Painting the steering wheel: choosing paint for the leather, painting guide

What part of the car does the driver come into contact with most often? Of course with a steering wheel. We cannot take the driver's seat into account. The steering wheel coating wears out over time and also becomes contaminated with sweat and fat secretions. Every motorist whose car is more than three years old and who cares about the condition and appearance of all its parts has encountered this problem. Many drivers solve the problem of a shabby appearance simply: they put a cover on the steering wheel. But painting the steering wheel will do a much better job of restoring it. A leather steering wheel can be restored so that it will be prettier and more attractive than after it was painted at the factory.
We will analyze in detail what, and most importantly, how to paint the steering wheel, in order not only to give it an updated look, but also to protect the coating from the influence of negative environmental factors. To be sure of the quality of the paint, you should purchase a ready-made kit for painting leather elements or buy compositions for protection and painting separately.

In this regard, the painting itself is divided into two stages:

preparation of materials and the steering wheel itself;
the basic process of applying paint and protective elements.

Aftercare

Someone might think that taking care of the steering wheel is far from the most important thing in car care. But in addition to the untidy appearance of the interior, other problems arise: drivers with allergies can react sharply to excess dust that accumulates in the microfolds of the leather covering.

In order for the surface of the steering wheel to remain clean and intact for a long time, it must be properly cared for. It is not enough to wipe your hands with wet wipes before handling the steering wheel: in any case, small grease stains will remain on the coating, which will become more noticeable over time. To thoroughly clean the surface, regularly use special products for car leather care. If desired, this product can be replaced with a regular solution of water and car shampoo. To remove dirt, apply a small amount of product to its surface, wait 10-15 minutes, and then wipe thoroughly with a soft cloth. This process will take you no more than 20 minutes.

Even if you purchase the most expensive and high-quality products for restoring the steering wheel coating, the amount spent will be several times less than when going to a car repair shop. Restoring and painting the steering wheel is far from the most difficult process in car care. To get the job done quickly and efficiently, follow our instructions exactly.

One of the most visible parts of a car's interior to the driver is the steering wheel. It is quite simple to restore the high-quality appearance and pleasant sensations from contact with this element. To do this, you can simply paint or restore the leather using another method. Painting a steering wheel with your own hands is a rather complex and specific process, since the position of this part is not very convenient for painting.

In a car today, the owner can perform many restoration processes with his own hands. However, some parts can be incredibly difficult to paint. The reason for this is not only the price of materials, but also the difficulty of choosing them correctly. It should be noted that there is no point in painting plastic elements - all the paint will remain on the driver’s hands. But there are other ways to bring the product back to normal condition.

in the interior of the car, prepare a protective film for the panel and all surrounding elements;

the film should be immediately behind the control wheel in the car so that you do not paint other parts;

Move the driver's seat as far as possible and open the driver's and passenger's doors;

degrease the leather braid so that the paint adheres properly, remove all dirt;

Before painting the leather, install the film as conveniently as possible to prevent paint from being sprayed in the interior.

If the steering wheel leather is too worn, you can still restore it without a huge investment of money. Painting a car steering wheel can be done in virtually any car, but the preparation must be done efficiently

It is important in this process to choose decent materials and carry out all work professionally

Selecting paint for the interior parts of your car

In order for painting to be successful without problems, you should make a high-quality selection of materials. Often in such cases, painting materials in aerosol cans are used for cars. You do not need a compressor, any preparatory materials or accessories for diluting the paint or preparing it.

You can paint everything yourself without much difficulty if you select specialized material

It is important not only to choose what to paint the steering wheel with, but also to pay special attention to the price of this decision. The more expensive the paint, the better it will last. But buying products of unknown origin with a low price is not worth it

If you doubt whether you can do the painting yourself, it’s better to contact a service, but the price for such work will be at least 3-4 thousand rubles.

But buying products of unknown origin with a low price is not worth it. If you doubt whether you can do the painting yourself, it is better to contact a service, but the price for such work will be at least 3-4 thousand rubles.

Caring for painted surfaces

When using a car for a long time, scuffs inevitably remain on the steering wheel. However, they can be avoided by using a leather cover as protection, which is especially important for drivers with rings on their fingers. Moreover, replacing the braid will cost less than re-upholstering or restoring the steering wheel.

If the option with a case is not suitable, you can use inexpensive silicone polishes. By such means an invisible film is created, on which all the loads are placed. The main condition is periodic processing of the bagel.

In order for the leather surface of the steering wheel to last as long as possible, the material must be treated in a timely manner with special cleaning and leather care products.

In order to prevent serious damage and extend the service life of the leather steering wheel, the material must be promptly and, most importantly, properly cared for. First of all, the leather requires cleaning, for which special cleaners are used to remove dirt from the steering wheel. The sequence of actions in this case is as follows:

The product is sprayed onto the surface, after which we wait a few minutes.
Wipe the material with a soft cloth and apply the cleaner again.
Use a toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas.
At the end of the procedure, wipe the surface with a dry cloth.

After cleaning, the steering wheel is treated with leather conditioner. As for the operation of a freshly painted steering wheel, you need to wait 12–14 hours, or it is better to leave it alone for a day. In addition, the leather surface should not be wiped with wet wipes for a week. If done correctly, the new coating will last for quite a long time.

Video: DIY technique for painting a leather steering wheel

To restore a leather steering wheel with your own hands, all you need to do is purchase the necessary materials and familiarize yourself with the sequence of actions. The work is not labor-intensive, but requires care and precision. If the surface of the steering wheel cannot be restored, you can put on a leather braid or re-cover the wheel with new leather.

Author: Vladimir Dolzhenkov
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What to do with wooden overlays

Luxury cars can have steering wheels decorated with elements made of natural wood. They wear out infrequently because they are protected with very high-quality varnish. But if the driver wears rings on his fingers, the varnish may get scratched.

You can try to polish a small scratch on varnished wood. To do this, it is first sanded with sandpaper, and then, gradually reducing the grain and polishing with paste, the surface is brought to perfection. If the scratch is too deep and in a visible place, then the steering wheel will require a thorough restoration.

Deep scratches on the varnish must be sanded completely. On the steering wheel, this work can be done manually, but it is easier and faster to grind with a portable drill with a nozzle of a suitable diameter. For a good result, it is better to matte the entire element - then the new varnish will lie perfectly.

To varnish a wooden steering wheel, it is recommended to use high-quality polyurethane varnish. This is the most durable, wear-resistant material with sufficient elasticity. Cheap varnishes wear out quickly and can also crack, peel, and so on.

Removal

Car restoration is carried out by the following basic operations: dismantling, braiding, painting, and installing the steering wheel in place. The procedure for removing the steering wheel from the steering column of a car:

Disconnect the cable terminals from the battery.
Carefully disconnect the air bag.
Loosen, without completely unscrewing, the fastening nut in the center of the steering column. Strongly swing the steering wheel up and down. When it comes away from the splines, completely unscrew the nut and remove the steering wheel.

In order to then correctly install the steering wheel, you need to mark its position on the slots with a marker or a thin screwdriver.

Stages of restoration of a leather steering wheel

Before you begin repairing the braid on the steering wheel, carefully inspect it. If there are obvious holes and torn pieces of trim on the steering wheel rim, then it is better to re-tighten the steering wheel. No amount of repairs will help here.

Steering wheel to be restored

Necessary materials and preparatory work

To carry out successful restoration of leather braiding, you need to buy a special kit for restoring and painting leather products in the store. If it is not there, then you can buy each component separately. We will need:

— “Liquid” leather or putty for leather. It is used to remove deep scratches and cracks.

— Reducing polish.

— Leather cleaner: gasoline galoshes or white spirit.

- Masking tape.

— Paint, preferably water-based.

— Sandpaper with grit 400, 600, 1000 and 1200 units.

— Airbrush or spray gun.

— Foam rubber tampon.

Restoration of a leather steering wheel can be carried out without removing it from the car. It is enough to cover the front panel with film and seal with tape the places where paint particles can get: switch buttons, spoke covers, driver's airbag cover.

Protecting the steering wheel with film in preparation for painting work

The quality of restoration work will be much higher if the steering wheel is removed. To do this you need:

Disconnect the battery terminal. Wait 1–2 minutes.
Turn the wheels to the straight position.
Remove the side plugs on the steering wheel.
Using a socket wrench, unscrew the airbag mounting.
Lift the AirBag, turn off the power supply and put the pillow aside.
Use a marker to make marks on the steering wheel and shaft.
Unscrew the steering wheel mounting nut and carefully pull the steering wheel off the shaft.
Using a screwdriver, remove the plastic trim and trim from the steering wheel.
Seal non-removable parts with masking tape.

Restoration of leather on steering wheel

Before painting, it is necessary to remove all cracks, scratches, and dents from the surface of the leather steering wheel, so we begin repairing the steering wheel by restoring the surface.

First you need to sand the surface. To do this, take sandpaper P400 or P600. This will help improve the adhesion of the new paint and remove grease and dirt. After the top paint layer is removed, you need to go through fine-grained sandpaper P1000 or P1200 and sand the skin.
Fill dents, scratches and cracks with “liquid” leather or special putty. Wait 15–20 minutes and sand the restoration area.

Painting leather braid

Before painting, the surface must be degreased. To do this, use leather cleaner, or gasoline galoshes, or regular white spirit. After sanding, the leather will strongly absorb any cleaning agent. Therefore, it is better to use a rag and wipe the steering wheel with it.

How to paint a leather steering wheel? It is better to use water-based leather paint; it is ideal for any type of leather and is much easier to work with. The shade is selected by mixing different colors, as when choosing paint for a car. To paint a BMW steering wheel, 20-30 grams of prepared paint is enough.

The process of painting a leather steering wheel

If you have an airbrush, then it is better to paint with it. It allows you to save paint and apply an even layer. Otherwise, use a foam swab. It is better to apply paint in 2-3 layers. You can apply the next layer immediately; this method is called “paint wet.” This way you can control the absorption of paint into the skin. After painting, you can apply a protective layer of varnish. This will help keep your leather steering wheel in good condition for much longer.

The entire steering wheel restoration process takes approximately 5–6 hours. The work is absolutely simple, but it requires attention and cannot be rushed. There is no point in skimping on paint or a good restoration kit. The packaging of such a kit always contains detailed instructions that will help you carry out high-quality repairs to the leather steering wheel with your own hands.

And remember: the eyes are afraid, but the hands do. Good luck!

How to paint a steering wheel?

For painting, you can use either a brush or an aerosol can. As already mentioned, if the steering wheel is not removed, then you must first protect all parts of the interior and steering wheel that do not need to be painted.

Preparation

If chemical-based paint is used, you may need to use a respirator and goggles to protect your eyes. In addition you will need:

sandpaper 500, 1000, 1500;
tape or adhesive packaging film;
degreaser;
sponge, preferably melamine;
a can for spraying paint, or a brush, depending on how you will paint;
dye;
paint fixer or special varnish.

Step-by-step instruction

The process itself is not complicated. Having collected everything you need to restore the steering wheel, let's get to work:

We protect surfaces that do not need to be painted with tape or film.
We thoroughly wipe the entire surface intended for painting with a sponge moistened with water and any household detergent to remove dirt.
Using sandpaper, starting with coarse sandpaper, we clean the entire surface, removing old varnish and old paint, and finish cleaning with the finest sandpaper.
Degrease the surface.
Using a brush or spray can, apply paint evenly to the surface. The paint is applied in several layers, a minimum of three. There is no point in waiting for each layer to dry; it is better to paint in a row “wet on wet”to achieve uniform coloring.
If “liquid skin” is used to restore the surface, a fixative is used after its application and only then painting is done.
We wait for the paint to dry completely, after which the steering wheel is ready for use.
If you need to restore the decorative inserts on the steering wheel, carefully paint them with a suitable color composition.

Painting plastic and wooden inserts on the steering wheel

Plastic and wood on the steering wheel are used more often as decoration, but plastic is the basis of the steering wheel, and only the rim is covered with leather. There is usually little damage to the plastic part, since these areas are not intensively used, except for the horn and touch control buttons located on the steering wheel.

Buttons and other small parts are cleaned of dirt and old paint with a cotton swab and solvent, dried, and then new paint, selected by color, is carefully applied with a brush. After cleaning, larger parts are painted with a brush or using an aerosol can in a thin layer so that the aggressive components of the paint do not affect the plastic.

Wooden inserts are usually coated with a durable varnish. But if scratches appear on them, they can be eliminated simply by polishing, removing the scratch with sandpaper and using special polishing pastes. Deep scratches are polished to a matte surface, after which the wooden insert is coated with polyurethane varnish, as it is the most durable and elastic.

Installation of repair spikes - reliable or not?

There is a lot of controversy regarding the repair of studded tires. You often come across the following recommendations online:

Expert opinion from comments on the automotive forum

One can only guess about the professionalism of this “expert”. Our specialists would never give such advice to anyone, because the result depends entirely on HOW the studding is done.

If you use the right technology, the spikes will last 1-2, or even 3 seasons. Depends on the condition of the tread and subsequent operating conditions.

Or you can watch a couple of videos on the Internet, spend a few hours in a service provider that provides such a service, and the wheels will return to their original state within a week.

How to stud winter tires

There are two ways to stud winter tires. The choice of one of them speaks of the professionalism of the performer.

Option 1. Tenoning with improvised tools and simple tenons. The spikes can indeed be restored with a hammer, pliers and a screwdriver. All this can be found in any tire shop or more or less equipped garage. You can read endlessly about such methods on auto forums.

Option 2. Studding with repair spikes and special equipment. Instead of a hammer, a pneumatic gun is used - it pushes the edges of the hole apart with “sponges” and ensures uniform force during installation, as well as the placement of the tenon at the correct angle. And one more important point, which is sometimes forgotten in tire shops: the wheel must be carefully prepared, all holes must be cleaned of dirt and debris with compressed air - if this is not done, the stud may become askew and will not last long.

The reliability of the studs, which were installed by an experienced specialist using restoration studding technology, has been tested over the years. Repair spikes have been used everywhere since 2014. After studding using garage methods, they last much less.

Main stage: painting

If the steering wheel were waterproof, you could dip it directly into the paint and hold it there for 20 seconds. But, alas, the steering wheel is not intended for this, so the easiest and fastest way would be to paint it with a spray can. If you don’t have one or you don’t want to waste too much paint, then you can arm yourself with a standard set: a brush or roller. The steering wheel is painted in several layers. Don't wait for the previous one to dry - apply the next one.

This process allows you to control the absorption of paint into the skin, so it will be easier to paint with your own hands (with a roller or brush). If desired, you can paint the steering wheel with a special coating for leather and vinyl with a matte effect.

As you can see, the process is quite simple. Although to some it may seem too painstaking. In any case, you can definitely do it in a day. And if you do not dismantle the steering wheel, then the work will take a couple of hours. The main thing is not to skimp on quality paint or even a leather kit. Usually there are detailed instructions indicating what to apply and why.

Preparation

Work is carried out in a garage, workshop, barn. Required tools and materials:

a piece of leather - natural, high-quality substitute, eco-leather, Alcantara;
nail file, sandpaper 1000 units;
leather paint from Motip;
porous soft polyurethane;
polyurethane glue.

The steering wheel must be prepared for leather covering and painting. Surfaces are cleaned with a nail file and sandpaper. Removes rust, oil stains, dust and dirt. The operation allows you to adjust the thickness of the steering wheel to the driver’s preferences. Usually they like a thick bagel.

The optimal thickness is no more than 40 mm. For extreme sports enthusiasts, 50 mm is acceptable. Polyurethane retains heat well, so this steering wheel is always warm in any frost and soft, which is pleasant for the hands. The car's steering wheel is covered with leather on top of polyurethane. There are several technologies for this.

The easiest way

How to paint and how to restore a leather steering wheel? When answering this question, some car enthusiasts decide not to bother with restoration work. They simply put a cover on the steering wheel and continue to drive the car in peace.

When choosing, you should pay attention to the size of the case. It should fit perfectly on the steering wheel

After all, a cover that is too loose rotates on the steering wheel, which negatively affects handling. This method is relatively inexpensive, but has several disadvantages.

It is not always possible to choose a cover for a specific steering wheel in size. Also, visually such a cover stands out from the overall interior design.

Skin restoration

The renewal process is not always accompanied by painting and the elimination of dilapidated, worn-out coating. Well-preserved leather covering can be restored using specialized equipment and creams with suitable properties. They can be selected according to their characteristics and the presence of the term “reducing agent” in the instructions. The service life of such creams is not very different; the effect is similar to that of shoe polish. These substances do not stain your palms, do not leak in extreme heat, and are reasonably priced.

To prevent destruction, you can use cleaners and impregnations for leather products. They slow down the process of destruction of the steering wheel skin from sweating, dirt and other factors. It is not necessary to remove the leather steering wheel. This is a very difficult job for such purposes. The main thing is to take care of the protection of the dashboard and seats in the cabin. Polyethylene secured with tape will help. You will also need to protect the spokes and steering wheel buttons.

Restoration begins with sanding the surface well and removing the old coating. This work will increase the contact area between the paint and the steering wheel material. The most important thing is to remove the remaining paint, which adheres very weakly and will fall off in the near future. Standard abrasives are suitable - P400 and P600. Before painting, you should use a softer abrasive - P1200 or P1000. After the initial paint has been removed, it is often discovered that cracking of the leather coating has left uneven surfaces that cannot be removed by abrasive.

To do this, you can use a number of techniques:

An accessible way. You will need shoe wax for very rough leather, women's manicure nail polish, cyanoacrylate, and some substances used in folk practice.
Puttying. This is filling the scratch with “liquid leather” or a similar substance, followed by drying and matting.
Alignment. This is filling the damaged area with car leather conditioner and rubbing the soft material with polish.

It is forbidden to ignore the degreasing of the steering wheel surface

But it is important to take into account that the leather covering slightly absorbs such products. Therefore, there is no need to generously water the sanded surface with white spirit.

Wiping is done with a slightly damp cloth or microfiber. It is best to use a leather cleaner in the intermediate period before dyeing.

Materials used

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a new steering wheel for your car is the braid material. Synthetic materials are harmful to humans, short-lived and unpresentable, and therefore such products should not be considered seriously

Environmental safety is very important, especially if children are often present in the cabin. Therefore, in order to ensure the quality of the materials, you should check the corresponding certificate, which must be provided by the steering wheel manufacturer.

Leather steering wheel

This document will confirm the natural or artificial origin of the material, as well as its safety for the environment. If it is not available, it is better to refrain from purchasing the product.

Restoring a leather steering wheel by painting

By properly caring for your steering wheel braid, you can significantly extend its service life. But even in this case, over time, scuffs and small scratches appear on the surface, which do not have the best effect on the appearance of the steering wheel and, as a result, the aesthetics of the car’s interior as a whole. Therefore, drivers quite reasonably ask the question: how to restore a leather steering wheel with your own hands if ordinary preventive measures are not enough? This will be discussed further.

You can hide defects in the coating using coloring agents.

Painting a leather steering wheel can also be done at home - there is nothing overly complicated here. You just need to select the appropriate materials and follow the recommendations. By the way, if you do not want to dismantle your steering wheel during restoration, all procedures can be carried out right on the spot. Just take care to protect the instrument panel from paint. Still, it is much more convenient to work with the steering wheel removed, plus the result will be of better quality.

Preparing for painting

Before you begin painting work, you need to prepare the surface. To do this, you will have to buy a kit in a specialized store designed for restoring leather products. If you don’t have such a set, you can purchase each component separately, and we’ll tell you what to do with it and how to clean a leather car steering wheel below.

So, in the process of preparatory work you will need:

polish-reducer;
leather cleaner (white spirit or Galosh gasoline);
several types of sandpaper with different grits: 400, 600, 1000 and 1200 units;
putty for leather (“liquid” leather);

Surface restoration begins with sanding to remove dirt, grease and old paint residues. In addition, this way you will improve the adhesion of the fresh paint composition. First, use P400 or P600 sandpaper to remove the top layer of paint. After this, the leather must be sanded using fine-grained sandpaper (P1000 or P1200).

The next step is puttying. To do this, many specialists and car enthusiasts prefer to use “liquid” leather, although you can hide dents and scratches with a special putty, purchasing it at any place where car cosmetics are sold. Very minor flaws are hidden with the help of a restorative polish. After treatment of the damaged areas is completed, wait 20 minutes and sand the surface where the restoration composition was applied.

Then you need to degrease the surface with white spirit (or another cleaning agent), but keep in mind that after treatment with sandpaper, the skin begins to intensively absorb any cleaning composition. Therefore, wipe the steering wheel with a clean rag. The final stage of preparation is to protect the steering wheel spokes and the buttons located on it from paint particles, using the same plastic film and tape. Now you can proceed directly to painting work.

Painting the leather steering wheel

Before you paint a leather steering wheel with your own hands, you should decide on the type of paint to use. Which composition is best? According to experts, it is advisable to use water-based paint intended for leather - it is suitable for all leather surfaces. To paint one steering wheel, as a rule, no more than 20–30 grams of prepared paint are consumed. As for the shade, it can be selected by mixing different colors.

Cover other surfaces, such as the horn button

You can apply paint to leather using a foam pad. But if you have an airbrush, then its use is more preferable, since in this case the paint will lay down in an even layer and will be used more economically. It is better to apply 2-3 layers of paint, and you should not wait for the previous layer to dry - apply the next one immediately. This method of painting is called “wet” and allows you to control the process of paint absorption into the skin. Upon completion of the painting work, it would be useful to apply a layer of varnish, which will ensure the preservation of the surface of the leather steering wheel for much longer.

The approximate time it will take to restore the steering wheel of your car is about 5–6 hours. Despite the fact that the work is not difficult, do not rush, and be careful when performing each stage. And it’s also better not to skimp on quality paint and a good restoration kit.

Choice of paint and materials

When choosing materials for steering wheel restoration, you can go in two ways: economical or professional. It all depends solely on your budget and pretentiousness. If you do not want to spend large sums on updating an element of the car that only you yourself deal with, it will be enough to purchase a regular leather restorer. This product is not very expensive and can be found in many auto cosmetics stores. However, it also has its drawbacks, the main one being fragility. This coating will quickly wear off from the steering wheel due to constant contact with your hands. And especially low-quality products will also stain your palms.

Some motorists act even more unconventionally: they buy products intended for the skin, but not classified as auto cosmetics, for example, creams for leather jackets, shoes and even nail polishes. This approach also has a right to exist, because creams cope quite well with their main task - painting over scuffs on the steering wheel.

the use of products not directly intended for the restoration of automotive leather will not give a long-lasting result

But if you don’t want to correct the color of your steering wheel every month, and money is not an issue for you, look towards professional products. They are no more difficult to use than shoe polishes, and the results will be much better and more durable.

Such professional products usually include liquid leather used to restore leather surfaces, paint for automotive leather, as well as various smoothing conditioners and polishes to remove scratches. And with the help of absorbent products, you can remove oil stains that are deeply embedded in the skin.

use liquid leather to restore the steering wheel cover

If you want your steering wheel to be matte and velvety to the touch after painting, use a special matte coating. It eliminates the glossy effect that does not always look appropriate in a car interior.

To choose the right type of paint, pay attention to the material from which the steering wheel is made. Typically, dye manufacturers indicate what type of leather tanning each product is used for. Remember that with vegetable or combined tanning, you will need dyes with a softer composition than with chrome tanning.

Based on all of the above, you can form the following set of materials and tools that will be useful to you when restoring the steering wheel:

liquid skin;
paint suitable for skin type;
absorbent for removing sweat stains;
degreaser;
matte effect finish;
a set of screwdrivers for removing the steering wheel;
a set of sanding paper of different grain sizes;
gray scotch-brite;
masking tape;
protective film for the interior.

Guarantee or “don’t be stupid”

The first solution to the problem is simply a guarantee. Nowadays it’s the way it is (and for many brands) - that the steering wheel wears out (the first signs appear) after a mileage of 40 - 60,000 km, and for a large metropolis such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, this is mere “pennies”. Even if you are not a taxi driver or an employee of a delivery business (flowers, pizza, sushi, etc.), it’s easy to cover such mileage. So what to do! While there is a guarantee, we go to the official dealer.

Wear of the steering wheel skin is the same malfunction as, say, the failure of a stabilizer link or the failure of some rubber bands. And this “position” must be changed under warranty.

Typically, the warranty period for a car is from 2 to 5 years. I would like to immediately note that on German cars, the leather will last the entire warranty period, often 2 years; then you can only restore it yourself.

On other brands where the warranty is from 3 to 5 years, you need to be careful. If it’s 3 years old, then the steering wheel may already be worn out, the IMPORTANT thing is to have time to show it to the dealer before the end of the term. If it’s 5 years, you need to be careful, for example, on cars like KIA and Hyundai, the warranty on all components is only three years or 70,000 kilometers, and after that only on the engine, electronics and gearbox. So you need to be careful, after this period it is useless to download your license.

What else I would like to note is that the dealer can turn on “Vanka”, like “I’m not me, this doesn’t change under warranty, etc.!” Guys, we immediately look for a car lawyer and litigate quickly and efficiently, without wasting time. As a rule, after a prepared claim to the address of the salon, in triplicate, everything falls into place - FOR I AGAIN EMPHASIZE - THIS IS THE SAME MALFUNCTION AS HUNDREDS OF OTHERS, AND IT MUST BE FIXED. BUT only during the warranty period! Remember this!

Okay, I think I’ve given you the essence of the direction, so use it, but what to do if the warranty has expired? How to restore paint yourself and is it possible?

Of course, perhaps for myself I see two ways, I propose to consider each separately.

Aftercare

Car owners often wonder what to paint and how to restore a leather steering wheel. Indeed, during operation, the driver interacts with this structural element most often. At the same time, the steering wheel gradually wears off, which does not have the best effect on the appearance of the interior. Most people do not pay attention to the condition of the steering wheel until it completely deteriorates. And only after that they begin to think about how to bring her appearance back to normal. Moreover, the option of purchasing a new steering wheel is not considered, because this part for any foreign car is quite expensive. But don’t worry, there are very simple ways to solve the problem.

Sheathing

Manufacturers in Asia and the USA cover the steering wheels with four pieces of leather, resulting in four seams. The Germans cover the steering wheel with one piece of leather, resulting in one “macrame” seam. The work is very neat, aesthetically pleasing, pleasant to drive. Japan and Korea use a “pigtail” or “herringbone” seam for cladding.

But the main thing is not the configuration of the seam, but its quality. The steering wheel is held by the driver's hands at all times; it should be comfortable, non-slippery, without roughness, sharp edges, thick threads, or a beautiful structure.

Before covering, it is wrapped with cling film, then with mounting tape.

The markings are applied with a marker and cut along all contours with a stationery knife. The components of the sketch are removed and smoothed out. Having applied it to the skin, use a knife to cut out parts of the braid with an allowance of 5 mm. The parts are sewn together with one round ribbon and soaked in warm water for 20 minutes.

Marks are applied to the cardboard every 8 mm, where holes are punched with an awl. The seam must be made even. After making 10 holes, sew, then sew 10 holes again, and so on. You need to work slowly, carefully examining the result every 15 minutes. The cleaned surface of the steering wheel is degreased with a cloth moistened with alcohol or acetone.

Preparatory stage

Before starting work, it is necessary to cover the dashboard and other elements (spokes and steering wheel keys) to protect them from paint using polyethylene and masking tape. If you plan to remove the steering wheel for painting outside the cabin, then you need to weigh the pros and cons, since there is a possibility of damage to the steering mechanisms with insufficient experience. With the steering wheel removed, painting is more convenient, but most car owners make do with protecting the interior.

Removing the steering wheel from the car

In the event that the steering wheel will still be dismantled independently, then this must be done in the following sequence:

We de-energize the steering wheel by disconnecting the terminals from the battery.
Before starting work, it is necessary to disconnect the power to the steering wheel, for which we remove the terminals from the battery
The steering wheel is turned to the “straight” position.
Using a socket wrench, unscrew the bolts under the plugs.
Loosen the steering wheel lining bolts.
To remove the part, pull it up and disconnect the connectors from the airbags, without needing to touch the capsule itself.
Before unscrewing the nut, it is advisable to place marks on the shaft and steering wheel.
Unscrew the nut and remove the steering wheel.

Restoration of the painted surface

At the next stage of preparation, it is necessary to remove all damage: cracks, dents and scratches on the steering wheel that formed during operation. You can then assess whether a complete steering wheel upgrade is required or not.

To identify all damage to the skin, it must be thoroughly sanded.

In this case, it is better to use sandpaper P400-P600. This treatment will not only remove the old paint, but will also ensure better adhesion of the new coating to the skin. When the rough processing is completed, i.e. the paint coating has been removed, you can use P1000 - P1200 sandpaper.

Then we degrease the leather steering wheel well to ensure uniform coloring and improve its quality. It is best to use a special leather cleaner for this. In extreme cases, white spirit will do. Since leather after sanding tends to easily absorb such substances, the rag should be slightly moistened. If the steering wheel is heavily soaked in white spirit, the material will simply become wrinkled and overdried.

Before painting, the steering wheel must be prepared: the surface is treated with sandpaper to remove the paintwork.

A situation often arises when the initial layer of paint is removed, but unevenness on the steering wheel after treatment with abrasive still remains. In this case, there are several possible ways to solve the problem:

the surface is leveled using leather conditioner, after which it is grouted with polish;
scratches are filled with “liquid skin” (putty), then the surface is dried and matted;
They use shoe wax for rough leather, cyanoacrylate, and also varnish for women's manicure.

Painting

When the alcohol dries, glue is applied and the steering wheel is tightly covered with soft porous polyurethane. A leather cover is put on top and sewn up with medium-section threads. Primer paint is applied to the steering wheel using a spray bottle. The primer dries for 2 hours, then a thin layer of base paint follows with thorough rubbing. Dry with a hairdryer, or you need to wait 1 hour for the first layer of paint on the car steering wheel to dry.

After drying, paint fixative is applied and dried with a hairdryer. Finish painting the steering wheel of your car with polish. It is applied to a soft woolen cloth, and the steering wheel is polished in a circular motion. Then it is put in place and secured with a nut. Everything is done in reverse order.

Painting and priming the leather on the steering wheel

If you do not have any damage that is deeply embedded in the surface, you can paint and prime it yourself. This is the most effective method for abrasions from 3 to 5 years. I have several friends who did everything with their own hands and it turned out impressive!

What we need, firstly, a special set, it includes:

Degreaser
Paint, usually water-based
Finish matte coating
Sometimes the morning is a strong degreaser
Also an ultra-strong cleanser
Putty paste (in advanced cases)
“Stitcher”, a property that tightly binds the putty and the top layer of paint

Personally, I have seen all this in many kits in stores to restore the surface of the steering wheel leather. But often you just need a "degreaser", paint and a matte finish.

That's all. Let's look at the restoration process itself - painting.

Recovery process

What I would like to note before the process is that you definitely need to buy masking tape and a large cellophane to close the interior, otherwise the paint will settle in the interior, which is not what we need.

We cover those parts that do not need restoration, usually these are wooden inserts or central plastic elements. We “wrap” the front panel and the seats in cellophane.

We clean the damaged surfaces with fine sandpaper. Not much, usually until white skin appears.

We degrease the steering wheel and apply a special compound that should remove all greasy elements. If it is not enough, you need to use stronger formulations (morning remedy). After this, we wipe the steering wheel so that there is no dirt or any other grease left.

Then, if there are deep damages, they can be repaired with a special primer.

After this, we apply a layer of paint, simply spray it from a spray can. Apply with “short” movements; you don’t need to stop for a long time at one point, because it will flow.

After it dries, about 30 - 40 minutes, you need to cover it with a matte finish. This is what will fix the paint layer.
If you used a primer, then you need to apply a layer of “crosslinker” before painting. It will fix the primer and prevent it from falling apart.

No matter how clean yours are, the steering wheel cover will still need to be cleaned over time. You can extend the life of a leather surface, as well as delay the need for restoration and painting, with proper care and timely removal of contaminants. And yet, sooner or later, the number of abrasions and scratches will increase so much that drastic restoration measures will become the only correct solution. We will further describe in detail what care should be like and how to restore the steering wheel to its original appearance with your own hands.

What to paint with?

As already mentioned, the range of car cosmetics today is very wide, and choosing paint for the steering wheel is not particularly difficult. When choosing materials, the budget you are willing to spend matters more. Anyone who is going to restore the appearance of the steering wheel themselves must decide for themselves what suits them best. We can only give general recommendations.

Expert opinion

Ilya Vyacheslavovich

Consultant for body repair at krasymavto.ru

Ask a Question

Some car owners use shoe paint. But such paint is not durable and only hides scuffs. It is not suitable for high-quality restoration; it gets dirty and leaves marks on your hands.

Nowadays, auto cosmetics departments sell interior restoration kits for both plastic and leather. It is enough to remove any plastic part of the interior in order to select the desired color.

The type of paint depends on the type of leather. If it is vegetable tanned, then due to increased absorption, you will have to use a large amount of water-based or vegetable-based dye to achieve an even color. And if the finish is rough chrome, then when painting you can use solvent-based paint.

If the coating contains not only abrasions, but also various damage in the form of cracks and other defects, it is best to use “liquid leather” . With its help, the leather surface can be restored to almost its original condition.

Let's sum it up

If you want to improve the appearance of your car, as well as make your ride comfortable, you need to maintain the quality of the interior. Simple maintenance does not always allow you to maintain all the operating features of the equipment. But with the help of painting, any detail can look high quality again. For a steering wheel, this procedure looks quite complicated, but in reality there is nothing impossible in this task.

It is important to choose materials that will perform their tasks without problems. The order in which the work is carried out also affects the quality.

If you are not sure that you can evenly apply a layer of paintwork, then it is better to use the services of specialists. This will often help you get better results, but you will have to pay more money. So choose for yourself which options for solving problems will be the most acceptable.