How do I stop dashboard cracks?
 

I have a 85 300D. The dash is clean & crack free. Can anyone tell me what to treat these areas with to help keep them looking as they should? Thanks in advance.

keep it out of the sun, other than that, turtlewax, armorall and other brands have some urethane UV protectants, there all pretty much the same stuff related to polyurethane varnishes.

Top of the line sunshade (folding reflective foil kind)- - applied every time the car is exposed to the sun...(front and rear)

-fad

If it was me with crack free dashboard..... i'd probably use vegetable oil to keep the rubber from drying out - ArmorAll doesnt last very long. And who on earth wants to adopt new habbit of covering the dash everytime you park the car?

In addition to the sun shield, if you can prevent the interior form temperature extemes that will help too. Leave the windows open a bit in the summer, keep it inside, or in the shade.

I've thought about investing in one of those carpeted dash mats (about $30). They are sold by the car application. Has anyone purchased one of these for a 123?

used one since 1989
 

on a 1989 Jeep Cherokee's dash but same principle applies....never put up a sunshade device while parked and the dash remained crack-free until I sold the car last year.

dashmat is what I used.

recently bought one for my 1987 420SEL which I purchased a couple of months ago. It's got a couple of tiny cracks in the dash that I hope to keep from spreading.

fwiw

I, for one, am in the habit of covering the dash every time I park the car. It takes very little of my time and energy, and I'm rewarded with a long-lived dash.

However, I have a carpeted dash mat on order as well. I'm hoping that it will lessen the radiated dasboard heat during the summer months here in Texas.

When I bought the 83 it had virtually no cracks, now it looks like crap. :( All of this happened while the vehicle set over winter. A half dozen cracks, one spans vitrually to each side of the dash. :eek:

I used 303 protectant on the 84, those cracks never moved. That car was always parked in the sun (with the owner before me).

Does dash pad also come in shag carpeting to match fuzzy dice attached to rear view mirror...... better yet, can it be matched to dingle balls along rear window / headliner??

Otherwise, here's an idea from somebody who is not emotionally upset about driving car with cracked dashboard - jamb loose change, quarters dimes and nickels, into the crack for quick access at parking meters.

All jokes aside - does anybody actually know if dash cracks occur from heat expansion/contraction of foam rubber under vinyl skin..... or does this problem occur from the surface alone?

I recently acquired a carpet style dash cover from A.Zone ... the price is right and the fit is excellent with no need for attachment of any kind. :cool:

Has anyone had, or heard of successfully installing one of those dash caps that fit over the existing dash. I think these are vinyl or plastic. My 124 is developing cracks and other unsightly heat damage that I'd love to just cover up if I could. I personally prefer my carpet stay on the floor :D

I put those dash carpets on all 3 of my cars (chev., 240d, 300sd) and they all cracked anyway. The 2 MB's are garaged too and even that didn't help.

With that previous post I'm almost wondering if it is inevitable to get these cracks, or more importantly if one were to buy the new vinyl dash cover will it crack eventually too? For $100 I could consider getting one, but I'm not willing to pay much more.

I had a dash mat in the Integra that my sister drives, and the one major advantage would be that it gets rid of glare.

While I'm sure it will stop glare, it would be good enough to hold stuff on it without sliding around, and there is virtually no maintenance, but I still wouldn't put one on my car. It just wouldn't look right IMO. Has anyone installed the vinyl dash cover? I'm just wondering how well they fit around the temperature sensor, and do I just take the front speaker grilles out to put it in?

Nevermind, I already found all the information needed to make my decision. This is the manufacturer's site detailing the price of $90 for any Mercedes vinyl dash cover which features a lifetime warranty for the purchaser. These instructions not only tell you how to install it but also say why dash cracks happen. The material is simply anchored to well and this lack of movement creates them. I'm sure the UV rays play a little bit as well because they are drying out the vinyl, but the true problem is in the design of the dash.

On my 300CD, there were no cracks on the dash board when I bought it 3 years ago, however I have a few minor ones right now. I always put up a sunshade, however it isn't an exact fit so there is a small area that is exoposed. This is where the cracks are occuring. Since I work at a hardware store, I am going buy a roll of that reflective plastic bubble wrap insulation and make a custom sunshade for the whole car...

Try the 303 Protectant. http://www.303products.com/ Armor All and all the rest are cat-pee compared to this stuff. Expensive but as always you get what you pay for. RT

Do NOT use Armor All. That ***** will dry your dash out in a matter of weeks, if not days. I got that from people who learned the hard way. I've been using Meguiar's Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner. It doesn't dry out your dash, it conditions nicely and leaves a pleasant smell. I also use it on my MBTex seats. Just spray some on a paper towel and wipe down your dash. I wouldn't use anything else. NADA ("NADA" means I got nothing to do with Meguiar's in any way, shape, or form)

Repair Dash
 

Are their any repair kits on the market that will repair cracks..

Dashboard cracks
 

Hello all, when I first bought my 300d the former owner told me he used baby oil on the dash and gave me some. I have used it ever since with no cracks. BTW it is a 1985 and has lived its whole life in Florida.

Try something that would rather work it's way into the dash than sit on top and create glare.

When I show my car I like a finish that is not shiny. So I have never used any of the products mentioned all over these discussion forums. What I do use is a product made by Castle called Vinyl Touch. It's advertised as a Vinyl/Plastic Cleaner and Conditioner.

No cracks, no glare and nothing sticks to it since it is absorbed so quickly. Less than $5 a can at my MB dealer. Check it out at www.castle-comply.com.

I used to keep extra forks and knives poked into the cracks fo the dash in an old car that I used to have. The cracks were too big for keeping any change in them.

Polymers 401
 

Cracks occur for two reasons I can think of.

1. Plasticizer works its way out of the polyvinyl chloride due to age and heat (this contributes to the fogginess of the inside windshield surface).

2. UV light breaks down the vinyl polymer molecules.

Both of these conditions help shrink the surface material and make it more brittle.

I personally always park my car at work (and elsewhere) facing north so the sun doesn't beat on the dashboard whe the car sits there all day.

Yet another idea -

Use Elmer's Rubber Cement as glue for small plastic business card case, or another useful item that can hold cigarettes, ballpoint pens, spare change, etc....

This will help cover dash cracks and increase handy storage space inside the car. Good for people who dont like the look of shag carpet aftermarket dashboard cover and would like to add something useful to the car.

There is also a vinyl/dashboard product that has been on the market for years now. It's called Vinylex, it has a UV index of 15 I think. It's supposed to clean the dashboard without leaving any glare and also protect it somewhat (much like sunscreen) from UV damage. It comes in a light green spray bottle and is by the same makers of Lexol leather treatment/cleaner in Georgia.

Re: How do I stop dashboard cracks?
 

I had a tailor-fitted custom cover made to match Smokeless’ palomino colored interior. I think it looks nice and tasteful.

My 300 D came with a black dash cover; the dash is perfect underneath. My guess it’s been on there for a while. I like the way it looks. It seems to be a custom fit for the 123. It has openings for the defroster vents and covers the entire dash. I believe a dash cover is the best way to go.