# Chrome trim on steering wheel is shot -- options?



## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

On the center piece / airbag cover of the steering wheel, there's that large silver trim around the Audi OOOO logo that sort of mimics the grille. Well on mine it got nicked a few times over the years. Somehow this compromised the trim, causing the clear coat on it to flake off. Following this, the fragile silver coating began to come off, revealing the whitish plastic underneath. It looks like crap.

Has anyone here had this problem before? Does anyone know if this center piece is sold separately, or would I have to buy an entire steering wheel to replace it?


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

I am in the process of covering mine in Vinyl. 

First round I didn't have a sharp enough knife to get clean edges but I think it will work. 
Other option would be tape it off and paint it?

Here are some pictures from my attempt. Someone else did their trim in this as well. 










****ty edges, I was not happy so I pulled it off and just haven't had time to go back and finish it yet. Plus I am not 100% sold on the color choice. 










Shifter trim was done to match


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Another option is new air bag. - Pretty sure the cover and air bag are one unit. Can't get the separately as far as I know.


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## ceese (Jul 2, 2011)

Don't have the part number but the airbag cover has it's own part # so you can probably order it. I've seen them on ebay from time to time.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

ceese said:


> Don't have the part number but the airbag cover has it's own part # so you can probably order it. I've seen them on ebay from time to time.


Oh **** seriously? When I looked on GAP I thought it only showed one.. thata would be awesome if I could replace it.


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## kgw (May 1, 2008)

Ponto said:


> Oh **** seriously? When I looked on GAP I thought it only showed one.. thata would be awesome if I could replace it.


I found a whole steering wheel with the paddles for $300 on ebay. . .I stupidly dinged my trim up by letting the airbag dangle, thus banging up against the trim! Dealer wanted $300 just for the paddle assembly!


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

That is a score.

I currently have a bid on a fbw for 85 euros... doubt that it will hold haha.


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## neu318 (Feb 18, 2003)

I had seen the actual rings and surround on ebay awhile back, I should have bought them cause mine are starting to look bad.


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## mattA3 (Feb 24, 2010)

I did mine and it is holding up much better then the OEM finish.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5617111-Multi-functions-steering-wheel-button-swap

Be sure to sand or fill any imperfections in the surface or they will show through the vinyl.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Way better then my attempt... Plus i really should have used some heat.


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## mattA3 (Feb 24, 2010)

Yes heat and a very thin plastic card to tuck it in around the edges. I think I used my health ins. card as it was thiner than a credit card but rigid enough.

Also if you remove the vinyl be prepared for the oem finish to look even worse after you take it off.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

mattA3 said:


> Yes heat and a very thin plastic card to tuck it in around the edges. I think I used my health ins. card as it was thiner than a credit card but rigid enough.
> 
> Also if you remove the vinyl be prepared for the oem finish to look even worse after you take it off.


ooooh does it ever. And thanks for the tip! Was wondering what to cut it with..> Figured my knife I used wasn't sharp enough.


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Thanks for posting about this vinyl covering alternative, Ponto and Matt. Looks really good. Is it durable? Do reasonably good instructions come with the sample? I realize it won't look as good as OEM, but it's the kind of thing where you probably won't even notice. I've been looking for a replacement cover and they just don't appear for sale. Steelership will probably charge an absurd price as well.

About the color choice Matt, I see you selected matte gray aluminum. Do you think it should be lighter? There's also a matte silver.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

absolutt said:


> Thanks for posting about this vinyl covering alternative, Ponto and Matt. Looks really good. Is it durable? Do reasonably good instructions come with the sample? I realize it won't look as good as OEM, but it's the kind of thing where you probably won't even notice. I've been looking for a replacement cover and they just don't appear for sale. Steelership will probably charge an absurd price as well.
> 
> About the color choice Matt, I see you selected matte gray aluminum. Do you think it should be lighter? There's also a matte silver.


No instructions... haha use heat to stretch it over the ring then you have to trim it.. I used a blade and it didn't work well, Sounds like Matt used a card and it worked well..

I find the Matte Grey (used exact same as Matt) a little dark for my tastes, going to try something else but not sure what yet.


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Ponto said:


> No instructions... haha use heat to stretch it over the ring then you have to trim it.. I used a blade and it didn't work well, Sounds like Matt used a card and it worked well..
> 
> I find the Matte Grey (used exact same as Matt) a little dark for my tastes, going to try something else but not sure what yet.


Huh. OK, I'll have to read up on this more. I was under the impression that there's some kind of adhesive and then heat it used to "shrink" it tightly over the surface. Did you use just a regular household hair dryer? Or do you really need a heat gun?

In the photos Matt provided, the matte grey aluminum looked about right, but that could just be due to the lighting for that photo. I'm going to order a few different ones, including the matte silver and brushed aluminum. The brushed black metallic might be cool, if the front grille has a black grille surround to it. :thumbup:


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Nope this stuff has adhesive right on it. Essentially like a decal. Just peel and stick. Haha and hair dryer should work great. Don't want to get to hot. Just enough to make it stretch well and keep all the wrinkles and bubbles out. 

Sent from my Igloo


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Ponto said:


> Nope this stuff has adhesive right on it. Essentially like a decal. Just peel and stick. Haha and hair dryer should work great. Don't want to get to hot. Just enough to make it stretch well and keep all the wrinkles and bubbles out.


Yeah, I did some YT video watching and now I get it. Thanks. :thumbup:


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Quick follow-up here -- I know it's an old topic, but thought I'd wrap up what I'd started.

Tried vinyl wrap and while it looked good, didn't quite last. Maybe I didn't apply it well enough. I opted for a thin metal adhesive backed emblem cover. It almost fit perfectly, maybe 99% of the way there (1mm too large). It looked pretty good, even though it raised up the emblem design a bit. Served well for a decent stretch of time, until I banged into it and caused a thumb sized dent... 

Finally got my airbag recall work done (my local dealer delayed me a few times, until I just went directly there and made an appointment). I purposefully dented the emblem in place a few times just to make sure it was obvious. Well, it does seem that replacing the cover may be part of the airbag service, as I got a brand new one.










It is better than the original too. The original had a rather sharp edge to it along the inside perimeter. That edge is now rounded. Material looks to be better quality so this issue shouldn't return (or if it does, it'll be well after I've moved onto another car).

But about that aftermarket metal emblem cover. Audi Service warned me about it, that it could interfere with airbag deployment and could possibly launch metal fragments at high speed into the driver. So... BAD thing to do. If you've got one, get rid of it and go try out that vinyl, if you can't get your airbag cover replaced under warranty and don't want to pay out of pocket.


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## Audi'sRevenge (Mar 24, 2008)

Ha I started reading through and was going to post, "don't they replace this when they replace your airbag under the recall?" But then I saw the last post and realised the dates. 

Yeah I'm sure anyone that had this issue got it solved this way. And yes never stick anything on your airbag as it would definitely get broken up and launched at you if the airbag deploys in an accident. An airbag deploying is a literal explosion so you definitely don't want to stick anything on there. Well I mean stickers/vinyl are probably fine but not the things they sell on eBay, etc. the plastic/metal dress up bits. They even say in those auctions, not for use when driving, etc.


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## absolutt (Aug 10, 2007)

Audi'sRevenge said:


> Ha I started reading through and was going to post, "don't they replace this when they replace your airbag under the recall?" But then I saw the last post and realised the dates.
> 
> Yeah I'm sure anyone that had this issue got it solved this way. And yes never stick anything on your airbag as it would definitely get broken up and launched at you if the airbag deploys in an accident. An airbag deploying is a literal explosion so you definitely don't want to stick anything on there. Well I mean stickers/vinyl are probably fine but not the things they sell on eBay, etc. the plastic/metal dress up bits. They even say in those auctions, not for use when driving, etc.


Yeah, thin heat treated vinyl is definitely OK. Actually, I combed through auctions for that metal overlay and none of them said anything about only use for off-road. I wrote to about 5 of the ones with good feedback ratings to let them know.


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## TurboSharef (Jun 2, 2014)

mine was heavily scratched, GF took the car to audi for an oil change as there was an airbag recall that we hadn't done and to our surprise they changed the steering wheel airbag out for a brand new unit so my steering wheel is back to mint, i live in canada so not sure if this applies to the US or not but check and see if you guys are able to get the recall done still, mine was done 1 month ago so it was still available for me.


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## Audi'sRevenge (Mar 24, 2008)

TurboSharef said:


> mine was heavily scratched, GF took the car to audi for an oil change as there was an airbag recall that we hadn't done and to our surprise they changed the steering wheel airbag out for a brand new unit so my steering wheel is back to mint, i live in canada so not sure if this applies to the US or not but check and see if you guys are able to get the recall done still, mine was done 1 month ago so it was still available for me.


Recall is available indefinitely, by law pretty much. There _may_ be some 20 year time limit or something but a recall is a recall, manufacturer has to fix it by law.


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## kgw (May 1, 2008)

Alternatively, just replace it with a TT FBSW: not subject to the recall


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