I have a 2000 Accord LX. At first I found some dark spots on the ceiling fabric over the front passenger side. They line up straight, and do look like they were resulted from some sort of splashing. I do not remember when I first discovered it, probably within one year of purchase. Then I noticed the same spots and pattern located over the rear driver side, except there are random spots at the end of the straight-line pattern. I know I should have contacted the dealer earlier on this. Last month before the 3-yr warranty expired, I went to the locale dealer for a few things and showed the service manager the spots. They tried to clean them and could not. The spots are tar-like according to the dealer. The service manager thinks those are spills. I know they are not. I also see random spots in other areas.

I work for an adhesive company. I talked with our chemist with many years of experience in adhesive industry. He said the spots could be from the adhesive used to attach the ceiling fabric. The biocide in the adhesive may be not as effective as designed for this to happen.

Just starting recently, I smell a sweet rotten smell every time I open the car after the car sits for a while. It is also recently I have been the primary drive of the car. Prior to that, most times my husband drives with my daughter and I sitting in the backseats.

I am really concerned about this from a health point of view, not as much for the appearance of the interior. Thanks very much in advance for your inputs. I have some photos of the spots and I do not know how to attach them.

Meg

 

mine kinda has those too (1996 model). but i think mine is because i smoke in my car.

It could very well be the adhesive in the headliner, never heard of it happening though.

it'd probably be better just to get a new headliner.

To post the pictures, they must first be hosted somewhere like imagestation, or the like. then just copy the images url into the image tags.

Edit: By the way, welcome to Honda-tech!

 

Maybe just get a new headliner? I don't think that there would be any other option to getting rid of the spots, and possibly the sweet rotten smell you described.

But I have never heard of those spots.

 

I'm new here, and have never had an Accord, so my diagnosis may be totally wrong. What it sounds like is that you have a water leak somewhere, and where that water is leaking, you are having the beginnings of a mold problem. If it is mold, your best bet is to one, find the leak so the mold doesn't have anything to feed off of, and two, replace the headliner.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MikeMSD &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm new here, and have never had an Accord, so my diagnosis may be totally wrong. What it sounds like is that you have a water leak somewhere, and where that water is leaking, you are having the beginnings of a mold problem. If it is mold, your best bet is to one, find the leak so the mold doesn't have anything to feed off of, and two, replace the headliner.</TD></TR></TABLE>


good hypothesis.

 

Does it have a sunroof? If not, where would the leak come from?

My other thought is, you said you told the dealer about it & they tried to get it out. So you have some kind of receipt for that work which was before your warranty ran out. If you wanted to press it, since you first brought the problem to their attention during the warranty, they're supposed to honor the warranty. A new headliner is probably kinda pricey...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does it have a sunroof? If not, where would the leak come from?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The thing to remember about leaks is that they don't always show up right below where they are occuring. Water can travel a long distance before it comes to a final resting spot. If it does have a sunroof, well, all the easier.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My other thought is, you said you told the dealer about it & they tried to get it out. So you have some kind of receipt for that work which was before your warranty ran out. If you wanted to press it, since you first brought the problem to their attention during the warranty, they're supposed to honor the warranty. A new headliner is probably kinda pricey...</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree with you on this one, should press them to get this taken care of under warranty as that is when the problem started. I believe most warranty agreements warrant repairs that need to be made to a problem that is brought to their attention during the warranty period. I don't believe this is by choice either, I'm pretty sure there is some law protecting you on this one.

 

Thanks very much for your responses, Mike, Jim, James and f22a.

The car does not have a sunroof. I called American Honda before the warranty expiration and a person from Honda finally called me back this morning. That was not a good conversation. She did suggest me to take to another dealer for a second opinion. But I do not know how that will help me as this is not a common problem.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MikeMSD &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I agree with you on this one, should press them to get this taken care of under warranty as that is when the problem started. I believe most warranty agreements warrant repairs that need to be made to a problem that is brought to their attention during the warranty period. I don't believe this is by choice either, I'm pretty sure there is some law protecting you on this one.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Mike:

Would you please give me some details on the law if you can? Thanks very much.

I am also going to call the salesperson I bought the car from to see if he can help me out.

Additionally, how do you guys like your Honda? I also had a stiff gas pedal problem within the warranty period. The diagnose I got was carbon build-up on the throttle valve, which was not under the warranty. The service person told me that I should add cleaner every once a while to reduce/prevent the problem. However, there is no mentioning of such in the owner's manual. Thanks again.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Meg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would you please give me some details on the law if you can? Thanks very much.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Okay, I did some research for ya, there isn't federal law on this, but it is covered in most states lemon laws. I grabbed this out of the Tennessee Law Title 55, Chapter 24, Section 202:

"If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties and the consumer reports the nonconformity, defect or condition to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer during the term of protection, the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer shall correct the nonconformity, defect or condition at no charge to the consumer, notwithstanding the fact that such repairs are made after the expiration of such term. Any corrections or attempted corrections undertaken by an authorized dealer under the provisions of this section shall be treated as warranty work and billed by the dealer to the manufacturer in the same manner as other work under warranty is billed."

Here is a link to a website with different states lemon laws. I have no affiliation with this website, I just found it while searching.

http://www.carlemon.com/lemonstat.html

Hope this helps.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Meg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... Additionally, how do you guys like your Honda? I also had a stiff gas pedal problem within the warranty period. The diagnose I got was carbon build-up on the throttle valve, which was not under the warranty. The service person told me that I should add cleaner every once a while to reduce/prevent the problem. However, there is no mentioning of such in the owner's manual. Thanks again.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I generally like my Hondas. They seem to be put together pretty good.

Carbon buildup in the throttle body can happen to anyone. If it were me I'd take off the intake tube & see for myself. Cleaner in the gas tank isn't gonna do anything because the fuel injectors are downstream of the TB anyway. I'd spray some TB cleaner & wipe it out. For me, that's easier than taking it to the dealer...

 

I have experienced a similar problem in the headliner. I have a 00 Accord Coupe EX. I took to the dealarship and they told me that it was some type of adhesive seeping through the headliner. All they did was clean it. I always have my windows down and this adhesive or whatever it is mixes with dirt and causes the liner to look dirty. This problem on my car still remains and is all along the sides. By the way how long is the standard warranty supposed to last for.

 

Thanks very much, Mike. I will check it out.

As an update, I called the salesperson I bought the car from in another dealership. I will bring the car in to see him next week. I like this dealership better and they are always very professional but 40 miles away. My local Honda dealer is .

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MikeMSD &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Okay, I did some research for ya, there isn't federal law on this, but it is covered in most states lemon laws. I grabbed this out of the Tennessee Law Title 55, Chapter 24, Section 202:

"If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties and the consumer reports the nonconformity, defect or condition to the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer during the term of protection, the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer shall correct the nonconformity, defect or condition at no charge to the consumer, notwithstanding the fact that such repairs are made after the expiration of such term. Any corrections or attempted corrections undertaken by an authorized dealer under the provisions of this section shall be treated as warranty work and billed by the dealer to the manufacturer in the same manner as other work under warranty is billed."

Here is a link to a website with different states lemon laws. I have no affiliation with this website, I just found it while searching.

http://www.carlemon.com/lemonstat.html

Hope this helps.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Thanks, Jim.

They charged me some 90 dollars for cleaning that. I will try your way should anything like this happen again. I hope not .

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'd spray some TB cleaner & wipe it out. For me, that's easier than taking it to the dealer...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

From your post, it appears that they could not clean the spots out. If they admitted the spots were caused by adhesive seeping, they should have the headliner fixed. Also when you enter the car in the morning, do you smell anything? I can smell a sweet rotten smell.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ACR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have experienced a similar problem in the headliner. I have a 00 Accord Coupe EX. I took to the dealarship and they told me that it was some type of adhesive seeping through the headliner. All they did was clean it. I always have my windows down and this adhesive or whatever it is mixes with dirt and causes the liner to look dirty. This problem on my car still remains and is all along the sides.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think the standard warranty is three years or 36,000 miles.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ACR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">By the way how long is the standard warranty supposed to last for. </TD></TR></TABLE>