the DEALER INSTALLED MUDFLAPS!

I finally broke the much neglected (ignored, not abused) HCH out of the garage today and drove it to work. It was soo filthy I decided to do a real good detailing this evening. So I did my normal "deep clean" car wash (underhood/engine compartment first then on to underbody then to body). Once I started drying I went to dry behind the mudflaps and bent them over just a little when I found the rust.

Just went to "Honda Owner's Link" (newbees see THIS THREAD to learn about "Owner's Link") and it mentions rusting from the inside out having a 5 year warranty regardless of mileage. "Surface Rust" is covered under the New Vehicle Warranty, 36k/36 months. I'm just shy of 40k. I'm starting to wonder how they will handle this. The mud flaps were on the car when I got it and I love them to death and they have saved my car from many a rock chip but for them to CAUSE RUST is proposturous!

What the flaps have done. A portion of them have rubbed into the paint and body so much they caused a hole to start in the metal, of course unprotected metal is suspectable to rust so they started to rust. I would hate to see what would of happened if I didn't keep the car constantly garaged since Day 1 almost 3 years ago.

If I have time tomorrow I will be paying the dealer a visit to see what they are going to do.

'03-'05 Civic owners check behind your FRONT MUDFLAPS to see if this is happening to you!

 

Wow that's a bummer....who would've thought that something that was supposed to protect the car actually caused damage. Usually with mudflaps, the worry is how they are installed as the screw holes have a tendency to rust, not through abrasion.

I hope things work out with your dealer visit. Please keep us posted.

 

My CRX had the same problem towards the end of it's life...

Fortunately the Insight is aluminum...

 

I know some others have got to have this problem and not know it. What I forgot to mention is it is on both sides. I have never had a car I bought new have rust. Then again I never kept a car long enough to even get rust on the exhaust manifold.

I'm just so surprised about it. Service department opens at 7:30 so I'll be there. (oh, they have donuts and juices too ) I just don't look forward to them ruining my tank, so far I am just below a half and at 400 miles, FCD shows 57.1 MPG.

 

Just checked my car (mudflaps behind all 4 tires). No problems.

 

 

I stopped by the dealer this morning, the service writer did a quick "once over" and asked if I had much time for them to fix it. I was in a hurry and didn't have much time but I did want them to discuss how they are going to this problem. All the service writer said is it is covered under the basic warranty. I asked what he considered the basic warranty for that rust and he said the 36K/36month. He asked if I had time tomorrow so I have an appointment for first thing in the morning again.

I WILL get a straight answer before I let them do any work, I know how to fix it myself (grew up in a body shop) but it's the principal. The dealer installed mud flaps before I even bought the car. The flaps caused the metal wear which in turn caused the rust, it's pretty clear.

The good thing about it is something this small will turn me off from buying from them again. If I don't buy from them than my father who drives Hondas and has been a repeat customer from this dealership for years won't buy from them anymore either. Each time I buy a new car he feels it's time for him to get a new car. My sister just bought an Element from them last month so that's another family member who may not be a repeat customer. I wonder if they really consider something that small to be that huge of a deal.

As far as to whether the car was properly kept clean, I could be considered a textbook example of Automotive Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I am fanatical about keeping my cars spotless. I've always gotten top dollar for my cars I've sold and have never had a car for sale more than a week, the quickest I've sold a car was in 30 minutes and the longest was 7 days. I even go as far as hand scrubbing the undercarriage for cleanliness.

We'll see how they want to handle it in the morning. Dave/tanstaafl14, I would suspect your car is a bit too new for this to happen "yet". I have actually been looking back there ocassionaly over the years I've owned the car to make sure everything was OK. This has happened over the last 6,000 miles/year.

 

They will get a local dent man or detail man to fix it like they do to all the new and used cars that had dent/chipped paint etc problems. Suggest you post a better pix of the area so we can compare it to our cars. Perhaps the rubber needs a little trim or smoothing where it contacts the body. I have brought in brand new sold cars to dealers and if there is a chip or ding, they simply get the dent/ding man to come and repair it if they dont have a body shop.

 

Al;

What can anyone say at this Point? Bad Rust-Bad-Rust Bad-Rust

I have gotten rid of New Vehicles for less reason than this . Like a Chipped Windshield as an Example. I would have to be Rushed to the (Emergency-Room) if I saw this on any of my vehicles.

Man I surely Wish you the Very-Best on the outcome of this.

Sorry;

Terry

 

Yes Terry, I am a common sufferer of what my wife describes as "The Six Month Itch" where I have to buy something big and new every six months. Over the last six months I skipped cars and have switched as my wife says, "to heavy equipment". (I got a tractor, because I bought the farm - literally) I've done the same thing as you but this car I will keep, I can't find 1.9% financing again and the car hasn't really worn out enough yet. I had to replace the windshield on this at 2500 miles, first month of ownership!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed they do what they should do and fix it. If not then they didn't just lose my business, they lost my families business. I just want them to admit that the flaps aren't supposed to dig into the body like they did.