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Mine is "curling up" on all the corners and along the edges. The air bag cover is separate from the dash. If you pull the dash the airbag/cover do not come out with it, leaving a large rectangular hole. I got a donor dash I am wanting to send in and have recovered once I source the right vinyl. My dash has a split just to the right of the center console air vents.
I am not sure if this would help but maybe worth a try. Soaking it in vinyl protectent (a cloth soaked in 303 or something similar) and laid over the air bag cover for a few hours so it can absorb into the vinyl. This is what I was going to try but got sidetracked with other interior projects. Not sure if it can "restore" the air bag cover but the only other option is to find one which I haven't tried yet.
Mine is "curling up" on all the corners and along the edges. The air bag cover is separate from the dash. If you pull the dash the airbag/cover do not come out with it, leaving a large rectangular hole. I got a donor dash I am wanting to send in and have recovered once I source the right vinyl. My dash has a split just to the right of the center console air vents.
I am not sure if this would help but maybe worth a try. Soaking it in vinyl protectent (a cloth soaked in 303 or something similar) and laid over the air bag cover for a few hours so it can absorb into the vinyl. This is what I was going to try but got sidetracked with other interior projects. Not sure if it can "restore" the air bag cover but the only other option is to find one which I haven't tried yet.
Oh, I didn't realize the AB was separate from the dash itself... or better to say, the 'skin / facia' of the AB. I've always seen pulled dashes, with the AB 'skin.
I know that this issue, with the seam, is common; I wonder if it's the 'skin' shrinking / pulling back, or if its the dash itself.
Apologies as it seems I was remembering a different dash . I pulled mine from storage this weekend and it does indeed have the air bag cover attached, however the plastic on the back looks solid, not really seeing a way to separate it from the main dash. There are metal rivets around the top of the air bag section but I'm not seeing a way to get to the air bag section alone. So this means the vinyl and backing are separate but the underlying frame aren't? That would make getting the creases and rounding on the edges difficult to do DIY... The local car club I am a member of had a presentation on 2nd get dash restoration for a company in California that specialized in this. Not sure if they do 4th gen but I was going to look into it. I'll see if I can find it. Posting is problematic as sponsors get priority and I'm not sure if there is one that does this.
Apologies as it seems I was remembering a different dash . I pulled mine from storage this weekend and it does indeed have the air bag cover attached, however the plastic on the back looks solid, not really seeing a way to separate it from the main dash. There are metal rivets around the top of the air bag section but I'm not seeing a way to get to the air bag section alone. So this means the vinyl and backing are separate but the underlying frame aren't? That would make getting the creases and rounding on the edges difficult to do DIY... The local car club I am a member of had a presentation on 2nd get dash restoration for a company in California that specialized in this. Not sure if they do 4th gen but I was going to look into it. I'll see if I can find it. Posting is problematic as sponsors get priority and I'm not sure if there is one that does this.
Okay, good that you were able to verify this, I have never seen the back of a dash before so I was only assuming. Since the seam is designed to tear, when the AB is deployed, the vinyl drying out and shrinking just splits at the designated failure point. Other than a clean dash replacement or a wrap, there's problem not much that can be done; however I did see this on the FB groups. I wonder if it would "fix", the issue. It's a dashboard facia overlay.
Apologies on the delay as I was switching jobs and dealing with kids summer sports tournaments. Below are the front/back images of my donor dash I am trying to get quotes on for a restore job with a company that says they can put new foam and vinyl on. I am not sure if they can resurface the airbag cover with the SRS logo.
Front of 4th gen Pontiac dash Back of 4th gen Pontiac dash
Apologies on the delay as I was switching jobs and dealing with kids summer sports tournaments. Below are the front/back images of my donor dash I am trying to get quotes on for a restore job with a company that says they can put new foam and vinyl on. I am not sure if they can resurface the airbag cover with the SRS logo.
Front of 4th gen Pontiac dash
Back of 4th gen Pontiac dash
Oh wow, I'm interested in seeing what you find out. Keep us posted.
I would suggest getting a windshield sunshade to help prevent more damage. I bought my TA 3 years ago that was garage kept and the dash is perfect. Use a sunshade and it's still perfect. I don't have a garage so it stays outside in the south Louisiana heat.
I would suggest getting a windshield sunshade to help prevent more damage. I bought my TA 3 years ago that was garage kept and the dash is perfect. Use a sunshade and it's still perfect. I don't have a garage so it stays outside in the south Louisiana heat.
Same here in Texas, its the heat that drys out the plastics and bake them like shrinky-dinks. I've had to move the family car out to the driveway so I can work on the TA. The SUV is covered most days and it still gets a bone dry dash that requires liberal applications of 303 twice a month. I just inherited a car that was left outside in south Alabama for 6 or 7 years and has peeling clear coat but hitting it with 303 every 2 weeks has kept cracks away. I am getting a cover for it to. I got ceramic tint on the TA to help when it is outside and will be making some side window covers like my SUV has. That helps a lot when it isn't covered, windshield and side shades in place.
I wish there were more options for dash caps, dashes, and door panels for the 4th gen markets like the first 2 gens.
<!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->I'm in Texas. I guess that the heat has never been so scorching here. My plastic just melts… So, there are only 2 things that help me avoid getting my dashboard melted. I've bought a reflective car cover and some window shades for my baby (bought them at https://snapshades.com.au/car-sun-pr...n-for-infants/). These are the only things that help me. So, take care, guys. Avoid getting sunburnt. Rather stay in the shade. That's the only option to avoid getting overheated. Drink more water. Best wishes.
Last edited by almeriarios; Aug 25, 2022 at 07:42 AM.
Same here in Texas, its the heat that drys out the plastics and bake them like shrinky-dinks. I've had to move the family car out to the driveway so I can work on the TA. The SUV is covered most days and it still gets a bone dry dash that requires liberal applications of 303 twice a month. I just inherited a car that was left outside in south Alabama for 6 or 7 years and has peeling clear coat but hitting it with 303 every 2 weeks has kept cracks away. I am getting a cover for it to. I got ceramic tint on the TA to help when it is outside and will be making some side window covers like my SUV has. That helps a lot when it isn't covered, windshield and side shades in place.
I wish there were more options for dash caps, dashes, and door panels for the 4th gen markets like the first 2 gens.
give it time , the cars were never worth it money wise to do but if the values stay like they are someone will make parts . I could see classic industries make door panels but probably charge 800 for each side. But i think parts will start coming , 98-02 tail lights needs to come for birds.
From: Poway, Ca. where GOD and the sun always shines
These dashes (or all dashes) require a protective coating be applied at least semi annually. I live in a very warm climate, and use Armor All leather protective gel, on my vehicle parked in the driveway, along with a 100% UV sun shade. So far so good. My 2001 Z28 Camaro (Sara) is kept in the garage covered with a car cover.
My dash is nearly perfect except for that same upper left side of the airbag cover. I don't know if this is a terrible idea, but I'm tempted to find some type of caulk that is the same color as the dash and run a small bead around the cover to fill in that gap a bit and make it smoother all the way around. Someone talk me out of it. lol. It wouldn't be so thick that it would prevent the airbag from deploying.
My car sits in the garage most of time but I had my windshield tinted with 30% ceramic tint that really does a nice job of keeping the sun and headlight glare out. The rest of the windows including my T-Tops have 5%.
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Dash sun / heat damage 
. I pulled mine from storage this weekend and it does indeed have the air bag cover attached, however the plastic on the back looks solid, not really seeing a way to separate it from the main dash. There are metal rivets around the top of the air bag section but I'm not seeing a way to get to the air bag section alone. So this means the vinyl and backing are separate but the underlying frame aren't? That would make getting the creases and rounding on the edges difficult to do DIY... The local car club I am a member of had a presentation on 2nd get dash restoration for a company in California that specialized in this. Not sure if they do 4th gen but I was going to look into it. I'll see if I can find it. Posting is problematic as sponsors get priority and I'm not sure if there is one that does this. 
