Smelly steering wheel?

[timmycharger]

So I was crawling under the dash last night and was under the steering wheel area and started to smell something pretty foul, so after sniffing around I noticed the "woodgrain" steering wheel was the culprit. Ive never really noticed it before but boy does it smell.  Its an original piece thats in very nice shape but has anyone noticed this with their wheel? If so, is there something you can put on it that wont be slippery?

Strange question I know but wtf! 

[Baldwinvette77]

DUDE i have the same problem with my 66 imperial wheel, it smells like vomit, i tried drowning it in paint thinner, spray bombing it twice, still nothing.. im gonna just replace it actually, its cracked up bad, and bent for starters   

[Ghoste]

I have to say its something I've never heard of before.  I hope I don't get it in my car because I have no clue how you would stop it.

[timmycharger]

DUDE i have the same problem with my 66 imperial wheel, it smells like vomit, i tried drowning it in paint thinner, spray bombing it twice, still nothing.. im gonna just replace it actually, its cracked up bad, and bent for starters   

great,  It seems to get worse the hotter it is. Its been in the 90s in my area the past few days.. Also, for craps and giggles, I took a sniff of the pistol grip handle I had and it smells very similar.  Something must happen to the simulated wood grain plastic over the years as it seems to be made out of the same stuff....  Ok enough smelling car parts for me 

[indreams84]

Never heard of this issue......but as an RN, I would advise you guys use cavi-wipes or some sort of cleaner that removes possible body sweat/skin cells/etc. that may have possibly accumulated. It is a miracle the amount of pathogens that can gather on high-use surfaces such as wheels, shifters, etc.

[Ghoste]

Aren't dollar bills supposed to be some of the most contaminated objects in our daily lives?

[indreams84]

Um, esp them $5s and $1s....stripper crack delight 

[tan top]

yeah ,   mine does too !! never realised before the resto , but as I was putting it back together , I wondered what that smell was as I was fitting  the steering wheel  centre , !! smelt the wheel    it was that ! must be all the years of sweat & stuff gone into the metal bands around the wheel ,  did think about trying to pressure wash it , but!! thought later on might cause the inner metal frame to rot faster & cause  the plastic to  swell & crack   this thread has reminded me to have another think about this problem ,  can smell it worse in hot weather   

[boss429kiwi]

Hi

I have restored over 3000 wheels.

Its what I call plastic rot. It's when the plastic starts to breakdown and deteriorate.
Send it to me for restoration 

www.rimblowrestorations.co.nz to see photo link and see me on Facebook (many photos).

[timmycharger]

Hi

I have restored over 3000 wheels.

Its what I call plastic rot. It's when the plastic starts to breakdown and deteriorate.
Send it to me for restoration 

www.rimblowrestorations.co.nz to see photo link and see me on Facebook (many photos).

Sure smells like rotting something that's for sure    Still looks really good though, can see some of the grain lines, very few of them though. I dunno, Ill see how much it bothers me when the car is on the road

So glad to know that Im not the only one! 

[lukedukem]

Fabreeze it

Luke

[b5blue]

  My 89 Cherokee had a steering wheel that was kinda sticky. (I never dared smell it.) When I bought it from Bob he included one of those leather look wheel covers with the tiny holes that you wind a strap around as a fix. Wiping it with 70% rubbing alcohol on a clean rag and scrubbing with a brush eventually removed years of crud and possibly some rotting plastic. Now it's fine and I wipe it down every now and then to keep it clean. It took quite a few times to get it clean initially, it would seem clean and start getting sticky again later. 

[polywideblock]

do you guys have eucalyptus oil over there ?   you want the 100% one not the 5 % one   wipe it down leave for a while then wipe off,  might be worth a  try. it might soak into your wood one though    seems to evaporate off things its used on ( we use it for everything from disinfecting to removing gum /sticky shit from things )    just a thought

[Ghoste]

Eucalyptus oil?  You mean that crap the Teddy Bears drink?  We don't have that over here, I'm pretty sure the EPA won't allow it. 

[JB400]

At least get the animal correct  Koala  

[Ghoste]

Teddy Bear, Koala, whatever. 

[polywideblock]

we call them "drop bears " beware   

  this stuff

[Nickrc3]

I took a sniff of the pistol grip handle I had and it smells very similar.  Something must happen to the simulated wood grain plastic over the years as it seems to be made out of the same stuff....  Ok enough smelling car parts for me

Yes, I had a similar situation with my steering wheel, and a dozen old Craftsman plastic-handle screwdrivers in my tool box drawer. A good wipe-down with alcohol and Pine-Sol certainly helped. Now I can open that tool drawer and not gag!

[hatersaurusrex]

I drank a whole bottle of eucalyptus oil once and I pooped cough drops for three days

[RJS]

Yes Wood Grain wheels and Pistol Grip Handles have that smell.  I first noticed it in 1979 when I bought a used Shifter and thought the guy was doing his GF with it.

Good way to tell Original parts from repoops!!!
Ron

[69hemidaytona]

I have had dozens of those wood grain wheels over the years. they all smell like that to one degree or another. even the NOS wheels that I have smell like that. I don't believe the plastic is deteriorating and it can't be sweat. it must be the material in the plastic.

[don duick]

yes mine stinks like vomit too. it is a standard wheel.  was always too scared to mention it as I was worried about sounding crazy.

[myk]

Good Lord get rid of the wheel, then...

[don duick]

good idea myk but I am in Australia dodge steering wheels are not easy to find. If you did find one you would look and sound silly if you asked the seller "what does it smell like"? or to be seen sniffing it before you bought it. I have not yet seen an aftermarket wheel I like. They all look inferior compared to a factory wheel.

[timmycharger]

Good Lord get rid of the wheel, then...

ummmm nope, ill be hanging on to mine