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Cleaning Plastic Dashboard

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Travis, Aug 14, 2009.

  1. Travis

    Travis Junior Member

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    My tollroad transponder was stuck to the windshield of my 2008 Prius with some kind of adhesive. It fell off yesterday and landed on the shiny black plastic dashboard, leaving sticky adhesive on the radio buttons and the plastic dash above and below.

    I think I made a big mistake. I tried to clean the adhesive off with acetone. It worked okay removing the adhesive in one spot, but screwed up the buttons and didn't come off at all on the plastic bin just below the radio.

    The cloth I used to apply the acetone may have had some white paint on it, because now the dash and buttons are smeared with a white substance. The AM and FM buttons are not legible, just a white smear.

    Now I'm afraid I'll have to take it to a detailer, and wonder if he/she will know what to do. Anybody have any ideas?
     
    #1 Travis, Aug 14, 2009
  2. icarus

    icarus Senior Member

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    You're screwed! Sorry to say that but I think it true.

    The Acetone started to melt the plastic. The milky white you see is probably not from "white paint, but rather from the plastic being eaten by the acetone.

    RTFM! Every manual admonishes against using most types of chemicals on plastics. If the button works, the best you can hope for is not being able to read them. Other than than, replacement is the only opton. Junk yard maybe?

    Icarus
     
    #2 icarus, Aug 14, 2009
  3. Travis

    Travis Junior Member

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    Thanks, Icarus. I'm afraid you are right.
     
    #3 Travis, Aug 14, 2009
  4. mrrobwood

    mrrobwood New Member

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    could you use maybe a touch up paint? it would not solve the problem, but you may be able to make it look half decent
     
    #4 mrrobwood, Aug 16, 2009
  5. downeastah

    downeastah Junior Member

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    I haven't tried it yet, but I think a product we use to remove pricetags from items may work in this case. Goo-Gone works really well, and usually does not affect the material being un-gooed.
     
    #5 downeastah, Aug 16, 2009
  6. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yeah what Icarus said.
    I actually cringed when I read Acetone. The white is the color melted off the plastic.

    I use it all the time at work and it destroys plastic. Should have used Goo Gone or Goof off.

    As far as the buttons go try a black magic marker.
     
    #6 edthefox5, Aug 17, 2009
  7. icarus

    icarus Senior Member

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    Label maker!

    Icarus
     
    #7 icarus, Aug 17, 2009
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