Damaged plastic on center instrument panel
 

I have a 2010 Fit (not the Sport model).

Recently someone gave me one of those oil air fresheners for cars that clip to your car's air conditioner vents. Yesterday, a friend of mine accidentally clipped it upside down and the oil spilled on the instrument panel, below the central air vents and above the stereo display, eating into the plastic in that area. It's a bit of an eyesore and I would like to do what I can to fix it. The grey color is rubbed off over a few inch area, and there is a small spot where the oil actually almost ate through the plastic.

Looking on yourhondaparts.com, it appears that that the whole front of the panel is one giant piece, and that the damaged piece cannot be replaced on its own. Is this accurate? The same website lists the cost for the piece at around $350, not to mention it's probably a pain to install.

Is it possible to just replace the damaged middle part? It looks like its own piece. If not, can anyone recommend a way to repair the finish on the grey plastic in that area? I want to make it look better, but don't want to spend $350. I found yourhondaparts via google... Any other sites to check out for a possible better deal?

Thanks!

It might help a little bit if you can post a picture up of the area your referring to. But you can also try collegehillshonda and bernardiparts in the mean time

I remember someone else posting recently with this exact problem--there were several suggestions
--wonder what he ended up doing.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...6901_b1610.png

I'm assuming its part #1, which you would have to replace the whole panel.

Thanks. Here is a photo of the damage to get a better idea. oil damage | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

You can place a sticker over that damage, but it would probably be cheesy.

If you plan on replacing it, its best to get an aftermarket in-dash navigation, otherwise you would have an extra radio panel unit.

I'd call to junk yards/Pull a Parts to see if they have any totaled fits. That'll be a lot cheaper than buying a new panel, assuming there's on in stock somewhere.

Yeah I'm really looking for the cheapest (if possible) way to fix it. This is my first car and I've really been working hard to keep it in great condition, so I'm pretty bummed that this happened. Would like to fix it asap. Does anyone know what the name for that part would be? There's so many parts out there for the instrument panel, I am not sure what's what.

Radio panel.

Remove the panel and disassemble.
Use sandpaper to prep the area.
Fill with plastic body filler and sand any uneven areas if necessary.
Spray paint the whole radio panel (mask out any labeling).
Reassemble and reinstall.

A nice wood grain dash trim kit would hide 80% of that damage and draw the eye away from the rest quite well, a careful touch-up would finish the job nicely I'm thinking.

I replaced that panel when I upgraded the stock radio with a Metra kit. I vaguely remember that kit is under $60. You might want to replace the stock radio and the panel at the same time.

This looks like a cost effective solution: Used Fit Factory Radio and faceplate. You don't need the extra radio but maybe you could sell it on ebay...

edit: hard to tell from the picture, but it may have "cosmetic defects" as bad as yours... watch out...

Check out the dash trim kits here- for $85, you can get some nice trim kits, which will cover up the mess.

REMIN® - W/O Navigation, Mini Kit, 24 Pcs. - 2010 Honda Fit Dash Kit


I covered my radio with the carbon fiber trim.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/pict...pictureid=4014

I say good time to get that CF dash kit! Let us know how it goes. I hate having anything like that happen to my baby- you just notice it that much more too.

I'd think damaged plastic would look better than wood. It almost always looks tacky unless the car was designed for it.

I agree about wood trim (looks very 1980's to me), but I dig my carbon fiber trim ;)

80's, aw come on. My buddy has a beautiful new Jag XK. You've got to see that interior, burled walnut to die for!!! But then again, it was designed for it. Let's see... what was the Fit designed for???
Oh yea - plastic. Seriously now.

Occam - you got rid of your Fit 'cause it don't fit but left me with a sweet way to mod the seats... lurkers should be kind ;-)

I'm curious to hear back from YouTube - Melissa where did she go, what did she do?? I'm thinking parts, not pieces.

K_C_;)

No Wood in Fits...LOL
 

I wonder also what the Factory Match (OEM)...is...

They also have metallic...

Krimson- isn't the wood on a Jag real wood, not plastic? My 1995 Subaru has a tiny bit of trim in burl wood and I really do not care for it.