Steering Wheel Leather

[Fooleo44]

Is anyone else having issues with the durability of the steering wheel leather? I'm on my second steering wheel and the area i rest my hand at (12 o'clock) is disintegrating after only 5000 miles. Do I have toxic hand sweat or something? Our Yukon has held up just fine after 45,000 miles. My 2005 Laramie did fin as well with over 120,000. China.....?

 

[George Bednar]

Is anyone else having issues with the durability of the steering wheel leather? I'm on my second steering wheel and the area i rest my hand at (12 o'clock) is disintegrating after only 5000 miles. Do I have toxic hand sweat or something? Our Yukon has held up just fine after 45,000 miles. My 2005 Laramie did fin as well with over 120,000. China.....?

I had this on my last 2 Ram Laramies. I started watching my hand placement and noticed the stainless band on my watch appeared to be causing it. I noticed I place the bottom of my wrist at 12 o'clock which lead to my watch hitting the steering wheel

 

[Fooleo44]

Thanks George, But I'm not a watch or jewelry guy. No wrist band and no rings. I do, on occasion, have dirty hands and need to wash them with soap...

 

[Jus Cruisin]

My 12 o'clock is wood.

 

[Biga]

I have not noticed any issues with mine yet almost 9,000 miles.

 

[VaderRebel]

I've had a defect develop at top center... wrinkles. Dealer just got my replacement in the other day... hope this isn't a trend.

 

[duke2001]

I've had a defect develop at top center... wrinkles. Dealer just got my replacement in the other day... hope this isn't a trend.

Was your "defect" similar to the OP or different? If similar, yes maybe a trend, but....

 

[riccnick]

I had this happen to my Tundra steering wheel after getting grease on my hands and not cleaning them enough.

 

[VaderRebel]

Was your "defect" similar to the OP or different? If similar, yes maybe a trend, but....

Well, not the "same" defect... but a steering wheel leather defect none the less. I guess I was thinking more of a trend in the sense that the OP has gone through 2 steering wheels already... I didn't want to follow that trend.

 

[duke2001]

Well, not the "same" defect... but a steering wheel leather defect none the less. I guess I was thinking more of a trend in the sense that the OP has gone through 2 steering wheels already... I didn't want to follow that trend.

The OP is on his second steering wheel, meaning, so far, one defect for him, not two. And the reason I questioned "the trend", because if your issues were identical to the OP, then it might be easier to determine a cause. Such as, perhaps, use of a particular hand cream or cleaning solution. Something like that.

 

[VaderRebel]

I think the OP has destroyed both, his original and second wheels. I think it's isolated, since my wrinkles and his "acid" hand sweat are the only two steering wheel issues I've heard of.

 

[Biga]

I've heard that hand sanitizer is really bad for leather steering wheels if you use a lot of hand sanitizer.

 

[Fooleo44]

All great comments, but still not sure why our 2016 Yukon, which also has a leather steering wheel, with 45,000, doesn't show any signs of wear. It may not be a trending issue, but I shouldn't be going through 2 wheels in 4 months time. Something's off....

 

[Dirtbikefool]

My steering wheel leather is wrinkling and wear as well @ 3k miles.

 

[Livinfast85]

I've noticed mine having the same issues. I am going to bring it up at the dealership when I get my radio flashed and brakes fixed. I also do not wear jewelry.

 

[HeliPilot]

Do you guys use the steering wheel to pull yourselves into the truck? Order up a limited or longhorn wheel. That'll solve your problem for sure.

 

[Livinfast85]

Do you guys use the steering wheel to pull yourselves into the truck? Order up a limited or longhorn wheel. That'll solve your problem for sure.

I do not. If I do pull at all, it's from the grab handle on the a pillar.

 

[HeliPilot]

That pic almost looks like the squiggly wire from the heating element is where its wearing. Maybe theres a design/material flaw.

 

[Livinfast85]

That pic almost looks like the squiggly wire from the heating element is where its wearing. Maybe theres a design/material flaw.

Same thing I was thinking.

 

[Ortiz7983]

I always lay my wrist on the steering wheel at 12 o’clock position and I have my Apple Watch on. 10,000+ miles, still looks the same as when I purchased the truck back in late November.