Hello all,
im new here, i just bought my 2016 fit lx about a month ago. When i test driving it i noticed this odd deterioration around the vents. It was just a cosmetic so i went through with the purchase. But now its bugging the hell out of me, im assuming i cant cover them with vinyl due to the heat warping the adhesive. It doesnt look like i can pop them out to sand and spray them either. I guess im stuck, but has anyone else had this issue? It looks like water droplets evaporated and ate at the silver plastic.

 

or, it may be adhesive from the plastic liner covering them when it was shipped/delivered. try and use some adhesive cleaner and see if it comes off.

 

They pop off, I've seen some members where they painted them.

 

Thanks ryu, i have some at home so ill give that a shot afterwork.

Thanks rismo, i actually wanted to paint them in the first place so ill search for the thread.

 

I've always been bothered by reflection from this silver trim; glad to know they pop off, so that I can spray them with non-reflective paint.

 

That's really strange.
If you haven't cleaned them with any chemical, also the deterioration seems so specific to the silver trim only.
I would think if something caustic got pulled through your vent or sprayed onto the area, then you'd have deterioration on surrounding pieces, not just the vent frames.
Which makes me think you got a badly produced pieces.

However, if this was happening coming from Honda, I'd think other people would also be complaining and noticing this. Your's wouldn't be the ONLY trim piece with this problem.

It's quite a mystery.

Did you use any type of cleaner on the area?

Also the suggestion that maybe it was adhesive from protective cover originally on the pieces, did you try cleaning off the bubbles or would that cause more damage?

 

Kinda looks like someone tried an improper solvent/cleaner on that area of vinyl and whatever it was attacked the plastic. They probably noticed what was happening and stopped but the damage was already done and is permanent. If that part is easily removable then maybe the best thing to do is get a replacement from a wrecker.

 

I have some discoloration on my center one because some fragrance oil from a car air freshener leaked on it. Not sure how long it was on there but it was long enough for the silver part to flake off on that piece. I just have to find the time to spray it a darker color along with the other ones to get rid of the glare.

 

I can almost guarantee the detail boy at the dealer used an abrasive cleaner when they prepped your car.

 

Just noted that the OP said:

" i just bought my 2016 fit lx about a month ago. "

So was this a used car purchase?

If this was a "newer" USED car purchase the damage could of happened any time, under previous owners. Who knows what may of been used to try to clean the trim, or what happened?

Also I know hindsight is 20/20, but if you noticed this damage during the test drive? You should of made an issue of it right then, and got some assurances from the dealership that the parts would be replaced.

Even used, they probably wouldn't want to lose the sale over something so small, so if you complained then, you probably could of put the responsibility of making it right on the dealership.

 

get some plastic polish and see if it comes off...

 

the silver coating may also come off.. id remove it and paint it.

 

I am pretty sure thats what happend. The the vents dont seem too tricky to remove, my concern is the strip above the glove box. It has a very tiny amount of the damage on it, but if i painted the vent trim i would need to hit that as well and i dont know if that piece comes out.

 

worst case for that finisher if you cant pull it off, id use vinyl for that. you can probably wrap it without taking it off.