NHTSA Complaint #10681594 — 2002 HONDA CIVIC

CAR'S CLEARCOAT HAS BEEN FLAKING OFF THE ROOF AND THE TRUNK LID. IT FIRST STARTED WITH DISCOLORATION (LIGHTENED BLOTCHES) IN JUNE OF 2010 (8 YEARS AFTER PURCHASED NEW). CURRENTLY (FEB., 2015), 30% OF THE CLEARCOAT ON THE ROOF, AND 10% ON THE TRUNK LID HAVE FLAKED OFF. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO SNOW, ONLY TO CA CLIMATE. I'VE READ THAT THE CLEARCOAT ISSUE IS COMMON WITH HONDA AUTOMOBILES SINCE THE LATE 1990'S. I ALSO HAVE A 1993 ACURA LEGEND (236K MILES) THAT WAS EXPOSED TO THE EXACT SAME CLIMATE CONDITIONS, BUT THE CLEAR COAT ON IT IS STILL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. BOTH CARS ARE MAINTAINED THE SAME WAY. ALL MY CARS ARE WELL MAINTAINED ABOVE & BEYOND WHAT THE MANUAL RECOMMENDED. I THINK I'M FAIRLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CARS IN GENERAL (MECHANICAL, TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY TREND, ..ETC) BECAUSE I READ ABOUT IT AS A ROUTINE EVERYDAY, JUST LIKE MOST PEOPLE READ THE NEWS EVERYDAY. BASED ON THE COLLECTIVE INFORMATION I'VE READ IN THE LAST DECADE, I BELIEVE THE CLEARCOAT DEGRADATION FOR THE CAR YEARS COINCIDED WITH HONDA'S SWITCHED OVER TO THE USE OF MORE ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY PAINT (I.E. WATER BASED PAINT) IN THE LATE 1990'S OR EARLY 2000'S. ON MY OWN CIVIC, THE CLEARCOAT FLAKES BECOME VERY SOFT (ALMOST GEL-LIKE) WHEN WET FROM WASHING. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE. IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DECISION HONDA MADE WHICH PROVED TO BE LESS DURABLE. HONDA SHOULD BE CALLED OUT OF IT. *TR