It's not the same thing.
Dealers are independently owned and operated entity.
For things like doing warranty work, it's up to dealers. Manufacturers can't force them to do warranty work. American Honda is responsible, not their dealers. I'm not saying I agree with this, but this is the reality. I have experienced this kind of bad practice or attitude by non selling dealer on other brands like Toyota, Dodge, Hyundai, etc. in the past when I took in my my new car for warranty work . I'm not surprised to hear some Honda dealers are like that. Maybe these non selling dealers are thinking customers will buy from them in the furture for warraty work convenience. What they don't realize is that those customers will probably NEVER buy anything from them.

 

Not quite true. To be an authorized dealer they have made an agreement with American Honda to do all required warranty work. It's what they have to do in order to carry the cars.

However, dealers don't like doing that work because they get paid less than they charge for non-warranty work. On "borderline" cases they will always claim that the problem does not exist. This is a particular issue on TSBs where they only fix something upon customer complaint.

I've found it helpful to go in armed with the corporate customer service number. Violating the dealership agreement can and does get the dealer in hot water with Honda so when they find out that you are willing to talk to corporate they will often become more cooperative.

Another trick I've learned is to mark the parts to be replaced so that I can determine if they have indeed been replaced. I had a Toyota dealer who was supposed to replace a fuel filler pipe under a TSB. I took the car in and they called me saying that the job was finished. I took a peek under the fender and saw what looked like a shiny new pipe. Unfortunately, it still had the "X" that I had marked in Sharpie on it the day before. Apparently they had just taken a wet rag and wiped off the road grime! The paperwork said that they had spent 1.5 hours replacing the part so corporate was going to get ripped off for work not done.

When I told them that I knew they hadn't replaced the part they hemmed and hawed and finally said that they had made "a mistake." If I had not marked the part beforehand the new pipe would have ended up on the parts shelf to be sold to another customer, corporate would have ended up with the labor bill, and I would be stuck with the old slow-filling pipe!

 

You've seen people or businesses not doing things accoriding to the agreeement?

Face the reality.

 

That's why I said to call corporate. Dealers are contractually bound to provide warranty service regardless of where you bought the car. They will often come up with discouragements to customers getting the services they are entitled to get. If they're playing these games they are doing so because customers aren't letting corporate know about it!

 

See my signature.

Getting something fixed is one thing, but changing dealers poor attitude/practice is another - good luck!

 

I understand your issue, which is convincing corporate that liner separation is a defect. If corporate doesn't agree with you then you are up the creek.

My statement is assuming that you have an issue that is a defect in the eyes of corporate. Dealers play closer to the rules if they know that you will communicate with corporate and they might come out looking like they are shirking their responsibility.

 

My Modern Steel Metallic 2015 Fit EX 6M has a weird paint issue around the drivers door handle. Surrounding the handle is what looks like milky clearcoat. That's the best I can describe it. At first I thought someone at the dealership may have touched the paint with acetone on their hands but the more I look at it I think it is faulty clearcoat. I stopped by the dealer and they kind of blew it off. it is visible outside in the light. It was very hard to see under their service drive roof. They are extremely busy and I know they don't have a lot of time for talking to customers worrying about things like this but I really do want this addressed as I can't help seeing it every time I open the door. Anyone else see a milky clearcoat on their car?

The dealer was so busy. I got spoiled with my Fiat. Their volume is so low that when taking car to service one feels like someone is paying attention. I guess I'll try to take the Fit back in.

 

They do, but they are saying as far as Honda Customer Service is concerned, they don't know the status of the solution. Until then we customers continue to have to bombard American Honda with the demand to fix. With about 90% EX & EX-L owners having this issue and if they are all calling Honda (& I strongly encourage to do so), Honda is the one who is up the creek!

 

I hope you will get a better response from the dealer on your second visit.

Howver, before that, I suggest you to call American Honda and let them know your concern first. Then, get your case # which means your problem is recorded with Honda corp as well not only with dealer.
Any kind of cosmetic related issue, it needs to be documented ASAP because dealers/manufacturers tend to blame on customers.

 

How difficult is it to secure the liners? Sure, Honda should do it, but if the liners are causing incipient corrosion issues it might be more practical to fix it yourself. Honda is very likely to correct it in production but never to admit that it was a defect for customers.

Similar situation: First gen Scion xBs had rear hatch handles that broke easily, but not until the car was a number of years old. It had gotten to the point where the aftermarket had actually provided a stronger hatch handle. Lo and behold, Scion actually did a way-out-of-warranty service bulletin to replace the hatch handle on my 8-year-old car! They even sent me a letter informing me of it!

Of course, the dealer tried to "delay and deny" the job away, but eventually it got done.

I'm impressed enough with the reliability of the car that I would love to buy another, but unfortunately Scion doesn't sell it any longer.

 

There are two parts to this problem.

1. Securement
I assume it can be done with clips, screws, glue, whatever.

2. Gap
That appears to be more difficult task. Black RTV, patch with another piece of similar carpet - dunno.

Honda hasn't corrected the problem from beginning of '15 producton for 7 months, at least, from 04/2014 till 11/2014 (mine). They might still keep rolling off the Mexican assembly line like that. Who knows...

 

October built with 1300 miles. Mine had the saggy rear fender liners, driver side dash gap, and something I only noticed because I was putting on some after market pedals... the clutch pedal rubs the carpet and is starting to wear a hole in it. Anyone else have that issue?

 

My car does indeed have about a 1/2 inch gap between the felt wheel well and metal. Given the mild winters here (mostly rain) I have put some thought to how I would secure them if the problem seemed to get worse. Again, these are just early thoughts and I haven't investigated it fully, but it may be possible to 'hang' the liners like you would a drop in ceiling. This doesn't close the gap as it seems that was not the intent of the design. It merely holds it in place. Using a few holes and some plastic hole protectors (like Avery sell for holes punched in paper) guide some thin floral wire or any small gauge wire through the holes and find something metal inside the wheel well between the car and the felt liner to hang it from.

Either two strings of wire running in parallel or making 4 crosses of thicker wire (about the size of bobby pins) lashed together with the thin wire could secure the liner through the 4 holes you've punched. I'm not confident it would be enough to hold the shape in climes that see harsher winter weather. It was just some cursory DIY thoughts I had on the issue.


@troyinpdx I too had the milky residue in places all over my car that were only noticed once I started really going over my car. ( I did so as well at the dealership, but failed to notice as they were fairly insignificant. ) They showed in larger areas over the plastic trim: the antenna, above the doors on the track that goes along the roof, on the tailgate. They may have been left over from a rush wax job. I was able to finally buff them out completely during the Fit's second carwash. I used a small amount of Meguiar's scratch remover on them and they eventually came out.

 

The liners are supposed to be right up against the fender, tucked behind the fender lip. No gap. I have one just like that and one with the gap and others here have posted that neither of their wheel wells have a gap between the liner and the fender.

If you have a gap, and regardless of whether the fenders are sagging or not, call Honda about it and get a case number. Don't go trying to work out some half-assed DIY solution. If you do and Honda puts out a recall or TSB for a replacement/fix then you'll be screwed.

 

So the Fit went back to the original dealership to get the cracked hatch trim replaced. The 15 mile journey (since the closest dealer refused to honor the warranty) took 2 hours in horrendous LA traffic. Yuck!


When the service advisor inspected the hatch, we noticed that water had collected in the left taillight. Oy vey! That is now going to be replaced under warranty, but we have to wait for the part to arrive.


At least the hatch trim is now taken care of, but going back and forwards to the Honda dealer for issues on a brand new car is no longer cute. Even my dreaded old Daewoo-sourced Chevy Aveo was a reliability superstar compared to this


The service advisor mentioned that these Fits are causing some serious headaches. At least this particular dealership and its staff have been terrific

 

I have the same gap, and the dealer will look at it once again. The first time they said that it seems to be within specs, but no measurements were taken. They will look at it on 01-22-2015.
For reference, I have an LX MT manufactured Oct 2014....VIN... FM737130
Please let me know if those having this gap get it corrected by the dealer or Honda. Thanks.

 

I think that condensation on head/tail lights should NOT happen. I had condensation in my rear left reverse light, and my dealer agreed to replace the headlight without any hesitation. It will be replaced on 01-22-2015.
For reference, I have an LX MT manufactured Oct 2014....VIN... FM737130

 

See post 301 and 314, owners manual page 402. According to manual this is normal. I was concerned when I saw the moisture inside the lens also.

 

I have a gap wider than your's.The dealer tried to adjust it but only made it worse.They took pictures to send to Honda,waiting to here from the dealer.

 

After I washed my car today, I noticed the seal around the front corner windows was pressed in. It was the same on the other side of the car too.



Here is that part of the seal up close.



I also wasn't sure if the top corner was supposed to stick out from the rubber either. The picture is at kind of a funny angle, but it's looking downward toward the front of the car.