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Tailgate Rust

8K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  DZacker 
#1 ·
Good evening. We have tailgate rust under the rear handle. There are some posts about it but my question is did anyone get it fixed by the dealer after the 3 year surface corrosion warranty? Our rust was minor but has deteriorated in the past 2 months. We never thought too much about it until recently when it became very visible. You can easily see it if you're stopped in a car behind us. We were told it's not covered because we're in Year 4 but it really reflects badly on Honda. It's too big of a spot on a portion of the car that doesn't see stone chips!

So..has anyone had any luck? If not I might just put a "Ask me about my rusty $48,000 Honda" bumper sticker over it and shoot for IG fame!

This is our second Honda and the experience has been OK (ish). Not as good as with our Accord. It actual seems more expensive to maintain than our BMW X5 with 250,000 kms on it!
 
#2 ·
Get that fixed, then sell it or trade it in while you still can. Seeing rust at the 4 year mark is not a good sign and may be symptomatic of a larger problem going forward. This is especially concerning given that it's hidden behind the handle. Who knows what else lurks underneath (i.e., other fixtures). You need to cut your losses ASAP.
 
#3 ·
Snip... snip... snip... It actual seems more expensive to maintain than our BMW X5 with 250,000 kms on it!
Are you sure you aren’t confusing maintenance (scheduled replacement of filters, belts, hoses & fluids, adjustments, cleaning and lubrication, etc) with repairs (things that need to be replaced due to failure such as sway bar links, power lock actuators, alternators, etc)?

I know from experience that genuine BMW maintenance items (filters, belts, hoses & fluids), genuine BMW wear & tear items (batteries, brake pads, etc) and genuine BMW repair parts tend to cost much more, (often two or three times as much) than the equivalent Honda parts.
 
#4 ·
If you look under the handle you will see a plastic cover that can rub on the painted surface exposing the bare metal. Rust will start quickly there given our salty winters here. I check mine a while ago and there is a 1/8" gap all along the edge away from the door. You can see it when you have the gate open and look under the handle and it would be easy to get it misaligned causing the rubbing. Just fix the spot and get the car rust checked if you are going to keep it a while.
 
#5 ·
When I see rust stains seeping out of a vehicle fixture, regardless of manufacturer, I just cringe. As Canadians, especially in northern Ontario and Quebec, this means we're fighting a losing battle. First line of defense is how well manufacturers prepare the vehicle for paint application. If that's not done right, dump it.
 
#8 ·
Most of the time rust starts as a chip or scratch which exposes the bare metal. Best defense is a close inspection of the finish and keeping all the chips and scratches touched up before rust gets a hold. If the paint is peeling or flaking off, then it is definitely a paint prep issue.
 
#9 ·
evilc76

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#12 ·
I JUST had my entire tailgate removed and repainted on my 2017 EXL White Diamond colour Pilot. The plastic spoiler on the top of the tailgate was all peeling and then when I inspected the tailgate i found rust bubbles all under my tailgate release handle along that trim piece where it meets the metal. I live in Canada so the dealer contacted Honda Canada and they didn't hesitate to pay for it all plus a rental for the 4 days in the body shop. My body shop has a lifetime warranty on their work so I'll be interested to see if it comes back again or not. If so they can fix it again!

Funny because everywhere else on the car the paint is perfect and durable.
 
#13 ·
I inspected the tailgate i found rust bubbles all under my tailgate release handle along that trim piece where it meets the metal.
That seems to be a problem area on the 3rd gens and I think the plastic trim is rubbing through the paint exposing bare metal and the rust starts there. I did notice a couple of small spots in that same area on my 16EXL and have since touched them up. You don't expect to see that on a 3yr old vehicle though.
 
#14 ·
I have had the same rust problem for a long time on our white 2016 EXL. It's been going on for years and I just ignored it but now the rust stain runs all the way down to the right of our license plate. I asked my dealer about it. They said take it to a body shop, get an estimate, and we will run it past our regional sales rep. The whole back gate needs to be replaces. $3,400 repair. American Honda said they'd pay 75% which still leaves us on the hook for $850 for a design defect. Dealer is the go-between but I'd like to speak with someone at American Honda to plead my case for 100% coverage. Anyone ever speak with someone there?
 
#15 ·
I had the same rust issue on my 2017 Touring. Put in a claim at 75,000 (started about 60,000) and was told they were going to repair it at no cost. Once the body shop had my vehicle, they said it couldn't be repaired because it rusted through and that they needed to replace the whole gate. They did replace the tailgate and cover it 100% without me asking. I signed off on about $3300 with no charge to me. While in the body shop, I also had them replace the windshield for a second time.

Hood Automotive lighting Bumper Motor vehicle Grille
 
#16 ·
You lucked out. After comical interactions with American Honda and even finding emails for execs and emailing them, I ended up getting an additional $300 via a Honda gift card. Not sure why they couldn't just give me the entire balance on a gift card. They know I get my car serviced at the dealer so I would have not problem using it. I thought the card was a great compromise but the amount sucked. The whole thing left a bad taste about a company I have admired for a long time.

BTW - your photo show the exact same problem I had.
 
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