Honda Motors Defective Paint Job – Honda Accord’s Clear Coat Peeling

by Michael Sheehan on May 4, 2009

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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

Tagged as: Accord, clear coat, fix, Honda, paint, peel

j wells
I too have a 2001 dark green Honda Accord with the clear coat cancer. I would be pleased to join a legal suit against Honda for shoddy workmanship
JWells
Brian
Has anyone proceeded in starting any action against Honda. I've had the same problem for a few years.
Greg in MA
Yes. I was able to get Honda to pay 2/3 the cost to repaint all tops of my 2003 green Accord with 80k miles on it (at the time) in September 2009. I paid $700 and got the hood, roof, trunk, tops of front fenders and rear quarters painted. the roof and trunk and quarters were bad, while the tops of front fenders and hood were just starting to go. I have posted a few times here about that success and thought it would be a great precendent for others to use but nobody has followed up on it. I live in Massachusetts and the Honda factory rep was excellent in my case. I'd be glad to share more info with anybody here if it will help them out. Good luck!
sarah cofano
hi there..my 2001 honda is peeling on the hood also..i just bought the car (used of course) and what started out as a tiny bit on the roof has ballooned into the roof looking horrible. i don't know what to do…i realize i have to get it repainted..an expense i HADN'T counted on when buying the car! so how do i go about contacting honda to see if i can get some help paying for it..or i have heard of stories of people joining a class action lawsuit. how do i go about getting involved in something like that? thanks!
sarah cofano
actually not the hood, i meant the roof. near the sunroof..i was thinking hood because of the pics i looked at..sorry! but i meant the roof is peeling…it seems to keep getting worse in a short period of time.
Renee
Nope I can throw their excuse of the green paint out the window. Mine is a 1995 burgundy honda civic and its coating is peeling off just as badly.
Renee
This is not just an Accord problem. I have a Civic. This is my concern. I see people posting years from 1995 (mine) all the way up to 2008 models with this same problem. You would think they would have already changed their pain coating with so many people having this problem.
The only recalls I see are for dim exterior lights.
Tylene
My 2001 Black Accord is doing the same thing…not a color problem but a cheap paint problem!
Tylene
Oops, 2002 not 2001 Accord….
Jeannette S.
I have a 2000 Honda Accord. Little by little the car showed white patches and now it is basically all over —- the hood – the trunk – the sides – and now even the metal is showing thru. I wrote Honda just recently (I have 55,000 miles on the car). They told me that they had no recalls of this happening and that my warranty has run out and they cannot help me !!!!! I think this is wrong. If you bought a new car and they told you that in 10 years the pain would start coming off – would you buy that car – NO WAY.
Jeannette S.
My 2000 Honda is BLACK and is peeling and spots are down to the metal. HONDA said my warrantee ran out and they have no reports of other cars having this problem!!!!! If anyone can get a civil action – count me in.
Jeannette S.
Yes, that is what happened to me on my 2000 black Honda Accord —— little by little white patches started and they continue to grow. Honda will not help me at all. Some patches are down to the metal and it looks terrible. What happens when the entire car is all metal.
Jeannette S.
Tylene — I know what you mean. I wrote Honda in California. A representative told me they had no reports of this happening to any other cars and that they could not help me because my warantee is up. It is a 2000 Honda Accord with a little over 55 miles on it. Something is fishy here !!!!!
Jeannette S.
Please, Tylene, keep me posted. I would be interested in what they have to say. Thanks.
Jeannette S.
I find it odd too. And – the representative from Honda that contacted me said being my warantee ran out they can't help me. They also said they had no record of any complaints concerning this problem. You can polish and polish – it is not going away – in fact it is growing as I type this to you !!!!!
Dan
I have also noticed the rash of older Hondas that have this issue. I regularly washed and waxed my 1998 Dark Green Accord EX while keeping it in the garage. I bought this vehicle in 2001 and have since put almost 300K miles on it, with minimal mantinance. I have been buying used Accords since 1990 and have been very happy.
As old and used as my car is, I plan to get a cheap paint job and continue to drive it until the wheels fall off. When it comes time to buy another car I will strongly consider other makes because of this issue. I feel bad because these cars are made right here in Central Ohio.
Nancy
I have the same problem on my 2002 Accord. Very disappointing, and Honda won't fix it. This is the only new car I've ever bought. I won't buy Honda again, even though my 85 Accord served me for 19 years. I'll look at Chevy's next time.
Nancy
I have the same problem on my 2002 Accord. Very disappointing, and Honda won't fix it. This is the only new car I've ever bought. I won't buy Honda again, even though my 85 Accord served me for 19 years. I'll look at Chevy's next time.
Tylene
I sent a letter last week to Honda Customer Service in nearby Torrance, CA explaining the paint problem with my 2002 black Accord. Today I received a call from Charles with American Honda. He said he wanted to acknowledge the letter and it would be documented but as of now there are no recalls or issues with paint problems! I asked him if he knew about TechDad in the SF area where all of us are posting photos and talking about the problems with our Hondas. He pretty much brushed me off and said there are no recalls at this time but I would be notified if there were in the future. And he thanked me for my letter. So, that's it!! Can we do any class action suit? What else can we do at this point?
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
If the reps need “evidence” be sure to point them to this post and to the Flickr stream (and also be sure to post your photos). The more photos, the harder it is to say that there isn't a problem.
Brittney
Hello there… I am looking for any ideas or help anyone may have for me. I have a 1990 Honda Accord that is having the same issues listed here and because of it's age I thougth thats what it was. However, I just recently within a month bought a used 2001 Honda CIVIC and it is starting the same issues with the paing on the back bummper by the trunk. I bought this car used from someone that was not the original owner. Anyone have any ideas? I doubt that Honda Motor Company will do anything for me :) lol
Thank You
Jeannette S.
Tylene – I wrote to Honda 5/5/2010 – telling them basically the same thing you did – the paint is coming off all over the car. A man called “John” called me back and did exactly the same thing to me —- he told me that the warantee on my 2000 Honda Accord was up – and he too said he knew nothing about other people having the same problem. I am really discusted. My car as a little over 55,000 miles on it and looks discusting. This does not even happen to old cars – old cars fade – but the paint does not come off right down to the metal. I too, do not have thousands of dollars to paint it – and I am not looking to sell it but who would buy it from me looking like it does. I don't know where to go from here. Having a class action law suit – the lawyers would get the money – if Honda were to give us any. If you here anymore, please let me know. Thanks
Jeannette S.
What tags do you mean – along with the pictures??
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Listed in the article are a series of tags that you can use for Flickr. This helps to group the pictures together from different users. The specific tags are: HONDACCPEEL, HONDA, ACCORD, CLEAR COAT, and PEEL
Thanks for your help!
Jeannette S.
Hi xtina019 — I am just afraid if I do decide to have it painted (2000 black Honda Accord with a little more than 55,000 miles on it) and a couple of months later it starts over again with the peeling and fading – what do I do then?? This is a major problem!!!!!
Kimvid57
i own a 2003 burgundy honda civic lx. my first new car i ever owned. it has 66,000 miles on it. paint is starting to turn white on the trunk and rear roof area. spoke to my honda dealer and they just said “sorry its out of warranty nothing they can do.” i never realized this was such problem for so many others also. and such a wide range of years. very disappointed in my honda dealer. i have always faithfully taken my car to this dealer for all maintenance and repairs since i purchased it.
Maemagg
I am the owner of a dark green 2003 Honda Accord EX. I originally thought that something had gotten on my car since I'm on the highway a lot and there has been construction during my travels. I took my car in to get it detailed and was informed that the issue was with the clear coat. I first noticed the problem on my roof and hood. Since that time…..within a month or so….I am now noticing that I'm having the same problems on my truck and it has spread on my roof and hood. I took it to the Honda dealer today and he tried to tell me that the car had been painted. I told him that it had not be painted since I brought it. He got some gadget to try to determine that I was being untruthful. After putting the gadet on my car, he said, “No, it hasn't been painted.” He then tried to blame it on the place of my employment. We would have had a major uproar at work if the other employees' cars looked like mine does. He took my phone number and said that he would call me when the regional manager was in town. But from the looks of these e-mails, I guess that it will be a waste of my time even IF he should call me.,
Maemagg
correction…..having the same problems on my trunk…not truck
Johngall
my 1999 accord looks just like the pics. Sorry Honda, I will be moving on
scott neal
And I thought I was the only one. My 2001 Honda Accord LX has been doing the same thing as of early 2008. I've taken very good care of the car having all maintenance done at the dealership where I bought the car and have the records to prove it. The problem is widespread and the CUSTOMER needs to be taken into consideration. My previous car was a 1991 Honda Civic DX. I drove it for 230,000 miles and finally used it as a trade in. There were no issues with that car regarding the paint job when i traded it in.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Thanks for the comment! Be sure to post pictures of your clearcoat peeling Honda on Flickr!
Jeannette
My 2000 Honda Accord (black) has been peeling for some time now. It happened gradually but now is all over — hood, trunk, sides – very badly now and growing as I write this. I wrote to Honda in California. They called me back and told me that my warantee is up. They also said they had no complaints of this happening to other cars!!!! I want to know what is going to happen when all the paint comes off and it is right down to the metal. I bought the car new – they should have told me “Well, in ten years the paint is going to come off the car”!!!! Something is very wrong here and Honda will not take responsibility for it.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
You should follow up with them and point them specifically to this
post! Thanks for your feedback.
Otslee
I have a 1999 dark green Accord. I used to wash the car every week. I moved to Florida in 2005 (from California) and within 2 years the paint looks just like the pictures posted. Now I am thinking about selling it but the paint job is a deal breaker!
Reading the postings on this website, contacting Honda will be a waste of time! Any home made solutions?
Nbatman
I have the same problem with my Honda Accord 1999 EX V6. The clear coat is peeling from all the horizontal surfaces.
Looks like Honda's Auto industry's days are numbered as they are started making defective cars and THEN refuse to take care of defects, just like GM and Chrysler.
Bawejaarun
I have the same problem with my Honda Accord 1999 EX V6. The clear coat is peeling from all the horizontal surfaces.
Looks like Honda's Auto industry's days are numbered as they have started making defective cars and THEN refuse to take care of defects, just like GM and Chrysler. And US Govt. will not RESCUE Honda!!
Hubbeljx
I have a green 2003 Honda Accord that just had the clear coat start peeling. I also went to the dealer and had not satisfaction! Even the regional dealer said they could not do anything about it… I told them I would never buy another Honda if they could not stand by my very well cared for 2003 Accord! That didn't seem to bother them…
I have owned many cars and have never had this problem. Is there a national Honda site where we can make our voices heard? It is too bad because otherwise it has been a good car…
Chud1968
I also have this problem with my 1999 honda accord. It is a plum color. The paint started peeling before i got the car paid off. I called to see if there was a recall on the paint, which there wasn't. As of right now i have been calling around to get pricing on a paint job. I plan on keeping the car at least a couple more years because it still runs good. I am so aggravated over this that i will not buy another honda.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Be sure to post your pictures to Flickr and tag them! The more “evidence” the better the story!
http://www.facebook.com/melissamiranda Melissa Miranda
My 2006 Black Honda Civic has suddenly gotten small cracks all over the the hood- I found that it's called crows feet and also a clearcoat defect. I spoke to dealer who bounced me to Honda Customer Service who bounced me back to dealer, and now I'm told I have to track down the regional rep if I want anything done since my car is out of warranty (even though it has less than 35,000 miles). I'm infuriated that this is THEIR fault and they are making me jump through hoops to do anything about it.
gayle
MY HONDA ACCORD COUPE IS DOING THE SAME THING AS IN THESE PHOTOS.. I TALKED TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID IT HAS TO BE BAD CLEAR COAT OR PAINT.. THEY WERE SHOCKED WITH IT,AND THIS STARTED ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO AND IS COVERED ALL OVER THE CAR, IT RUNS SO GOOD BUT IS SO UGLY I CAN'T HARDLY STAND TO LOOK AT IT OR BE SEEN IN IT.. I AM TAKING IT IN TO A DEALER SHIP FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL AND PLAN TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT.. I WANT THIS FIXED !!!! THIS IS MY 7th HONDA AND THIS MAY BE MY LAST ONE.. AND THERE ARE ONLY 94,000 MILES ON IT.. AM NOT HAPPY… WISH ME LUCK WITH THE DEALERSHIP.. THANKS FOR THIS INFO,, IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME ….
http://www.zestar.com/ Zestar Corporation
Automotive paint durability research publication documents vehicles released to dealer and consumer below automaker's minimum paint thickness specifications. Refer to link for details.
http://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/making-i…
Andyroo0516
I have the exact same problem with my 1998 Accord V6. Looks just like the picture above. We park in a garage, don't have acid rain here in Oregon, and don't park under trees or crapping birds. It's the crappy paint. PLEASE DO SOMETHING HONDA.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Thanks for sharing your experience. I encourage you to take some pictures of the paint peel issue and post it to Flickr. The more “evidence” that we have, the better. If you know of other Honda owners who have the same issue, have them do the same. It is truly a shame!
jefftb
My car has JUST started doing this. 1999 Dark Green Honda Accord. 101K miles. It is on the roof of the car. Right now just a white “cloud”. Couple questions: 1) How fast does it spread and 2) is there anything that can be done to slow it down?
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Uh oh. I don't think there is really anything you can do to stop once it starts. You could try bringing it in to your local Honda dealer and see what they say. Reference this blog post and the pictures. But someone described it as paint cancer. It will spread!
jefftb
Does washing the car wear it faster or no difference?
I am going to price a paint job sooner than later… I am too particular to wait this one out. Or, perhaps trade it in quickly before it is really noticeable.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Honestly, I don't know. I think that washing could “irritate” it more. You could try to trade it in (I would be interested to see if they mention it). Painting it will probably cost around $4-5,000.
Melanie R.
My 1996 honda ex v6 is also black and all the clear coat has peeled off the center of the hood, all over the roof and down the trunk. I can also touch the car with my fingernail and it scrapes right down to bare metal. Honda needs to wake up and take care of their customers.
Brj311
same problem with our black 99 accord. it is an issue they need to address. have you made any headway?