Warranty Extension Advisory does not affect Civics in California... for now

Many of you all over the US and Canada have been receiving a Warranty extension advisory, but so far no one in California has received one. So I decided to call Honda of America, and here is the good news....our cars are not affected by this advisory or the oil dilution issue. Period. The issue is VIN specific and affects Honda's assembled in certain factories. So the good news is, the factories that assembled our Honda's for California did not fuck up.

So not only are we blessed with the best weather on earth, but we are blessed with cars that won't get trouble codes PO300, PO301, PO302, PO303, PO304 or PO172! Or make whirling noises when the AC is on and sound like a bus!!

Now excuse me, I need to find a canyon to carve...

amirza786 said:

Many of you all over the US and Canada have been receiving a Warranty extension advisory, but so far no one in California has received one. So I decided to call Honda of America, and here is the good news....our cars are not affected by this advisory or the oil dilution issue. Period. The issue is VIN specific and affects Honda's assembled in certain factories. So the good news is, the factories that assembled our Honda's for California did not fuck up.

So not only are we blessed with the best weather on earth, but we are blessed with cars that won't get trouble codes PO300, PO301, PO302, PO303, PO304 or PO172! Or make whirling noises when the AC is on and sound like a bus!!

Now excuse me, I need to find a canyon to carve...

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Well, this is indeed NEW information that I was not aware of.

(1) Issues are only from certain factories, not from others.
(2) Some hinted admission that it was a specific factory that Screwed Up !!

Certain factories would tend to indicate Certain Models (that are sold in the USA)

Any more detailed information would be most welcome.

I am tempted to call Honda America myself, but I am afraid I may not be able to restrain myself when I start being fed the inevitable BS.

amirza786 said:

Or make whirling noises when the AC is on and sound like a bus!!

.

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That's NEW info as well -- the WHIRLING sound referred to, being associated with the A/C. ???

The WHIRLING sound is BAD news, but if it is the A/C and NOT the actual ENGINE (damaged by effect of OD) , that's VERY GOOD News.

If all these A/C issues are really being caused by a batch or faulty parts (Condenser), or some inherent design weakness in all Civic genX condensers, then , personally I doubt if I will waste my time getting the Condenser replaced with just another weak and failure prone Honda Condenser. Complete waste of everyone's time and an unacceptable inconvenience to the car owner.

Interesting as well, that the Condenser for the 2018 SI seems to have been "DISCONTINUED", but so far, I have not seen any of the Online Honda stores, offering an updated part # part.

I wonder what part the Dealers are fitting - same old part number, or some newly updated part ??

I would seriously consider getting an aftermarket, more robust Condenser, and the additional extra tools and equipment to swap it out myself, and evacuate & recharge the system myself.

Certainly would end up costing far less than having the Dealer touch it, and potentially be a much more permanent solution. Also, if it should fail again, would only be looking at about $200 for another Condenser & the Refrigerant, and maybe an afternoons work , most of which would be taken up in pulling the vacuum, while I do something else.

SCOPESYS said:

Well, this is indeed NEW information that I was not aware of.

(1) Issues are only from certain factories, not from others.
(2) Some hinted admission that it was a specific factory that Screwed Up !!

Certain factories would tend to indicate Certain Models (that are sold in the USA)

Any more detailed information would be most welcome.

I am tempted to call Honda America myself, but I am afraid I may not be able to restrain myself when I start being fed the inevitable BS.

Click to expand...

That is all the information I have. You can probably find the factory where your Honda was assembled on the drivers side door, or call Honda of America

SCOPESYS said:

Thats new info as well -- the WHIRLING sound referred to, is associated with the A/C.

The WHIRLING sound is BAD news, but if it is the A/C and NOT the actual ENGINE (damaged by effect of OD) , that's VERY GOOD News

Click to expand...

Yes, the AC issue is easily fixed, many who hear this noise had their compressor changed

amirza786 said:

Yes, the AC issue is easily fixed, many who hear this noise had their compressor changed

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Changed to another potentially failure prone Compressor, or to a newly updated version ??

Yes, well, I am suspicious of that... A/C work is shrouded in mystery & complexity by the Pros, to keep the very profitable A/C work limited to their profession.
The whole A/C Industry, Industrial, residential and car is heavy protected by the so called A/C Professionals, who fight hard to keep it all locked up, so that the average owner is terrified and reluctant to do any of the work themselves.
They lobby the Government to place rules and restrictions, just to protect their "Golden egg laying Goose".

I am encouraged to see that the "RIGHT TO REPAIR" movement is starting to gain significant momentum here in the USA, and look forward to some very significant changes in the next few years,

Finally, the General Public have had enough -- "The Peasants are starting to revolt" !!

SCOPESYS said:

Changed to another potentially failure prone Compressor, or to a newly updated version ??

Yes, well, I am suspicious of that... A/C work is shrouded in mystery & complexity by the Pros, to keep the very profitable A/C work limited to their profession.
The whole A/C Industry, Industrial, residential and car is heavy protected by the so called A/C Professionals, who fight hard to keep it all locked up, so that the average owner is terrified and reluctant to do any of the work themselves.
They lobby the Government to place rules and restrictions, just to protect their "Golden egg laying Goose".

I am encouraged to see that the "RIGHT TO REPAIR" movement is starting to gain significant momentum here in the USA, and look forward to some very significant changes in the next few years,

Finally, the General Public have had enough -- "The Peasants are starting to revolt" !!

Click to expand...

I'm lucky, I am friends with an AC guy. Last year we got a quote from Costco to install a central AC for our home...$8,500. My friend did the whole thing for $6K, most of the cost was the labor for the electrician and the guy who installed the piping. He does an inspection once a year and only charges me the cost of the freon if it's needed

amirza786 said:

I'm lucky, I am friends with an AC guy. Last year we got a quote from Costco to install a central AC for our home...$8,500. My friend did the whole thing for $6K, most of the cost was the labor for the electrician and the guy who installed the piping. He does an inspection once a year and only charges me the cost of the freon if it's needed

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Good to have Professional Friends

A/C Friend.
Car repair Friend (No, Dealer is NOT your Friend !!)
Electrician Friend
Plumber Friend
Lawyer Friend
Doctor Friend
Real-Estate Friend
Financial Planning Friend

Still looking for a Friend in the IRS .. (not so easy to find !!)

I wonder which factory screwed up? My Si was built in Ontario, I had the oil dilution recall done, no issues or recalls with the A/C.

dantwan1 said:

I wonder which factory screwed up? My Si was built in Ontario, I had the oil dilution recall done, no issues or recalls with the A/C.

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I think most (if not all) SIs for the American and Canadian market were manufactured in Alliston, Ontario Canada, and we have seen many owners with the SI in Both Canada and the USA, receive the OD TSB work from their Dealer, as well as get the Warranty Extension.

I am in Maryland, and just this week got the Warranty Extension notice, but no OD TSB info by mail.

BTW: Engine came from USA, Transmission came from India, and Final Assembly was in Canada.
Note: Nobody want to claim credit for where the A/C system came from

dantwan1 said:

I wonder which factory screwed up? My Si was built in Ontario, I had the oil dilution recall done, no issues or recalls with the A/C.

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If your car is only affected by the oil dilution issue and not the advisory, than it is the cold to blame and the car not warming up fast enough when turning on the HVAC, so it would be a software issue which they corrected

amirza786 said:

If your car is only affected by the oil dilution issue and not the advisory, than it is the cold to blame and the car not warming up fast enough when turning on the HVAC, so it would be a software issue which they corrected

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My understanding is that the Software Update was mainly to lean the fuel out more when starting, and when the engine is cold, to stop the VAPORIZED fuel so easily condensing on the cylinder walls, and then washing down into the oil in the crankcase.

Of course, if over time the Fuel Injectors start to clog up, and cannot atomize the fuel so well, and just end up Squirting liquid, non atomized fuel into the Cylinders, then OD will rise dramatically.

So poor fuel quality, and possibly resulting fouling of injectors, might really be one of the most significant contribution of OD, and also be the cause of increasing numbers of CYLINDER MISFIRES !!! Ref Recent Warranty Increase Notice.

Look like our Honda are extremely fussy, and really need:
(1) Good Fuel (Injectors)
(2) Good Oil (Turbos and general OD wear)
(3) Good Roads (ref A/C road debris damage)

and of course, GOOD DEALERS to fix them when they go wrong !!!

amirza786 said:

If your car is only affected by the oil dilution issue and not the advisory, than it is the cold to blame and the car not warming up fast enough when turning on the HVAC, so it would be a software issue which they corrected

Click to expand...

Yes, I had the update done, my car literally warms up to operating temp in less than 60 seconds now on a hot day like today.

amirza786 said:

Many of you all over the US and Canada have been receiving a Warranty extension advisory, but so far no one in California has received one. So I decided to call Honda of America, and here is the good news....our cars are not affected by this advisory or the oil dilution issue. Period. The issue is VIN specific and affects Honda's assembled in certain factories. So the good news is, the factories that assembled our Honda's for California did not fuck up.

So not only are we blessed with the best weather on earth, but we are blessed with cars that won't get trouble codes PO300, PO301, PO302, PO303, PO304 or PO172! Or make whirling noises when the AC is on and sound like a bus!!

Now excuse me, I need to find a canyon to carve...

Click to expand...

It's not that our cars came from a "special" factory, it's because Honda decided the percentage of cars affected by this issue in California is insignificant. When Honda decided to do their recall in China they said that the American models were not affected. Later they backtracked and extended the update to the colder regions in America. Now they extended the update to even more regions. California is left out in the cold so to speak, even though all 2019 Civics sold here have the update.

FYI, I had the whistling AC compressor leak on my California SI.

All 10th gen Civic Si engines were built/aasembled in the same factory in Canada. Not sure why that person would tell you some made up crap. If you drive a 10th gen Si, and you haven't received this notice, you should call Honda and demand it.