1. Marker-type marks on the plastic can be removed by a light rubbing of a rag with laquer thinner on it. Sounds horrible. Has worked for me IN EVERY INSTANCE. Don't apply any pressure or you'll pull the color off. Works great. Treat immediately after with a plastic polish/cleaner product as the thinner dries out the plastic

2. No idea. Drive a 92 with no passenger-side airbag and you'll never have this problem again.

3. The stalk folds are easy. To remove, spray the stalks with WD-40 so the folds slide off without scuffing the white lettering. Soak the folds in BOILING HOT water-no cleaners. The grime melts right off. Use a cleaner wipe in the folds for added measure. Let dry. Reinstall. The difference is amazing.

 

That's what made me think of acetone in the first place. Since that didn't work, I'm thinking thinner wouldn't, either?

Trust me, I've thought about removing it and putting the space to use with cup and laptop holders, disco ball, stuffed animals...

Thanks, softening the rubber up makes a lot of sense. I was struggling to get through that dry, crusty barrier with them on the stalks.

 

Hmm, are you sure this works on the SC? Or maybe your year has a narrower stalk? I don't see any possible way my rubber boots are sliding over the stalks without tearing. I was able to pry one off the white plastic lip it clips onto -- that's like a third or less the diameter of the biggest portion of the stalk it would have to pass over -- and that was darn tough to get it back on over the lip.

I don't know how hard it is to remove the stalks and slide the boots off that way, but that seems a heck of a lot more doable.

 

I'm on my 3rd SC. Those folds were always an eyesore when they were dirty...even though technically you can't see them when driving. You can muscle the hell out of them with no worries. That's also why you use the WD-40.

 

Laquer thinner is stronger (and harsher) but a plastic conditioner immediately after prevents drying. Trust, it works very well.

 

Well, I tried again and failed miserably. I would have to strongly caution others against trying this method unless you have reason to believe your rubber boots are in good enough shape to withstand the abuse. I wrestled with one of them quite a bit, eventually partially tearing 2 or 3 of the folds (deep enough in the fold that it isn't readily visible), stretching the smaller end enough that it doesn't quite clip onto the white plastic bit at the smaller end of the stalk, and distorting the overall shape of the boot. All that and I couldn't even get it up and over the small end of the stalk. There's absolutely no way it's coming off in one piece.

Maybe the combination of 8+ years in the Texas sun and who knows how many years of my interior being extra hot because of the faulty HCV actuator cooked the rubber more than your three examples?

However, Plan B met with moderate success: I brought the boiling hot water out to the car and dabbed it on with a scouring pad long enough to moisten things, then scrubbed as much of the grime off as I could. It isn't perfect, but it's good enough to not immediately catch the eye now. Of course, getting water around the steering column isn't the best idea, so we'll see if the car will start now...

My only thinner says not for use on laquers, so I'll have to wait till later to try that.

 

Ugh, definitely don't risk damaging the boots on the indicator stalks:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...er-levers.html

That explains why I couldn't find them listed on Sewell's schematics. Double whammy: 1) materials flaw that results in the rubber oozing over time, and 2) the boots not being replaceable on their own. I was wondering why I've never seen another car get caked on grime like that. Makes sense being the rubber itself that is to blame.