Introduction: Why Your Dashboard Is Under Attack Every Single Day
This is something that most car owners in Pakistan don't think about. Every day that your car is parked in the sun outside, your dashboard is slowly getting damaged.
It can't be seen. There is no warning sound. But your car is actually being harmed by the sun on a daily basis, and the damage isn't going away. It's only when you see the cracks in the walls, the fading and the crumbly plastic that the damage has been there for months or even years.
Fortunately, there's not too much to do to secure your dashboard, and it isn't very expensive. A little bit of know-how and the right auto car care products can help you keep your car's dashboard looking fresh, clean and damage free for years to come.
Here we'll take you through just how bad UV damage can be for your dashboard, how to know you may be having it before it causes any real harm and most importantly how to prevent the damage before it's too late.
What UV Damage Actually Does to Your Dashboard
If you want to know why protection is necessary, you should first understand the effect of the UV rays on your dashboard. Your dashboard is made of plastic or vinyl. They include chemical substances known as plasticizers which are used to retain their softness, flexibility and attractiveness.
The UV radiation of the sun can repeatedly break those chemical bonds, which is known as photodegradation. Imagine the following. Leave a rubber band in the sun for a few weeks and it becomes dry, stiff and snaps easily. So it does to your dashboard too, but not as quickly.
The UV rays extract moisture and pliability from the material, leaving it dry, brittle and crack-prone. Add to all of this, the temperature of the dashboards can be as high as 80-90 degrees Celsius when parked in direct sunlight during the summer in Pakistan. This temp will cause the material to expand during the day and contract at night. This expansion and contraction happen every day, driving internal stress which accumulates until the cracks form.
Why Pakistani Car Owners Face This Problem More Than Most
The climate in Pakistan is one of the worst for the interior of cars. Many cities around the world suffer from some of the highest levels of UV radiation and heat, including Lahore, Multan, Karachi and Jacobabad. Even worse, most of the cars in Pakistan park outside for hours each day. Whether you are at work, at a shopping plaza or parked outside your home, your car is baking in the sun. These hours translate to thousands of exposure to the sun's UV-rays annually.
As much as 80% of the UV rays pass through cloud cover and windshields even on cloudy days. No matter what the weather, your dashboard is being assaulted. That's the reason why interior protection should be a priority when it comes to car care in Pakistan. Your car's exterior appearance is not the only thing that matters. The inside should be cared for as well, particularly in such a rigged-out climate as ours.
What are the signs of UV damage?
As you work through the solutions, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of UV damage to be able to spot it early.
Sign:1 Fading and Discolouration:
Colour change is always the first sign. Once a dark rich black or grey, the dashboard becomes washed-out, dull and uneven. This is the breakdown of pigments in the surface material by UV radiation. This begins nicely, but rapidly deteriorates without protection.
Sign 2: Cracking & Brittleness:
This is the most obvious and most harmful symptom. Small hairline cracks appear on the surface of the dashboard, usually starting at stress points like vents, edges and corners. As these cracks get older they grow and multiply. If the car's dashboard is cracked, it's difficult to repair, and will often require replacement a costly endeavor.
Sign 3: Warping and Bubbling:
Under severe conditions of high temperature, dashboard panels have been known to bend or even raise the edges. You might see parts that don't lie flat or places where the surface seems to be slightly rising. This is due to over expansion of material when placed under a lot of and multiple heat exposure. If you notice any of these signs on your dashboard now, don't wait any longer. Protect it now! Damage will continue to worsen.
This is how to keep the dashboard safe for the best: 5 Effective Strategies
There are five activities which every car owner in Pakistan should be performing to keep their dashboard from getting damaged due to UV rays.
Method 1: Apply a UV Protectant Spray
This is the fastest, most direct and best way to combat UV damage. A good UV protectant spray forms a barrier over your dashboard to protect it from damaging UV rays. A good dashboard protectant should also have moisturizing agents to compensate for the plasticizers that are lost over time. This gives the material some flexibility back, and prevents it from cracking and becoming brittle.
Klink Protectant and other Harris Car Care products are specially designed for the Pakistani environment. They will block UV rays, repel dust and leave a natural finish without being greasy or too shiny on the dashboard. Always use a product with a natural satin finish as a shiny or greasy finish will create dangerous reflections in your windshield when driving.
How to apply: You should begin by thoroughly cleaning your dashboard with a microfiber cloth to get rid of any dust or dirt. Next, spray a little protectant on a clean applicator pad or microfiber cloth, but not on the dashboard the excess protectant can get on your windows. Wipe all surfaces of the dashboard including vents, trim and edges. Gently polish with a dry microfiber cloth to minimize any excess and to ensure an even finish. Quality dashboard car care products are available at harriscarcare.com or at a trusted car care center near you.
Method 2 :Use a Windshield Sun Shade Every Time You Park
One of the easiest and best car care tools is a windshield sun shade. It is installed in the windshield when parked and absorbs the UV rays before they reach the dashboard. Research has demonstrated that a high-specification sunshade can save the interior cabin temperature by 15 to 20 degrees C.
However, that gap is huge in Pakistan where the temperature inside the cab can even reach 70°C or higher without any protection. This is because of the gradual rate at which the UV is damaging the material, less heat stress on the material, and a much more comfortable ride when returning to your car. Consistency is the key. The purpose of the sun shade is for use, if not, it's no sun shade. Make it a habit to make it up every time you park, just as if you park for several minutes. These short intervals accumulate over a period of time. Purchase a decent reflective sun-shade silver foil ones are best because they reflect heat, not absorb it. Be sure it fits all the way over the windshield there are no edges showing.
Method 3:Park Smart /Shade Is Your Best Friend
This is common sense advice, but it can have more impact that many realize. The best solution to minimize UV exposure on the interior of your car is to park in the shade. If you can, park under a tree, covered parking, inside a building (garage), or on the shade side of a structure. Partial shade is much better than full sun. If you regularly park outside at home, get a car canopy or good quality car top cover. These shield your entire car from the sun and help to maintain extremely cool cab temperatures. If you cannot find a shaded spot, park your vehicle so that the back is facing the sun not the windshield. The back of your boot and window is exposed to significantly less UV than that of your front window and dashboard. This easy parking change greatly minimizes the amount of ultraviolet exposure of the dashboard during the hottest hours of the day.
Method 4:Clean Your Dashboard the Right Way
Many people aren't aware of the fact that bad cleaning can actually accelerate the damage caused by the UV. The dust particles which are being dragged across the dashboard's surface when you wipe it dry, causes very small scratches. These very fine scratches can let the UV rays penetrate deeper into the material which in turn will cause more damage.
Here are the right ways to clean your dashboard:
Use a damp microfiber cloth, not a dry one. Microfiber is very soft and will not scratch when removing dust. Avoid using household cleaning products, all purpose sprays or wet wipes on the dashboard. These are filled with strong chemicals which remove protective coatings and dry the product. Apply a special inside automobile cleaning agent from a trusted automotive care products form harris car care. Use it on cloth, as opposed to the dashboard. Use gentle, even strokes and not scrubbing. Dry with a dry microfiber cloth. Wipe down dashboard at least once a week. Regular dusting in Pakistan is important in the long run because if the dust is not cleaned, it will cause abrasion over time and increase UV damage.
Method 5:Use a Dashboard Cover for Maximum Protection
Car Dashboard Covers are for those who need the most protection for their car's dash and want to get it in direct sunlight for long periods of time. These fabric covers are placed right on top of your dash, and can provide a full barrier against UV rays penetrating the surface below. When parked, you can enjoy virtually full protection from UV damage with a good quality dashboard cover and windshield sun shade. This mix is particularly suited for the motorists of Multan, Jacobabad, Lahore or any other area where the sun's rays are very strong. Another great feature of Dashboard covers is that they help keep the dashboard cooler to the touch when you return to the car, providing a more comfortable experience.
How Often Should You Apply Dashboard Protectant in Pakistan?
This is one of the most frequently asked car care questions and the answer is based on the season. Apply a UV protectant to the dashboard once every two weeks during the hottest summer months (May to September). During this time the heat and UV strength can degrade protective coatings much quicker than during cooler months. October - February during cooler months, usually once a month. In the transition months of March, April and October, every 3 weeks. With cars which are parked mostly outdoors in the sun, follow the two week schedule throughout the year. If the vehicle is parked in a garage or covered area, it is able to go longer without a treatment. The easy way to remember it is that you should apply protectant when you wash the car. This leaves your dashboard always protected without having to pay attention to another timetable.
What Happens If You Ignore UV Damage?
This is where paying attention to dashboard care becomes a very costly endeavor. A damaged and worn dashboard isn't just an eyesore. It has a definite negative effect on the resale value of your car. If you have a crack in the dashboard, the potential buyer will think that the car hasn't been taken care of and will pay you much less. In addition to the financial impact, a cracked dashboard can be unsafe to drive a vehicle with. Glare and reflections in your windshield can obstruct your view while driving due to cracks and warped areas. Cracked dashboards may also collect dust and allergens, which can be dangerous for your car's air quality. In extreme cases, the UV damage can penetrate to the parts within the dashboard such as the airbag housings, cabin sensors and digital displays. They are very costly to repair if damaged. Prevention is a lot cheaper than repair or replacement. The one thing you need to avoid thousands of rupees in dashboard repair bills is a bottle of quality protectant and a sun shade.
FAQ :Dashboard UV Protection Questions Answered
1- Can I use Vaseline or home made oil to protect my dashboard?
A: No. They can temporarily sheen the surface, but they can cause the surface to become sticky with time and they collect dust. Never use car insurance dashboard protectants!
2-I can't see a way to repair my existing dashboard. Should it be protected at this time?
A: Absolutely yes. Putting this UV protectant in a cracked dashboard will prevent further cracks from spreading and new ones from opening in undamaged parts of the vehicle's dashboard. It will not stop damage occurring but it will prevent it from worsening.
3- Does window tinting help you protect the dashboard?
A: Yes, quality window tint does block a great deal of UV rays that enter the car. Tinting provides an additional layer of protection for the dashboard when used in conjunction with a sun shade and protectant spray.
4-Is a matte or glossy dashboard protectant better?
A: Dailey driving is always best protected under a matte or satin finish protectant. The glossy finish reflects light on your car window glass which may distract you, and it can be hazardous to your driving safety.
5-How do I know if my dashboard protectant is working?
A good protectant will have a smooth feel, but not so slick as to be oily or make the surface more prone to dusting than an untreated surface, and it should not result in an appearance that is too shiny or clean.
Conclusion :A Little Protection Goes a Long Way
Every day, Pakistan's intense sun beats down on your dashboard. Over time, it can be broken by UV rays, high humidity, high temperatures and temperature fluctuations. The bad news is that all of this damage is 100% preventable. It's as simple as a good UV protectant spray, a sun shade for the windshield and smart parking and cleaning practices.These are not time consuming or costly practices. Take good care of your dashboard now and enjoy your vehicle for years to come.
Ready to Protect Your Dashboard?
Shop Klink Protectant and all interior car care products at: harriscarcare.com/collections/all
