CDR-24 knobs melting

Hi all, Sorry if there is already an answer out there but I looked pretty hard and have been unsuccessful. Due to the recently lovely heatwave which has been terrorizing the northeast the volume/tuning knobs of my CDR-24 has started to melt. Nothing serious but the rubber is bubbling and is sticky to the touch. I contacted my dealer who informed me that while there is a part number the part is not available yet. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm going to try a few other places to find a replacement but appreciate anyone's insights/suggestions. BTW, my car is not under warranty anymore.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Elevator music mostly. I find the musak versions of regular songs much more soothing. :hilarious:

I'd also be interested in finding part numbers for the radio buttons. I lost one of the buttons for selecting a pre-set station.

If you want soothing you should drive a Hearse not a Porsche :hilarious:

If you go to Pedro's Garage, you will find a whole host of do-it-yourself projects documented by Pedro, one of which is for sticky and/or peeling volume and tuning buttons on the radio. He documents the procedure for a 986 , but it seems to me that it can be applied to the 987 as well. Hope its what you were looking for.

You could always go the '*******' route and remove your volume and tune knobs, and just use a pair of needlenose pliers... Seriously though, the CDR-24 is already a generation behind the current CDR-30 . I'm somewhat surprised that your dealer says the part isn't available yet. Have you tried calling other dealers in your area or someplace like Suncoast ?

Don't know if the knobs are the same for the CDR-24 but I got replacements for my PCM volume and selection knobs. Most annoying is the AC controls which are peeling on so many Porsche 's I've sat in!! Porsche told me they were working on a repair kit, but no news yet

Got mine replaced under warranty.

All, Thanks much for the insights and suggestions (Professor, I'm beginning to think you know everything about 987s). Pedro's site was exactly what I was looking for. I have to admit some disappointment with Porsche for not having replacement knobs available. It sounds as if I'm not the first to have this problem and as was mentioned the CDR-24 has been out for quite a while now. Of course this disappointment disappears when I turn the key and hear the real radio. :burnout: Thanks again for all the help. When I fix the knobs I'll take some pics and post them in the articles.

Snokng: You are welcome. And do not forget to post up some photos of your finished product, as I am sure others will encounter cosmetically compromised volume and tuning knobs on their CDR-24 in the near future. I had a section of the CDR-24 replaced under warranty for peeling heater and fan-speed controls. Thanks for the compliment too, but I will be the first one to confess that my knowledge of the 987 pales in comparison to many others. I do like conducting research on the car and how to go about fixing things, and then passing what I learned on to others—its the teacher in me.

Suncoast sells replacement knobs for the PCM : PCM Radio Knob Set:Suncoast Automotive Porsche, Audi, & VW Perhaps they'll have ones for the CDR-24 also?

I have a spare PCM knob if anyone wants it. ________ Live Sex Webshows

While still in place, I just used mineral spirits to get the sticky stuff off. I don't know about using the plastic dip coating because the cleaned up CDR knobs look pretty much the same as before.

I am with tach miami, just clean them. I used a mild cleaner. I am sure it took longer than mineral spirits, but I felt safer. Pull the knob out, it requires some force, clean it and return it back in place. It looks good as new.

I think these are what you need. http://www.suncoastparts.com/product//C997K645913D00.html

WOW! This thread amazes me. My car has been in South Texas heat since I bought in Sept 06, and never a problem (with black interior, no less). How **** like this can happen is a constant source of wonder. Thanks for the info on replacements, though, just in case.

Are your knobs getting any kind of chemical exposure, perhaps at a carwash?

Does replacing the knob tighten it up? The knob on my PCM is kinda loose

I just want to follow up on a solution for the sticky radio knobs on the CDR-24. I ended up cleaning them (as suggested by tach miami and jaica), as opposed to dipping them in plastic-dip per the do-it-yourself projects documented by Pedro's Garage. I pulled both knobs off—use a firm and even motion to do so—in order to better clean them. At first I tried using a relatively mild cleaner, namely, Method Floor and Surface cleaner. Even using the product at full strength applied to a microfiber towel, all it did was push the sticky goo around the knobs—it did nothing to remove it. I then applied some Goo Gone to a microfiber towel and began wiping the knobs. This was the ticket, as I was able to remove the sticky mess from the knobs and return them to essentially their original condition. It took some effort to fully clean the knobs up with the Goo Gone, but it did work. No damage occurred to the knobs either. On a side note, my AC and fan controls were peeling, so the dealer replaced the entire unit under warranty. The cleaned up radio knobs feel about the same as the updated AC and fan control knobs.

as my radio knobs have been "sticky" for some time, i'll try the goo gone method.

My '06 CS had this issue when I bought the car. I thought some idiot had just put bubble gum on the radio controls when they test drove it, but I guess not. I simply pulled them off and washed them with dish soap and hot water. Not sure if they look like new ones, but they do look fine to me.

What I've heard is that sunscreen or hand lotion degrades the material that the knobs are made of

I wish my whole CDR-24 would melt so because it would give me a reason to by a stereo that was not as junky.

My headliner was falling when I took it in, the Service Adviser asked if there was anything else, I mentioned the "sticky knobs" and the ac controls were deteriorating. When came back to pick up my car, all new control panel cover, new knobs and and buttons, sweet.

I feel your pain brother. I live in Westchester County, NY and the heat has indeed make my knobs feel as if they were melting. They were sticky to the fingers. I guess I'm gonna check out Pedro's as well. Best!

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but my radio knobs just became sticky this summer on my 2007.... I removed them, tried dish soap and goo gone to try to remove the sticky, neither seemed to help much. Rubbing alcohol on cloth did the trick. Took some effort to clean but it did get it all off and no damage to the knob.... I folded the cloth over s few times and put it down on the counter top, poured some of the rubbing alcohol on the cloth, then moved the knob back and forth against the cloth in a vigorous manor, once the face was free to sticky I did the same on the edges.... One tip is to remove and put aside the springs that are on the back of the knob while cleaning so as not to loose them and with them on it is harder to grip from the back to clean. Much better than $50 to replace.

After using Goo Gone and Rubbing alcohol, it did not remove the black from the knob leaving the white underbody plastic?

Knob stayed black with silver ring on outside. No evidence of any color loss. I think the plastic may be black throughout unlike the buttons on the radio or air conditioner.

I just recently cleaned mine, goo gone did the trick! Highly recommend!

Reviving an old thread just for information sake....after 8 years and since moving full time to the summer/Florida heat, my radio knobs both became extremely sticky to the touch. I've read this thread and others for solutions but decided to engage a company in Maryland called Sticky No More. This outfit has developed a very affordable process to remove and re coat to better than factory quality. The process also prevents future stickiness. They do everything from just the radio knobs, to all the AC controls and even consoles. This problem apparently isn't limited to our Porsches. See their web site for info. Robbie at SNM was extremely helpful and turned around my knobs in one day after receipt. They are better than new and the service is affordable. I have no affiliation with this company and I'm just a very satisfied customer and hoping to be helpful:cheers: