Customer Reviews

Ergo Grip Steering Wheel Cover, Black

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Who would think such a simple item like a steering wheel cover could be so valuable? This ergonomic cover turns my plastic "thin-feeling" steering wheel into a wider gripped, comfortable cushion. Plus, on hot days, I don't burn my hands when I get in the car. They have these in all kinds of colors and style, but I chose this for its cushiony feeling and its simple black appearance. Note: The best way to get this to snap onto your steering wheel is to let it sit in the sun for while until it is warm and flexible. Then you'll have an easier time pulling it over your steering wheel. It is a very tight.

Received this item - went on easy - however once on the steering wheel, the cover was just a little too squishy for my taste. Made the steering wheel feel very "fat" and annoying to hold.

So while the construction was okay - would recommend looking for one at a auto parts store so one can get the feel of it before purchase.

Measure your steering wheel before you buy this product. It is said to fit up to 15.5" diameter, but that is not true. My wheel is 15.5" and I spent a very long time with more than one person trying to fit it on my wheel. It never fit. I think it would even be hard to get on a 15" wheel. It is made well and the insulation would probably work, but they need to be more honest about the size of wheel it would fit. It seemed like my wheel would have to be at least an inch smaller.

The smell of this thing is horrific. It stank for weeks after I installed it. Also the package says that it contains lead and after handling you need to wash your hands. It seems silly that a steering wheel cover would have this warning. I threw it away. Total waste of money!

I first bought one of these wheelcovers in an auto parts store couple of years ago, but the inside plastic edge on the first one had started cracking from sun and heat. Since I really like the soft effect these covers give, I decided to buy a replacement. Unfortunately, the replacement I bought online from amazon is not nearly as nice as the one it is replacing (even though it is the same brand). The problems are: (1) the new cover is not wide enough to go all the way around the wheel and leave the seams on the inside of the wheel (this means you touch the seams when you grip the wheel); (2)this cover is not nearly as soft as the original, and (3) the cover fabric on this one is slightly wrinkly rather than perfectly smooth like it was on the original. This said though, it is still better than no cover.

This Ergo Grip steering wheel cover has been a Godsend. It is rated four stars (instead of five) only because of the smell of the product and the small cracks that appeared in the edge after mounting it. The strange odor would normally keep me from buying it but, since I ordered online, I wasn't aware of the smell. When it arrived, I tried it anyway. It turns out that I love the product, and have greater comfort driving. I broke my wrist a year ago and have arthritis, carpal tunnel, and Dupuytren's Syndrome as a result, so anything that can keep me driving is a Godsend. Incidentally, the smell is slowly dissipating. Glad I found this item.

This steering cover smelled up my whole apartment. I put it outside to air three weeks ago. It still stinks! I can't use it.

I bought this for my Dodge Ram with a 15.5 inch steering wheel. It says it is supposed to fit, but I struggled to get it on. The material finally ripped when i nearly had it on. It is on the steering wheel but the firm molding along the inner edge is ripped apart and the foam is exposed. I'm sure this would have worked great on a smaller steering wheel. I wouldn't buy this for a 15.5 inch wheel.

I'm surprised how many people complain about the color of this steering wheel cover... I guess I just don't care enough about the color. It is gray. Light gray. There are many shades of gray... they didn't lie, and everybody's computer screen displays colors slightly differently. But it is gray.

One review did remark how difficult it is to install - which I will second. I think, again, your mileage may vary because some steering wheels are bigger, or have odd shapes or curvatures. Again - not something you'll be able to tell for yourself until you actually try it out. On my beater 1998 Rodeo, though, it was a chore to install.

Which brings me to the meat of this review. My Rodeo has a hard, cold, plastic steering wheel which absolutely sucks the heat out of my hands. On my 1.8 mile commute in the middle of winter, my hands get so cold that it's painful - so I bought the cheapest steering wheel cover I could find that would actually insulate my hands. And it does this VERY well. It's very comfortable to drive with this cover on and I would normally recommend it for that reason. However, it's not the prettiest thing (even if it did match my car) and the smell was rather strong for the first few weeks I had it in the car. At least it masked the smell of wet dog from the previous owners!

All that said, I am astonished that no one else bothered to comment on the fact that this thing has a bold warning on the cardboard it was attached to: "This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer and/or birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling this product."

Wow. Now I normally think the State of California warnings are sometimes over the top, but this one is almost funny. They want me to wash my hands after handling this product? So after every time I drive anywhere? Riiiight. Good thing I don't really take much heed from those warnings! But, I know there are those who might, so I thought it might be a good idea to share that. I'll post a picture of the cardboard as well.

So, in summary, it stinks like burned rubber, it's tough to install, might not be precisely the shade of gray you're looking for, and it may cause cancer. But it's nice to feel on the hands and keeps my hands warm! It's on my beater car, which I don't drive very often... I'll keep it on the wheel (if only because it'll be a nightmare to take off). 3 stars.

Update 18 Dec 2011: Some sharp wires started sticking out of the steering wheel cover which were most definitely uncomfortable while driving, and potentially dangerous. I've deducted another star and removed the wheel cover from my Rodeo in favor of a store-bought one.

When I opened the box that this steering wheel cover came in, I almost passed out from the awful smell that this product gives off. Also, the WARNING on the packaging reads: This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of CA to cause cancer and/ or birth deffects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling this product.

I will be returning this cover immediately, and definitely won't be giving this "poisonous" gift to the person I intended to "gift" it to. I will also be reporting this steering wheel cover to The Department of Consumer Protection.