2011 Camry dash material has dull finish. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Verndog · 08-26-2010, 06:59 PM

We recently purchased a 2011 Camry and on a recent trip I went to clean the dash with armor all and to my surprise, it just soaked in and didn't shine at all. It has a very dull finish (possibly anti-glare) and doesn't clean very easily. Are others noticing this and what to use to clean and protect this odd dull material from the sun??

Joe B · 08-26-2010, 07:08 PM

This is the only pic of the interior I have but the dash has a shine and you may see a shine on the dash and such.It takes a few coats to even out.
I use Protectant 303.

sky03 · 08-26-2010, 07:39 PM

mine is shiny AFTER a wipe and it stays shiny for a long time (couple months)
SE with black interior

Verndog · 08-26-2010, 07:44 PM

OK, I'm not talking about the wood grain, we have a base model. The actual dash pad itself. I just put a 3rd coat of armor all and even tried F21 that is for leather or vinyl and same thing. Soaks right in with dull finish. The same color door panels shine. I wonder if its the grey that they drummed down to reduce the glare. Here is a pic after 3+ coats.

Joe B · 08-26-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verndog

OK, I'm not talking about the wood grain, we have a base model. The actual dash pad itself. I just put a 3rd coat of armor all and even tried F21 that is for leather or vinyl and same thing. Soaks right in with dull finish. The same color door panels shine. I wonder if its the grey that they drummed down to reduce the glare. Here is a pic after 3+ coats.

I know.
Mine is a LE.I installed the wood dash.If you look at my dash in the pic,you can see it does have a shine.My door panels shine too.Much more in person.

Verndog · 08-26-2010, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe B

I know.
Mine is a LE.I installed the wood dash.If you look at my dash in the pic,you can see it does have a shine.My door panels shine too.Much more in person.

OK, just making sure, Its not that easy to tell from pics, but I've owned many cars over the years, and not seen a vinyl dash pad that did not show some gloss effect from armor all or other "protectants." I'm wondering if this a bad batch of material that got thru, or by design. Yours looks to be a light grey also though, but my lower trim is a different color. I may need to run to the dealer and see another on the lot to see....Wierd.

Joe B · 08-26-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verndog

OK, just making sure, Its not that easy to tell from pics, but I've owned many cars over the years, and not seen a vinyl dash pad that did not show some gloss effect from armor all or other "protectants." I'm wondering if this a bad batch of material that got thru, or by design. Yours looks to be a light grey also though, but my lower trim is a different color. I may need to run to the dealer and see another on the lot to see....Wierd.

I used 303 and it was blotchy at first.Took 3-4-5 coats over a day or two and some light buffing with a microfiber to finally even off the shine.

Verndog · 08-26-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe B

I used 303 and it was blotchy at first.Took 3-4-5 coats over a day or two and some light buffing with a microfiber to finally even off the shine.

Wow, then maybe I need a few more coats. So, sounds like you agree that it at least soaks a ton up before responding. Every new car I've owned (7 now) has shined on first application. Something is different about this material. Back to try a few more coats.

Joe B · 08-26-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verndog

Wow, then maybe I need a few more coats. So, sounds like you agree that it at least soaks a ton up before responding. Every new car I've owned (7 now) has shined on first application. Something is different about this material. Back to try a few more coats.

My RX350's black dash took about 2-3 coats to even off.
Could be a heat/humidity thing.

Verndog · 08-26-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe B

My RX350's black dash took about 2-3 coats to even off.
Could be a heat/humidity thing.

Well, after several more coats and hand buffing with micro fiber it is beginning to respond. It's what I'd call a "satin" finish at this point, but uniform looking at least. The dash had some "fuzzies" on it, it seemed porus and rough and picked up lint. That finally is beginning to get smooth, very strange material. I'll do it once a week over the next several weeks. The door panels and other panels aren't doing this, just the dash. Thanks xxx for the input!

top_projects05 · 08-26-2010, 10:20 PM

I'm thinking it might be made like that for an anti-glare. I honestly won't be shining up my dash anymore. I have a 2010 with black interior and after shining up the dash, driving around on a sunny day I couldn't see much at all through the windshield because of the glare.

Does anyone else have this issue too or am I just making my dash too shinny?!

sdshores · 08-26-2010, 10:48 PM

My 2007 LE's dash is ridiculously shiny. I sometimes need to wear polarized sunglasses to see past the glare on the windshield

Verndog · 08-27-2010, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by top_projects05

I'm thinking it might be made like that for an anti-glare. I honestly won't be shining up my dash anymore. I have a 2010 with black interior and after shining up the dash, driving around on a sunny day I couldn't see much at all through the windshield because of the glare.

Does anyone else have this issue too or am I just making my dash too shinny?!

Actually I could see that as a problem. There is and angle / glare / reflection issue with the dash on these cars compared to others I've driven. I noticed this driving thru treed areas with sunlight beaming thru that had a strobe / reflect situation going on that I would imagine would have been much worse with more shinny reflection. Also the glare from even the dulled dash washes out the colors and whitewashes the view in certain sun angles. That is why I thought maybe by design this was an anti glare attempt by design.

Glenn8963 · 08-27-2010, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by top_projects05

I'm thinking it might be made like that for an anti-glare. I honestly won't be shining up my dash anymore. I have a 2010 with black interior and after shining up the dash, driving around on a sunny day I couldn't see much at all through the windshield because of the glare.

Does anyone else have this issue too or am I just making my dash too shinny?!

you're making the dash too shiny.........the glare will come back to bite you guys if you cannot see anything in front of you. the rake of the windshield as you know is the main cause. i personally keep my dash as dull as possible. i still use a "protestant", however. i use "Black Magic Natural Finish".

i used to use the Armour All no shine stuff as well, on my other rides.

Joe B · 08-27-2010, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn8963

you're making the dash too shiny.........the glare will come back to bite you guys if you cannot see anything in front of you. the rake of the windshield as you know is the main cause. i personally keep my dash as dull as possible. i still use a "protestant", however. i use "Black Magic Natural Finish".

i used to use the Armour All no shine stuff as well, on my other rides.

I don't like an oily shine.
Just a satin shine.No reflection on windshield.