Cancer on steering wheel

My solution for the wear holes in the softex covered steering wheel. $15 cover from Amazon. I think it looks better than the stock wheel. I tried the heated steering wheel feature this morning. The heat is getting through the cover very well.
The dealer wanted $975 to replace the steering wheel that was not covered under warranty due to normal wear.

 

I had same issue at about 7 o'clock. The bare area just kept getting worse over time so on my 35K service I mentioned it to the service advisor. They looked at the wheel and said no problem to warranty the repair. Went back a couple weeks later and they put on a new steering wheel.

 

You can try a warranty claim, but I doubt anything like this is likely to be honored. My carpet floor mat in my Corolla had a hole in it from the heel of my dress shoe in only two weeks after I bought the car, but they said it was normal wear and tear. LOL. This was also during the Toyota floor-mat fiasco.

 

Update: I've am a Nurse, in the middle of the the Covid Fight, as indeed we all still are. Started this process about the rotting Steering Wheel back in February. Since then? Well let's just say I got a little BUSY. So I'm catching up on things now, forums, etc. Here is the response I got from Toyota, and my counter response on the steering wheel in my 2017 Toyota Prime Advanced. And NO, I'm not worried about being "doxxed": I Am Who I am, and It Is What It Is. If you get the idea that I am indeed, pretty STEAMED about this, well then you'd be correct. I didn't (and still don't!) have a lot of time for sparring back and forth on something that IS a known Problem, witness this Forum, and SHOULD be fixed. And improved. And I'm surprised that Toyota would handle this in such a fashion. So Please, put on the kettle, or maybe make some popcorn and read. And? Please advise? All the Best! Bill Pietschman

(W8LV)


Dear Mr. Pietschman:



Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. We are sorry to learn about the steering wheel peeling on your Toyota Prius.



We have confirmed that your concerns were reviewed appropriately with a Toyota representative and you were provided with Toyota's position on 05/20/2020.



While we understand this is not the response you were hoping for, it does represent Toyota’s final position. Understanding your personal experiences with your Prius is important to Toyota, and your additional feedback has been documented at Toyota's National Headquarters under file #2005203021.


(MY Response to Toyota, after which I have not heard a peep. Perhaps someone there doesn't think I'm taking this to the NEXT Level? They are mistaken. Just not sure who or whom, but it's definitely HAPPENING. Again, Advise, anyone?)


It's disappointing that this issue with the steering wheel is being handled so poorly by Toyota, and I am NOT satisfied as a Customer. This specific steering wheel issue has been a problem for others, and has been mentioned on Prius Chat, specifically with the Prius Prime Advanced.


While I understand "normal wear and tear", as everyone should and would expect over time as being reasonable, this steering wheel cover has just not held up as it should. And it's a PROBLEM EVERY TIME that I drive.



I've owned four Prius vehicles now. Toyota could have easily resolved this problem, which I never had with the other three vehicles, one of which it still being driven by my Daughter, and that vehicle is over ten years old.


Again, it's a problem specifically with this Prius model. I'm surprised and disappointed with how poorly the most basic human/machine interface that the steering wheel certainly is can be made so poorly.


As I've not received satisfaction with this defective product, I want to hear from someone at the Next Level at Toyota on this issue that this is going to be repaired, as resolving this issue to my satisfaction is an expectation: Nothing more, and nothing less!



Indeed, I will write a personal letter to the upper management of Toyota if this isn't resolved properly.


Sincerely,


William Pietschman, R.N.


-Best Regards from W8LV located in Pickaway County, Ohio USA. Station Info: http://www.hamqth.com/w8lv





moto g power ?

 

Good luck on getting help from Toyota with this. However, since this seems to be happening only to a very few people, I suspect that it is a wear-and-tear issue not covered by any warranty. Perhaps some people like to stick their fingernails into the steering wheel when they drive, use harsh chemicals to clean it, or use hand sanitizers that have alcohol etc. in them, which would deteriorate the material on the steering wheel—I don't know. My steering wheel is still as good as new and I try to keep my fingernails away from it.

nooo! scratched steering wheel - ClubLexus - Lexus Forum Discussion
Fingernail Scratches in Steering wheel Leather

 

My first comment in this thread is #18 Cancer on steering wheel | PriusChat
This week I noticed that 9 o'clock area has a dangling piece of leather a bit smaller than a dime - guessing about 4mm square. Since it's on the windshield side of the wheel it's only noticeable when the hand slides over it, than it's obvious hanging there.
I guess it's time to look into leather repair kit.

Edit: If the complaints are similar to mine, the issue with my steering wheel is that there is a Really Thin piece of leather at 9 o'clock on the windshield side of the steering wheel. It is so thin it was noticeable to the touch way before it tore just recently. I mentioned that I noted it's location in other posts I made to this thread and was going to avoid that area of the steering wheel as I drove.
It kinda makes sense to me that some of us got sub standard leather wrap, but mine is minimal and one of the lesser of the issues I have with the car. So I'd rather focus on the more important mechanical issues and get around to fixing the leather wrap in due time.