On my last fun car, a 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo, cracked dashes were part of the interior design. It seems the XK8 / XKR have much better quality and may not be a concern. I hate windshield screens but will use one if I have to (as I did with my old P-car).

 

I have not really heard anyone complain about this... I think this happening is quite rare.

 

I have some mild separation by the windshield defrost vents. Annoys the heck out of me but I am sure I am the only person who notices.

 

Never seen this issue

 

I had similar on a Fairlady Z I owned. Just carefully applied some impact adhesive, and when it had started to cure, wedged the gap between the dash and the screen with scrunched up newspaper to keep the surfaces together without risk of breaking the screen glass. Next day it was all good, lasted at least until I sold the car 5 years later. 20 mins well spent, as the dash separation was annoying me too.

 

I think the problem was with the Porsche dash, they even cracked in our climate, where sunshine is a rare treat.

 

Dash areas directly under the windshield can and will crack on just about any vehicle you can name if they are parked in direct sunlight for long enough periods of time. The lighter the dash color, the longer it will last before cracking in most cases. Some plastics and materials are more sun-tolerant than others. Better to be safe than sorry - park in the shade at every opportunity, all year long. Screens can help as well, but many folks buy them and then get lazy about using them after a few days/weeks/months....

 

Thanks, all. Glad to hear it's not a big deal like I thought. The car is garaged at home, but parks 'out' at work during the day. I definitely go for shade when I can, but more times than not, it means bird droppings for me.

 

I have an '07 XK, which are notorious for dash covering separating. Subsequent models are better. To prevent this, I have had the windshield (yes, the windshield) coated with a UV protectorate coating at $125. It is not noticeable.
In addition, I use "303 Aerospace Protectant" every few weeks. It is a spray. I spray first to a cloth, then apply to the dash, wiping dry immediatel.