Why is the trim melting off my car?
The plastic panels on the passenger-side doors and the side-view mirror melt and bubble. Honda says the cause is the sun reflecting off my windows when I don’t park in the garage. Is it necessary for Honda owners to park in areas where there is no sun?Q.
I have a 2014 Honda Accord, and since July 2014, I have returned to the dealer on two occasions with a serious issue: Some of the trim melts off the vehicle. The plastic panels on the passenger-side doors as well as the side-view mirror melt and bubble. The dealer replaced them at a minimal charge but will not in the future. Honda says the cause is the sun reflecting off my windows when I don’t park in the garage. The dealer and Honda both claim they are not liable, though. A few questions: Is this condition unique to Honda, or do other makes have the same problem? If this is a weakness in their vehicles, should that be disclosed at time of purchase? And, finally, is it necessary for Honda owners to park in areas where there is no sun, and should we always park in a garage?
A. Certainly Honda doesn’t expect every owner to have a garage; after all, the cars are parked outside at the dealership until they are sold. I haven’t seen this problem before with any Honda models. The dealer could be correct that amplified light reflecting off nearby windows might be the problem. I have seen this with vinyl siding on houses where certain types of insulated windows reflect sunlight to help keep the house cool, causing this very issue.
John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE certified master technician. Email your car question to [email protected].
