Air conditioning condenser issue is real

[bird]

I think my rep just meant their particular dealership hadn't had any repeat replacements, or at least she hadn't dealt with any.

I should've described my symptoms too. Early last week when the weather suddenly turned hot, it seemed like it took much longer than usual for my A/C to start blowing cold air. I was out of town for an extended weekend, so I had to wait till after my trip to deal with it. Well, during that trip, the driver side vents stopped blowing cold air, so I turned the center passenger vent toward me to get by. By the time I got it to the dealer today, none of the vents were blowing cold air. There weren't any audible symptoms other than some hissing "can't get the A/C started" sound from the vents.

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[SCOPESYS]

Yet to see any PICTURES of a "rock" damaged Condenser. !!

While I will concede that some my get damaged and spring a leak, unless the condenser is made of ridiculously thin material, it seems highly unlikely that all these reported issue of A/C failure are really cause by a damaged Condenser.

BY contrast, my 1987 Maxima has the original condenser in it, and it has been hit and cosmetically "dented" in many many places, but it does not LEAK.
If the Honda Condense is located in a place and is that "weak" that it it can get damaged so easily, then why has an addon company not jumped in with a Protective screen.. in theory, should sell like hot cakes !!

Would really like to see a picture of a few "damaged" Condensers, that have run with Dye in the A/C, and show that the dye is leaking from somewhere on the condenser. !!

My A/C in the 2018 Si is running great .. but I am now thinking that maybe I should get some UV Dye added , so that if it starts to fail, them "I" will be able to see where it is really leaking from, and not have to rely on what some Dealer tell me, after taking my car "out the Back" for a day, where they are doing "who knows what" to it.

One think is sure -- as far as refrigerant is concerned -- USE IT OR LOOSE IT.
If you do not run your A/C regularly, even of a few minutes, say once a week, then your seals WILL dry out, and you will leak refrigerant -- and then your A/C will just blow Warm Air !!!​

If they don't already do so, as part of the Post Sale inspection, the Dealer should, check the Refrigerant level, and top it up as needed.

Most have the Fancy A/C service machine.. that expensive machine that goes "BEEP". (Monty Python Reference) and is virtually Tech Idiot proof. Just connect it up and set it going, and it does all the work, and makes all the decisions.

And if you are wondering why they would buy and use such an expensive machine, the reason is that it is a ridiculously high money earner.
It can remove the refrigerant from a system, then the tech can work on the A/C and change parts,(LOL) and then it will pull a vacuum,check the vacuum holds, AND PUT THE SAME SAME EXTRACTED REFRIGERANT back into the A/C.
They do not have to supply a whole charge of NEW Expensive refrigerant .. even if they may appear to charge you for it on the BILL.
Those machine can pay for themselves in a few months, and then it's all BIG Money earners.

 

[Kgm32]

I joined this site yesterday looking for info on tuning as I was about to purchase a used 2017 Civic coupe. I test drove one with 32000 miles on it a couple days ago and enjoyed the car but the AC didn't work. Mentioned the used car guy and he said they would take care of it. Decided to look elsewhere. Now I find this (and other) posts and wonder how widespread this issue is. I have found other 2016 and 2017 coupes with lower miles but now fear the AC is an issue waiting to happen. So far seems 2016 and 2017 have an issue. Could wait on a 2018 but wonder if the problem still exists on those as well but they are just too new for it to have surfaced as problem. I had my heart set on energy green so 2019 has not been considered. Decisions, decisions.

 

[ljw6632]

I joined this site yesterday looking for info on tuning as I was about to purchase a used 2017 Civic coupe. I test drove one with 32000 miles on it a couple days ago and enjoyed the car but the AC didn't work. Mentioned the used car guy and he said they would take care of it. Decided to look elsewhere. Now I find this (and other) posts and wonder how widespread this issue is. I have found other 2016 and 2017 coupes with lower miles but now fear the AC is an issue waiting to happen. So far seems 2016 and 2017 have an issue. Could wait on a 2018 but wonder if the problem still exists on those as well but they are just too new for it to have surfaced as problem. I had my heart set on energy green so 2019 has not been considered. Decisions, decisions.

Shit man. I have 2017 civic and every maintenance, I have to fix something. Go for mazda 3 awd.

 

[CharlieKelly13]

My 18' hatch has one of the worst AC I've ever had in a car. Took it in to get checked out and the dealership said it had no faults. Car takes forever to cool down in the summer and I think honda should of put vents in the back for passengers.

 

[firstblud]

Seriously, please make your voice heard. I was definitely suffering headaches when I found my A/C broken down in the middle of summer. How it can not be a safety concern is questionable.

Voice your experience to :
1) directly to Honda: https://automobiles.honda.com/information/customer-relations (twitter, email, call)
2) https://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Civic/2016/AC_heater/AC_not_working_properly.shtml
3) https://portal.ncdsusa.org/portals/claims.nsf/new_claim.xsp (if you had to pay or are suffering from poor service/quality)
4) BBB - https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/torrance/...n-honda-motor-company-incorporated-1216-11279

I think the BBB is not really effective, but at least it's better than nothing.

 

[tonton81]

They won’t make a recall because it’s not a safety issue? They are DESTROYING the ozone layer leaking freeon with their cars spread all over the world with leaking faulty parts with bad designs. This is more SERIOUS and SHOULD be recalled as it’s an environmental hazard that affects all humans, not just the driver!

 

[BYOUNG1980]

Hi everyone,

okay so as far as I know, 2 separate firms in the U.S. (Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengal LLP, and Berger Montague) have already started investigating this matter and are considering a class action lawsuit. Has anyone submitted their case to them and have they replied??
1.) https://www.carcomplaints.com/alert...ail&utm_campaign=20190516-honda-investigation
2.) https://bergermontague.com/cases/honda-civic-ac-lawsuit/

Now, I contacted both firms in the U.S. but only berger montague LLP responded, and unfortunately they said that they're unable help as I'm from Canada and have no legal jurisdiction here.

I'm wondering has anyone in Canada started taking legal actions, and whether if any Canadian legal/legislative/gov't entities are aware of this problem and whether they are taking any action whatsoever. I mean, this problem is so widespread and HONDA is denying warranty coverage, and refusing to take responsibility and refusing to acknowledge that this is clearly a faulty/defective issue with their compressor and condensers. Please let me know if anyone (Toronto specifically) has reached out to any law firms or relevant organizations that looks after consumers that have been impacted by defective/misleading products that have failed to meet safety and performance standards. I personally have already reached out to 3 law firms (Carr Law, Gilbertson Davis, and Rochon/Genova LLP) and hopefully have a reply from them soon.

 

[bluecivicsport]

I joined this site yesterday looking for info on tuning as I was about to purchase a used 2017 Civic coupe. I test drove one with 32000 miles on it a couple days ago and enjoyed the car but the AC didn't work. Mentioned the used car guy and he said they would take care of it. Decided to look elsewhere. Now I find this (and other) posts and wonder how widespread this issue is. I have found other 2016 and 2017 coupes with lower miles but now fear the AC is an issue waiting to happen. So far seems 2016 and 2017 have an issue. Could wait on a 2018 but wonder if the problem still exists on those as well but they are just too new for it to have surfaced as problem. I had my heart set on energy green so 2019 has not been considered. Decisions, decisions.

Seems like some 2018's are having problems still? Mine was alright, hoping something doesn't happen to it.

 

[dellyjoughnut]

I think the BBB is not really effective, but at least it's better than nothing.

The BBB was never a government agency.

 

[shoegazer]

Seems like some 2018's are having problems still? Mine was alright, hoping something doesn't happen to it.

I believe that the condenser damage from road debris will continue as usual unless folks install a screen of some sort (I have done this).

But I hope that my 2018 will be spared. Fingers crossed.

 

[SCOPESYS]

I believe that the condenser damage from road debris will continue as usual unless folks install a screen of some sort (I have done this).

But I hope that my 2018 will be spared. Fingers crossed.

I believe that most 2017/18/19 condenser will fail, because they have a major design/manufacturing defect, and FINALLY Honda has realized this, and has actually DISCONTINUED supplying the original Condenser, and is now possibly distributing an updated version.

The original 1st version part number, ending in A01, is now DISCONTINUED !!

 

[bluecivicsport]

I believe that most 2017/18/19 condenser will fail, because they have a major design/manufacturing defect, and FINALLY Honda has realized this, and has actually DISCONTINUED supplying the original Condenser, and is now possibly distributing an updated version.

The original 1st version part number, ending in A01, is now DISCONTINUED !!

Great news!! How recent was that?

 

[bird]

Well, that's good to hear, but according to my invoice from last week my dealer used 80100-TBA-A01 for the condenser and 38810-5BA-A03 for the compressor. Maybe by the time this replacement condenser fails, the class action suit will have worked its way through the courts and I won't have to pay for it... seeing as my Honda Care will run out in about a year and a half at the rate I'm putting miles on my car.

 

[SCOPESYS]

I see that some aftermarket Companies are supplying 10 Gen Honda Condensers.
I wonder if they are more reliable than the Honda ones.

The actual cost of the is not that high (about $100), the major cost is the labor and the charge they charge you for putting your own refrigerant back in !!!!

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