What causes dashboards to crack?

[lukasbmw]

I ask because I have not yet replaced mine. I've owned my car 5 years. It's seen a few nights below freezing, but normally deals with typical AZ weather (Dry, awesome winters, hot summers).

The car has never been garaged (sits outside 24/7 under the sun) and I almost never use a shade. I want to keep it from cracking as replacing the dash sucks ass.

[SA E30]

Sorry, I've also wanted to know this.

Also another thing, I've seen some E30's with their dashboards recovered in leather, and I must say I really like it, do u think it's an involved process, cause mine is really badly cracked

[Eurospec]

Armor All is your friend :)

[randomtask37]

Armor All is your friend :)

[Mot]

sittin in heat and direct sun will own your dash eventually, armor all and a sunshade would help alot.

[rs4pro3]

UV rays, dry out the vinyl and cuase it to shrink, and eventualy crack. Extreme tempature changes realy quick can cuase cracks, say you had the head on full blast driving threw a snowstorm and then opened the door and subzero tempatures came rushing in.

[BMW BMXER]

Doesn't armorall dry it out?

[hamann318is]

Doesn't armorall dry it out?

That's what I thought. I just wash mine with a damp rag.

[KenC]

UV rays break the polymer bonds in the vinyl, which weakens the overall vinyl-polymer (your dash is essentially one large molecule) and temperature stress will usually cause the cracks in the weakened areas.

Ken
-Chem minor

[92 mtechnic cabrio]

Armor-All's greasy formula actually amplifies the UV rays.

I know this because I was helping my friend detail his car the morning of Bimmerfest. He has black leather interior.

I used my older armor-all spray with a very-mildly damp cloth and I did the back seats + back panels. He used his Lexol cleaner and conditioner on the front seats and front dash.

By noon, at bimmerfest, the back seats and back panels were scorching hot, like burn hot, while the front seats and dash were still bearable.

I now stay away from armor-all period, although I'm sure it was just a certain formula they used for a while.

[Tuanies]

Too much expanding/contraction will cause it to crack over time.

[KenC]

Armor-All's greasy formula actually amplifies the UV rays.

I know this because I was helping my friend detail his car the morning of Bimmerfest. He has black leather interior.

I used my older armor-all spray with a very-mildly damp cloth and I did the back seats + back panels. He used his Lexol cleaner and conditioner on the front seats and front dash.

By noon, at bimmerfest, the back seats and back panels were scorching hot, like burn hot, while the front seats and dash were still bearable.

I now stay away from armor-all period, although I'm sure it was just a certain formula they used for a while.

You have no idea what you're talking about. LOL. In what way does a hydrophobic compound amplify UV rays? The magnitude of UV rays does not equate to a rise in temperature; rays at the other end of the spectrum (IR) produce more heat.

[lukasbmw]

Luckily quick temp changes just don't happen here in AZ. I'll start using a sunshade and hope that keeps my dash free of cracks.

[Hatchman]

my theory is that the envy everyone else on the road has of your car makes its ego get so big (ie. car's computer) that it just cant be held in...

just a theory

[Gus]

as far as i know dash cracks are caused by the difference in expansion rates

betweent he vinyl cover and the foam underneath......mine (260k) is cracked

pretty bad...its been fixed with a filler but looks like shit.....i just use a carpet

cover...looks a bit naff but beats cracks! and yes....dash replacements are a

bitch...and you cant drive with dash out and everything disconnected...ask

me how i know