Steering wheel Airbag cover curl

[morrisdl]

Is this normal? It goes in tomorrow for the 1st maintenance under new ownership and I am wondering if this is significant enough to warrant mentioning.

Also on the repair punch list:
middle sunroof shade wont lock
passenger side vent wont close
3rd row seat rattles when closed
12v Cig lighter socket dead

Please let me know if these are abnormal. cheers, -Doug

 

[Houm_WA]

you mean the top of the aribag cover not being flush with the rest of the wheel hub? Mine is like that....not quite as bad as yours, but it is off a bit.

 

[Roverine]

My 2005 is like Houm_WA's .

 

[umbertob]

It'll definitely get worse over time: Pretty much every steering wheel from Disco/LR3 or RRS develops that curl sooner or later, just how fast and how much it curls must be heat related. I first noticed it on my 2006 RRS about 2 years ago, just a little bit on one corner, but it's now a good 1/2" detached through its length and looks like crap. Some stealers may tell you that it's only a cosmetic issue since it does not impair the safe deployment of the airbag (true), nevertheless if you insist a bit there are many owners who successfully got the airbag replaced - the whole plastic cover is integrated with the airbag module - under warranty.

I wonder if they addressed the issue on more recent builds, I hope so since the new 2010s RRS and LR4 seem to be using the same basic design steering wheel, even though with all the extra buttons it now looks more like a Formula 1 steering wheel (and the horn buttons are still tiny and impossible to find in an emergency, which to me is much more of a safety issue than the "curling" airbag cover...)

 

[TNRover]

I believe there was a TSB about this. My dealer in Memphis fixed it no questions asked during my last visit for the "check list." I am still under warranty for another 4K miles. Even gave me a loaner for the day. I love Bluff City British Cars!

 

[JackMac]

All of those items should be covered under warranty.

Had the same airbag cover warp, very common issue, and dealer replaced it.

 

[USAFbuckeye]

I had the same issue. Dealer said it wasn't covered under warranty because interior items are only covered for the first 15K...but they replaced my steering wheel.

 

[toddjb122]

Mine was covered (well after 15K).

However, the replacement is now doing the same thing so I guess all they did was swap out one bad design for another. Has to be two different layers of material and the top one is shrinking and causing the curl. I wonder if a rubber/plastic protectant (303, armor all, etc) would ****** this process by keeping everyting moist.

Anyway, I'm on an extended warranty now and this is interior trim, so I don't think it is covered for me any more.

 

[jjvd21]

My curling airbag cover was replaced at 19,000 miles under warranty.

 

[drzjoint]

Mine was replaced about a year ago. Still ok.