Perfect Solution for Cigarette Burns on Car A-Pillar?
4 Answers
Replace the entire fabric headliner. You need to go to a 4S shop or a professional auto repair and beauty shop to have it done by a professional technician. Buy two headliner clips online to cover the burned area. Stick a favorite pattern to cover the burned area. Apply a band-aid of the same color to cover the burned area. Purchase a touch-up pen in the same color as the car roof for repair.
A couple of days ago, I just used a hot glue gun to repair a cigarette burn on the A-pillar of my car. First, I cleaned the black soot around the burn mark with alcohol wipes. If the plastic was burned into a small pit, I cut a small piece of black non-woven fabric, dipped it in epoxy resin glue, and filled the pit. After the glue dried completely, I lightly sanded it with water and wet sandpaper. Finally, I sprayed it with interior-specific repair paint. The most crucial part of the process is being patient with sanding—I used 800-grit sandpaper for twenty minutes to achieve a smooth finish. A reminder: don’t smoke in the car for two days after the repair, as high temperatures can cause the newly repaired area to turn yellow.
Last year, my car got a small dent from a colleague's cigarette butt, and I figured out a money-saving trick: Before buying interior repair paste, check the A-pillar material first. For hard plastic, choose epoxy-based; for soft rubberized plastic, use silicone-based. Use a toothpick to apply a small amount of repair paste to fill the dent, avoiding overflow. When it's half-dry, use a credit card to level the surface—this trick makes the repair almost invisible with no color difference. Finally, remember to buy an A-pillar ashtray with clips. I now have mine stuck at the lower left corner of the driver's seat, which is much more practical than telling people not to smoke in the car.
Last week, I helped my neighbor fix the burn marks on the BMW X3's A-pillar: First, I used interior cleaner to remove the tar stains, only to find the burn marks had turned white and deformed. Then, I softened the plastic with a heat gun at low temperature (keeping a 5 cm distance and sweeping back and forth), and as the plastic rebounded, I quickly pressed it into shape with an ice towel. The remaining burn marks were covered up with an interior refurbishment pen—for a more accurate color match, I tore off a small piece of the trim and took it to an auto parts store to compare shades. After the repair, there was a slight uneven texture to the touch, but it was completely invisible from three meters away, saving over 2,000 yuan compared to replacing the entire A-pillar trim.
