Touching up orange dashboard stitching

[dparm]

Hi all, new member but long time clean car-obsessive.


I recently bought a 2021 Nissan Titan PRO-4X, my first ever new car...and first ever truck. Unfortunately, my trusty Einszett/1Z Cockpit Premium seriously messed up the [vinyl?] dashboard. I felt absolutely sick. The dealer, my local Cquartz/Xpel shop, and even an auto interior repair place weren't 100% sure what happened but it almost looks like it dissolved some of the finish or clouded it. It's baffling as I've used this product on my other car with zero ill-effects. We tried numerous other cleaners to see if it was just residue but nothing worked.


Our only solution was to re-dye that portion of the dashboard which worked fairly well. Despite their very best efforts to mask, however, some of the orange contrast stitching did get a bit of overspray and now looks a shade darker in spots. 95% of people probably would never notice this but since it is right in my line of sight above the instrument cluster, it's driving me nuts! To the untrained eye, it would probably just look like dirty or faded stitching. Below are two photos showing the difference in the stitching color.

I am unsure how to fix this but had a few ideas:


1. Orange fabric marker -- cheap and low risk
2. Orange paint applied with ultra-fine dabbers -- cheap but higher risk
3. ???
4. Replace dashboard -- expensive


The interior repair place advised against using something like diluted laundry detergent on a toothbrush to clean the overspray from the stitching as it might remove some of the new dye they laid down? I certainly don't want to undo $300 worth of work and be right back to where I was. Replacing the dash is of course last-resort.


As an aside, I'm also insanely paranoid now about using anything to clean this truck's interior.


View attachment 72116View attachment 72117

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Hi all, new member but long time clean car-obsessive.

Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:

I recently bought a 2021 Nissan Titan PRO-4X, my first ever new car...and first ever truck. Unfortunately, my trusty Einszett/1Z Cockpit Premium seriously messed up the [vinyl?] dashboard. I felt absolutely sick. The dealer, my local Cquartz/Xpel shop, and even an auto interior repair place weren't 100% sure what happened but it almost looks like it dissolved some of the finish or clouded it. It's baffling as I've used this product on my other car with zero ill-effects. We tried numerous other cleaners to see if it was just residue but nothing worked.

Bummer man. :dunno:

I don't have any experience that I can recollect with the Einszett line of products. Just one of the brands I've never played around with?

Our only solution was to re-dye that portion of the dashboard which worked fairly well.

Too late for these two recommendations then, both agitated lightly with a horse hair detailing brush or just massaged over the stitching with a microfiber towel and then blotted out.

303 Multi Surface Cleaner
Hydrogen Peroxide

Despite their very best efforts to mask, however, some of the orange contrast stitching did get a bit of overspray and now looks a shade darker in spots. 95% of people probably would never notice this but since it is right in my line of sight above the instrument cluster, it's driving me nuts! To the untrained eye, it would probably just look like dirty or faded stitching. Below are two photos showing the difference in the stitching color.

I am unsure how to fix this but had a few ideas:


1. Orange fabric marker -- cheap and low risk
2. Orange paint applied with ultra-fine dabbers -- cheap but higher risk
3. ???
4. Replace dashboard -- expensive


The interior repair place advised against using something like diluted laundry detergent on a toothbrush to clean the overspray from the stitching as it might remove some of the new dye they laid down? I certainly don't want to undo $300 worth of work and be right back to where I was. Replacing the dash is of course last-resort.


As an aside, I'm also insanely paranoid now about using anything to clean this truck's interior.

The thing you want to to is difficult and tricky. Outside of what I would have tried above, I'm not sure what else to suggest?

Here's your pictures,

In your gallery here,

dparm Gallery - AutogeekOnline Gallery

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

For what it's worth...

I feel your pain.


My wife's car was at the Infiniti dealership for 2 months being repaired. After we received the car back the light colored leather interior and the white STITCHING were dirt-stained in the driver's side bolster area where the mechanics or technicians would have been getting in and out of the car over and over again.

My wife was pissed. More than anyone I know she is THE Interior Detailer. Bar none. Our car was PERFECT when we turned it over to the dealership.


I had her GENTLY apply and rub the 303 Multi Surface Cleaner into the stitching and it's a lot better but it will never be perfect again - just to hard of an area to clean without also causing damage.


And "yes" I have pictures of ALL the damage the dealership did to the inside of the car. As I get time - I'll be doing a full write-up that I will send to Infinity.


:nomore:


This car was perfect inside and out before the dealership got her dirty.

Review: PBL Paint Coating & Surface Coating - 2017 IFINITI QX30 - Magnetic Red

:buffing:

 

[dparm]

Too late for these two recommendations then, both agitated lightly with a horse hair detailing brush or just massaged over the stitching with a microfiber towel and then blotted out.

303 Multi Surface Cleaner
Hydrogen Peroxide

Thanks Mike, the interior repair guy tried a few of his cleaners just to be certain -- he uses them to prep surfaces prior to painting (degreasing). I also tried P&S's Xpress Interior Cleaner, diluted dish soap, and Sonax's foaming fabric cleaner. We even tried a heat gun to see if it was something that could be softened up and wiped away but no cigar.

Any thoughts on the fabric or paint pens? I have seen people use these to turn white stitching another color, but that's arguably the easiest application.

Nissan quoted me $3500 to replace the entire dash. That's a lot less than I expected, so my plan is to just try the fabric marker or dabber of paint, and if I really mess it up or hate the result, I can always just let Nissan deal with it if it still bugs me.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thanks Mike, the interior repair guy tried a few of his cleaners just to be certain -- he uses them to prep surfaces prior to painting (degreasing). I also tried P&S's Xpress Interior Cleaner, diluted dish soap, and Sonax's foaming fabric cleaner. We even tried a heat gun to see if it was something that could be softened up and wiped away but no cigar.

Those are all good options. The problem with this type of thing is the stitching or STRING is simply difficult to clean due to how it's embedded into the vinyl material and - it's simply not the easiest thing to clean anyways.

Any thoughts on the fabric or paint pens?

I have seen people use these to turn white stitching another color, but that's arguably the easiest application.

No thoughts about the paint pens - never used one.

If you can get one - just experiment and test in an inconspicuous area. If you can make the stitching in an inconspicuous area look good you can make the stitching in full view look good.


Take one for the team...

 

[dparm]

That's the plan: start with the fabric marker, then move up to the paint if no improvement. Fortunately these can be quickly wiped away before they dry if anything weird happens.

Will report back once the products show up later this week and I give it a try.

 

[2black1s]

If you're seriously considering replacing the dash at $3,500 I'd go a step farther and see what they might do on trading it for another new truck.

Dashboards and all the attached components (especially in new cars) are not really designed for disassembly and reassembly. So many parts are simply snapped together with plastic clips, studs, and sockets. Disassembly is nearly impossible without some compromise to those components and fasteners and there is more than a good chance that you'll end up with rattles and squeaks.

Unfortunately the cure may be worse than the disease... Sound familiar?

As hard as it might be, your best course of action is probably to just live with it as is.

I feel for you. And while some may think you're crazy obsessing over a minor issue, not me, I completely understand. That said, you really do need to give serious thought to the potential unintended consequences before proceeding with any major disassembly of the dash in a new car.

 

[dparm]

If you're seriously considering replacing the dash at $3,500 I'd go a step farther and see what they might do on trading it for another new truck.

Dashboards and all the attached components (especially in new cars) are not really designed for disassembly and reassembly. So many parts are simply snapped together with plastic clips, studs, and sockets. Disassembly is nearly impossible without some compromise to those components and fasteners and there is more than a good chance that you'll end up with rattles and squeaks.

Unfortunately the cure may be worse than the disease... Sound familiar?

As hard as it might be, your best course of action is probably to just live with it as is.

I feel for you. And while some may think you're crazy obsessing over a minor issue, not me, I completely understand. That said, you really do need to give serious thought to the potential unintended consequences before proceeding with any major disassembly of the dash in a new car.

That was at the back of my mind as well...dashboard reassembly could trade one problem for another.

 

[Jim w]

Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

If you go the marker pen route you may want to look
into Pentel Color Pens they’re a good quality marker.
and of course test in an inconspicuous area.
good luck.

 

[dgage]

I’d test in an inconspicuous area first but after what Eldorado2k did with this seat belt, I’d give LA’s Total Awesome (LATA) a shot.

Filthy seat belts...

I also ordered Chemical Guys Lightning Fast Carpet Cleaner and Nonsense Surface Cleaner after seeing what another member did to a nastily stained headliner. I used (one of?) them on a dark stain in the light tan fabric behind my rear armrest and it was gone in an instant. Who knows what the stain was since my kids did it.

Other than that, I’d probably go for a marker to make it a consistent color and would stay away from having the dash removed. There might be a few high end car audio guys that I would trust to remove the dash but I could count those on one hand that I’m familiar with and confident could do it correctly.

 

[glen e]

There is a specific fabric pen that is Japanese that is used to do this. It’s been used over at the Camaro Forum for several years. I can’t remember it’s name but maybe you can Google it. It is an extremely fine point that allows you to stay exactly on the stitch and not color the surrounding area.

 

[dparm]

There is a specific fabric pen that is Japanese that is used to do this. It’s been used over at the Camaro Forum for several years. I can’t remember it’s name but maybe you can Google it. It is an extremely fine point that allows you to stay exactly on the stitch and not color the surrounding area.

Is it Marvy Uchida, by chance? I had actually found that on my own and it's already en route.

 

[glen e]

I think that’s it...go slow, let it soak in....If you’re doing a whole dash or a whole seat, I found it was good to use 2 or 3 pens, because the tip is super fine but dulls fairly quickly…

 

[PA DETAILER]

Yea. I would have FREAKED on a new truck. Nice truck BTW. Can't understand how a safe vinyl/plastic product could have clouded that dash! Bad/old bottle or possibly something the dealer used on the dash that interacted with your product? Guess we will never know. Sounds like the dye was your best solution. Good luck with the pen. That is going to be some painstaking work.

 

[dparm]

Yea. I would have FREAKED on a new truck. Nice truck BTW. Can't understand how a safe vinyl/plastic product could have clouded that dash! Bad/old bottle or possibly something the dealer used on the dash that interacted with your product? Guess we will never know. Sounds like the dye was your best solution. Good luck with the pen. That is going to be some painstaking work.

The bottle was a few months old but I have used it numerous times. Who knows. Could have been a defective dash, too.

 

[dparm]

Update: I went over the darkened stitching with the Marvy Uchida fabric marker. There was an improvement on some stitches, but many of them didn't seem to take any of the pigment -- so it looks a little splotchy now. I will try again tomorrow to see if it will take several applications.

Here is an "after" photo. I need to see it in direct sunlight tomorrow. Tonight I will be experimenting on some old rags with the orange paint pen and fine-tip dabber to see how it behaves.

 

[muaddba]

There is an old saying "Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good"
This is not a show car, this is your daily driver car. It's gonna get dirty, and it's gonna sometimes get things on it that you cannot get out. I know the pain of doing something stupid to a new car and making it look less perfect. But over time I have also learned that perfect is not something to be striven for on something that is used in every day life.
Those stitches look near perfect to me. With each attempt to get that extra tenth of a percent closer to perfection, you risk making it worse by a factor much higher than the improvement in this case. There is a reason that the folks who restored the rest of your dash did not attempt to fix those threads. They know that they risk making it worse rather than better, and it is not worth that risk to them.

 

[PA DETAILER]

There is an old saying "Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good"
This is not a show car, this is your daily driver car. It's gonna get dirty, and it's gonna sometimes get things on it that you cannot get out. I know the pain of doing something stupid to a new car and making it look less perfect. But over time I have also learned that perfect is not something to be striven for on something that is used in every day life.
Those stitches look near perfect to me. With each attempt to get that extra tenth of a percent closer to perfection, you risk making it worse by a factor much higher than the improvement in this case. There is a reason that the folks who restored the rest of your dash did not attempt to fix those threads. They know that they risk making it worse rather than better, and it is not worth that risk to them.

VERY SOUND ADVICE. I am a complete OCD nut on my ZR2. But being a daily driver things are going to happen that i can't control. The only way i know to keep a vehicle perfect is buy it new, don't drive it. Park it. AND WE ALL HAVE BEEN THERE where we try to make something better, obsess over it, and in the end make it worse! The way i see it is vehicles are to driven and enjoyed, yet taken care of to the best of one's ability. Sometimes it's a question of does the vehicle own you! This a crazy hobby we are in. It will suck the life out of you. But in end it is one of the most rewarding one's i know.

 

[JDGolden]

VERY SOUND ADVICE. I am a complete OCD nut on my ZR2. But being a daily driver things are going to happen that i can't control. The only way i know to keep a vehicle perfect is buy it new, don't drive it. Park it. AND WE ALL HAVE BEEN THERE where we try to make something better, obsess over it, and in the end make it worse! The way i see it is vehicles are to driven and enjoyed, yet taken care of to the best of one's ability. Sometimes it's a question of does the vehicle own you! This a crazy hobby we are in. It will suck the life out of you. But in end it is one of the most rewarding one's i know.

Totally agree. That said, do you take your ZR2 our and let it play in the dirt/sand/mud etc? My Jeep gets super filthy, and I let it. But I do clean it.

 

[Jim w]

This may help with restoring you dash. I should have thought of this
sooner. Rapidgtaph pens (Koh-I-Noor® technical pens for precise line work)
and this ink Doc. Martin’s Bombay India ink, its lightfast, permanent, and waterproof.