Inside door panel vinyl damage
 

I'm sure many of you have come across this problem. You leave the window open, it rains, and water soaks the vinyl on the door panel. My question is, has anybody tried anything to smooth out the ripples on the vinyl caused by the water?

Buddy they same thing happened to me when to work left the window open a crack and it rained now my things all fucked. I didn't think it happened to anyone else

nothing u can really do.
look around for cheap replacements.

I think using a heat gun may work. Heat it up and gently press it back down with your fingers.

I'm not sure if it ripples because the vinyl reacts to the water soaking it, or it is due to the adhesive (if there is any) under the vinyl that sticks it to the panel dissolving. If it's the latter, and the heating works, it will still not be as "tight-fitting" as original, unless you heat up the adhesive as well (not just the rippled vinyl). If there is no adhesive and it's just a thin piece of curved vinyl we're dealing with, then the heat gun should work by softening it and reshaping it back to as close as original as possible.

I have seen people paint there door panels and dash before, but thats the worst case, it could be painted by sanding it down and making it any colour you want, thinking of doing this to my teg glossy black :).

But, the heating should work in what your saying i have never seen it done, but im thinking if you do heat it, it may move the vinyl thats around the water ripples and cause indents or not flush all together, i would look around if anyone else had it or try it on a piece of vinyl you cant really see and just do a piece of it and check it out g/l man keep us posted on this kinda interested since im missing a chunk in my vinly :S no clue how that happen.

I used a hair dryer and worked on it for about 30mins. Blowing it on low fan setting and pressing down with my fingers. It helped a little, but not good enough. I'm afraid that a heat gun may be too hot and melt the vinyl.

Damn I have this same problem and it annoys the crap out of me so I hope someone has a solution for this cuz I was just gonna get a new panel

I ripped my pass side off, sanded it and paintd. it looks good. So im going to do it to the other side.

You can sand and paint the vinyl, but how does it correct the rippled vinyl?

i rip off the vinyl. behind the vinyl is black plastic with glue on it. just windex the ---- outta it and get a 1 sided razor and start picking off the glue. then sand it with 180grit, then 220, then 800. then primer it, then paint it w.e color you want.

So I guess it's the glue that is affected by the water. My goal is to reactivate that glue with ripping/tearing anything.

Well I guess you didn't read my part about paintin in 8500 rpm lol. Ya so if you heat the glue it will turn it back to liquid state and I think for heat to affect the vinyl it would have to be a lot more heat. Ya but painting it would look nice and you can have any colour you want. Overdose post a pic of how the panel looks and turned out I am interested in doing this, this summer.

I didnt do a proper job. Im going to refinish it when u guys come over. u can see it 1st hand.

dont forget to bring ur lip. buy 180 grit and w.e is the next softest after 180.

you cant fix the door panel.
its as simple as that.

the glue that is used can not be reactivated.
there is only ONE way to save the panel to make it still oem.

remove the vynil then apply spray glue by 3m (number 83 or 77) and then reapply the vynil using a heat gun. (must use heat gun since hair blower is to weak).

the easiest way to fix it would be to replace the panel since they are so cheap.

as for sanding it down jdm overdose you cant go from 2 or 3 hundred grip to 800 grit.
this will show sand marks.

you need to gradually go higher.

i would recommend. 220 if you have a DA if not go 120 then 220 or 240 then 400 then 600 and finish it with 800 wet.

yea. i forgot what sand paper i used.

but yea, just buy a new pannel. or paint it

I need to figure out how to remove the vinyl without damaging it now.

its pretty easy. just rip it off