Honda owners express concerns after paint peels off their new cars

Buying a new car is a big investment, and having the paint peel off just months after buying it is what Buckly Underwood is dealing with when it comes to his 2018 Honda Accord.

"It is eating there through the primer. I am scared it is going to eat through the metal, then next thing you know, it is going to start rusting," said Underwood.

Underwood says three months after buying the new Honda the clear coat and paint started peeling. "I contacted the dealership I bought it from, and they had me to contact American Honda, and I did that. They act like they didn't want to help me with it."

A representative from Honda did look at the problem, but Underwood said, "First they blamed it on tree sap, and I know I'm particular with my cars, I don't let anything sit under no tree. Then they blamed it on bird droppings like I'm going to let bird poop sit all over my car. Then they wanted to blame it on the rain."

No matter what the reason, Underwood says Honda wouldn't do anything about it.

"It's supposed to be under a three-year bumper to bumper warranty, but they tell me this paint is not covered under it."

Meanwhile, Underwood said the problem is only getting worse because every time he washes it, he notices more spots on it.

I reached out to Honda several times, and while the representative said they couldn't comment on Underwood issue, he said it was being looked into by their customer support team.

Underwood is not alone with his paint issues; we found hundreds of complaints from Honda owners involving peeling paint problems on Safercar.gov.

Plus, Honda issued several technical service bulletins related to peeling paint and extended paint warranties on a number of their vehicles. Just recently Honda extended the warranty on the paint for an additional seven years for Honda Fit owners with 2015-2018 models that are white orchid pearl.

As for Underwood, he says he's heard nothing from Honda and has bought a sticker on his car that is letting others know about his paint problems with his Honda.

Underwood says, "I mean I feel like they need to fix it. I paid $35,000 for this car; the clear coat shouldn't be coming off in three months, even if this car sat under a tree."

Despite repeated requests, Honda will not answer any questions.

I also heard from another viewer, Debora Hudson, who also owns a 2018 Honda Accord. She is having the exact problems with the peeling clear coat and paint.

She says it started peeling about six months after buying the new car.

She says the paint was chipping on the hood and trunk area and after bringing it to the dealer and Honda's attention, she said she was told it wasn't a manufacturer defect so it wouldn't be covered under the warranty.

The Troubleshooter takeaway is to do exactly what Underwood and Hudson are doing.

Report the problem right away to the dealer and manufacturer.

Also, make sure they document it in writing and give you a record of your complaint.

Make sure you take pictures and videos of the issue and then you can also file a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at safercar.gov.