I'm seeing lines showing through on the top of my dash on the passenger's side and the center of the steering wheel. These weren't there when I bought the car new last fall. Has anyone else had this happen? Do you know if the dealer is likely to do anything about it, or would I just be waisting my time and effort taking it in for this?
Thanks,
Jim

 

I'm not sure how a dealer could possibly justify those replacements. I am sure they were just like they are now and perhaps you just didn't notice them

 

Well, no they weren't, I thought I already made that clear. These lines are very obvious. I notice everything, and I wouldn't have bought the car if it had looked like this.


Modified by Bravenrace at 2:22 PM 8/8/2008

 

Can you post a picture?

 

I'll try again, but I haven't yet been able to get them to show up well enough.

 

So some lines just mysteriously showed up overnight?

LOL

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bravenrace &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> These lines are very obvious. </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bravenrace &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I haven't yet been able to get them to show up well enough.</TD></TR></TABLE>


Wat?

 

It's starting to sound like you're more interested in giving me a hard time than helping. I didn't say that they showed up over night, and everyone knows that things that are clear in real life don't always show up in a picture.
If you don't believe me, then don't reply, but I have no reason to lie about it.

 

How is this a dealer issue and not one of wear and tear? I don't see one reason a dealer should entertain the perceived nuisance.

Are you suggesting that somehow the material in the covers has thinned itself to the point where it has become translucent? No such occurrence with my car OP, and if there was it wouldn't be anyone's fault.

I'm in for hearing about others covers that mysteriously became thinner than before or somehow lost its pigmentation

 

I know what your talking about. I've seen it on a few cars before. Never had any customers complain so I couldn't tell you what if anything Honda would do for you.

You can take your car to the dealer and have the service manager look at it and see what he says. If you're not happy with that result I would suggest you call American Honda but in all honesty unless it's really bad I don;t think they will warrant replacing air bags. Good luck though.

Try to get a picture that shows it up on here so everyone else can see what you're talking about.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How is this a dealer issue and not one of wear and tear? I don't see one reason a dealer should entertain the perceived nuisance.

Are you suggesting that somehow the material in the covers has thinned itself to the point where it has become translucent? No such occurrence with my car OP, and if there was it wouldn't be anyone's fault.

I'm in for hearing about others covers that mysteriously became thinner than before or somehow lost its pigmentation</TD></TR></TABLE>

It has been known to happen. The only explanation I've heard is that the materials which are already thin on those seams anyway is just a slight bit thinner so they are more suceptible to the effects of expansion/contraction during temperature changes.

It can be warrantied and we've done it here a few times, it's honestly just something that most people don't notice. If it drives you nuts and the service department you go to gives you a hard time you can call American Honda Customer Service and they will usually start the process for a one time goodwill replacement.

 

I have an 03, and I can see the outline of the airbag thing if the sunlight hits it just right. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. It's not obvious, and it's not warped, so no big deal. There have been other complaints about it, mostly warping, and I'm sure some of them have been replaced. But are the replacements any better?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BLKFLSH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have an 03, and I can see the outline of the airbag thing if the sunlight hits it just right. It's been that way for as long as I can remember. It's not obvious, and it's not warped, so no big deal. There have been other complaints about it, mostly warping, and I'm sure some of them have been replaced. But are the replacements any better? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have seen a couple that were pretty obvious and the replacement was better.

 

Or the replacements made better, or installed differently? If I would get another cover, would it definitely be better than the one I have? I don't want to end up with something worse than what I have. Are they easy to change (can a mechanically inclined guy do it himself), or is there some special installation because of the airbag?

I know, I ask too many questions.

 

Okay, I finally got a picture of this problem. In the second pic, you can even make out the outline of the entire air bag area. Keep in mind that this looks worse in person, and it wasn't visible when I bought the car new last fall.
What do you think, should I take it in or not?

 

No comments? I may just take it in anyway and ask the dealer, as I have to take it in for another problem anyway.

 

It doesn't look "perfect" but I've seen this on many cars. If it bothers you, than take it in. But, it's VERY normal.

 

looks normal to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well I have to disagree with that statement about all of them having it. I've owned six Honda's/Acura's with passenger side air bags, and this is the first to do this. My TL-S is almost 6 years old and still looks like the day I bought it. I"ve pretty much decided to take it in anyway, but in my opinion, nothing is normal that wasn't noticable when new, but is 7 months later. I expect more from a Honda, which is why I've bought nothing else since 1988.

 

I just bought a used 2005 Accord LX and after taking home, I noticed the same thing. Mine is very obvious. I almost thought may be the air bag has been replaced which would lead me to believe that the car had been in a crash, even though Carfax didn't show it, but it's kinda good know this is "normal" for honda. But I have to say, I also have a 94 accord, a 06 Toyota Tacoma, had a 99 volkswagen ... and this is the first time I'm seeing the seems of the passenger airbag show through the dash. It does bother me a little, but it's not worth it for the kinda of service cost to repair it. But again, good to know that it's kinda "normal".

 

That is 100000% normal.

And it is like that for every Honda I've been in touch with.

Civic, Accord, Pilot, Odyssey, CRV, etc

 

I think the fact that that part of the Accord's dashboard is so flat, makes it more obvious when the light hits it at an angle. Yours doesn't seem to be any worse than mine is. Not a big deal to me, unless it starts peeling or warping. If someone was pushing down on that panel for some reason, while cleaning the windshield for example, I can see where it could get worse over time.

 

I think what you all are calling normal I would call common. When I buy a brand new car, especially a Honda, I don't expect this to happen in that short of a time, if at all. Just because it's comon doesn't make it right. I also didn't post pics of it, but my steering wheel center has done the same thing around the airbag. I don't doubt that some of you have never had this problem, or have seen it in all other Hondas that you have owned, but that's not my case. The cars I've owned with passenger side air bags include a '91 Legend '94 Integra, '95 Accord, '97 Civic, '03 TL, and now this Accord. I also autocross, a sport there Hondas are very popular, and haven't seen this on any of them. In addition, my parents have a '02 CRV with no sign of this condition, my inlaws have an early 2000's Oddysee withno problem, my sister in law has an '05 Oddysee with no plroblem, and two guys I work with own an '07 Civic and an '00 Integra, and neither has any sign of this problem. So you can see, we are a Honda family (we also have several others that don't have pass side airbags), and whether you agree with me or not, I think it's understandable why in my situation I would question this. Plus, obviously some of us are more descriminating than others. Running the quality department for my company I guess would put me in the more descriminating end of the customer spectrum. I already decided to take it in, because I have to take it in anyway, so we'll see what happens.

 

Bravenrace... I'd really be interested what happens when you take it in to the dealer. I sure would like to not have to notice the seams, so I would take it in too if I thought they would fix it without charging me an arm and leg.

What's your approach going to be - warranty? Is your car still under warranty? Or would you simply be going with a "this just aint right" approach? Either is fine with me ... just would like to know all that transpires.

I'm sorta with ya ... I do notice it ... and it does bother me a bit to have to see it. It's such a clean looking car with an impecable interior and the seams on the dash just takes away from it all. But I bought my '05 used ... so I'm thinking I have to live with it. But I sure would appreciate it if you can tell me otherwise.

For me personally ... this is also the first time I've ever seen this on any car, make or model.

 

My car is an '07 with only 8,xxx miles on it, so you bet it will be warranty I'm looking for. You took the words right out of my mouth about the refinement and quality of the interior. This condition is in no way up to the quality of the rest of the interior, and that will be the point I make with the dealer. I also have to agree that I've never seen any other car do this, and in my line of work I see a lot of cars, both Honda and others. I will post what happens, if anything.