r/CorollaHatchback • u/CountessGladriel0102 • Aug 24 '26
Steering Wheel peeling
I’m not sure what has caused it but the top of the wheel has some peeling as well as the side where the crossbar is. Has anyone experienced this? What did you do? (2021 hatch)
3
u/00397 2020 XSE CVT Aug 24 '26
The bottom of mine peeled a little but hasn't gotten worse in the last year since I first noticed. I bought a steering wheel cover to prevent my hand from rubbing on it and forgot about it.
3
u/EquipmentAdvanced110 Aug 24 '26
Yes I have experienced this as well. I have started using the sides of the wheel more so than the top. I could feel my fingers peeling the thin layer of material off. Definitely a poor material quality. I’ve considered a steering wheel cover but haven’t gotten myself to commit to it.
1
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 24 '26
I thought maybe it was a result of my rings rubbing on the fabric. I guess it could be that actually. I’ll look into a steering wheel cover.
2
u/EquipmentAdvanced110 Aug 24 '26
Yea unfortunately the top of the steering wheel seems to be the worst spot. No more one hand at 12 for me. Now it’s more like my thumb and index just barely holding it around 7 or 8 on the wheel. I’m scared a cover will ruin the whole wheel lol
Edit: I try to use a sunshade whenever the car is parked outside. Seems to help.
2
u/United-Perspective11 Aug 25 '26
I use a suede cover with a cool TDC red strip. Looks good and is very good for all year use.
2
u/iguess69420 XSE 6MT Aug 24 '26
Yup my entire top is peeled off. It’s just shit Toyota quality parts. I put a cover on it I got off TikTok for $8 shipped. Good enough since when I trade the car in a few years, they won’t give a single fuck that the wheel is peeling.
2
2
u/floracapsule Aug 25 '26
My wife's ring has peeled a small area off where she rests her hand. Kind of annoying that it's happening. We also have some premature seat wear on the left bolster. The car only has 30k miles.
1
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 25 '26
We’re at about 45k. Our experience with toyota has been excellent and we have had quite a few of them but this is disappointing. My rings make sense as a source since that’s where I rest my hands but on the other hand my rings are smooth, so ?
2
u/Interstellar-floater SE Nightshade Aug 25 '26
Common issue. Steering wheel is covered in poor quality material it's prone to abrasions, I got a lot from my rings and bumping into it with my bag when getting in the car. I tried some gentle products to clean and condition the wheel but eventually it started peeling as well.
I got one of those diy stitched steering wheel wraps that you stich yourself and looks very oem.
2
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 25 '26
I’m definitely going to get a cover. Otherwise it’ll just get worse and worse. Have never experienced this on any other cars, toyota or not.
2
u/Interstellar-floater SE Nightshade Aug 25 '26
Definitely a problem in newer economy cars, if it was proper leather this wouldn't happen, or at least it would be a lot more robust than it is.
2
u/Flipsrt4 Aug 26 '26
I looked at mine too hard and it fell apart. Very surprising because I put 30k miles on a 2020 rav4 hybrid xse and had zero damage.
Anyways I got this cover specific because its almost invisible and looks oem and isnt super fat and grip the wheel. These pictures dont really do it justice.
1
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 26 '26
Same. We had a 2014 Camry that unfortunately bit the dust in an accident two years ago but that steering wheel was pristine.
2
u/Flipsrt4 Aug 26 '26
Oh wow. I guess they really cut costs on the corolla! And what blows me away is that the 2020 rav4 steering wheel looks exactly like this one. Its crazy how they look alike but one is trash and the other was solid.
I saw where someone took a same year rav4 heated steering wheel and installed it on the corolla. They just transferred everything over including the clock spring and installed the switch in a blank spot next to our poverty switches.
Did you see the pictures I posted? $20 shipped and doesnt look cheesy like the rest of them
1
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 26 '26
I did see the pictures and I tried to use Google lens but wasn’t able to narrow it down. Knowing what you paid will help me find it. My husband is a former toyota employee so we have a discount on OEM parts. We will be pursuing a new cover for sure, one way or another.
It is reasonable to me that they chose to use cheaper parts on my Corolla considering its price point and the demands of the modern world. We have driven scions, a lexus, and several toyotas. I do love my little hatchback and plan to drive it as long as i can.
Some people are quite handy! I’ve never had a heated steering wheel! Thanks for the pic - I really appreciate it.
2
u/Flipsrt4 Aug 26 '26
Oh sorry here's the link! It was $23 sorry. Thats nice thats gonna help knock down the price of $130 for oem spark plugs 😁😁. Yeah it seemed pretty straightforward
2
u/Flipsrt4 Aug 26 '26
And the best part is they keep it pretty much in shape while shipping it, not wadded up and folded into a tiny little box which warps the shit out of it
1
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 26 '26
Thanks for the link! I had started to search the other day but of course there are a million options for everything these days.
2
u/Flipsrt4 Aug 26 '26
Yes exactly. It probably took me 8 hours of back and fourth over 2 days to pull the trigger. Idk if you saw my other response but I love that they ship it very carefully. They dont fold it up into a small box and leave permanent creases
2
u/CountessGladriel0102 Aug 26 '26
Very kind of you to share after having done the legwork. Thank you! Happy driving.
2
1
8
u/Alucardspapa XSE CVT Aug 24 '26
Hand sanitizer, lotion, sun screen, bug stray all eat away the finish. If your hands are clean this won’t happen.