Sticky Buttons

Topher57

New Member
Messages
11
Unless you are very lucky, many of you with older Gran Turismos will have varying degrees of wear on the soft touch coating on your dashboard keys. I have unsightly marks especially on the Audio buttons and have read many threads on You Tube and elsewhere that claim to rectify this with a wide range of chemicals like Goo Gone or rubbing alcohol.

Apparently there are two ways in which the manufacturers laser etch the buttons. The first being that they first spray the button with a hard plastic coating and then the soft touch coating and then laser the digits after. The first coating is not affected by the two chemicals and the damages is rectified.

The second way is that the button is only coated with soft touch and then etched. If Goo Gone is applied it leaves just a white button and therefore damages the facia permanantly.

My question is, what method did Maserati use and has anyone been brave enough to try cleaning them?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,546
Best bet is to talk to Lorenzo who re-finishes the buttons for the 4200. He may not be too willing to answer your question directly, however.

I tried some of the solutions on the 4200 buttons, and none of them worked 'as advertised. Maybe just me :)

C
 

Needamaser

Member
Messages
1,491
Best bet is to talk to Lorenzo who re-finishes the buttons for the 4200. He may not be too willing to answer your question directly, however.

I would be confident he wont answer. lol
Maybe get a hold of an old set (or even a couple) and try different methods before out on your pride and joy.
Are 4200 and GT buttons similar feel/coatings?
 

Contigo

Sponsor
Messages
18,376
The easiest way on a 3200 is to remove the console and scratch off the sticky gunk, yes it is time consuming but it makes a massive difference. I need to get round to doing it on the auto 3200.
 

Topher57

New Member
Messages
11
Took the plunge, tested one of the buttons. first with Goo Gone. Removed the sticky film leaving the graphics and perfect plastic. Went about doing the audio facia. Took 2 hours but worth it. I abandoned the Goo Gone as it tended to make the sticky residue even stickier and resorted to removing it with fingernail and dry cotton buds. and then finished off with Meths.
You have to be gentle around the buttons, after all the coating is there for a purpose but the remaining surface looks extremely durable.
Going to tackle the electric window switch surrounds at some point and i'll let you know how I get on.
 

hilts uk

Member
Messages
945
I bought new buttons for my MCV and they weren't too expensive. That left the heater dials and I decided to strip them back to hard plastic as you have to replace the whole unit. They look fine.
 

tasnam

Member
Messages
196
So my question is, having learned about this AFTER I purchased my 2016 GT Sport....is this syndrome "inevitable"?

2016 GT Sport....what are my chances of sticky buttons?
 

Mr.Cambio

Member
Messages
7,096
Best bet is to talk to Lorenzo who re-finishes the buttons for the 4200. He may not be too willing to answer your question directly, however.

I tried some of the solutions on the 4200 buttons, and none of them worked 'as advertised. Maybe just me :)

C

Put all plastics out of the car (even the steering wheel cover) and repainted them. They are like new. Only thing missing are the buttons, that will be the coming wiinter's job.
 

Mattp

Member
Messages
501
If they are anything like the ones on the QP - I used a bunch of baby wipes to move the sticky coating from some of my worse case buttons - the steering wheel, petrol cap, etc...
 

BL330

Member
Messages
1,121
Just be thankfull you don't own a Spyder.
I judged a couple of them recently at the concours and noticed the seat backs were the sticky surface, as was the cabin rear panel behind the seats. They have huge areas to clean off.
With tall drivers when the seat back touches the cabin rear, the sticky material wears out.