the glue. This is just speculating, I'm not saying how it is, just how it seems.
Has anyone had a good view of the delamination?
If you read GM literature carefully the 3LT has "leather wrapped interior". The only place they claim Napa leather is on the GT2 seat seating surfaces. GM calls "Mulan leather" leather
It is likely that the 1LT/2LT Alura Elite bonds better with the adhesive they use than the "Mulan" bonded leather in the 3LT. Or perhaps they use a different adhesive. TPO is more thermally stable than bonded leather which is probably why it doesn't have nearly as much problems.
^^^
Yep been my biggest issue with GM Marketing (don't think it's Corvette) being sneaky. As you say i have always found when they refer to leather if it's NOT preceded with Napa (real dead animal hide) it's their coined name Mulan. May not say Mulan as I have not seen Mulan mentioned for the 3LT Dash. But by deduction it must be as 1/2LTs don't have the issue and are probably Vinyl.
If you read GM literature carefully the 3LT has "leather wrapped interior". The only place they claim Napa leather is on the GT2 seat seating surfaces. GM calls "Mulan leather" leather
It is likely that the 1LT/2LT Alura Elite bonds better with the adhesive they use than the "Mulan" bonded leather in the 3LT. Or perhaps they use a different adhesive. TPO is more thermally stable than bonded leather which is probably why it doesn't have nearly as much problems.
OK, that all makes sense. I usually check the wording before i post, but didn't feel like visiting the configurator for the zillionth time. LOL. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
Anyway, although another thread complained about the "Rubbermaid" interior, I like my 2LT dash and doors just fine. I have GT2 seats, so can't comment on GT1. The only thing I question about holding up, from initial impression, is the microfiber-wrapped steering wheel. Keeping my hands clean, but wondering if I should buy driving gloves. (I bought off the dealer floor.) I also have the microfiber seat inserts, I'll assume they hold up ok, they are comfortable, and I'm pretty easy on my vehicles as far as wear and tear.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
