Hey guys. I did a search and didn't find anything, but I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

The wood trim on the door of my 10' Navigator has cracked. It's something I've only just noticed about a week ago or so. My wife also noticed her Jaguar dash trim has cracked as well two days ago! I'm thinking it my be the weather here in the DFW area, but maybe someone here's had some experience with this and knows more than me.

The temps have swung 60 degrees or more the last couple of weeks and little to no precipitation this winter. That's what I think the problem is, anyway.

Thanks for reading,
Sam

 

It's not uncommon in any car/truck with real wood trim. The wood is finished at a certain moisture content and if lest in a dry climate for any length of time, the wood will dry out and shrink, causing a crack. Can you post a picture? If it's just the varnish it's easier to repair than if the entire piece has separated.

 

Got exacly the same probleme on my 2010 navigator L ans it's really expensive for a little panel, the crack is in the direction of the wood grai nso I don't care to much i just hope it's not gonna be worst and worst... The weather in montreal was really cold lot of snow

 

I have cracking on the wood paneling there as well and was perplexed why it would happen. Then I noticed when my gf was getting out on day what the culprit most likely was. When she unbuckled her seatbelt and let it go, the plastic bit swung back on an arc and almost always knocked against the door paneling on it's way back to the return position. She wasn't doing anything I would consider out of the ordinary, but bad placement of the paneling. Not saying it couldn't have been the elements, but being in Austin I have experienced the same weather swings you have and so far all other pieces are fine. I do use 303 Aerospace on everything interior, constantly have the windshield visor up, tinted windows, and park in the garage whenever possible... all variables that may help as well.

 

I have been searching for a used Navigator and have noticed the same thing on several Navigators. It's always the drivers side door.

 

Same thing happened to my wife's car. I think it is caused by expansion/contraction of the wood with changes in temperature/humidity. Of course it could also be that the trim piece was stressed in some way (possibly by door flexing while opened or shut). We just left it be on my wife's car. The plastic trim on my F-150 has held up fine, lol...

 

I have a 2008 with no crack...yet. Does it seem to occur with both the dark and light wood trim?

 

I have seen it on both the dark and the light