Q: Why is my interior falling apart?
The leather interior in my 2008 Honda Accord has really surprised me with it’s total lack of quality and durability. Almost immediately after getting the car from the dealer with very few miles on it, I noticed the leather starting to discolor. The discoloration was even more noticeable after only a couple of months! I tried every product my dealership recommended and then tried a few more which others suggested might solve the problem. Nothing worked and now I will need new seats if I ever want to sell the car! The armrest in the center and the upholstered parts of the doors are beginning to peel as well. Is replacing the damaged parts the only solution here? Trying to sell a relatively new car with only 80,000 miles on it would be really easy if the seats weren’t in such a state!
While it may feel that Honda may be the culprit, I have seen this issue not only with them but also with other models throughout my career, and I have witnessed the frustration my customers have experienced first hand. I can see you are a lot like me and you take good care of your vehicle and want to protect your investment. Though you may have already tried these, I would like to suggest some practices that you can do to help prevent premature interior wear. One such suggestion involves using sun shades in your windows when your vehicle is parked in the sun. This is especially important if you live in a sunny location. I understand that not everyone has the luxury of parking in a covered space or a garage, which would be the next easiest suggestion to aid in extending the life of your interior. Window tinting is yet another aid to help protect the interior of your vehicle, however I would recommend checking your local laws and guidelines before having window tint installed as laws for window tint vary from state to state.
Just know that you’re not the only one experiencing this problem and Honda is aware of complaints of premature wear. Honda has issued a technical service bulletin regarding premature wear on the leather interior and is offering replacement of damaged leather seat covers. Because of the known issue, Honda may even offer a goodwill consideration to have your leather seat covers replaced outside of your warranty at no cost to you. I recommend you visit your local certified Honda dealership and speak with your service manager to see if you are eligible for goodwill repairs.
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