I’m typically not one to complain out things. Bad things happen and I frequently find it better to just look at the bight side of things. Sometimes this gets me into hot water though, as I miss opportunities to make things (including myself) better. To that end, I’m hoping that the end result of this negative blog post will result in something positive.
Back in December of 1997, my wife and I bought our first car together, a 1998 Honda Accord 4-door EX Sedan. I traded in my beloved cherry red Honda CRX-si for a car that was more practical, and, unfortunately, more boring. But this was ok. We planned on having a family and a 2-seater car (the CRX) was just not very safe or convenient for a family. So we settled with what then was a beautiful dark green color Honda Accord.
As time passed, the car became mine and my wife got a Honda Odyssey which was a much better “mommy taxi.” She shuttled kids to and from school, play dates, activities, etc. I used the Accord to drive a few minutes a day back and forth to the train station. As of this writing, the 11 year old car has only 58,000 miles on it while our 2001 Odyssey has about 105,000.
A few years ago, I noticed that my Accord was starting to show some odd discoloration on the roofline. I thought this was odd because I took pretty good car of the car, with regular waxings and cleanings. It was, however, parked outside. We needed to have the Odyssey in the garage to allow for easy kids and grocery schlepping.
What started as a discoloration (a patchy whitening) then turned into a full fledged peeling of the clear coat surface. The surface just started to flake off, easily exacerbated by a fingernail, leaving underneath a dull metal surface. This erosion of the clear coat surface continued to spread, but interestingly, not to all parts of the car. Specifically affected were the: roof, trunk and hood (in order of magnitude), but the side panels or bumpers seemed to be fine.
I have seen many old cars, including older Honda Accords, that show not signs of deterioration of the clear coat. When I confronted my local Honda dealership, they, too were a bit surprised but had to go to a Regional Manager to even consider doing anything about it. In the end, they did acknowledge that this was not normal wear & tear and offered to pay for a portion of the paint job.
I decided not to take the partial acknowledgement or payment. In my mind, this is something that is defective and Honda Motors needs to step up to correct this.
I have done some research and have found others with the same circumstances and characteristics. So I ask, it this just a coincidence or was there truly something wrong with that year’s application of clear coat and paint? Here are a few listings of people with similar complaints:
- Carcomplaints.com – multiple complaints on 1998 clear coat peel
- Allexperts.com – complaint of clear coat peel; (lame) answer, keep out of sun
- Honda-Tech.com – thread that shows the EXACT SAME thing as my accord with pictures; another thread about factory green Honda Accord X clear coat peel; thread that discusses how “cancerous” the clearcoat peel actually is (funny too); another thread on a Technical Bulletin on peeling paint.
- Yahoo Answers – thread about peeling clear coat
There are other complaints of this nature as well if you search for them.
Some pictures
First, back in 2006 or so, I was considering selling my 1998 Honda Accord EX (something I really didn’t want to do). I’m actually glad I kept it. It runs great and aside from the clear coat, I have no other complaints other than basic wear-and-tear. However, here are some pictures that I took of it long before the peeling started.
Just a few years later, here is what it looks like:
The passenger’s side looks ok.
Another shot of the passenger side.
Driver’s side looks ok as well. The sides of the Accord actually look pretty good.
Hood line starting to show the clear coat peel.
Roofline shows the clearcoat peel better. Down to the metal.
More on the roofline. It’s pretty bad.
Another shot of the roof.
There is very little clear coat remaining on the roof.
One more shot of the roof.
Here is the trunk peeling.
Another shot of the trunk.
You can see how the peel starts along the trunk lines.
Close-up of a peel in progress.
One last shot of the front.
And, of course, I have to throw in a picture of my vanity plate. “T3CHDAD” = Tech Dad in l33t speak. Details on that here.
So, why did I take time to post this article? Mainly because I wanted to raise attention of this Honda clear coat issue. Also, I wanted to see if the powers of Social Media and networking can eventually get the eyes and ears of Honda Motors, some dealerships or an auto paint company who wants a bit of publicity helping out a cause. Personally, I think that Honda Motors should step up and 1) acknowledge that there WAS an issue with this year and this color (or dark colored cars around this time) and 2) that they should do something about it. Offering to pay for part of the expense and only at certified auto body shops is not what I’m looking for. My car has been treated well, frequent washes and waxes and has extremely low mileage on it. Again, I have seen older Honda Accords that do NOT exhibit this type of corrosion or deterioration. There is something definitely wrong here and there should be some full retribution.
Note: I just uploaded these photos to Flickr. If this is happening to your Honda Accord, please upload your photos and tag them with the following tags: HONDACCPEEL, HONDA, ACCORD, CLEAR COAT, and PEEL. Thanks for your help!
If you are reading this post, thanks for taking the time to do so. If you have connections in the auto industry, please make sure others see this. If you are connected to the powers that be at Honda Motor Corporation, PLEASE get this in front of them. It is a shame to their brand (of which I have been extremely loyal). However, I’m ready to jump brands if this is the type of durability that Honda has. The motor is great, but that is only part of the equation.
HTD Says: Please help me spread the word about this clear coat peeling issue of Honda Accords. It has to stop or be acknowledged and corrected.
Below are some of the images that have been uploaded to Flickr using the tag “HONDACCPEEL”. Want your picture there? Just upload public images with the tags: HONDACCPEEL, HONDA, ACCORD, CLEAR COAT, and PEEL
[miniflickr tags=”hondaccpeel” per_page=”300″]
494 comments
Bonnie
I have two honda accords green 95 coupe and 04 sedan 4 door xlt leather…both cars have the same clear coat peeling which is super disappointing as the cars were bought because of the brand name and how highly reliable and reputable. Unfortunately it is extremely embarrassing.
here gardening fall
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AL
Having read a lot of these posts, i have this to say: Honda’s reactions to this sounds suspicious. I’ve heard their cheap excuses: “it’s 8 years old so it’ll happen anyway” And the owners are washing and polishing the cars. I had a Jeep Cherokee that I felt had HORRIBLE paint and it didn’t peel or fade off like on these Hondas. It was 10 years old and still had no fade spots anywhere on the hood, trunk or roof. Next car was a Dodge. Kept it for almost 8 years and no fade spots anywhere on the same areas. In the same time frame (8 years), I saw my sister-in-law’s Accord suffer from what I call “Honda Rust”. The paint was doing the exact thing everyone is complaining about! I know the owners are telling the truth because I’ve seen it happen. A co-worker has a Honda and it also suffers from Honda Rust in the same spot on the roof like in the pictures posted above. So I have two incidents where I saw their poor paint quality showing clear as crystal. It’s NOT true when Honda whines that they have nothing to do with it! They’re stone cold lying through their teeth to their customers.
JP
my 97 honda civic has the same issue
Carter Bowns
I’ve got a 1995 Forest Green Integra that started losing it’s clear coat in 2006/2007, I had it repainted a few years later because it looked so bad. I have seen many Honda’s and Acura’s with this problem.
Ryan
Just wanted to throw my hat into the ring here. I have a 2002 Accord Coupe EX V6. Just within the last year it has started to peel badly on the trunk, and now it is starting up on the roof as well. Even the sides along the side panels and right below the windows is starting to deteriorate as well. I went to my Honda dealership and the guy was sympathetic, but after looking it up said nothing could be done. He said the regional manager is coming in a few weeks so I could try speaking to him, which I will, but I don’t have high hopes.
This car has been the best car I’ve ever owned. I bought it in 2009 with 89k miles on it, and here in 2014 with 123k miles all I’ve had to do was replace the water pump, and routine maintenance. But it is is so embarrassing driving this car around as a 31 year old married adult. It looks like your 16 year old daughter’s first car. I am going to sell it.
I am apprehensive about ever buying a Honda again. And I know it’s an old paint job and these things happen, however from 2002-2009 I drove a 1994 Camaro Z28 in Montana (brutal on cars, freezing cold to blistering sun in the same day) and the paint was immaculate still. Before that from 2000-2002 I drove a 1992 Grand Prix that also had zero paint issues.
I will be sure to check ConsumerReports reviews for paint before buying a car ever again. I don’t make enough money to throw $2000 grand for a paint job for a car that I paid $8k for and is probably only worth $4500. But I am burned on Honda, unless the dealership takes care of this for me. If not, so long I will sell it.
Carole
I have a 2008 Honda Civic that had the same problem- the dealership offered a deal if I would pay a portion to repaint it. I proceeded with filing a complaint with Honda Corp and everyone dragged their feet and the corporation made me feel as if it was my fault that the car had paint problems. The whole experience was horrible customer service- they tried to say I didn’t garage the car, living in Florida, etc. Finally, they offered to paint the car but I had to pick up the cost of the rental for a week. Just this week, I have noticed the same splotchy spots starting to appear on the trunk of the car and I am so upset. Also, I am on my third or fourth visor replaced in the car. Just last weekend, I brought my car in for service and was told that the Motor Mounts would need to be replaced? Really? I thought that these rarely wore out on a car? What’s going on with Honda? Prior to this car, I had a civic and loved it. Now, I would NEVER buy another Honda.
hightechdad
I see more and more Hondas with this issue. To put it bluntly, I no longer have this Accord. Despite it having relatively low mileage for the year (something like 80,000 if I remember correctly), I was able to trade it in for $2000 (right as the dealer was about to lower the price having seen the extent of the paint peel). Needless to say, my new car is NOT a Honda. And because of this issue, I refuse to review any Hondas (or Acuras for that matter).
BTW, I had cracked motor mounts as well. That’s a normal repair once the car gets older. But mine was a 1998…your’s is 10 years “newer.”
Around
I have a red Accord 2000 and over the past year the clear coat began to peel on the hood and front side panels. It’s turned cold now and suddenly new chunks fly off if I rub my hand over them. I’ve parked the car outside for all but three years. Still, thought I was doing something wrong or all old cars had this problem. The paint looks good otherwise. Dealer just told me there was a “problem” with clear coat in the past. Well, why can’t I get a courtesy repaint to correct this problem? May have to take it to Maaco but scared the results will make it worse. Thanks for your post.
twarner
Isn’t it frustrating? I have an ’02 black Accord with almost 100K miles and it looks like crap. Friends who I don’t see too often will comment on my car and say something like “why don’t you get yourself a new car?” It runs great and has been a reliable car….this is our 3rd Honda! I don’t want to spend money on a new car right now! Has anyone had a repaint done by Maaco or someone else? How were the results? I worry about if it will really take care of the problem or will it show through eventually.
JSC
I have a 2003 Accord EX, Green and the SAME situation. I am frustrated because I bought this car for its durability. I got an estimate for a repaint of just the roof (that has a sunroof) and it was 1,800.00. Crazy. I’m almost tempted to sell the car because now it looks like I’ve driven it through the desert every other day.
There’s a class action suit about this clear coat issue. Anybody else involved? Can anyone offer suggestions on how to get Honda to be accountable for this?
Thanks in advance for your time and advice.
JSC
joe
full “restitution” I think you mean not full retribution (although maybe not!)
2004accord
i have the same problem with my 2004 honda accord. The called american honda and they were less than willing to do anything about.
GC
I have a 1995 Accord EX. Mine is the same story. The roof and trunk are almost completely devoid of paint. First the clear coat went hazy, then like peeling skin it started coming off. The hood is starting to go now too. So embarrassing to drive. I went to a local paint shop for an estimate. The quote was $2000. for the hood, trunk and roof. I was told that as much as he would like my business, he didn’t recommend bothering. Every day I see other Hondas, various years, various colors all peeling just like mine.
Before this car, I had Volvos. All had beautiful paint. One was a 1972 wagon. Pristine paint when I sold it in 2004.
TWarner
They are covering half of a paint job? Really? How did you get that to happen?
Tanya
I personally started emailing their corp offices. In case someone else would like to, here are their addresses:
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
So far, they are up to covering 50%, but for a 5 year old car, that isn’t good enough.
hightechdad
They had offered me the same thing a while ago at the dealership, however, I feel that this is a full defect so I didn’t take it. Since then, my Accord is literally falling appart (door handles broken, lock buttons won’t work, panels coming off – it looks like it came from the junk yard)
Thanks for sharing those emails!
NLMELCHER
My 1998 Jade Green Honda Accord has done the same thing I am so disappointed because I spoke to the VP of customer service who denied liability. He said my car was out of warranty and my issue was unfounded. I will have to have my car reprinted for 3,500K so un needed if Honda would put their big boy pants on and satisfy their car owners with paying for the repainting, but Obvisiously we do not matter to them now.
2003 Black Honda Accord coupe
I agree there must be a defect in paint. I own a 2003 Honda accord coupe v6 -black pearl & its doing the same which is unsatisfactory & ugly disappointment. Also have noticed others with same problem. PLEASE HELP!!
Pete
Same with my 2002 Accord
Kevin B
I have a 1998 Honda Accord EX in dark green just like yours and these pictures may as well have been taken of my car. This was our second brand new Honda Accord and it’s horrendous looking now! I was going to give the car to my daughter but I feel bad that she has to drive an eyesore. Honda needs to “Own Up” to this manufaturing flaw. I see Accords the same year/body style with the exact same paint issue. They had this problem with the Oddesseys and they increased the warranty. They need to make this right. Otherwise, consider me a Recovering Hondaholic.
Janet Rainer
I own a 2002 Honda Accord. The paint has faded/peeled from the roof of the car to the hood and side front panels of the car. It is embarrassing to be seen with this car. The car rides great, but looks terrible. Now that I have found this thread and more like it, I will take pictures and post them.
Tylene Warner
Isn’t it embarrassing? I’m thinking that people behind me must think I never took care of my car and that’s why it looks like it does.
michelle
i got a Honda civic 1998,after 4 years clear cote start coming off,i notice many Honda,s had the same situation.i speak to the dealer and they say its not cover by the warranty,so when the time came for a new car i bought a Toyota.was a good car but very unhappy. about the paint job
Jezabella_Bleu
I have a 2004 Honda Accord Ex Coupe that I purchased in 2008. This was my 4th Honda.
This past January my clear coat/paint started peeling off on the roof and trunk. 10 months later , it looks horrid. I am embarassed to drive it. I took it to a shop and its $1100.00 to strip and repaint the roof and trunk. So I am going to trade in my car and get another one.. but I am not sure that I would buy another Honda. IS this a continual problem on all models. Does anyone know if they have changed the paint formulations?
Sharon
Is there anything we can do about the paint problem without out of pocket expense
hightechdad
Nope! Honda won’t acknowledge it…and the affected autos are now over 10 years old.
Sharon
I have the same problems my car is 07 looks awful don’t kno what to do about it
Kristin D'Andrea
It is very embarrassing. I have a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe, that I have loved until a couple of years ago. I will probably not buy a Honda after this, unfortunately. I wish Honda would do something about this defective paint job.
Irma Lucia
I have a 2009 Honda Civic. I started having paint problems on the roof of my car about 6 months ago. it started with patches of slight discoloration. Eventually the paint continued to fade and it is almost to the metal. I took it to dealer and after calling them for a month (they would not reply to my calls) and sending e-mails, they finally decided that they would paint the roof at their expense. The day that I took it to have the roof painted I noticed more patches on the trunk. They took more pictures and said that they could only do the roof because they needed to have approval for the trunk. I am very dissapointed. I have wasted a lot of time. Instead of painting the whole car I have to take it every time a new patch appears. In the meantime, I have to pay for a rental car, they won’t give you a loaner. I argued that this was a manufacturer’s problem and that they should at least pay for a rental or give me a loaner. They basically told me that I should be happy that they were painting the car. I also have deffective sun visors, in one year i had them changed twice. I take very good care of my car but they keep breaking.. I could not believe it that a two-year old car could have all these problems. This will be the last Honda that I ever buy! I think we should all get together and send our complaints to the Honda USA Corporate Office Headquarters- 1919 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, CA 90501-2746, Tel: 1-800-999-1009, fax: 1-310-783-3023, We have spent a lot of money in our vehicles for them to look like junk cars.
Vin
I have a 2003 Honda accord ex in black with less than 50,000 miles and the paint is peeling on the roof and trunk
parmetta
Same problem with my 2002 black honda accord ex coupe. The car has 141,000 miles on it & its starting to show signs of finish turning white. The problem areas are on trunk & roof.
Kim
I have this exact same issue with my 1997 Honda Accord (dark green). I am so frustrated because I have taken care of my car as well, and feel that this is a major defect in the car. The resale value of a car after this has occured is quite hampered. Who would want to drive it? Honda needs to step up and take care of this problem.
lyma
I have the EXACT same paint issue with my 2002 accord coupe (green) Many of the pictures already loaded – I can see what my car will be looking like! I’m guessing this has been in the deteration process for probably the last few yrs and is QUICKLY getting worse- I started to notice the dullness on the flat areas, hood, roof and trunk lid. The flat part where the door windows are, is totally discolored, It just turned 90K. I contacted HONDA CORP about it – and of course they aren’t fessing up to the defect. I also asked honda corp what $$ is my car worth, of course they ignored that question and the person I was speaking to hung up.
KBB doesn’t even offer any type of depreciation value of the finish. I would REALLY like to know what this car is worth. Other than the paint, It runs great. I don’t know what i could list it for..how does one determine that? I certainly wouldn’t buy this car knowing in a very short time it will look like S&1t
– besides a home- this is the next big consumer investment. I won’t purchase another honda – while extremely disappointed with this- i’ll be the *perfect* spokeswoman for honda …;)
Coxhannah16
I absolutely love my 2003 black Honda accord coupe. But on the downfall it has also STARTED to lose its clear coat. Is there anyway for me to prevent anymore of this?
Kbrantley
I have a light gold 1999 Honda Accord and my dad had the same car until he sold it a couple of years ago. My paint/clear coat started peeling off on my side view mirrors and now there is a bit on my roof. My dad’s car – well, the paint was MUCH worse. His clear coat was mostly gone on the roof and the trunk. His car was parked in the shade most of the time, so sun damage is not the cause.
My car still drives great, but it is embarrassing to look like I’m driving around in an old jalopy. I’ve taken care of it and the inside looks great for an older car.
Has anyone ever gotten an appropriate response from Honda about the failing paint job? If I decided to trade it in for a new car, will the jacked up paint job affect my trade-in value or is it just too old for it to matter at this point?
I’d like to get another Honda, but after reading all these issues with other peoples’ paint for even later models, I’m not sure I would.
soiree-lab
Here’s another disgusted Honda owner! One more bare metal, trash-y, destitute looking 2001 Honda Accord EX V6. Took it to Mission Valley Honda in San Diego, & whaddya know..there was a late model Honda sitting there with that crappy peeling paint we all know so well – waiting for it’s customer to pick it up after being serviced. I told the service manager that he can’t pretend not to be aware of the problem, here’s two in one day / and proceeded to show him all the complaints I printed out along with a class action lawsuit I found online for a plaintiff in Florida. He took 3 little cell phone pictures and told me he’d give it to his manager and then *I* would have to call customer service to find out what they will do for me. Customer Service at Honda said I shouldn’t have bothered taking it there in the first place, I was told wrong information and that they have no plans to acknowledge their deceit..in other words – too bad, your “warranty” expired within 3 years of owning the car. I have already tweeted several times @HondaCustSvc, and their PR person, @Alicia_at_Honda / & will be contacting Dateline, Clark Howard, Consumer Affairs, the BBB, MSN, CNN, 20/20, Washington Post, Huffington Post, any and all consumer groups I can find. Honda – I just got started…
Mclark360
I have a 2003 that started losing its clear coat a few years ago. My car looks terrible and Honda is ignoring the issue. What kind of a company sells faulty products and then won’t take responsibility? If more people knew about this Honda’s sales would fall off a cliff. No one needs to do business with dishonest companies that have no integrity anymore. They are going to regret this big time.
Jen
I have a 2002 black Honda Accord and have exactly the same paint issue. The problem started on the roof of the car, then went to the trunk and now it’s on the doors below the window. It’s horrible. I am trying to decide to sell the car or paint it. This is my 2nd Honda, my first was a 1995 white Honda Prelude and never had a paint issue and I owned that car until 2007. My next car will NOT be a Honda!
Brandy
Same exact issue with my 2006 Honda Civic Si. I asked my my local dealership about it in 2010 when I was having my CD player replaced under warranty. It was simply two small white patches between my moon roof and windshield. At that point I feel like they just wanted to get rid of me so they said, oh, we will ask our manager. From that I waited for a response, called back, left voice mails, even sent an e-mail. No response. When I went back in for an oil change. I said, can I please get an answer. They went to their manager who said, no, nothing we can do. I said, OK, fine. I eventually decided not to go back to that dealer. They recently called me, asking why so I told them the story again. I was asked to come back in, they contacted Honda who said 3 weeks ago they are willing to pay half the cost of having my car painted. Leaves me with a $1200 charge even with them paying half and the service manager didn’t even tell me why or give me a break down of charges. I called Honda myself and was told, well, if it turns into a recall there are claim forms so you could be reimbursed. I was told that since he did not break down charges or tell me why she would have their Honda rep contact them and all of us having a meeting. Surprise surprise, now every time I call I have to talk to a voice mail, and he calls back leaving odd, very uninformed messages making it sound like it’s all up to me? I call back and say, um, Honda is supposed to tell you what to tell me sir… When I was given the quote I was told I had a month to decide. Now two more weeks are wasted on them and their “lovely” communication skills. With all the cars having this issue though, I’m sorry, but that quote and this customer service is not good enough. I think a lot of Honda owner’s will agree with me.
LeeLee
I have a 2006 civic and I’m having the same issue. I love Honda, but this is ridiculous. The paint quality is horrible. My roof and spoiler is chipping and fading. I only have 80k miles on the car. This shouldn’t be happening!
T Warner
I’ve already decided that my next car is going to be a Toyota. I love my Honda, but the paint is embarrassing and looks like crap. I cringe especially every time I have to open the trunk.
Never Buy Honda Again
I currently have a 1997 Honda Accord with horrible paint fade. Honda of Oakland Service Department says “we’ve never heard of that problem.” Hahaha! Liars! Every other Honda in Berkeley/Oakland/San Francisco has horrible paint fade. I don’t think all the advertising dollars can counter the mess of crappy looking paint faded Hondas on the road. I will never buy another Honda. On to another brand, maybe a Toyota, or a German or American car? I’m buying a new car and it definitely won’t be a Honda. Too bad because I grew up with Hondas and I thought I would always drive one.
duchessofbelgium
Hi, my name is Caroll, I have a black Honda Accord that looks as terrible as any of these pictures posted (if not worse). I was told by 3 professional painters that there is indeed a problem with the paint. He gave me a name and # to call corperate. The guy in charge turned me down for a re-paint approval because he said, and I quote, “I have researched it on-line and there are not enough reported cases of complaints for me to approve a re-paint. Maybe its time to go facebook or craigslist with this you guys…
Susan17dreamer
Let’s go..
Debrabdavidson
has anyone gotten anywhere with this problem? i have had no luck at all. they claim there is not a paint issue. please help, my car is sick looking. shame on you HONDA….. you should step up to the plate and have a recall. don’t think i will ever but another honda, they sure don’t stand behind there product.
BAMoores
I have a 2004 Honda Accord in red. Same problem with the clear coat. Honda tells me that it is my fault. I did nothing other than use high quality waxes and followed application instructions. They said their proof is that my spoiler ws not factory installed and it’s clear coat is also wearing away. Problem is the clear coat is a producers formula so it doens’ tmatter who applies it. I fth eformaula or applicaation is off then your cooked. Just say another 2004 today with the excat same issue only worse than mine. have bought 5 Honda’s but will never agian.Little thing about insulting a customer’s intelligence and trust. Needed a new lawn mower. A sales rep asked me if I was interested in a Honda as they great engines. My response was” Do they come painted?”
Not very bright on Honda’s part. These things have a strong tendency to come back and bite corporations. History tells us that we all need to own up to our responsibility and make our mistakes right. Ever hear about the young guy who’s guitar was lost by American Airlines? Offered him a feable certificate of some sort.He wrote a song which has had in excess of a million hits on You Tube. AA has REALLY apologized and made it right. The internet is a powerful social gathering point. Some companies haven’t figured it out yet.
When we feel wronged and know it is legit then we kep on going. No such thing as bad publicity…Wanna bet?
Susan17dreamer
My 1998 Honda Accord looks exactly the same as the above photos except the hood is not peeling. That is because it has been painted / replaced due to an auto accident. I am trying to figure out what to do with this problem. A paint job at the Honda dealer costs $4000- 5000; the car is too old to invest this much money into it. I have thought of painting it myself. Has anyone found a satisfactory resolution to the problem?
Constanceinca
We have a 2002 Black Honda V6 Accord. It looks like it has a disease and has just gotten progressively worse over the last two years. Other much older cars look great next to our sad sack Honda. We have been Honda owners for over 20 years and always taken excellent care of our cars but we are now shopping for something else as this is clearly a defect that Honda has never fully acknowledged or rectified.
T Warner
Sounds just like my black ’02 Accord….a disease! That is a good way to describe it! I would like to stay with Honda because I’ve had 3 and they’ve been great cars, but this paint problem is infuriating! I feel so embarrassed about how it looks. What other cars are you looking at to buy?
Charlesrpatterson
I have a 2006 honda civic….62000 miles….the whole top and trunk lid is peeling paint and clearcoat…..please honda has been my choice for many years
Susan17dreamer
The problem continued to 2006 ? Mine was a 1998 Honda.. I have the idea of having car art done to my car.. Like just put a huge decal over my roof and then then them trail down by the back window and just cover up all the diseased spots.. I found a company that says they can custom make it.. I won’t have this opportunity again – to hearken back to my “inner hippie” days when people did put flowers on their cars.. Not sure just what design yet.. Don’t know the cost either.. I was even thinking of glueing plastic flowers across the roof in long rows or even grass.. I am too old to make a spectacle of myself.. want something subtle.. perhaps stars? or leaves?
Kcdude
2009 Black Civic doing the same thing clear coat peeling off roof it is a problem with the dark colors, have spoken to Honda Dealership and they are unwilling to help.
Clarastailey
I have a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe with the same issue and it’s getting worse everyday! This is something Honda should fix and ensure customer satisfaction. I have had quite a few experiences lately that have me asking where has customer service gone?! No one is willing to apologize and right the wrong any more and it saddens me. I just hope our voices can bring change and bring back the customer service that was once something company’s valued, taught and showed in their actions. Come on Honda step up!!
nerdlinger
1997 black civic.. same problem. The car is an eyesore.
Has anyone had any luck with honda on this? Any success fixing the problem (or at least limiting the damage) with sandpaper & spray-on clear coat?
Any idea what percentage this awfulness knocks off the resale value? At this point I want to get a new Nissan, but need to get rid of the civic first…
Redwood341
I own a 2004 Honda Accord and about 3 years ago I noticed that the clear coat had started to peel on the roof and trunk lid. Over the three years it has steadily expanded so that it now affects the roof, hood, trunk, and doors. I have owned many cars over the years of which some I kept for 15 years. I have never had problems with the paint like I have with this Honda. I generally like Honda’s but when I buy my next car later this year it will not be a Honda. As a side note I am now more aware of other vehicles with peeling clear coat. I must admit that the majority that I see are Honda’s and most of them are painted a dark color
Honda should step forward and admit they have painted some of their vehicles with a bad mix of paint and clear coat and should rectify this problem at their expense.
guest
Its a 1998 and quite frankly the paint has lasted just as long as Honda expected it to. The car is designed to last just barely past the factory warranty and that is all. The paint will start breaking down a little before then and afterward it will certainly turn dull and shabby. If your Honda ran forever, would you ever buy a new car? Automakers have a simple business model. Rich people need to get a new car every two years. Middle class needs to get a car every five years. Poor people should get a car every ten years. Based on this they have created products to match these three sectors needs.
hightechdad
I think that your statement would be fine if it applied to ALL car manufacturers/makes around the same year. However, the issue here is that it is only the Honda Accord (sometimes Civic, or others) around this year that is plagued by this issue. You don’t see other manufacturers around this year with the same problem. And, on top of that, Honda was the one claiming better resale over the years, obviously not the case here.
T Warner
Thanks for your wonderful comment! I got angry after I read the comment to which you replied! I wasn’t going to be as nice as you were!!
Cinnimin7
Mine is the same story. I will not buy another Honda.
Steve Martin
My 99 Accord is doing the exact same thing. It’s the same color and the paint has flaked off the hood, roof and trunk. I have been pricing paint jobs between 4 and 5 thousand dollars, wow.
DR
Same experience. Honda Accord 2001 Emerald Green. Some peeling on the roof and trunk (start from 2011) The mileage is 64,000 in March 2012, so I will take it to Maaco.