i never encountered this problem until a year ago.

i acquired a 2006 cl500 from a benz dealer. all switches. all plastics were firm.

then, that benz went to another benz dealer. and suddenly, all the steering wheel switches were sticky. and dissolving.

i attributed that to some chemical compound being used by the "make ready" contractor crew[new feature at m-b sugarland - no longer their employees].

m-b sugarland denied that their contractor crew used anything other than water and clean rags to dust a car interior. but, they did replace all the steering wheel switches.

that vehicle has never been back to them. until last week. steering wheel switches are still firm, but the headlight switch eschutcheon is dissolving in a strange fashion. not uniformly, but as if someone used a chemical compound on a rag with their fingers[you can see the fingerprints melted into the plastic]. and then, i think someone must have said to the outside contractor, don't use that. because the dissolving is confined to spots on the left side of that escutcheon.

has anyone else experienced this issue?

the m-b dealer has tried to tell me that it is the plastic deteriorating from uv and high temperatures.

funny, this car spends most of its time in an airconditioned garage with no windows.

and i have never seen this dissolving with any of the other plastics in my other benzes.

problem seems to have started when this dealership decided to use outside contractors for its make-ready crew.

any thoughts from the bleacher seats?