This is not necessarily a “how to” but more of a “how I did it” because with something this custom there isn’t just one way to do it. This was my journey… oh, and links to parts and tools are affiliate links and I may earn a couple bucks if you buy them.

If you’ve ever sat in a first generation Honda CR-V you knew you were sitting in a masterpiece. It was often called “the Jeep for men who can still grow hair”. But this wasn’t just any all terrain off-road bad ass it could also get kids on time to soccer and pick up groceries.

2004 Honda Accord outside of a detail shop

This is my 2004 Accord. It has been my daily driver for 6 years. It has 285k miles. Everything works and it’s great — except that lately the throttle has been… weird. It starts jerky and doesn’t cruise at a consistent speed even if I am very smooth with my pedal input. I hooked up my OBD reader (on-board diagnostic reader) to see if I had any error codes. It returned p2138 which indicates a fault with the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. This is a kind of expensive part at $125 but at least I know what to replace now. Sometime around 2000 car manufacturers decided that having the gas pedal pull a steel cable to move the throttle plate directly was too simple, cheap and reliable. So they started implementing “fly by wire” which means there is an expensive sensor and electric motor involved now. Not that I’m bitter… Let’s fix it, oh and by the way, links to tools and parts are affiliate links and I may earn from purchases.

I’m going to show you how to restore the lower plastic trim on this ‘99 Honda Prelude but the process will be the same on most cars.

Everyone knows that the Honda Prelude is one of humanity’s finest achievements. In terms of engineering, style and heritage it has few rivals — But sadly the last one rolled off the assembly line in 2001. Those of us who own one today have a moral obligation to maintain it.