Need Interior Help - Auto Geek Recommendation Destroyed my Buttons

Z

zakiu

New member
Joined
Jun 1, 2007
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hello,

I made an inquiry today with Matt, one of the online chat people here at the auto geek store. I explained that the previous owner of my low mileage '00 collector grade s2000 had installed a dash kit on the car, and I was wondering what adhesive remover would safely remove it.

Instead of recommending a product to purchase, he recommended using Goo Gone. He suggested using it on an inconspicuous area and I explained some areas did not have one. He said it should be safe on those aluminum areas. I asked about 3M products and he did not recommend anything.

Well, the Goo Gone started to strip the paint off of my dashboard buttons. I logged back in to update him. I was unsatisfied that he had recommended a non-automotive product and wanted to update him so that he would not recommend the product in the future. He said that it was no surprise to him and ended the conversation abruptly and terminated the chat without helping me at all.

What do I do now? Is there any way to fix the button? As soon as I realized it was happening, I took water and washed the stuff off, but the button is damaged. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Maybe take some pictures so we can what happened and go from there.There is alot of people on here with some great ideas
 
I have used 3M Adhesive Remover, but I'm not sure if it would be right for your application.
 
Last edited:
AeroCleanse said:
I have used 3M Adhesive Remover, but I'm not sure if it would be right for your application.
Click to expand...
When i remove those wood kits i start with a heat gun to loosen everything up first.There is alot of products out there that are made for removing that glue.And yes i agree about the 3m product they do make some great things.I've also used prep-sol
 
3M adhesive remover will eat plastic so it would have probably done the same thing to the dash buttons.
 
I agree most cleaners harsh or not will probably remove the white lettering on dash controls. Unfortunately most people do not realize that and what happened to the op is going to happen.
 
I have to agree with Harleyguy about using a heat gun to soften up the glue first and see what that leaves you with. The 3M stuff is to strong for what your trying to do in my opinion, maybe nail polish remover. For sure you would want to use the weakest product you can find first. Good luck and let us know of the outcome.
 
It might be worth checking with the Honda dealer to see if the buttons can be replaced.
 
killrflake said:
I have to agree with Harleyguy about using a heat gun to soften up the glue first and see what that leaves you with. The 3M stuff is to strong for what your trying to do in my opinion, maybe nail polish remover. For sure you would want to use the weakest product you can find first. Good luck and let us know of the outcome.
Click to expand...
Nail polish remover will eat everything in site.Remember it's made to remove a form of paint.It's an acetone chemical.If they used the 3m double sided tape like most of those kits use that stuff is a bear to get off .3M also makes an activater they use to prep the surface so the 3m tape will always hold.If you don't have a heat gun you can always use a hair dryer
 
Would be messy, but for this application, WD40 wouldn't strip the paint on the buttons, correct? From my experience removing stickers from tabletops at work with all I had at the time, WD40, it seemed to work great, without leaving any smudges, or color on whatever cloth I used to wipe the residue. Although you'd want to clean the slick mess up with a simple APC wipe down.
 
+1 for trying WD40...I found it good to clean some mess of the door jams in my dads car that quick detailer, water and a diluted car wash shampoo on a cloth wouldn't remove although as mentioned above, you'll want to clean it off with something, maybe a good interior shampoo.

It might take a bit of work, but it should be safe, no guarantees though.
 
I would also note there are two versions of Goo-Be-Gone. One is water based and a bit easier on most areas. The second is solvent or oil based and much harsher. I have used the water based one in some car care places without issue, and would have suggested testing also. I do think 3M Wax/Adhesive Remover, Prepsol, and other commercial strippers would be to harsh in these areas. My worry with WD-40, is the material the dash is made of ...it could soak in and discolor those areas.

I might suggest a heat gun to loosen the cover, then something like isoporyl alchohol to remove the gummy. I too would suggest testing in small area unseen also first.
 
I concur with the heatgun and a glass style MF. GOO GONE & GOOF OFF don't confuse the two ! Goof Off will eat through an automotive paint product or take the dash cover paint right off.
 
Hi. Notice this is your first post. Let me start by saying :welcome:. Just food for thought; could this be a flaw that was previously covered up to make the car look collector grade?
:iagree: with Matt that you want to try the product on an inconspicous area. Can you send us some pictures?
 
No, the button was never covered up. It was perfect. As was everything under the kit. The kit was put on when the car was new.

I am not interested in uploading photos to improve a forum run by people that advised me to damage my car through detailing. I am much more careful and had it not been for the recommendation, would have taken a much slower safer route. I have been slowly taking the material off over the course of 2 years as I've felt like it. There was no rush on my end.

I was sorry to hear that someone from auto geek recommended a product that would damage my plastic buttons after I asked for a safe recommendation. Especially considering he then told me after the damage was done that he knew it would damage the painted plastic.

Then the attitude he gave me to the point he just closed the chat window? I expect that out of a #####, not a human being.
 
We're only human, we all make mistakes. You asked for a recommendation, and from the git go you weren't comfortable with it but you followed through with it anyway. So I don't see why you're taking it out on him. It's not like he forced you to do it. There is Google, where you can get tons of hits on how to do take off a dash kit. Sorry about what happened, but there are too many variables here to only blame him.
 
Sorry to hear of your mishap. But I see after several months your back on the forum. :welcome: BACK! As with anything you do the first time, recommended or not you have to test you procedure. :idea:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top