My A/C took a poop...*Dealership update*

SDAlexander8

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If you own a 2016-2018 10th gen, you probably have a bad condenser. It’s just a matter of time. I’ve been waiting for mine to show signs. This week it did.

My 2017 Si is right at 44,000 miles today. The A/C has been just fine up until about a week ago when I started realizing it should be colder than it is. Aside from the vent whistling noises I’ve been hearing for the better part of the last 20k miles.

Only after around 30 minutes of driving it would get acceptably cold, but still not where it should be.

Today on my way to work I had the A/C full blast and I heard a crackling and saw a cloud-like mist coming from the passenger side middle vent. I thought it was smoke at first but it didn’t smell. The passenger side was noticeably colder than the driver’s side even with SYNC button on.

Now it’s just acting weird, I get cold air sometimes, and other times just warm air.

Made an appointment for the 180$ diagnosis for next Monday. Hopefully it is the condenser and I get it replaced for free.

My experience seems to line up with what everyone else has been saying when theirs goes.

***DEALERSHIP VISIT UPDATE*** 6/6/2020
It is indeed the Condenser that has failed, and everything will be covered. Bad news is that the condenser is on backorder. Service rep says could be days, could be weeks.

So I’m SOL right now and i’m gonna sweat it out in the hottest month of the year. Good luck to everyone else and their A/C probs. Aint no fun.

***ONE DAY LATER*** 6/7/2020
Service rep at the dealer calls me and says they got condensers in today....

***FIXED***
Condenser was replaced and refrigerant recharged. This took them a few hours. Apparently recharging the r1234yf takes awhile.

Honda Civic 10th gen My A/C took a poop...*Dealership update* 479900C0-3C91-4759-85E4-19F39A9A70F9
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civicls

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Same here man, my 2017 EX-T is showing the same symptoms. Like you said, the drivers side is warmer than the passenger side. This is a typical sign of low refrigerant. I am gonna drop it off Monday morning to get it checked out. Luckily i am only at 28k miles :).
 
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SDAlexander8

SDAlexander8

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Same here man, my 2017 EX-T is showing the same symptoms. Like you said, the drivers side is warmer than the passenger side. This is a typical sign of low refrigerant. I am gonna drop it off Monday morning to get it checked out. Luckily i am only at 28k miles :).
I guess it depends on how often the A/C is used before it fails. But they all fail. Gonna be ugly when the majority if the millions of 2016-2018s on the road all get around 30-60k miles and need it replaced.
 


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Mine also took a shit after I went in for the AC recall software update. Same thing, passenger side blowing more cold and freon blowing through the vents. I dropped my car off last night at the dealer and got a free AC inspection for them to say it's 100% a leaking compressor. Which is not covered unless you have the extended warranty. No recalls for the compressor, just the condenser.

My options? Pay $1500 for the compressor, or option 2 they give my info to the honda rep for my area and see if he can do anything to help out. I went with option 2 in the midst of a 90 some degree heat wave.... feelsbadman
 
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SDAlexander8

SDAlexander8

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Mine also took a shit after I went in for the AC recall software update. Same thing, passenger side blowing more cold and freon blowing through the vents. I dropped my car off last night at the dealer and got a free AC inspection for them to say it's 100% a leaking compressor. Which is not covered unless you have the extended warranty. No recalls for the compressor, just the condenser.

My options? Pay $1500 for the compressor, or option 2 they give my info to the honda rep for my area and see if he can do anything to help out. I went with option 2 in the midst of a 90 some degree heat wave.... feelsbadman
Ive still got a certified pre-owned warranty until 48k miles on non-powertrain issues. If they claim it is the compressor, hopefully that helps me out.

Lets say it is the condenser and i get it all done for free. I’m worried about my compressor taking a dump in a couple years too from damage or premature wear that may have occurred from running the A/C while the system was low of refrigerant.

Also, i don't think the mist coming through the vents would have been refrigerant. I think it’s just condensate from the air passing by the evaporator while it wasn’t operating properly. Like a cloud forming in the sky. So I wouldn’t worry about potential chemical exposure.
 

xbbnx

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I wonder if this is a problem that affects ALL 2016-2018 Civics or just some :dunno:
 

nox

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I wonder if civics made in Japan, UK, USA or Canada make any difference in quality of AC.
 
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SDAlexander8

SDAlexander8

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I wonder if civics made in Japan, UK, USA or Canada make any difference in quality of AC.
I would think all of the parts of the A/C system would have been Sourced from the same manufacturers.

R1234YF refrigerant is fairly new and its corrosivity, however minor it is, was probably underestimated.
 


Gruber

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Ive still got a certified pre-owned warranty until 48k miles on non-powertrain issues. If they claim it is the compressor, hopefully that helps me out.

Lets say it is the condenser and i get it all done for free. I’m worried about my compressor taking a dump in a couple years too from damage or premature wear that may have occurred from running the A/C while the system was low of refrigerant.

Also, i don't think the mist coming through the vents would have been refrigerant. I think it’s just condensate from the air passing by the evaporator while it wasn’t operating properly. Like a cloud forming in the sky. So I wouldn’t worry about potential chemical exposure.
Your symptoms look like they might be similar to this (#284 and on) which may be caused by the moisture freezing on the evaporator :
https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/16-civic-ac-not-working.23516/page-19

But it sometimes occurs because of too low refrigerant charge (because of leaks).
 
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SDAlexander8

SDAlexander8

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This is the first time in 4 years of 10th gen civic ownership that I do not want to drive my car, and it’s rather depressing.
 

jred721

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I have a friend with a 2016 Civic and dealer made him pay around $1900 for the job I believe. I have a 2018 and I know its a matter of time before it happens, but the idea of shelling out nearly 2k is crazy to me. If possible, let us know how much the job costs (if anything).
 
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SDAlexander8

SDAlexander8

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I have a friend with a 2016 Civic and dealer made him pay around $1900 for the job I believe. I have a 2018 and I know its a matter of time before it happens, but the idea of shelling out nearly 2k is crazy to me. If possible, let us know how much the job costs (if anything).
2 grand is insane. Tell him to keep his receipts, because Honda will get sued and he may get reimbursed.
 

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If you own a 2016-2018 10th gen, you probably have a bad condenser. It’s just a matter of time. I’ve been waiting for mine to show signs. This week it did.

My 2017 Si is right at 44,000 miles today. The A/C has been just fine up until about a week ago when I started realizing it should be colder than it is. Aside from the vent whistling noises I’ve been hearing for the better part of the last 20k miles.

Only after around 30 minutes of driving it would get acceptably cold, but still not where it should be.

Today on my way to work I had the A/C full blast and I heard a crackling and saw a cloud-like mist coming from the passenger side middle vent. I thought it was smoke at first but it didn’t smell. The passenger side was noticeably colder than the driver’s side even with SYNC button on.

Now it’s just acting weird, I get cold air sometimes, and other times just warm air.

Made an appointment for the 180$ diagnosis for next Monday. Hopefully it is the condenser and I get it replaced for free.

My experience seems to line up with what everyone else has been saying when theirs goes.
More or less exactly what happened to me. Passenger side cold, drivers side warm. After a couple of days it was all warm air. Booked an appointment a month ago and the earliest I can get in is July 17th. Not good when the past week has been in the mid 30s C.

I find it weird being the condenser especially when cold air was coming from passenger side. I have the extended warranty in case it isn't the condenser.
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