Yes, same happened to mine and was replaced under warranty. Perhaps mine was under the limit for wear and tear? I would call Toyota USA and see if they can help.

 

I have this issue with a RAV4 Limited Hybrid 2019, and Toyota is refusing warranty claiming is "normal wear and tear". View attachment 176270

I have the same problem with my RAV4. Never had this problem with any of my previous cars. My car in garage every day. I don't wear ring or anything that can scratch it. Definitely not wear and tear but cheap material Toyota use. Very disappointing.

 

Not saying this is what happened with yours but I know hand sanitizer was the main culprit on the steering wheel of my other vehicle during the covid prime time.

 

I was going to suggest the same point. Sanitizer and the alcohol in fragrances can affect the leather wrapped steering wheel. My other car is a 2016 Accord and that steering wheel is trashed because of this. I just put a wrap over it and moved on. So far I've been real careful with my RAV and no issues after almost 2 years and close to 50,000 miles.

 

My wife has an issue with super dry skin so she uses quite a bit of hand cream. The steering wheel in our previous car ('11 CR-V) deteriorated over the last couple years. I bought a steering wheel cover for the new RAV4 - hopefully that will help...

 

Check out this thread. I also had a faded foam steering wheel due to COVID and using alcohol sanitizer on my hands.
It was not good for the steering wheel...
I was getting annoyed with how it looked so decided to try a wrap and was really happy with the result!

https://www.rav4world.com/posts/3096162/

 

Same car as above same year, peeling on the steering wheel. Never in all our cars have we had this issue. Had a Nissan for 6 years and no problems. Toyota step up.

 

Related problem -- when I enter my car and swing my right leg up under the steering wheel, I get a black smudge on my pants just above the knee where they contact the wheel. I've got a bad right hip (candidate for replacement) and can't easily contort my right leg too much more than I'm already doing. My hunch is that the black dye on the steering wheel leather is not color-fast. Suppose I should look into a wrap on the wheel.

 

Related problem -- when I enter my car and swing my right leg up under the steering wheel, I get a black smudge on my pants just above the knee where they contact the wheel.

I had that problem back in the 1980s with all my expensive business suits when I had leather covered steering wheels. All my leather wheels deteriorated after several years. I lived in very hot places in S. Calif. back then and the hand sweat (no air conditioner then) caused the leather steering wheels to become slippery. That is why I no longer use them. Amazon has hundreds of easy to install steering wheel covers in all different price ranges and materials.

 

I have a 2024 and have yet to see that. I am considering a wheel cover but since I have heated steering wheel then it may lessen the ability to warm it.

 

Does anyone know if Toyota fixed this issue or are they using a different material for the steering wheel ?

 

Toyota uses two different materials for the steering wheel, depending on trim level. Lower trim levels (LE, perhaps XLE) get vinyl material, while higher trim levels supposedly have real leather (not the simulated leather Toyota calls Softex they put on seats).

But seeing the peeling on the OP's steering wheel in post #1, it makes me wonder if it is real leather. I don't think real leather is capable of peeling like that.

Same goes for the shift lever boot. Higher trim levels are supposed to have real leather, but I changed my boot to a TRD one (red lettering) that is supposed to be real leather, but it sure looks like vinyl with a cloth mesh backing.