E30 interior water soluble?

[sneaker]

Well, it rained in Medford today while I was working and my sunroof and windows were open. It didn't get too wet so I figure no big deal. Wrong. As I'm driving home I notice this sticky black crap on my hands. It took me a while to figure it out but it was coming from the steering wheel. My fingers were covered with it. I blasted the heat for a while and it finally dried up. Half an hour later though I was going to the store and the shift knob came off in my hand.

Has anyone else seen this kind of thing before?

The pics I took don't really give you an idea how bad it was but you can see how some of it got on the seat.

-n

[Apex381]

its a 22 year old car and has 22 years of dirt on the steering wheel from what you describe. Get a mr clean magic eraser and clean that wheel.

[GaryE30]

It could just be the worn leather.

[sneaker]

Thanks for the tip Apex.

Yeah, I thought about that but I've cleaned it before and nothing like this ever came off. It was definitely rubber. And what about the shift knob? I suppose that could be a coincidence.

[BigFurryWhale]

You're going to want to check the foam underneath your carpet for moisture. My car got flooded, and drying the carpet was a huge pain in the ass. You can PM me if you have any questions about carpet drying.

[silversleeper]

Just get that old dehumidifier from the garage and sit it on your passenger seat... let it run overnight. You're car will be ultra dry by morning.

[whiltebeitel]

I dried the carpet of a Z3. Take out the seats,take off the rocker panel trim, and raise the carpet up enough to feel under it to the trans tunnel and up to the firewall. If it's wet, with puddling, squeeze the water out of the carpet and prop it up above the floor and towe up the standing water. Let it dry over a night or so. Skip the toweling if it's just damp, and it'll dry faster.

[ivo316]

I dried the carpet of a Z3. Take out the seats,take off the rocker panel trim, and raise the carpet up enough to feel under it to the trans tunnel and up to the firewall. If it's wet, with puddling, squeeze the water out of the carpet and prop it up above the floor and towe up the standing water. Let it dry over a night or so. Skip the toweling if it's just damp, and it'll dry faster.

Or use a dry/wet vacuum cleaner ;)

[Jand3rson]

its a 22 year old car and has 22 years of dirt on the steering wheel from what you describe. Get a mr clean magic eraser and clean that wheel.

Magic Eraser = greatest invention in the history of man.

[Jscotty]

Magic Eraser = greatest invention in the history of man.

That would have saved me plently of beatings that I endured as a child.

[atomic]

or the steering wheel has had a shitty redye or paint job in the past an that was what rubbed off on your hands. I have seen it many times. Some shit car lots detail shop or interior restore specialist does not know how to restore leather and what they have used will rub off. Its not different than what happens when those who want their carpets dyed to match existing color or change color. And end up using paint. What happens it rubs off on your shoes and this could very easily be the same problem.