The dashboard on my '14 is pretty shiny. I even cleaned it off with a 50/50 water/isopropyl mixture.

Still shiny.

I figure it's possibly due to the sun damage over time that has given it a glossier patina. It's NOT sticky, though, so that's good. Not sticky at all. Just shiny.

Any suggestions on getting it to a matte finish? There's a lot of glare on the glass... I've already tried Meguiar's natural shine protectant like I always use on my cars, but since it's already shiny, it's not making any difference.

I would prefer not to install a dash cover if I can avoid it..... I prefer to just use UV protection and a good sun shade. It won't be out in the sun much, anyway.

 

I'll add a quick thought here. Maybe I could try a Mr. Clean magic eraser on a very tiny section to see if it makes a difference? The only thing I can think of is literally (and gently!) removing the glossy layer on top...... It's a thought .....

 

Have you tried Dawn dish soap?

 

I have not, but maybe I'll give it a try. I figured using 50/50 isopropyl solution would be pretty aggressive to strip anything off...

I think I may try some dish detergent and a brush to work it in, just to see how it goes, and reserve a magic eraser for a last ditch effort.... still not sure about that.

 

I'd be wary of using isopropyl on leather man, going to dry it out.

I used 303 on my dash in '22, still a matte finish.

I would try using saddle soap and a leather brush to work it in. Also polarized sunglasses negate dash/rain light reflection, so you could get a pair of those and never notice it again.

 

The dashboard isn't made out of leather, and I diluted it 50/50, anyway.

I just got the car so I haven't put my sunglasses in there, but they are polarized. I'll try that out and if that solves it then I may worry less about it. I would still prefer a matte finish, though. We'll see how it goes.

 

This.

Wipe that isopropyl off with slight warm water. 303 is the best stuff and it help prevent cracking also.

 

Mine isn’t particularly shiny but the reflection in the windshield is tiring and distracting. And a cover would also reflect in the windshield. Is it the slant of the window, how close it is to the dash or what? I’ve had other cars that didn’t reflect at all or not near as badly.

 

NuLuxe or otherwise, you shouldn't put isop on anything like that. I'd still use saddle soap on it or any other leather care product to keep it clean and pliable.

 

I agree, it sure seems like its just the angle of the dash compared to the glass.

I grabbed my Ray Bans today and they eliminate the glare 100%. I may try a few other products to reduce the glossiness of the dash but it's definitely less of a concern at this point.

These cars suffered from "sticky dashboards" with extended UV/sun exposure, so whatever the material is, it's some sort of vinyl or synthetic material. It's probably just seen enough Arizona sun to degrade a bit and go from matte to glossy. At least it's not sticky.

On another note, replacement dashboards for these cars only cost about $67... it is tempting to just grab one while I still can and put it up somewhere in case I need to swap the whole thing out (especially if the servos go bad!)
https://parts.belllexusnorthscottsda...-30770-C0.html

 

I believe it must be caused by the slant of the windshield. The windshield acts like a mirror tilted down towards the dash. If it was possible to tilt it away from the dash, like a mirror, it would reflect something else or nothing at all if not pointed at a nearby surface. The reflection in my C6 Vette’s windshield which was tilted way back had a similar issue.

 

Polarized sunglasses for me.

 

This is the way to go. The sticky dash failures aren't one off quality issues, it's a material spec issue. It isn't an "if", but a when the dash is going to fail, and that seems to be fully related to how much sun/UV and heat exposure they get.

Dressing with UV protection, ceramic tinted windshield, or a sun shade will all help prolong it for sure, but if long term ownership is a concern, it's probably best to be prepared with a new dash replacement. Couple that with the risk of the HVAC servos, if those go then it is a no brainer to replace the full dash.

 

Glare is unavoidable in this car with the rake of the windshield and slight sheen of the dash. I put a black dash mat and its no longer an issue.