Interior/Exterior Removing Airbag sticker from visor
Neutral
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
I have an '06 and the visors have hidden screws. I cannot seem to get the plastic caps off to reveal the screws--even with the teensiest screwdriver from a special tiny screw driver kit (only as wide as a razor blade!)...I can get the screwdriver in between the caps and the mount but as soon as I start to wedge it out it starts to chip the plastic. Is there any kind of trick? There are also 2 caps and I am not sure which one to take off.....
thanks in advance
thanks in advance
This seems to be tougher on later cars - maybe a better glue?
Also, on my `05, I could not get the screw plugs out either, so I did the removal in the car.
I used Goof-Off, and it took a LOOOOOng time - maybe a half-hour - just to soak the edges slightly loose. By the time I got the first sticker completely off in small pieces, the visor had absorbed a lot of solvent, and the vinyl swelled and wrinkled. It seems to be shrinking back down toward being snug again, but it's been a couple of hours, and it isn't tight yet.
On the second one I discovered that once I could start peeling a corner of the sticker, I could use Goof-Off on a piece of paper towel to wet the exposed glue at the edge for 10 seconds, peel up 1/16" of label, wet the new edge, etc. This method got the sticker off in a few pieces in about 10 minutes without saturating the vinyl as badly.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the vinyl shrinks back to flat after a few hours of being warm...
Also, on my `05, I could not get the screw plugs out either, so I did the removal in the car.
I used Goof-Off, and it took a LOOOOOng time - maybe a half-hour - just to soak the edges slightly loose. By the time I got the first sticker completely off in small pieces, the visor had absorbed a lot of solvent, and the vinyl swelled and wrinkled. It seems to be shrinking back down toward being snug again, but it's been a couple of hours, and it isn't tight yet.
On the second one I discovered that once I could start peeling a corner of the sticker, I could use Goof-Off on a piece of paper towel to wet the exposed glue at the edge for 10 seconds, peel up 1/16" of label, wet the new edge, etc. This method got the sticker off in a few pieces in about 10 minutes without saturating the vinyl as badly.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the vinyl shrinks back to flat after a few hours of being warm...
I'm pleased to report that the GoofOff did evaporate from my wrinkled visors, and the vinyl shrank back to flat again overnight.
I finished the job with a couple of coats of ArmorAll to replace whatever the solvent might have washed off the surface, and you would be very hard-pressed to tell that there had ever been a sticker there or where it was located.
Note that the shorter the time you have the vinyl wet with GoofOff, the less it will tend to absorb and wrinkle.
Merry Christmas!
I finished the job with a couple of coats of ArmorAll to replace whatever the solvent might have washed off the surface, and you would be very hard-pressed to tell that there had ever been a sticker there or where it was located.
Note that the shorter the time you have the vinyl wet with GoofOff, the less it will tend to absorb and wrinkle.
Merry Christmas!
5th Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,079
Likes: 1
From: AZ
Gr8Force,
What's the name of the stuff you used and where I can buy some. Denatured alcohol isn't getting the small leftover white specs on one of my visors. I think we waited too long and everything got baked on
BTW, already tried acetone and Goo Gone as well.
Should have done this when the car was brand new.
What's the name of the stuff you used and where I can buy some. Denatured alcohol isn't getting the small leftover white specs on one of my visors. I think we waited too long and everything got baked on
BTW, already tried acetone and Goo Gone as well.
Should have done this when the car was brand new.
Originally Posted by Gr8Force
I know it looks like it's painted on but it's still a sticker. A very high quality sticker but still a sticker. I actually used a product that is used to wipe & clean dry erase boards. It has a lot of alcohol in it but it also has a touch of acetone which made a nice difference. I tried plain alcohol on one (letting it soak for 15 min), it still needed some scrubbing and left a lot of sticker residue. I used the dry erase solution to clean that up and it worked a lot quicker. So I used it on the other one and it worked much better. Then to make sure I countered any effects of the acetone I used a cleaner & conditioner for vinyl & plastic. Ta-dah! I just took a quick look at them in very bright sunlight and there's still a shade of the sticker residue left but not nearly enough to call attention to it. In anything less than full sunlight it'll be invisible.
Also, I took the visors off as it was much easier to handle them. It didn't chance the rubbing & scrubbing to move the visor around and scratch something. I was just careful working with the screws so I wouldn't damage any paint on them. Make sure you use a screw driver that fits properly and fully otherwise you chance scratching the paint on the screws. It's not a real big deal but you'll want to repaint the screws if you do scratch them. No biggie. BTW, mine didn't have a cover cap over the screws part.
I don't have any pics but I'll get some. I'll have to use my brothers much higher resolution digital camera to see if it will show up in the pics as I have an old 2 megapix. I guess I better catch up with the times. I would love to have the Canon Rebel SLR 8megapixel but that's incredibly expensive right now. Money that I'd rather put towards mods!
Also, I took the visors off as it was much easier to handle them. It didn't chance the rubbing & scrubbing to move the visor around and scratch something. I was just careful working with the screws so I wouldn't damage any paint on them. Make sure you use a screw driver that fits properly and fully otherwise you chance scratching the paint on the screws. It's not a real big deal but you'll want to repaint the screws if you do scratch them. No biggie. BTW, mine didn't have a cover cap over the screws part.
I don't have any pics but I'll get some. I'll have to use my brothers much higher resolution digital camera to see if it will show up in the pics as I have an old 2 megapix. I guess I better catch up with the times. I would love to have the Canon Rebel SLR 8megapixel but that's incredibly expensive right now. Money that I'd rather put towards mods!
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 586
Likes: 0
ok... this is what I found.. You can get denatured Alcohol from like Home Depot or Ace hardware... in the paint section.... I got some from City Mill for $7...
I am removing the sticker right now.... I didn't take the visors out due to the screw caps... they are a pain to get off... plus look easy to break/marr...
I just folded a rag into fours... poored some of the alcohol on it... put a ziplock page on top and folded it up again the roof to keep it all in place... left it for about 20 mins... picked the sticker off with my finger nail and rubbed the rest off with the rag... good to go...
I am removing the sticker right now.... I didn't take the visors out due to the screw caps... they are a pain to get off... plus look easy to break/marr...
I just folded a rag into fours... poored some of the alcohol on it... put a ziplock page on top and folded it up again the roof to keep it all in place... left it for about 20 mins... picked the sticker off with my finger nail and rubbed the rest off with the rag... good to go...
Waiting for 18 years makes removing these decals even more difficult. Yes, remove the visors which makes the job at least more comfortable and you're less likely to spill something on the seats. To take off the little plastic screw covers, just insert a scribe or awl point at the center of the base of the triangle and pry up. The cover will pop off exposing the Philips screw head. Remove both and pull the wiring down to expose the connector. To disconnect, you have to unwrap the protective cloth tape which will expose a square window. Stick a small screwdriver into the window, press hard and pull out the connector. Removing the decals will take time and patience. Installation is the reverse of the above. After screwing them back in, just position the covers and press until you hear them snap into place.
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