AC Condenser TSB-19-091: The Case for Including Hatches

Olmsteez

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Threads
4
Messages
28
Reaction score
8
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
17 EXT Hatch
Country flag
Forgive me creating yet another thread on AC condensers. But, I didn't really see one dedicated to the plight of the hatchback!

My wife's 2017 Civic hatch (50k miles) started with AC issues about 2 or 3 weeks ago. It was struggling to keep up with a wet, humid day. About a week later the AC failed entirely. I poked around here a bit and found a bunch of threads about failing condensers and the now famous TSB 19-091. I printed out the TSB and brought it into the local Honda service center and agreed to have them diagnose the AC for $160. They confirmed that the condenser failed and then said that my VIN was not covered by the TSB. According to the rep, hatches were excluded. They wanted $1100 to replace the condenser and recharge the system. Obviously, I laughed. Especially at the bit where they wanted $450 to recharge the system.

I took the car to a local, trusted mechanic and had them do the work. They indicated that they could not visually confirm that the issue was the condenser. There was nothing that looked like road debris induced damage. I then took the old condenser unit to an AC specialty shop to have them inspect the condenser and pressure test it. They found no visible damage to the condenser. They pressure tested the condenser to 30psi and found nothing leaking. They went on to say that a condenser could see as much as 200psi on a warm day. But, they had no means to test beyond 30psi. They said damage caused by road debris would have most definitely been apparent at 30psi. This same shop charged the AC system with the fancy new refrigerant (including oil and dye) after pressure testing the system with nitrogen. After finding no leaks, filled the system.

Cliff's Notes: After Honda diagnosed my system with a condenser failure, two separate shops were unable to find damage caused by road debris. One shop pressure tested the condenser to 30psi -- which would have identified a failure from road debris.

Honda needs to expand the TSB to hatches!

Pics for anyone that is interested. And yes, I kept the condenser.

Honda Civic 10th gen AC Condenser TSB-19-091: The Case for Including Hatches IMG_20191107_155012 (1)


Honda Civic 10th gen AC Condenser TSB-19-091: The Case for Including Hatches IMG_20191107_155040
 

shoegazer

assistant to the assistant manager
Joined
Sep 5, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
1,414
Reaction score
715
Location
Raleigh NC
Vehicle(s)
2018 Civic LX Coupe 2.0 (CVT)
Country flag
Keep your receipts and the old parts. Honda may do this in the future. And there are anecdotal stories of folks getting reimbursed for their previous repairs.
 

darrenjuggins

Member
First Name
Darren
Joined
Mar 15, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
18
Reaction score
10
Location
UK
Vehicle(s)
Honda Civic 1.6 EX i-Dtec & MR2 Roadster (Mk3)
Country flag
Hi,

If it helps, I have a UK hatch on a 17 plate and the condenser has been replaced after 15,000 miles after a Regas which failed after a couple of thousand miles.

did a quick visual inspection and then order the part and replaced.

now all is good, I’ll obviously keep and eye on things over the next several months to ensure the replacement condenser has done the trick.

Cheers
Darren
 


Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
12
Reaction score
3
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Vehicle(s)
Civic 2016 touring
Country flag
FYI I just received this letter today...

TL;DR- free warranty replacement of condenser and reimbursement if you've already paid for service in the past.

Honda Civic 10th gen AC Condenser TSB-19-091: The Case for Including Hatches honda civic ac recall
 

maaaaackle

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Threads
36
Messages
519
Reaction score
167
Location
Socal
Vehicle(s)
Sport Hatch 6MT
Country flag
I hate to dig this up again but what did you end up doing @Olmsteez ?

my hatch (2017 sport) AC is buggin out. Im out of warrany and local dealership stated the issue was not covered by the TSB - which only covered Sedans and Coupes.

so now i might be on the hookfor hundreds of dollars. For something sedans and coupes are covered for.
 


Soprano

Member
First Name
Gage
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Chattanooga
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Hatcback Sport
Country flag
I hate to dig this up again but what did you end up doing @Olmsteez ?

my hatch (2017 sport) AC is buggin out. Im out of warrany and local dealership stated the issue was not covered by the TSB - which only covered Sedans and Coupes.

so now i might be on the hookfor hundreds of dollars. For something sedans and coupes are covered for.
Hey man, funny enough I just bought your exact car back in February. Everything was fine with the car, I love it. Then it starts getting warmer and I find my AC is no good... Found this thread and thought its insanity that we are not covered by this.. Literally makes no sense to me its obviously the same problem. ~50 miles on it.
 

Gruber

Senior Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
2,309
Reaction score
1,521
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic Sport Touring; 2009 Honda CR-V EX-L
Country flag
Hey man, funny enough I just bought your exact car back in February. Everything was fine with the car, I love it. Then it starts getting warmer and I find my AC is no good... Found this thread and thought its insanity that we are not covered by this.. Literally makes no sense to me its obviously the same problem. ~50 miles on it.
I hope it's 50 000 miles?

AC no good means it is not even a little cold? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?

I hate to dig this up again but what did you end up doing @Olmsteez ?

my hatch (2017 sport) AC is buggin out. Im out of warrany and local dealership stated the issue was not covered by the TSB - which only covered Sedans and Coupes.

so now i might be on the hookfor hundreds of dollars. For something sedans and coupes are covered for.
How is it buggin out? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?
 

Soprano

Member
First Name
Gage
Joined
Apr 28, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Chattanooga
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Hatcback Sport
Country flag
I hope it's 50 000 miles?

AC no good means it is not even a little cold? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?



How is it buggin out? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?
Sorry, yes 50,000 ~ miles. As far as I know all vents driver & passenger are only lukewarm at best after trying to run AC. Its only been in the low - mid 70's lately in my area too. But i'm curious, why are you asking about the driver/passanger vents? Does that lead to something else?
 

maaaaackle

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2016
Threads
36
Messages
519
Reaction score
167
Location
Socal
Vehicle(s)
Sport Hatch 6MT
Country flag
I hope it's 50 000 miles?

AC no good means it is not even a little cold? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?



How is it buggin out? Is the temperature the same coming out of driver's and passenger's vents?
The temp is different. Driver side is warm. Passenger side is cool but not ice cold.
 

Gruber

Senior Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
2,309
Reaction score
1,521
Location
TN
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic Sport Touring; 2009 Honda CR-V EX-L
Country flag
Sorry, yes 50,000 ~ miles. As far as I know all vents driver & passenger are only lukewarm at best after trying to run AC. Its only been in the low - mid 70's lately in my area too. But i'm curious, why are you asking about the driver/passanger vents? Does that lead to something else?

Because I've heard at least one kind of AC failure starts like this, and I'm now starting to see it in my car at almost 13,000 miles. The passenger side is still pretty cold, but de driver's side not so much. At very moderate outside temperature, not hot at all. It should be freezing out the vents, obviously it's not working as it should.
Sponsored

 
Last edited:


 


Top