Sunlight and constant temperature changes cause dashboards to become brittle and crack. The cracks ruin the interior of your vehicle and allow the underlayment to become brittle. This leads to a fine dust covering the contents of the vehicle. Replacing a dashboard requires disassembling the dash, and a replacement dash can cost hundreds of dollars. Installing a dash pad requires less labor and costs less than a replacement dashboard.
Instructions
1. Wipe the dash pad with a clean rag. Shake the paint can thoroughly for 30 to 60 seconds. Spray multiple light coats of plastic spray paint onto the surface of the dash pad. Allow the paint to cure for 24 hours before proceeding with the installation.
2. Set a tube of silicone adhesive into a bowl of hot water. Allow the silicone to soften while you prepare the dashboard for the dash pad.
3. Cut protruding material from the cracked dashboard with a razor knife. Even out rough spots by sanding the dashboard with 100-grit sandpaper. Spray an ammonia-based window cleaner onto the sanded dashboard. Wipe the cleaner from the dash with a clean rag.
4. Set the dash pad on top of the prepped dashboard. Trim the dash pad to fit the contours of the dashboard. Remove the dash pad from your vehicle.
5. Remove the silicone adhesive from the hot water. Apply a bead of silicone remover to the underside edges of the dash pad. Apply additional adhesive to the surface of the dashboard.
6. Press the dash pad onto the surface of the dashboard. Work from the center to the edges of the dash pad with a clean rag to spread the adhesive and remove wrinkles.
7. Allow the adhesive to cure for 24 hours to ensure proper adhesion between the dash pad and the dashboard.
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