AC Whistle Noise - 2000-2700 rpm - The Answer ?

frontlinegeek · May 29, 2019

SCOPESYS said:
Looking on the bright side, No noise now, and a low bill (just air filter + LABOR !!)

Yup! $60 Canadian Kopecs. Also, a reminder that I should likely replace the filters in the CRV too...

frontlinegeek · May 30, 2019

Womp womp...

NOT the filter. I repeat... NOT the air filter...

As I suspected, the morning start and drive would be the real test. The sound is back and no different than it was on my drive yesterday in the morning.

So it is scheduled back in for tomorrow...

Gruber · May 30, 2019

You might try to run without the filter (for a short time) to completely kill the theory that it can cause any whistling.

frontlinegeek · May 30, 2019

Gruber said:
You might try to run without the filter (for a short time) to completely kill the theory that it can cause any whistling.

Definitely worth a try and easy enough to try. It would be weird to not make the sound for 40 minutes yesterday and then do it immediately this morning when I started the car.

I guess I know what I am doing on break this morning.

frontlinegeek · May 30, 2019

frontlinegeek said:
I guess I know what I am doing on break this morning.

Got bored and went right out and tried that. Nope... Still makes the noise with the filter removed and the cover plate in place.

SCOPESYS · May 30, 2019

frontlinegeek said:
Womp womp...

NOT the filter. I repeat... NOT the air filter...

As I suspected, the morning start and drive would be the real test. The sound is back and no different than it was on my drive yesterday in the morning.

So it is scheduled back in for tomorrow...

Sorry to hear that, but I don't think anyone is surprised. (including the Dealer Tech, who made an easy $60 air filter sale !!)

If it really had been the filter, then the $64,000 question would have been WHY ??

frontlinegeek · May 31, 2019

SCOPESYS said:
If it really had been the filter, then the $64,000 question would have been WHY ??

Bigtime. I could see it if there was blockage that forced air into a perfect whistling spot between two surfaces but I was skeptical that day as you can see in my earlier updates.

The car is back across the road again today (Super awesome convenience for me at work

) and they are going to try to get it in on the work schedule. I have a really good recording of the sound I can put on YT if anyone is interested...

Dimitron84 · May 31, 2019

frontlinegeek said:
Bigtime. I could see it if there was blockage that forced air into a perfect whistling spot between two surfaces but I was skeptical that day as you can see in my earlier updates.

The car is back across the road again today (Super awesome convenience for me at work ) and they are going to try to get it in on the work schedule. I have a really good recording of the sound I can put on YT if anyone is interested...

That would be awesome, so we can compare if it’s the same, was about to change the cabin filter then clicked next page and seen your update

Moopy62 · May 31, 2019

frontlinegeek said:
Womp womp...

NOT the filter. I repeat... NOT the air filter...

As I suspected, the morning start and drive would be the real test. The sound is back and no different than it was on my drive yesterday in the morning.

So it is scheduled back in for tomorrow...

2018 sportHatch- did it from day one. Waited months thinking/hoping it would go away. It hasnt.

frontlinegeek · May 31, 2019

OK, so here are the details of today's visit...

Purge and recharge completed. Proper refrigerant levels were present before and after. The noise didn't go away....

The service tech then apparently further inspected the car and found that there were defects outwardly visible on the condenser that made it replaceable under warranty. It was his/their opinion that not doing so risked it eventually leaking (More on this later). So that part is now on order and should be here sometime next week. I discussed bringing in any/all of the documentation from around the forum on this issue as it is documented in Europe and for anyone else that has posted their paperwork. The senior service writer (Who I have known as a customer for over 20 years) was fully supportive of doing so so that I could share it all with the service manager in case the issue has to go to Honda Canada/corporate.

Back to the condenser... So for those that are at least as active as I am, this may set off some bells... Bells along the lines of someone else on the forums making noise about a potential class action in the US regarding not replacing a known defective batch of condensers on 2016 to 2018 Civics. Where I am getting a warranty replacement anyhow, I don't specifically care about that. What I do care about is that perhaps there is indeed two issues at play out there. Bad condensers in some of the sedans and a bad piece of tubing in the AC system of the hatchbacks and also possibly in the sedans too.

Comically, the service tech still heard the sound after recharging the system but I didn't hear it at all on my drive home. Today, I also had a bit of a drive that I had to take that was about 55 KM in total at city and highway speeds. I will definitely be doing a morning test start tomorrow even if I don't go anywhere right away.

The last anecdote is that they had a 2016 sedan in there today and went over to it to see if they heard the same sound and yes, it was there. So for those still wondering or questioning themselves, yes, there is indeed something particularly fishy with the AC in the 2016 to 2018 Civics. I am no longer willing to lock it on to any one component but it is certainly NOT the air filter and highly unlikely to be a refrigerant issue alone.

More to come as the adventure continues!

EDIT: Note that I have only paid for the air filter and the "labor" to install it so my so called stealership is not taking me to the cleaners.

Dimitron84 · May 31, 2019

frontlinegeek said:
OK, so here are the details of today's visit...

Purge and recharge completed. Proper refrigerant levels were present before and after. The noise didn't go away....

The service tech then apparently further inspected the car and found that there were defects outwardly visible on the condenser that made it replaceable under warranty. It was his/their opinion that not doing so risked it eventually leaking (More on this later). So that part is now on order and should be here sometime next week. I discussed bringing in any/all of the documentation from around the forum on this issue as it is documented in Europe and for anyone else that has posted their paperwork. The senior service writer (Who I have known as a customer for over 20 years) was fully supportive of doing so so that I could share it all with the service manager in case the issue has to go to Honda Canada/corporate.

Back to the condenser... So for those that are at least as active as I am, this may set off some bells... Bells along the lines of someone else on the forums making noise about a potential class action in the US regarding not replacing a known defective batch of condensers on 2016 to 2018 Civics. Where I am getting a warranty replacement anyhow, I don't specifically care about that. What I do care about is that perhaps there is indeed two issues at play out there. Bad condensers in some of the sedans and a bad piece of tubing in the AC system of the hatchbacks and also possibly in the sedans too.

Comically, the service tech still heard the sound after recharging the system but I didn't hear it at all on my drive home. Today, I also had a bit of a drive that I had to take that was about 55 KM in total at city and highway speeds. I will definitely be doing a morning test start tomorrow even if I don't go anywhere right away.

The last anecdote is that they had a 2016 sedan in there today and went over to it to see if they heard the same sound and yes, it was there. So for those still wondering or questioning themselves, yes, there is indeed something particularly fishy with the AC in the 2016 to 2018 Civics. I am no longer willing to lock it on to any one component but it is certainly NOT the air filter and highly unlikely to be a refrigerant issue alone.

More to come as the adventure continues!

EDIT: Note that I have only paid for the air filter and the "labor" to install it so my so called stealership is not taking me to the cleaners.

Have you talked to them about doing the upgraded charge hose that was different in the 2019 civics to see if this solves the issue? It’s the part mentioned on page 1 of this threat! Curious if they have already done this, it appears your dealership is willing to work with you!

frontlinegeek · Jun 1, 2019

Dimitron84 said:
Have you talked to them about doing the upgraded charge hose that was different in the 2019 civics to see if this solves the issue? It’s the part mentioned on page 1 of this threat! Curious if they have already done this, it appears your dealership is willing to work with you!

This is all on the table. I always get the song and dance when I mention vehicles that are made in Swindon but I have pushed back and pointed out that the same part exists on both the hatch and sedan and that there are people that have had that hose replaced on sedans.

I will be printing off everything in this thread (And any other that has bills or TSB info) that relates to this whole adventure and bringing it in to the dealership for the service manager. As much as I am interested mostly in my personal situation, if there is ANY chance that I can get the dealership here to shake BIG Honda into waking up and doing something for all of us, I will take that chance. And at the least, I am making sure I follow up here with everything that goes on with my car so that others have as much info as possible.

frontlinegeek · Jun 4, 2019

Alright. I love my dealership and the service manager.

I was in today to bring him up to speed on everything and to show him the documentation that we have from here and here is the deal...

He has assured me they will figure this out. We looked at the parts referenced in the diagram and at the language in the TSB and what we have determined is that there is a different set of parts for the 1.5T and the 2.0NA. Something that generally should be obvious but it goes to now telling you all the following:

The 2.0NA has the same deal with there being a superseding part that changed for 2019 and forward that is also rated for use on the 2016 to 2018. He has ordered one and the work for the replacement of my condenser (scheduled for next Wed) will also include the replacement of the part in question.

The OLD part for the 2.0NA is: 80312-TBA-A02
The superseding part # is: 80312-TBA-A03

(Note that if you go to HondaPartsNow, it may tell you the A03 doesn't fit an NA. This is not the case as his Honda parts system shows that it does fit)

He is also going to reach out to his points of contact to get this pushed up and around to see what can be found out.

Regardless, all of this is being done at no charge to me. I will report back in after the work is done next week with how it all turned out.

Dimitron84 · Jun 4, 2019

I have my appointment in the morning to get my car looked at again for the AC noise, what all should I tell them? I finally got a video for proof as my car is always on best behavior when at the dealer.... SMH

frontlinegeek · Jun 4, 2019

Dimitron84 said:
I have my appointment in the morning to get my car looked at again for the AC noise, what all should I tell them? I finally got a video for proof as my car is always on best behavior when at the dealer.... SMH

Honestly, I would bring in copies of the two pictures on the front page and if you want, I can upload the video from my car to my YT account for what it is worth (I have it on my phone and can upload easily if you want). I would also point out that there is indeed a dealership in Canada, Sutherland Honda, that is willingly helping to investigate and resolve this issue with me. I know that there is the whole stereotype of STEALerships but if there is at least anecdotal evidence out there that dealerships are indeed working with people without fleecing the customer, then that should at least let the dealer there know that they could/should be able to claim it as warranty work/parts replacement.

It would be nice if @charleswrivers would show back up with a report back on his car where it is an Si like yours. Even though the issue seems to plague both the 1.5T and the 2.0NA, keeping the two sorted from each other when discussing things would help so that there isn't any pushback if the dealer service realizes that distinction.

One thing for sure, if it takes people like me being able to be listed to Honda America by people in the US (and vice versa) so as to show that there is an unacceptable issue with our cars and there is a rather large degree of inconsistency between dealer service, then I am more than willing to help out. Especially where I have been getting generally good overall handling of the issue here.

AC Whistle Noise - 2000-2700 rpm - The Answer ?

frontlinegeek

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Gruber

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SCOPESYS

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