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Cracked Dashboard: Repair It or Cover It?

By The Interior Pro · 25 years of hands-on car interior repair, reconditioning and detailing · Updated

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The Pro's Verdict
Cover it for now

A cracked dash can't be un-cracked cheaply. A custom-fit dash cover is the best value. Filler kits show, and replacing the dash is expensive.

Typical cost
$40 to $120 for a cover, $1,000 to $3,000 for a pro repair
Time
15 minutes for a cover
DIY difficulty
Easy

A cracked dash isn’t just ugly. Once it starts, the sun keeps working on it every single day.

Why it happened

Sun and heat dry out the plastic in the dash pad. It hardens, shrinks and splits, usually along stress lines and vents. Dark dashes get hotter, so they crack sooner. It won’t heal, and it will keep spreading.

What to do right now

  • Use a windshield sunshade every time you park.
  • Clean with a mild interior cleaner, and apply a matte UV protectant.
  • Skip silicone shine products. They add glare and don’t stop cracking.

Your options

  1. Dash cover (best value): custom-fit, hides the damage and blocks the sun. $40 to $120.
  2. Filler kit: fills small cracks for $20 to $40, but you’ll usually still see them.
  3. Dash cap: a molded overlay that fits over the whole dash. $100 to $300.
  4. Shop repair or re-skin: $1,000 to $3,000.
  5. Replace the dash: $1,000 to $6,000, because the labor is heavy. Rarely worth it.

A note on airbags

The passenger airbag is behind the dash. Don’t glue, fill or cut over the airbag seam, and only use covers made for your model.

Keep it from happening again

Shade, sunshade, matte UV protectant a few times a year. That’s it.

When to call a pro

Don't fill, glue or cut anything over the passenger airbag seam. If the cracks are near it, or you want a full repair or replacement, go to a shop.

Tools that make it easier

  • Custom-fit dash cover

    $40 to $120

    Cut for your exact model, so it fits right and keeps the airbag area clear.

    Check price

  • Matte UV protectant for dash and trim

    $10 to $20

    Slows down further damage. Skip shiny, greasy products.

    Check price

  • Windshield sunshade

    $15 to $30

    The cheapest thing you can do. Heat and sun cause this.

    Check price

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