My wife's 2024 ES 300h has a "soft-touch" material on the dashboard (among many other interior places). Where the dash protrudes toward the passenger seat and over the radio/HVAC controls, it is getting marked-up, I believe by the windshield sun-shield my wife uses daily. It rubs up against the dash and leaves marks that have not come out, even after using multiple interior dressing products. The marks are better after treatment, but still very visible.

Is anyone else experiencing this with their "soft-touch" interior finishes? Any recommended products that might help? I miss the "hard-touch" materials in our 2011 ES350...they never gave us any issues like this! We will likely have to switch to a different style of sun-shade.

BTW...I still have the issue (reported earlier) with my wife's hand lotion staining the leather steering wheel. Again, it is a "soft-touch" (sued-like) leather that is very difficult to keep clean. I think Lexus screwed the pooch regarding this!

 

If you haven't seen these threads, they might help.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...mpartment.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...dashboard.html

 

Thanks, I'm a new owner of a 2024, so I had not seen these links. It's good to know this is a known problem, but, it is bad to know there's no solution!

I guess it is a good thing the dealer forced us to buy their protection package (non-negotiable). We will be insisting they fix the issue under this package's warranty.

 

If it's the same material they were using on the 2019 MY, those marks never go away. You can keep covering them up but they eventually reappear. Surprising because our 24 RX does NOT have that issue.

 

I have a real high quality steering wheel cover. I constantly have things on my hands, like sunscreen, lotion, sanitizer......My other car has a 12 year old leather steering wheel. Take the cover off, its like new. When I got this ES I put one on immediately. I even find my husbands sweaty hands can discolor the leather. It must be like acid. Get a really nice cover and it even feels good when you drive.

 

My ES is six years old. Steering wheel not a mark on it and certainly no cover. To each his own.

 

Maybe different manufacturing runs of these dashes don’t all come out right? I use a windshield cover as well, in the summer on my ’22 UL and have no marks on the dash. Granted, I always try to be careful but there have been times when I’ve bumped it into the dash pad while unfolding it - no marks anywhere. It’s an odd thing how different our experiences are in this area.

 

Well this thread doesn’t make me feel better.

I had my second back fusion about six weeks before I picked up my 2024 F Sport. I was having difficulties bending and noticed a few weeks ago when some sunlight hit it some marks my seat belt had left on the console when I was trying to latch it. I tried my usual damp microfiber towel to clean it but that didn’t work and now I can’t miss them when I get in the car except when it’s dark outside.

Following to see if anyone comes up with a solution.

 

What brand/model of steering wheel cover did you buy?

 

I bought this one off Amazon. It fits perfectly and I think looks nice. It is not real leather though, but does look like it. I have a black interior but they have other contrast color stiching

https://a.co/d/5pkWqg2

 

The marks appearing on the dash from brushing against it and other ways has been going on since 2019 when Lexus unfortunately changed the dash material. Mine started shortly after delivery and after complaining to the SM at the dealer, he had the detail specialist attempt to remove them without success. As MIKEMU states, there is no way to remove these marks but they can be covered up by using various chemicals. Unfortunately they always reappear. Owners have been complaining to Lexus for 6 years without any remedy or change in material. I can say that when I wash my car and clean the interior I always clean the dash with water only, and give special attention to where any marks are or were. After 6 years (in December) all of the marks have been eliminated. And I am very careful not to make any new ones... There are numerous posts regarding this issue as Myshkyn has indicated... GOOD LUCK!

 

My '22 has a windshield cover, accordion-style upholstered hardboard, the popular brand you see reco'd (I'm too lazy to look up the brand). Where its edge contacts the sides of the dashtop, the dash looks so scarred you'd think I tortured it until it revealed all the secret information. The passenger's dash face is also so marked up that I covered the whole thing with charcoal colored dye.

Great car in most regards, but when they added a bunch of mechanical upgrades while mostly holding the price line from 2018, something had to give. As with most newer cars, I believe some of that something was the materials you see and touch inside.

 

Maybe, or maybe it's just nice-to-the-touch material the designers thought was fine until it was unleashed on the public and the complaints started pouring in. It's crazy they couldn't address it mid-cycle once they knew the material didn't hold up.

It's ironic that "soft-touch" material can't be touched without ruining it. Like Paul McCartney sings...Oh, I believe in (the "hard-touch" materials of) yesterday!

 

I have a heated steering wheel. Can you feel the heat through the cover?

 

That’s a good question about heated steering wheel. I would bet I might not feel it. I live in a warm climate. Never really use that feature. Will see maybe this winter and try it.