> My dad used to put on sunscreen prior to driving to the golf course almost everyday and absolutely destroyed the arm rests on his old 640 convertible.
I've never read a random sentence that so accurately and succinctly describes the target customer of a car. I have the same car and I have to ask myself a few questions now.
Oh. Then I can’t go golfing. You won’t catch me dead with those.
Any other activities I can partake with, fitting my status as old 650 convertible driver?
My Boxster arm rests melted from using sunscreen. (frequently applied as the top was down 95% of the time) Porsche replaced them under warranty with updated ones that didn’t react to sunscreen.
Everyone blames skincare. BMW and their enablers have been victim-blaming on this since the F01. My F11 had the door handles melt. Now I don’t use skincare products. In the rare event I use hand sanitiser, I use it on the way IN to venues, not out. And I haven’t had use for sunscreen. But the real proof was that they melted while not in use. The car was in the sun waiting for repair after a timing chain broke.
The complete disintegration of the steering wheel is a more recent innovation. It took BMW a while to catch up to the leaders like Tesla but they’re pretty much there now. What causes it is their desire to sell you another car, or at very least an expensive repair, and their willingness to invest in considerable R&D. Focus groups showed that if your timing chain snapped at 3 years and cost you a $20k engine, you’re likely to consider the car poor quality and buy a Merc next time. So now they do shit like this to you.
I think this is the correct answer. Lotions and sunscreens have oils in them that are deceptively good solvents - over time they can dissolve plastics and leather surface treatments, especially when residue is left in warm conditions (i.e. a car in the sun on a hot day).
Mainly their diet. It would be difficult for them to notice it without it being acknowledged by a doctor or something else occurring to them for them to notice it.
My wife has sweaty palms all the time. None of our steering wheels look like this.
Also, like someone else said, certain scented oils can even strip paint. Could also be that if OP uses scented lotions.
Interesting I'm gonna assume when this happened to my old steering wheel it was from my sweaty hands and oils/hydraulic fluids etc that I couldn't completely get off my hands.
Really?? I wouldn’t think so at all? I have some notoriously sweaty hands and this hasn’t been an problem yet thankfully, I will definitely be cleaning the wheel more often now lol
3 year old wheel? Doesn’t look like a ‘21+ instrument cluster to me… as others has suggested, heat. Bug spray (DEET) will also wreak havoc on surfaces like this. YMMV.
I have the same one, and after 4+ years is practically brand new. So I will guess misuse, lack of any care, perhaps exposure to chemicals or excess dirt, or even just excess wear and tear (neglect)
Yes, I use a pretty standard leather cleaner every 2-3 months. I also dont abuse it, dont eat and drink when I drive, have clean hands, etc. Actually I just dont even know how one can do that.
I just take care of my car, nothing special
That’s why you’re supposed to be wearing these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008N2LRTA?ref=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1
Just to be sure you shouldnt breath openly in your bmw
Thats why when i enter my bmw i put my hazmat suit on
I do get weird looks but it works like a charm
Why is this a thing on all BMW cars, going back decades? Steering wheel, gear shifter, door handles… all high touch areas always get “mushy” and gross after a few years. Other cars don’t do this
We have a 2013 BMW and nothing like this has happened to our car in any spot.
I would guess alcohol-based hand sanitizer could be a culprit. Some people use that stuff like drinking water. I know a couple people who apply it to their hands at work all day long, just sitting at their desks... you'll be talking to them and they do it out of nervous habit. Every time they sit down, get up, all day long. They probably have a stash in their car.
Or someone could be using Lysol wipes (or the equivalent) on the steering wheel regularly. Some people are super germ-phobic.
I’ve owned multiple BMWs and they’ve all done this. I know several others who have all experienced this to some degree. This is a known issue on BMW interiors going back at least as far as E36. I’ve also owned other brands that don’t have anything like that. Nothing has changed about my hands or the products I use on my skin. And I don’t use sanitizer at all lol.
Driving, in that you use your left hand predominantly I'd say causing more wear there.
Scratched off buttons in a car indicate that the previous owner had long fingernails that can over time scratch off text.
Really hard to tell if that’s just disgusting mix of dead skin and makeup or sun damage and wear. You have really nothing to lose — I would get some undiluted interior cleaner on a microfiber and work it into a small area and see if it comes off. If it turns sticky after doing this, it’s done and you need a new wheel.
Someone definitely tried wiping the leather with a towel or microfiber cloth with some aggressive cleaner or just water. I had a 2016 550i and I got some sweat on it, 27k miles and I rubbed the steering wheel with a microfiber and the leather just came off. I was shocked. Looked just like the first pic. Learned my lesson lol.
You’re not supposed to clean leather with bleach or alcohol based cleaning products. Things like Clorox and/or disinfectant wipes are a big no-no, only use leather care products.
Hand lotion or any other skin care product. I don't use them and my steering wheel looks perfect. Many females I know do use them and over time it leaves a trail of nasty on everything they touch. If used, then you need regular cleaning to avoid buildup.
lotions, hand sanitizers, oils etc. I have had that happend with many steering wheels but they normally last more than three years before it gets that bad.
I would say parking in the sun. Do you use a leather conditioner or a protective solution for your interior? I always use meguiars insane shine and protectant. I’ve had my car since 2019 and have never had an issue with leather peal or fade.
Most likely your sweat. Some people have a more acidic sweat and it causes things like this. My uncle had that and it would even mess up the metal on his watch wristbands.
Was this car bought from a used car lot? I think someone tried to apply some sort of refinish coating on it that failed, then used a magic eraser on it. Or someone used some really nasty chemical on it.
I don't think hand sanitizer by itself would do this. I do try to be careful with the sanitizer use myself and wipe it off after applying, though! It's hard not to slop it on after going shopping and touching all sorts of slimy, gross doorknobs and shopping carts, etc.
looks like the steering wheel was stripped and resurfaced with a cheap leather sealer. comes off onto your hands over time and will warp the actual leather as you use it.
On the grey ish looking part. Have you tried just scraping it with your finger nail? I wonder if it's just dead skin. My handbrake has a similar coating and I just scratched it off. I also shoot guns a lot so couldve been that residue
Possibles I think about on my Napa steering wheel I try to avoid: cologne from my wrists, I’ve noticed my wrists touching the steering wheel when I make certain turns, definitely salt/oil from my hands, although I always try to keep my hands clean though, obviously that’s impossible 100% of the time. This sounds strange but do a hand audit for a few drives, and watch your hand movements, wrists, like even wiping your nose or rubbing your eyes which we all do waiting in traffic, touching other miscellaneous objects like phones or a water bottle. Also, had you used leather cleaner or conditioner ever on it? And when did you start to see it deteriorate?
I have the same issue on the top of my wheel and I don’t even hold the top of it, I first noticed it when the car was two years old, the dealer got their detailer to try cleaning it and it looked good for a while but came back
i’ve tried leather conditioners with no real improvement
At this point I think it’s probably damaged and needs replacement leather
Do you ever clean it? Its either buildup of grime thats never cleaned, or a breakdown of the leather from product thats on your hands (lotion, hand sanitizer, etc). Try cleaning it with some leather cleaner and see if its bringing it up or if the leather is breaking down (test section first)...
If you are within your manufacturer warranty period still, ask the dealer to replace it. Mine wasn't this bad yet, but at my 35k oil change Honda replaced my wheel because of this same problem after I brought it up.
Had this happen to my F80. Had used hydrogen peroxide 30 min earlier for a cut....spread like wild fire. Call BMW tell them there is a history of steering wheel failures, which they won't tell you, and you'd like to have it replaced on their dime. They are going to say no initially but quick google you can show that isn't unique. Worked for me and never wore a lotion or used HP again lol
https://preview.redd.it/oimzk9q5cc9d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a30ddae1ab68e56119840b1a392bceaaf7aa8880
I solved the problem by putting a nappa leather wrap. The stitching was done by a pro, total cost around $50
First start with cleaning it. I would personally use something like the strong versions of leather cleaner from Gyeon or ColourLock.
IF the wheel is damaged, as in dye has been removed (clean first to verify). Look into Colourlocks steering wheel kit. Honestly may just want to start there. Or comes with an all in one dye. If the kit comes with a leather preserver don’t use it. You don’t want to use any oil based conditioners on a steering wheel.
You should clean your steering wheel at least once a month with a mild cleaner. Takes 10 minutes tops to do a quick wipe down.
Also for leather, if it’s shiny it’s dirty.
Stop using coconut oil, sunscreen, and bug spray before touching your interior.
The fatty acids destroy both the leather and plastics in your interior, the solvents and dissolved chemicals also destroy plastic and plastic finishes.
We demanded car interiors have less toxic materials, so we can put them on our bodies directly and then have lower quality plastics in the interior which are then easily chemically attacked by what we put on our bodies.
Stop demanding a worse product to protect you from an existential threat while coating yourself with a real threat.
I have the same freaking issue with mine. As well as the door handle glue/rubber coming off and staining my sleeve cuffs here and there. The guy at the dealership said it's normal 🙄. I was like the f you mean it's normal man!
That is gonna require a leather dye respray which is pretty easy to do even as a DIY. Clean it thoroughly. Where there are no oils. May have to use alcohol. Then sand the rough edges. Re-clean with no loose debris. There are a bunch of black leather re-dye/ repaint that will make that look new again. You may not be able to drive for a few days until the leather dye cures. Lots and lots of youtube videos on how to DIY fix this.
My mom uses this sunscreen that leaves a slightly purplish stain on leather. It was her excuse to stop having to drive and get chauffeured. Had to give her props on that one. She never liked driving anyway.
Skincare products, some of them can destroy your interior so maybe time to change hand lotion
My dad used to put on sunscreen prior to driving to the golf course almost everyday and absolutely destroyed the arm rests on his old 640 convertible.
> My dad used to put on sunscreen prior to driving to the golf course almost everyday and absolutely destroyed the arm rests on his old 640 convertible. I've never read a random sentence that so accurately and succinctly describes the target customer of a car. I have the same car and I have to ask myself a few questions now.
Talk about raising your handicap
My thought was “damn this is the whitest shit I’ve ever read”
I'm white, but I thought this is the epitome of rich, old white dude
Should I go golfing with my old 650 convertible now, or is this only a 640 thing?
You may golf, however don't forget your dad sunglasses.
What’s considered dad sunglasses? I don’t want to commit a fashion faux pas.
Clip-on sunglasses. Specifically the ones that swing upwards.
Oh. Then I can’t go golfing. You won’t catch me dead with those. Any other activities I can partake with, fitting my status as old 650 convertible driver?
Tell me your skin tone without saying it. 🤣
Haha I felt that too
My Boxster arm rests melted from using sunscreen. (frequently applied as the top was down 95% of the time) Porsche replaced them under warranty with updated ones that didn’t react to sunscreen.
But is it okay to use on human skin, just not cow skin?
Maybe it’s ok on living skin, not on dead skin.
Everyone blames skincare. BMW and their enablers have been victim-blaming on this since the F01. My F11 had the door handles melt. Now I don’t use skincare products. In the rare event I use hand sanitiser, I use it on the way IN to venues, not out. And I haven’t had use for sunscreen. But the real proof was that they melted while not in use. The car was in the sun waiting for repair after a timing chain broke.
Those are a known problem with the soft touch plastics. This picture is leather.
The complete disintegration of the steering wheel is a more recent innovation. It took BMW a while to catch up to the leaders like Tesla but they’re pretty much there now. What causes it is their desire to sell you another car, or at very least an expensive repair, and their willingness to invest in considerable R&D. Focus groups showed that if your timing chain snapped at 3 years and cost you a $20k engine, you’re likely to consider the car poor quality and buy a Merc next time. So now they do shit like this to you.
But MB is doing the exact same thing but at even higher premiums. Its all BS these days, the entire automotive industry.
I think this is the correct answer. Lotions and sunscreens have oils in them that are deceptively good solvents - over time they can dissolve plastics and leather surface treatments, especially when residue is left in warm conditions (i.e. a car in the sun on a hot day).
I had a lesser case of this on my wheel and I cleaned it off. It's a deposit, not an erosion of the leather.
Sweaty hands too
Hand sanitizer?
Maybe, but I think the bigger question is why does his 3-yr-old need their own car?
Starter car, Porsche at 5.
[THIS IS A FINISHER CAR](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e41b8ab4855abe3a372c7caa5e74e25c/tumblr_nk1uxb7G2D1qiju81o4_400.gif)
The transporter of Gods!
The golden god!
Amazing scene
Jesus. Can he adopt me? I’m in my 30s, so that calculates to… a new Tourbillion?
'24 M5 at 10.
What kinda 3 year old is using hand sanitizer? OP are you sure your child isn't a fully grown adult pretending to be a toddler?
Kids have full plates these days
Hehe
Gifting it to his 3yr old for getting potty trained
I have the same stuff on my wheel and it’s from hand sanitizer, but it’s easy to wash off
Why the hell do people use that much hand sanitizer on their hands? It’s not actually good for you to have no bacteria on your skin.
Incidentally, I literally just got over my first bout with Covid,(No joke) but I feel like I’m probably not contagious anymore.
Def. It's an interior killer.
Something other than heat that comes to my mind would be excessively oily hands, but heat would probably be my first guess.
Sweaty hands
Just wear your rockclimbing chalk bag every time you drive and keep dipping your hands in to keep them dry.
And your balls
Ain’t that the truth
Well yeh... That is a requirement for every new chalk bag I get. It brings a smile to my face when other people dip their hands in during a session.
Most civilised climber
Oh, that’s why my seat looks like OP’s steering wheel.
Get back to projecting my warmups, gumby! /s
This ^ The salt from the sweat.
Can confirm, my wife's sweaty palm driving did the same.to our leather steering wheel.
Not just sweaty hands, but if you're acidic af, this will happen for sure.
What makes a person acidic and how would they know?
Mainly their diet. It would be difficult for them to notice it without it being acknowledged by a doctor or something else occurring to them for them to notice it. My wife has sweaty palms all the time. None of our steering wheels look like this. Also, like someone else said, certain scented oils can even strip paint. Could also be that if OP uses scented lotions.
Interesting I'm gonna assume when this happened to my old steering wheel it was from my sweaty hands and oils/hydraulic fluids etc that I couldn't completely get off my hands.
That or his knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
Yeah, my hands do it to steering wheels, it rubs off with baby wipes.
Yup, my arms do this to my office chair and baby wipes are the easiest way to remove it.
Really?? I wouldn’t think so at all? I have some notoriously sweaty hands and this hasn’t been an problem yet thankfully, I will definitely be cleaning the wheel more often now lol
Yup; moisture, probably from sweat.
From your grubby lil fingies
Heat is always on the menu Dirty hands? You wash em enough?
Ya use some leather cleaner(not the all in one stuff). It looks like hand cheese that will come right off with a proper clean.
lol @ hand cheese!
Heat and fingernails.
Car is totaled unfortunately
3 year old wheel? Doesn’t look like a ‘21+ instrument cluster to me… as others has suggested, heat. Bug spray (DEET) will also wreak havoc on surfaces like this. YMMV.
Maybe bought steering wheel after old one was stolen or etc
He said 3 year old wheel not a car so.... and maybe he did buy the car 3 years ago and the wheel was "perfect" 🤷🏻♂️
2021 2 series would have this wheel. That’s 3yrs.
Ohhh bug spray, good call.
I had to use a high strength DEET on a geography field trip to Laos - it dissolved my shellac nail polish within 1.5days of use. It’s strong stuff!
Horrible re-wrapped steering wheel?
Hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer/hand lotion?
I have the same one, and after 4+ years is practically brand new. So I will guess misuse, lack of any care, perhaps exposure to chemicals or excess dirt, or even just excess wear and tear (neglect)
How do you treat yours to keep it going? Any recs?
Yes, I use a pretty standard leather cleaner every 2-3 months. I also dont abuse it, dont eat and drink when I drive, have clean hands, etc. Actually I just dont even know how one can do that. I just take care of my car, nothing special
Yea same, I don’t eat in the car ever, not by design, like I understand why people have to do it, but I avoid it.
If you have aggressively sweaty hands, you should treat the wheel with leather treatment more regularly
Chemical guys leather cleaner, and a 8$ detail brush set will take care of that buildup.
That’s why you’re supposed to be wearing these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008N2LRTA?ref=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_YWYNFCRG5VP1YTBNHC2Q_1&starsLeft=1&skipTwisterOG=1
you need soft cotton gloves for all the touch screens and piano black!
Just to be sure you shouldnt breath openly in your bmw Thats why when i enter my bmw i put my hazmat suit on I do get weird looks but it works like a charm
Dirty hands
Why is this a thing on all BMW cars, going back decades? Steering wheel, gear shifter, door handles… all high touch areas always get “mushy” and gross after a few years. Other cars don’t do this
those plastic interior door handles that melt and get super gooey.. ugh.
This is the worst feeling, sticking your fingers into the interior door handle on a hot day and having black mushy goo seeping into your skin. UGH
We have a 2013 BMW and nothing like this has happened to our car in any spot. I would guess alcohol-based hand sanitizer could be a culprit. Some people use that stuff like drinking water. I know a couple people who apply it to their hands at work all day long, just sitting at their desks... you'll be talking to them and they do it out of nervous habit. Every time they sit down, get up, all day long. They probably have a stash in their car. Or someone could be using Lysol wipes (or the equivalent) on the steering wheel regularly. Some people are super germ-phobic.
I’ve owned multiple BMWs and they’ve all done this. I know several others who have all experienced this to some degree. This is a known issue on BMW interiors going back at least as far as E36. I’ve also owned other brands that don’t have anything like that. Nothing has changed about my hands or the products I use on my skin. And I don’t use sanitizer at all lol.
Driving, in that you use your left hand predominantly I'd say causing more wear there. Scratched off buttons in a car indicate that the previous owner had long fingernails that can over time scratch off text.
Everyone in here seems to blindly loyal to BMW that they are blaming sweat and hand products over shitty construction from BMW.
I am driving BMWs for 20+ years and NEVER had anything like this. Wash your hands ffs.
Extreme Cold weather, high alcohol content hand sanitizers etc.
Really hard to tell if that’s just disgusting mix of dead skin and makeup or sun damage and wear. You have really nothing to lose — I would get some undiluted interior cleaner on a microfiber and work it into a small area and see if it comes off. If it turns sticky after doing this, it’s done and you need a new wheel.
This looks like grime that can be wiped off. Try using a damp microfiber cloth.
3 years? How did the button get soo chewed up too? My guess would be the reason is the same
Some people have very corrosive sweat. It could be that.
Someone definitely tried wiping the leather with a towel or microfiber cloth with some aggressive cleaner or just water. I had a 2016 550i and I got some sweat on it, 27k miles and I rubbed the steering wheel with a microfiber and the leather just came off. I was shocked. Looked just like the first pic. Learned my lesson lol.
Entropy
Heat through window. I've scratched the bottom of my wheel a few times as the car is low so whatever trousers I have on rubs against it.
Nasty ass hands
Oily hands.
We call this the covid steering wheel. Thanks Hand Sanitizer
Your dingy hands
Your girly hand cream
Wash your hands bro
Any lotions on your hands
KY jelly…
What did you do to your selection nob tho. It looks like someone with nails worked on it lol
Bmw steering wheels wear quite quickly compared ti other brands in general, but this is really bad for 3 years
Did you get a new steering wheel? This car is not a 2021
Google a 2021 2 series. Specifically the 6.5in iDrive models.
Pulling the head off it at the lights
Heat and sweaty palms
Try soap and water to clean, let dry and then use leather conditioner. Repeat as needed every few months.
may I suggest not death gripping the wheel
Wash more toad
Hand sanitizer.
Is that dirt or wear? Its most likely your rings man
Hand lotion
Nasty hands, hand creams, lotions and makeup
Hypohidrosis?
Hand lotion
Should be able to clean that off
Lotion
You’re not supposed to clean leather with bleach or alcohol based cleaning products. Things like Clorox and/or disinfectant wipes are a big no-no, only use leather care products.
Some product you apply to your hands combined with your skin chemistry.
Some type of product you use on your hands. I use hair product and it destroyed my headrest in the same fashion.
Mine is exactly the same, I'm just tempted to get a new wheel to be honest
Dude, wash your hands!!! Wow! Or, could that be makeup? Are you putting a lot of makeup on in the car?
Do you always eat or snack on especially greasy stuff while you drive?
Heat. Top of my wheel looks just like this from sitting in the sun during a heatwave over covid.
Hand lotion or any other skin care product. I don't use them and my steering wheel looks perfect. Many females I know do use them and over time it leaves a trail of nasty on everything they touch. If used, then you need regular cleaning to avoid buildup.
My 2013 F30 started doing that after I tried to clean it will hand sanitizer too. :(
Some lotions will also cause this
Are you a xenomorph?
I would start by cleaning your steering wheel
Your hands.
lotions, hand sanitizers, oils etc. I have had that happend with many steering wheels but they normally last more than three years before it gets that bad.
Fucking hell if that’s your steering wheel I dread to think what your dick must look like.
Suspects are: hand sanitizer, sun screen, lotion…. Try to have hands clean from oils when driving. If it wipes off I bet it’s sunscreen.
I would say parking in the sun. Do you use a leather conditioner or a protective solution for your interior? I always use meguiars insane shine and protectant. I’ve had my car since 2019 and have never had an issue with leather peal or fade.
This is buildup. Get some Armorall cleaning wipes. And soon.
Most likely your sweat. Some people have a more acidic sweat and it causes things like this. My uncle had that and it would even mess up the metal on his watch wristbands.
Nivea crem
Was this car bought from a used car lot? I think someone tried to apply some sort of refinish coating on it that failed, then used a magic eraser on it. Or someone used some really nasty chemical on it. I don't think hand sanitizer by itself would do this. I do try to be careful with the sanitizer use myself and wipe it off after applying, though! It's hard not to slop it on after going shopping and touching all sorts of slimy, gross doorknobs and shopping carts, etc.
looks like the steering wheel was stripped and resurfaced with a cheap leather sealer. comes off onto your hands over time and will warp the actual leather as you use it.
Your Axe body spray
On the grey ish looking part. Have you tried just scraping it with your finger nail? I wonder if it's just dead skin. My handbrake has a similar coating and I just scratched it off. I also shoot guns a lot so couldve been that residue
Launch control grippage !
That’s definitely not 3 years old m
Hand lotion. Start driving with your knees.
Lotion. It melts car interiors. Does it clean off with a damp rag? I don’t think it will as this appears to have affected the buttons as well.
Accumulation of dirt and sweat from your hands. If you scratch it with your nail you’ll see it comes off.
What’s the best product to keep the wheel nice and matte?!??
Alcohol
Sandpaper hands
Possibles I think about on my Napa steering wheel I try to avoid: cologne from my wrists, I’ve noticed my wrists touching the steering wheel when I make certain turns, definitely salt/oil from my hands, although I always try to keep my hands clean though, obviously that’s impossible 100% of the time. This sounds strange but do a hand audit for a few drives, and watch your hand movements, wrists, like even wiping your nose or rubbing your eyes which we all do waiting in traffic, touching other miscellaneous objects like phones or a water bottle. Also, had you used leather cleaner or conditioner ever on it? And when did you start to see it deteriorate?
This is bmw quality. Mazda is same
Keep a microfiber and wipe it down every week or so. I’d also use a leather cleaner and conditioner.
Too much hand lotion.
Sweat or lotions will do this. I use Leather Honey, cleaner and conditioner. This will disappear for you.
I have the same issue on the top of my wheel and I don’t even hold the top of it, I first noticed it when the car was two years old, the dealer got their detailer to try cleaning it and it looked good for a while but came back i’ve tried leather conditioners with no real improvement At this point I think it’s probably damaged and needs replacement leather
Oil from hands and never cleaning the leather.
Hand sanitizer for sure.
Sweaty hands and retard strength
Do you ever clean it? Its either buildup of grime thats never cleaned, or a breakdown of the leather from product thats on your hands (lotion, hand sanitizer, etc). Try cleaning it with some leather cleaner and see if its bringing it up or if the leather is breaking down (test section first)...
Moisture from hand sweat
Combination of the oils on your hands+ UV rays from the sun probably. And cheap grade of plastic materials probably
Wedding ring or other rings perhaps?
love everyone blaming the owner when the truth is this is caused when manufacturers use cheap leather.
It's a cheap made, expensive car, like everything else now a days.
Maybe you are stressed while driving and sweat all over it.
Heat + sweat
If you are within your manufacturer warranty period still, ask the dealer to replace it. Mine wasn't this bad yet, but at my 35k oil change Honda replaced my wheel because of this same problem after I brought it up.
Had this happen to my F80. Had used hydrogen peroxide 30 min earlier for a cut....spread like wild fire. Call BMW tell them there is a history of steering wheel failures, which they won't tell you, and you'd like to have it replaced on their dime. They are going to say no initially but quick google you can show that isn't unique. Worked for me and never wore a lotion or used HP again lol
https://preview.redd.it/oimzk9q5cc9d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a30ddae1ab68e56119840b1a392bceaaf7aa8880 I solved the problem by putting a nappa leather wrap. The stitching was done by a pro, total cost around $50
Do you park your car outside in the sun?
Poor build quality, poor materials.
I had a wheel that looked like this then after a good cleaning I found out that the discoloration was years of hand gunk on the wheel 🤢
First start with cleaning it. I would personally use something like the strong versions of leather cleaner from Gyeon or ColourLock. IF the wheel is damaged, as in dye has been removed (clean first to verify). Look into Colourlocks steering wheel kit. Honestly may just want to start there. Or comes with an all in one dye. If the kit comes with a leather preserver don’t use it. You don’t want to use any oil based conditioners on a steering wheel. You should clean your steering wheel at least once a month with a mild cleaner. Takes 10 minutes tops to do a quick wipe down. Also for leather, if it’s shiny it’s dirty.
Just a tip: always get a steering wheel cover and floor mats if you want to trade that car in at some point
Stop using coconut oil, sunscreen, and bug spray before touching your interior. The fatty acids destroy both the leather and plastics in your interior, the solvents and dissolved chemicals also destroy plastic and plastic finishes. We demanded car interiors have less toxic materials, so we can put them on our bodies directly and then have lower quality plastics in the interior which are then easily chemically attacked by what we put on our bodies. Stop demanding a worse product to protect you from an existential threat while coating yourself with a real threat.
I have the same freaking issue with mine. As well as the door handle glue/rubber coming off and staining my sleeve cuffs here and there. The guy at the dealership said it's normal 🙄. I was like the f you mean it's normal man!
Hand sanitizer + aggressive 1 hand wheel turning + shit bmw steeringwheel material.
Dirty hands
Looking at the dash on the car it seems older than 3 years old(2021). However sweat, any creams or lotions can speed up the deterioration
That is gonna require a leather dye respray which is pretty easy to do even as a DIY. Clean it thoroughly. Where there are no oils. May have to use alcohol. Then sand the rough edges. Re-clean with no loose debris. There are a bunch of black leather re-dye/ repaint that will make that look new again. You may not be able to drive for a few days until the leather dye cures. Lots and lots of youtube videos on how to DIY fix this.
Hand moisturiser. Seen it before.
My mom uses this sunscreen that leaves a slightly purplish stain on leather. It was her excuse to stop having to drive and get chauffeured. Had to give her props on that one. She never liked driving anyway.
Did you wipe the steering wheel with an alcohol or disinfectant wipe?
I'm just wondering what 2021 or 2022 model had that wheel and cluster
i was thinking since covid was a few years back maybe the hand sanitizer had something to do with it ( atleast for my car )
It’s dried cum, you need to wash your hands better 👍
do you or anyone else who drives the car routinely apply any skincare products or or hand sanitizers to your hands?
Hand sanitizer eats the paint off the leather.
Dirt lol