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

by Michael Sheehan on May 4, 2009

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

http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
None whatsoever. They are just hoping that this will all go away.
Ryoung6725
Same thing has happened to our used (green) 1998 Honda Accord. The paint and clear-coat around the top and around the windows is fading. Dummy me bought some touch up paint, thinking that would fix it. Wrong. It was in a wreck in 2006 with the front hood and trunk being replaced, so they haven't shown any signs….yet. I cannot tell you how many similar cars I saw when we lived in Nevada, California and now Tennessee. These mistakes are all over the country, not just one area. Probably last Honda we'll ever purchase too. Hello Honda, are you listening?
Tylene
No, Honda isn't listening! They don't seem to care! I've had 4 Accords but none had this paint problem. I've had a Honda rep look at my '02 Accord, and sent a letter to Honda in Torrance. They called me back, but had no idea (or so they said) what I was talking about. They just told me that there wasn't a recall having to do with paint. When I told them about this website, they kept saying “there are no recalls involving paint at this time”. So much for customer service.
Nsmith7810
I thought I was alone but I see I am not. I have '04 Burgandy Honda Accord LX V6 model. I bought it used in '07 with only 48k miles on it. Last year I began noticing the peeling on the roof and the trunk of the car. Now it's getting worse on the roof and I'm noticing peeling edges of the side panels and hood. I no longer have the warranty and I'm wondering what I should do. Trade in or have it painted. I still have my 1992 Honda Prelude and it's in great condition and nothing is wrong with the paint. I thought I couldn't go wrong investing in another Honda. I see I was wrong and with the many posts about the problem, I may be seeking a different maker next go round.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Thanks for sharing your story. Be sure to take some pictures and post it on Flickr with the tags that I mentioned in the article.
Jjeannette
I have a 2000 4-door black Honda Accord which I bought new. Approximately three years ago the paint starting coming off on the surface. At this time, parts of the entire car have peeled – it just grows and grows. I wrote to Honda. A representative called me and said they were unaware of the problem and that my warantee is up. They refuse to do anything and deny there is a problem. I just had an estimate to have it repainted. They told me they would have to take all the paint off. If they just painted over the existing car – in less than a year it would reappear. The estimate was for $5,562.35. Yes, the car is ten years old but it only has 56,000 miles on it !!! The shop owner told me that it does not matter – there are a lot of cars a lot older than mine and that is not happening!!! I believe that HONDA should take some responsibility. I don't know what to do and feel ashamed of my HONDA – it is like I am driving around in a piece of junk.
Jeannette
Brian, I don't know if anyone has started a class action lawsuit, but I sure want to be in on it. I just got an estimate of $5,5562.35 from a reputable auto body shop. He told me not to go to anyone that is just going to paint over it because in one year it will be back. The car has to be taken down right to the metal, that is why it is so expensive. Please keep me posted. I don't have a digital camera and don't know how to put them on Flickr if I did. I do have regular photos that I took with my camera, don't know if that will help me.
Emily in Greensboro
I actually have a 2000 Honda Civic EX and what has happend to your car is happening to my hood–thankfully as of right now, it ONLY seems to be the hood. My car is red, and coincidentally, there's another red Civic that I run into here and there around town (I'd say it might be a 1998 or 1999 Civic, though–it too is red, but isn't as bright a red as mine and has the slightly older body) but its hood is also having its clear coat come off.
Jeannette
Had to follow-up with this comment concerning having my Honda painted. You cannot paint over it because it will only start peeling again!! I went to another shop – the paint has to be taken off, right down to the metal. The cost…. don't faint…$5,562.35. I cannot afford this. And being I can't afford it does that mean I have to live with this car with only 56,000 miles on it. I feel terrible. It is a HONDA and I feel I am driving a piece of junk literally !!!!
Ryan
Just wanted to add my name to the long list of dissatisfied Honda Accord owners. Absolutely shocking how similar the wear is on the roof and trunk lids. This is clearly a paint defect and not normal wear and tear for an older vehicle.
Whuxford
Anyone talking up a class action suit? Count me in. Must be a latent defect, unless Honda intended the coating system to fail in such a manner. 1999 Accord that looks just like all the other photos that so well document the problem everyone seems to be having.
Kathy Jefferson
Yes, our 1990 Honda Accord EX V6 is showing the same paint peeling patterns. Our friends in Texas bought the same car, with the same problems. I’ve had cars this old before, and never seen this kind of deterioration. Something is wrong with Honda’s paint formula.
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2dayisagoodday
I have the same problem with my dark green Honda Accord 2001 – It is so frustrating! It is a perfect car otherwise so I’m keeping it as long as I can but I’m considering getting a new paint job…
It seems to be common on the dark colored cars from this era – but Bawejaarun Honda doesn’t make defective cars! There was a problem with some paint/clear coating – Not the same thing! I LOVE MY HONDA!!!
Rwellbaum
I have a 2001 black Honda Accord, and my paint job looks just like yours. At the moment the problem is only with the roof (and was with the trunk, but I was rear ended and it got replaced). It started off as a little white sport in the center of the roof just above the rear window. I have two co-workers, one with a 2002 black Honda Accord and one with a 2002 dark blue Honda Accord – Same problems!! I will try to get pictures of all three to add.
Disappointed in my Honda paint,
In Auburn, AL
Mbgphoto
Another 1998 Accord EX owner with substantial peeling over the roof, trunk and hood. All of this within the last three years. It is starting to peel quite fast now, most of the roof has peeled within the last three months.
Mbgphoto
I have noticed that washing DOES damage the thin clear coat, just like rubbing on a week-old sunburn. The white clear coat layer is very thin and fragile. Good luck on trading it in. I tried to trade mine in last year when the issue was much less noticeable. They (local dealer) offered me $1300 (1998 Accord EX 170000 mi) but said they were not interested because it would need to be painted, which would cost them more than it was worth! Ouch!
anne
Burgendy 1999 accord – same problem, so far only on the trunk, but about 1/2 the clear coat is gone so far. Urgh.. (And my 2008 Odyssey has paint bubbles…different problem)
Mbgphoto
Just uploaded some shots of my 1998 Accord to Flickr. ID is Mattrix_79.
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Thanks for doing that!
Mark
I have a dark green 98 Accord EX which I bought it brand new. A couple years ago the roof started peeling just like in these pictures, and as of right now the entire hood, roof and trunk are completely ruined. I can not afford a new paint job and it’s so embarrassing to drive it. It still runs great, the interior is perfect, and it only has 40k miles on it but it looks like something that was hauled out of a junk yard. I don’t know what to do and I don’t think Honda will help. It’s very upsetting
Jeannette
Mark,
I have been reading this post also. I have a 2000 Black Honda Accord. The clear coat is peeling off the car – very badly. I wrote to Honda, in California. They said my warantee is up and that they had no reports of that problem. They will not help me in any way. I want you to know that you just can’t paint over the existing car – the car has to be striped of all paint and then repainted, otherwise eventually the paint will peel again. I got a price of $5,500. I am also discusted and upset. My car has 57 miles on it. I feel I am driving around in a piece of junk. I don’t have a solution. If you have one, please advise me, thanks.
Jjeannette
Mark,
correction to my input —- the car has 57,000 miles not 57 = sorry about that
Jjeannette10
I just had a friend take pictures of my 2000 Honda Accord with the paint peeling. He uploaded the photos with the TAG HONDAACCPEEL on Flickr. Is this all I had to do????
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Yes that’s great. Thanks!
Jjeannette10
My neighbor took pictures of my 2000 Black Honda Accord and was kind enough to upload them on Flickr with the Tag hondaaccpeel. Is that all I had to do??(Jeannette S. or as registered on Flickr: Jjeannette10. Thank you.
Jjeannette10
I just had a friend take pictures of my 2000 Honda Accord and uploaded the pictures onto a disc and then on to “Flickr” with the Tag hondaccpeel. Why don’t I see them here with the other pictures that are shown. Is there something else I have to do? I am not computer savy. Thanks.
Jjeannette10
I am writing my second letter to HONDA complaining about the peeling. This time I am sending the letter, plus pictures I took with my camera to Mr. Tetso Iwamura, who is the President and CEO of Honda at 1919 Torrance Blvd., Torrance CA 90501-2746. Wouldn’t it help if EVERY person on this blog would write him a letter? Please encourage everyone to do that. I also have pictures on Flickr. Thanks
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
I hope that you will be including a link to this blog post! Perhaps you should post a copy of your letter as well so that others can see your example. Thanks for doing this and good luck!
Jjeannette10
Today, 8/30, I mailed a letter with enclosed pictures of my 2000 Honda, showing the peeling paint. I mailed it to the President/CEO of Honda in California. I will let you know what they said when I hear from them. I do not have any faith that they will help me at all. They don’t want to know about it. They just tell me my warantee is up even though this is a Factory Defect. I also posted pictures on Flickr.
Brian
same exact issue with my 2002 accord v6
Adrienne
my car looks exactly like urs, maybe even worse. This really inspires me to go back to the dealer and get on thier case. especially being the fact that my car IS NOT EVEN PAID OFF YET!!!! this is not normal wear and tear. actually mine started peeling in 2006 and i bought it in 2005, boy Lia honda of enfield CT will hear my mouth,
thanks techdad
Jjeannette10
To HighTechDad: I sent a second letter to Honda (with pictures) explaining the problem with their paint. Today 9/3, Walter from Honda (would not give me his last name) told me: The car is 10 years old – it is no longer covered under the warantee – they do not go on web sites to see other car problems – they will not give me anything toward the re-painting (over 5,500) — it is my opinion that the paint was defective!!!!! And he also said it was my business if I wanted to drive around in the car that way. End of Story. I am completely at a lost end now. What do you think of that response from Honda????
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Went2dance
I have a 2002 Black Accord SE which was garage kept until this summer, 2010, and now, in the short 3 months it was exposed to the summer sun, my trunk, hood, roof & even the back quarter panel are beginning to turn blotchy gray. I was wondering if anyone had any luck with Honda or if anyone thought of filing a class action suit against them to recoup the lost sale value or price of repainting? I know a very good lawyer who has a good success rate against auto dealers/companies. Class actions take years but it could be a way to get some justice for the PITA they are causing owners.
Jjeannette10
Here we go again !! Honda said it is only my opinion that the paint is defective and they won’t give me anything toward the cost – over $5,500. Of course being it is a 2000 Honda and no longer under warantee that does not help me. I mentioned this site and they do not look at sites on the computer. Is the end of the road????
Jjeannette10
Ryan, I have been in contact with Honda a few times. Most recently they told me that they do not go on this site and also itis MY opnion that the paint is defected. A paint job costs $5,500 – you can’t just paint over the existing car or it will only come back. The car has to be stripped down to the metal. Any suggestions, other than driving the car off of a roof or into the nearest lake.
Molliemae09
I have a 2003 Honda Civic LX and the roof, hood and trunk started peeling a year ago and it is only getting worse! Something is clearly wrong with the clear coat on these cars, why won’t they step up and take care of it! I was always a loyal Honda customer, but after this car is gone, I won’t be anymore. Thanks Honda, I have lost my faith in you!
Jjeannette10
High Tech Dad —- In my many, many comments I mentioned the fact that Honda does not acknowledge that there is a problem. In my case, my car is 10 yrs old, however, only has 56,000 miles on it. My warantee is up and they will not help me at all. I went to a couple of body shops for an estimate. One was $5,500 – very high. I went to a smaller shop, recommended by a friend, and got an estimate of $2,800. They will take off the existing paint – prime and put a urethane base coat on it. I am bringing the car in this week – it will take a week to do. Meantime, my pictures are on Flicker. I have been driving this car around for the last two years and it just gets worse and worse. I can’t tak it anymore and decided to have the job done and be HAPPY driving it. What is your opinion??????
NPE
I have a 98 black accord and am in the same situation as all of you. I thought it was just my car so it’s good to know that I am not the only one. I noticed that my car started peeling about 1.5 -2 yrs ago, first with just a few spots on the roof and now it has gotten progressively worse and has spread to my trunk among other areas. It looks disgusting and I’m very upset about it. I do not have $3000-$5000 to spend to repaint this car and honestly don’t think I should have to based on an error made by Honda. It is very disappointing to hear that Honda has not been responsive but even so, I will still call as well as send a letter to the CEO voicing my concern. I wish there was more we could do to make this issue more public because I’m sure Honda would not like the bad press and there are so many testimonials and pictures on here to justify their faulty paint job. I’m willing to do whatever is necessary so if anyone can think of a way to get this movement on a more public level, count me in. Thanks HighTechDad for starting this post and I will add my pictures to flickr.
Jack
Same problem 1998 Honda Accord – Green: roof and right side panels just as bad as what is shown here; very unhappy with Honda.
My Car Too Was Once 1 Color
Same story here with the unsightly white patches and exposed metal. Looking at the posted pictures was like looking at my car. Frustrated that seemingly nothing can be done. Love the car otherwise. Thanks for the site and the support. Not to be melodramatic, but it does help knowing this isn’t just occurring to me.
2000accord
I have a 2000 Accord and my paint is fading on the roof and trunk. I agree that if is frustrating. We have 4 honda’s in our family and really enjoy this car. I do find the paint issue embarrassing for myself and Honda. Paint is a very visible thing and if lots of people are driving around with honda’s with paint peeling then Honda will start to loose their reliability image. Would folks be interested in writing a joint letter to Honda and also give a copy to the media. They can’t Ignore this forever.
Tylene
This sounds good….who in the media would we send it to??? And how do we do a joint letter? It probably would need to be an e-petition where we could all sign it from here and send it on. Any other ideas out there? I am getting embarrassed at how my paint looks!
Jlp3rd
I have a 2002 Accord COUPE EX V6 I have washed and waxed my car every week for the last 7.5 years. The car was kept out side this whole time except for at work (parking garage). I NOW have peeling/fading of the clear coat on the roof as well as where the factory moon roof shield was resting on the car. This started about 6 months ago. In the small amount of research i have done. I have noticed that there is a lot of issues with this. As well as the transmissions. I’m currently on my 3rd one. I will tell you one thing. The best thing you can due is contact Honda of America and file a formal complaint. I did that with my transmission after the second time when the dealership try charging me $3000 to fix it. After 2 weeks of calling Honda and complaining for hours upon hours I finally got them to replace it free of charge. Here’s the deal. Honda is really good at hiding factory recalls. There is a recall/warranty extension on all 98-01 Accord Auto tranies, but not the 02′s. Why you ask? Its because and I quote ” Not enough people have complained about that year.” So, take my advice. The best thing we can all due is contact Honda and file formals. They have to respond then…. Good luck all!
http://www.hightechdad.com hightechdad
Thanks for the information. It just so happens that the transmission of our 2001 Honda Odyssey went bad this weekend (130k miles) and I think that this is it for me and Honda. Just not living up to the supposed reputation of reliability and resale. Oh well.
Jlp3rd
I lost my 1st tranie at 35k, next at 75k and I’m almost to that 35k mark again. We shall see if it happens again at the next 35k mark (Complete BS). I almost drove my car into the dealerships front window!!! If I remember correctly. I believe that they are the same tranie as the Acura MDX, Accord V6, and the Acura CL’s auto’s 98-02. They use shitty aluminum parts in the tranie’s basically. Like you. I will not be buying another Honda, for all of this has left a foul taste in my mouth. keep hounding Honda of America. If they help at all they will start off by offering a split in the cost of something like 75/25. Meaning you would be responsible for 75% of the cost. Don’t let them get you there. I had to negotiate them down from 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 , until they offered to replace it free of charge. Justify why you think they should pay the full amount, etc. Due some additional research on your model just so you have as much fire power as possible. Again, don’t waste your time with the dealerships unless your still under warranty. Go straight to the head of the snake!
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http://twitter.com/samuelyu Samuelyu
Yep, I’ve got the same problem with my 1998 Honda Accord. My wife and I jokingly say that the car is “balding”. Boo Honda for not addressing this.
http://twitter.com/samuelyu Samuelyu
I also suggest submitting this entire page/thread to consumerist.com