REMOVING MICRO-SCRATCHES FROM YOUR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER

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Do you have tiny scratches on your instrument cluster? I'm guilty of dusting off my instrument cluster with a cloth, often just a quick decision in light of dust, especially during pollen season. This can often lead to scratches in the plastic face of the cluster. In this video, I demonstrate how I removed scratches from my instrument cluster.
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26 авг 2020

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Комментарии : 97

@charliekeith2157 3 года назад

I detailed my GTI a couple weeks ago and now these insturment cluster swirls were the only thing thats continuing to bother me. Do you think I can use a paint polish that I already have instead of buying a headlight restoration kit?

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I wouldn't do it. Automotive paint is much harder than the plastic on the cluster. As a result, I'm certain that paint polish will be worse than what you have. The HRK is $10 and can be reused throughout the life of your car. It's very cheap insurance for doing it right the first time. Thanks for visiting.

@themegaman91965 2 года назад

Your video is fantastic!! I have a 2021 CRV that had a badly scratched dashboard from using shop towels with cleaner, and little did I know it implanted hundreds of scratches, and when I tried to clean it, I accidentally slid one of my nails through, and made a deep scratch. The dishonest people at the Honda dealership I got to the car from pretended to do a "repair", only making the scratches worse, and wanted to charge $300, just to "replace" the plastic piece, then I took it to a local shop, and the money hungry savages wanted $190 for the same thing. So I finally looked through RU-vid, found your video, and you're a lifesaver! I walked into the local O'Reily's , and bought the Turtle Wax headlight restoration kit, and followed all the instructions, and directions you moved the cloth, with the polish to get rid of the scratches, and to my surprise, looks almost like new. Thank God there are RU-vid channels like yours that don't scam customers, and just give a straight, helpful answer! Consider me subbed!

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

WOW! They don't call them "stealerships" for nothing. ;-) I'm glad my video was helpful. Thanks for visiting!

@n.speezly1467 Год назад

Literally every other video on this topic was just an ad for some stick on adhesive film to cover the scratches. Yours was the final rat to actually show me how to fix them. Thank you so much for this, Toyota clusters are just as delicate

@StealthGTI Год назад

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for visiting.

@nidaldajani728 3 года назад

I bought my Golf TSI two days befor your recording. Over the years I owned Merecedeses, BMWs, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Fords, Buick, Pontiac, and Chevrolets! This is my first VW, and I cant think of any car so pleasureable to drive like this little bee. I'm enjoying every second of it, and I thought there is no one enjoying this car as much as I do until I stumbled at your channel. Buddy, I dont blame you! By the way I'm picking up lots of tips from your experience. Thanks for sharing. Happy miles.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for your kind remarks!

@confoocious 3 года назад

This tutorial is awesome, and funny enough I just bought a headlight restoration kit yesterday. Now I can use it for this purpose on my GTI, thanks!

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Glad it helped! Thanks for visiting.

@Husramash 2 года назад

Just followed this tutorial with a headlight restoration kit. I'm so grateful that you did this tutorial sir. I didn't know that the instrument cluster was so fragile so I've been just dragging my microfiber cloth around the car to wipe it clean and now that the summer has I arrived I've noticed how badly scratched up the instrument cluster was. I've just owned this car for one year now. Following this tutorial all the scratches that bothered me are "gone". I can't say it got completely rid of all the scratches but at least now the car doesn't look bad when direct sunlight is hitting it. I would say end result is around 80% compared to a brand new instrument cluster. Perhaps if you use a more abrasive polishing it would get rid of the rest but I won't try that as I'm with the result. Again, thank you so much sir for this tutorial!

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

Glad to hear it helped! Thanks for visiting!

@kabukigarage3092 6 месяцев назад

Absolute life saver! I was cleaning the speed cluster, getting marks off with a magic eraser and left a few scuffs. I had some sonax headlight polish and it cleaned it up a treat!

@StealthGTI 6 месяцев назад

Glad it helped! Thanks for visiting!

@223rockmaster 3 года назад

This is amazing. I didn't think I'd be able to find a video about this. But there's one with my GTI!

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for visiting!

@LedKashmir 8 месяцев назад

Oh man! I can't wait to try this! I just got a used car and the spots are crazy! I feared it was somehow on the inside, this gives me hope, definitely going to try this!

@StealthGTI 8 месяцев назад

Have fun! Thanks for visiting!

@APPLEtv4VIERACAST 3 года назад

I used this: Meguiar's G12310 Plastx 10 Oz. All scratches gone! Like brand new! My wife had wiped it with a microfiber towel, adding scratches to my never touched before instrument cluster! But the Meguiar's G12310 Plastx took it all out! So that’s what I use from now on. I used a yellow microfiber towel from Costco to buff and polish it. (Gentle)

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for sharing!

@Mo-ym1wz 2 месяца назад

Will it Meguiars work for Navigation screens?

@APPLEtv4VIERACAST 2 месяца назад

@@Mo-ym1wz now that is like an LCD screen… be careful with that. I know one of my kids had scribbled with pen once on the tv, and I took it off with rubbing alcohol, followed by microfiber towel and joy. But if we’re talking scratches on lcd type screen, don’t know if i would put plastx on that…

@Mo-ym1wz 2 месяца назад

@APPLEtv4VIERACAST Thank you for your thoughts. I have a scratch on my Navi screen. I'm not sure which product works for that.

@Clint_L 3 года назад

Awesome Scott. I bought some of the Quikx based on this. I was going to polishing with a mini rotary polisher before seeing your review. Thanks I’ll be trying this first. Also I love your on screen personality and calm voice. Super helpful. Are you still happy with the results?

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for your comments. I'm still quite pleased and take the clean cluster for granted. I don't even think about it. Take Care!

@yutub561 3 года назад

You just added another thing to my 10 page to do list... Lol great video I keep a Swiffer duster in my door panel and it doesn't scratch when you wipe the dust, but that tip didn't come to me until a few months (and a few hundred microswirls) later

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

HAHA! Get to work! ;-) Thanks for visiting.

@matty387 3 года назад

The polish/compound could be quite abrasive and although probably good for heavier scratches, could leave holograms behind which would need polishing out with a finer (micro) abrasive

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I think this polish is much finer than that. It may not polish heavier scratches. Instead, it's made for the fine scratches that we see in sunlight. Thanks for visiting!

@keangfamily 3 года назад

It’s the best tip and thank you

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for visiting.

@benfish9931 3 года назад

Pro Honda Cleaner & Polish works great on plastic & pretty much every thing. Available at Amazon, Honda motorcycle dealers & probably Ebay to name a few. It removes bugs from my plastic windshield and leaves it clean and free of swirls & streaks. I use a micro fiber towel.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for the tip! That makes sense, with motorcycle "glass" being made from plastic these days.

@iced4197 Год назад

Dabbing away the dust instead of dragging the cloth against the cluster is the best option here. You want to avoid dragging said dust and contaminants that cause scratches. Compressed air will eventually push the contaminants BEHIND the cluster face, so beware on that.

@StealthGTI Год назад

Thanks for the input about compressed air. It's about time to clean a layer of pollen from everything. Thanks for visiting.

@shmakeru1214 Год назад

Would this work also on the hex cladding on the interior? Mine had gotten some scratches overtime on the door cladding and around the gauge cluster. I was thinking maybe putting some of that product you used on a micro polisher to see if that would do the trick, or just do the same method you did just on the hex panels.

@StealthGTI Год назад

I'd try the polish, but not a mechanical polisher... hand (finger?) buffing only. Good luck!

@sergeeternal3778 3 года назад

Use pressure air and if it's bad u can try Meguiars PlastX, read the label before using or see reviews on RU-vid on how to use it. As for me I use a very light duster and pressured air from a can that I usually use to clean the inside of my pc.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for the tip! I have a can of compressed air in the car during my road trip. Thanks for visiting.

@hichemwwww 2 года назад

Hello my friend im from Morocco i bought a volkswagen tiguan 2017 with digital dash and i see some scratches on the screen of my digital dash. My question is can i apply product like Plast X to removes those scratches from this electronic dash? Thank you

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

I have no idea. I bought something that I read would work and then shared it here. I cannot speak for products that I have not tried. Good luck!

@israel6642 3 года назад

Thank You StealthGTI Can you still see any Swirls or Scratches? You Know When the Sun hits in a certain Angle your Gauge Cluster Lenses Im trying this, these cluster lenses now days seem very fragile theyll get scratch even by just looking a tt them . I change my cluster lenses once on my 18 civic alot of pain and time consuming because of what you have to remove to change the lense and would eventually get scratch again just with Dust by itself

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

None that I can tell. The video features a scan with a bright light. It's nearly perfect. Thanks for visiting.

@israel6642 3 года назад

@@StealthGTI one more question please Do you apply it every when?

@valencia_310 3 года назад

Mine is very cloudy. It looks very old but my vehicle is only a 2019 & I’ve been the only owner & driver.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I'm not sure what the cloudy indicates. Residue? It may still benefit from proper cleaning with a microfiber towel, maybe even some polishing. Good Luck!

@miGz325 3 года назад

Would you happen to know how to reactivate cruise control using obd11? I turned engine and throttle response to "audi" for better responsiveness and I think that's what deactivated CC. Thanks!

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Sorry. I have no direct experience with that. I suggest returning to the original setting to see if CC returns. Good Luck!

@miGz325 3 года назад

@@StealthGTI I'll try that this weekend. By the way I just bought the hrk kit. Thanks for the tip!

@israel6642 3 года назад

@@miGz325 did you try it?

@miGz325 3 года назад

@@israel6642 change the "engine responsiveness" back to Volkswagen from Audi. This will re-activate your CC.

@davea5150 Год назад

What did you use for the wax ? I think I might of missed it.

@StealthGTI Год назад

No wax; just the polish. Thanks for visiting!

@mk6_mark920 3 года назад

Do you think cleaning it with just micro/fiber would be fine? I use chemical guys all purpose spray.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

That depends on the condition of your cluster. At the very least, you should hit it with compressed air first to get any heavy dust particles away. Then try your spray and a NEW microfiber cloth. Worst case, if you find scratches, is you can then use this polish to fix it. Good Luck.

@thinkforyourself5672 2 года назад

I've learned the hard way to Never dry wipe your cluster. Compressed air most of the time and once in a while I'll use Novus #1 on a diaper cloth as gently as possible. If you look at the cluster wrong, it will scratch. I'm dealing with trying to fix some swirls now. New cluster plastic is like $30 but I'm guessing the labor will be a whole lot more than that

@AmandaGJAvila 3 года назад

Do you think this would work for fine scratches on the cars screen?

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I'm not sure. I think the touchscreen surface is a little harder. Thanks for visiting.

@Legenkilla Год назад

My car is a week old n i have a bunch of em. And its the kia sportage so its got the 13 inch digital cluster so the scratches r very noticable.

@StealthGTI Год назад

Ouch! I hope this product works for you! Good Luck!

@appledjerry 3 года назад

Why oh why don't car designers use a clear cluster cover which is angled downwards, so that any scratches simply won't show up in bright light. It wouldn't be difficult for them to do and they could still style the cluster identically. I remember my dad's Ford having this design back in the 70's. So much for progress!

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Thanks for the note. Even with a downward angle, I think the surface would still scratch from looking at it funny. HAHA! Take Care!

@kevaughnlindo545 2 года назад

Do you think a ceramic coating would be a good idea?

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

I'd be afraid that I might seal-in an imperfection or a spec of dust! HAHA! Thanks for visiting!

@kcg7861 2 года назад

Cool video but that's why I don't mess with it like I don't touch it some people clean it like crazy I always think of it like a TV screen like a monitor got to be so careful I normally do not even touch it I take an air can and spray all the dirt off.

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

I agree and often use that practice. However, sometimes I find myself wanting to take a photo or video, but don't have compressed air with me. At that point, I want it clean NOW and resort to a cloth. HAHA! Thanks for visiting!

@PClemente2120 3 года назад

Thank you so much for this. I thought I was the only one kooky enough to get bothered by this, I feel like I'm always trying to clean it and my gf think I'm crazy lol

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

You're so welcome! Yeah, it's the worst during pollen season. Thanks for visiting.

@stevejoe141 3 года назад

You aren't alone, bro :D

@fredericgagnon3892 3 года назад

I read that using this type of product (polish) could cause a bad reaction with the possible anti-glare on the surface of this piece of plastic/plexiglass. Can you confirm you havent seen such a thing?

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I've seen no evidence of this. All I see is a clear view of my gauges. :-) Thanks for visiting.

@abnmr2830 24 дня назад

most car manuals advise not to polish the instrument cluster because it removes anti glare which will cause it to be highly reflective and disturbing when driving. What about that? I mean if the scracthes are very minor and only visible under certain light, why bother causeing such a big modification to the glass?

@StealthGTI 15 дней назад

I haven't thought about that and haven't noticed additional glare. Regardless, my particular cluster has a plastic cover, not glass. Thanks for visiting!

@khmertech1678 3 года назад

SOME OTHER PEOPLE TRY TOOTHPASTE CAN ANYONE CONFIRM WHICH ANY GOOD????

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I've heard that toothpaste works, but prefer to stick with something that's designed for plastic. Thanks for visiting.

@m0921574322 2 года назад

Don’t know if the QUIXX for Acrylic glass works better……

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

Hard to say. I just bought what I saw would work and gave it a whirl. Thanks for visiting.

@blakerainwater6036 3 года назад

You seem so fastidious with your car and projects, what motivates you to do such an excellent job?

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I am detailed and precise in nearly everything I do. However, motivation can often be a problem. As a result, I'm only fastidious in what I do while often letting things that I cannot (will not?) do with excellence go unattended. I can procrastinate, for sure. Thanks for visiting.

@TheWilliec1999 3 года назад

These swirls have seriously bothered me the entire time I've owned my car. But I never thought to do this. Ill give it a shot, no way it could make the problem worse right? Haha

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

HAHA! Good Luck and thanks for visiting.

@4951studios Год назад

Worked mine was badly oxidized

@StealthGTI Год назад

Very nice! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for visiting.

@riley739 7 месяцев назад

So annoying I have a brand new truck and just wiping the dust scratched the mess out of it.

@StealthGTI 7 месяцев назад

Yeah, I agree! I think I said something about using compressed air in this video. Perhaps a better comment that someone shared is to spray glass cleaner onto a microfiber towel, DAB the display until clean, then wipe it dry with a clean section of the towel. Seems like a good plan. Good Luck!

@futureshock7425 3 года назад

why don't they just make them out of glass

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

Cost and safety. Glass is expensive, especially if it must be shaped on today's fancy gauge clusters. In the event of a crash, it probably is a safety hazard, too. Flying glass is heavier than similarly-sized plastic. I imagine that heavy glass would cut more deeply than plastic. Just my guesses. Thanks for visiting!

@rezaaria524 2 года назад

Pay attention at 2:24 it went from 99999 to 100000 mi 😱😱😱

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

HAHA! Thanks for noticing! I think I shot that sequence while recording my 4-year video. It was then that I noticed how bad the scratches were and was inspired to create this video.

@brandoncavitt7940 2 года назад

that thumbnail is just a duster cluster in bad lighting and then a clean one in good lighting lol

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

You are correct! I had forgotten to take before and after photos; so, I used a snapshot from a video in the thumbnail. Still, if you watch the video, you'll see the improvement happen. Thanks for visiting!

@bamaman1984able 2 года назад

Toothpaste?

@StealthGTI 2 года назад

I considered it. But teeth are harder than the soft plastic on a cluster, which makes me wonder if even toothpaste is too aggressive. Thanks for writing!

@EditsBySosa 3 года назад

When the mileage hit 100,000k!

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

LOL! I forgot about that in this video. I was paying so much attention to ensuring that viewers saw the scratches that I wasn't watching the odometer. Thanks for visiting.

@hvacguru-Kansas 3 года назад

Sorry Scott, guess I need to grow up. I couldn't help but laughing about you needing to "clean your cluster". Maybe "lens on my instrument cluster" sounds better. I just couldn't keep my mind out of the gutter. Anyway, good video other than your choice of phrase. I'm almost ashamed to post this publicly because I am #1 at saying things that are innocent but still get twisted to something naughty.

@StealthGTI 3 года назад

I didn't catch that one. But I often say things and leave them in the video just for fun. Here's an old one on a retired channel that plan to share here soon: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v3TBSqgh_js.html. Fun times! Thanks for visiting.