Honda CR-V AC Compressor Problems

veryunhappy08

I have a 2003 Honda CRV that I purchased NEW in May 2003 with only 24 miles on it. I began to notice a moaning sound whenever the AC was on at around 9,000 miles or so. The Honda dealer said they did not hear any sounds or anything so they could not do anything. I kept hearing it for a long time then for some reason eventually the sounds I heard finally gradually just disappeared.

I have been bringing my Honda religiously to the dealership and following the maintenance on my vehicle. I have had to replace the tires from my new car at 30,000 miles (on a new car can you believe it), replaced the battery at 45,975 miles on the car. I also began to notice a groaning/moaning sound whenever I backed my car up and the dealer said that was the rear differential fluid and I had to replace that per their suggestion at 50,264 and at the same time they said my transmission fluid needed flushing/replacing. So I did. Keep in mind I am following all the required and recommended maintenance on my CRV. I had no more problems except minor lightbulbs etc issues for a while until after i took my car to the dealership for the 90,000 mile maintenance.

Then, 2 days after the 90,000 mile maintenance, we went on vacation. While we were on vacation in Florida, the A/C suddenly blew warm and while driving I heard a loud noise like I lost something at the bottom of my vehicle. Needless to say, we had no A/C on the long drive home to Georgia. I took the vehicle to the Honda dealer (92,000 miles now) and they said that my A/C clutch completely broke off and that the A/C locked up and the entire A/C system needed to be replaced. The cost: $3,356.84. I was furious. I did not feel I should pay for that. (6/2008) and took my vehicle to replace the entire A/C system with another professional mechanic for $1500 with all authentic Honda parts. He said he has NEVER seen the A/C clutch break off the way it did on my car. Then a few weeks later the check engine light comes on. I took the vehicle to the dealer again and they hooked their machine up and said they had to replace a part; so I did. I paid around $38.00 and the check engine light was off and I thought all was well.

After leaving the dealership and going shopping, parked the car, came out and started it again and the check engine light comes back on again. Whatever the dealership did 2 hours prior did not work; so I paid for a part that did not need to be replaced. Of course the dealer was closed so I had to bring it in when I had time again. Well, the check engine light turned off. I called my maintenance guy at Honda immediately and he said the next time it came on to come in. I did and they said the same code came up (the one part I already replaced) and now the Oxygen sensor needed to be replaced and that was going to be $500 (this was a new one).

I have followed ALL the recommended maintenance on the car and to have it have so many problems is outrageous. I have always held Honda with the utmost respect. My entire family owns many Hondas and this is a very huge disappointment. After hearing that the Oxygen sensor needed to be replaced this week, I figured I am not the only person with Honda issues and this let me to google Honda CRV issues and here I am.

I am glad I found this website because I feel better I am not the only one having major problems especially the A/C locking up. Someone asked in another posting if there is a class action lawsuit against Honda; I am surprised there isn't one either with all the same complaints. With all the several same complaints on several websites on the A/C locking up, I am surprised Honda doesn't own up to this as a manufacturing issue and just repair it? I hope to get this resolved amicably when I call Honda America on Monday. I only wish I found this blog before getting the A/C repaired. Thanks everyone! Wish me luck and any suggestions??

:mad:

kisseypoo

I've had similar problems to you. A rear differential moaning and groaning. Fluid replaced by dealer. Two months later same problem. (See Edmunds.com; search "Honda" then "Rear differential" Look for Post #98 which gives you the link to the Honda Service Bulletin.

Then we also had an oxygen sensor fail. (I hadn't found this site at that time.)

Now we're on our 3rd a/c compressor. See my posts #678, 670 and 679. Might give you some insight and/or answer some questions.

Happy motoring?????

veryunhappy08

Thanks for responding. I just finished writing a letter to the head of our service department. I am giving him the opportunity to resolve this with us on the A.C issue before calling Honda corporate. were you able to get Honda to pay for any of your compressors and did they do the work for all three?

Many people on the blogs are asking why there hasn'g been a class action lawsuit and I am beginning to wonder maybe we should start one if we can't get things resolved. We shall see. Write back!

drive62

Since you've had problems with your Honda I'm sure you will buy a different make for your next purchase. Let us know how it goes.

drive62

I think if someone can't spell the name of their vehicle they shouldn't get any assistance from Honda.

tl_connecticut

Sorry to say that I had the same problem yesterday. After a loud noise - I thought my 2003 CRV with 75,000 was blowing up. I pulled off the road to find find that it was my air-conditioning. Having owned 5 reliable Hondas before this one - 4 Accords and 1 Civic, we decided to go with the CRV when we needed a utility type vehicle. Having it serviced regularly - I never thought I'd be facing a big bill like this.
It makes me mad that there are so many of us out there - and that with this and all of the other Discussion Posts on the internet - Honda must know of the problem... :lemon: I will be calling them tomorrow and will see what they say. I thought I would be a Honda family forever - now I'm not so sure...

frieda723

Hello - We just bought a 2004 CRV and were wondering what part of Texas you are in and what dealership you went to - in case our compressor blows up as well. We are in the Dallas area -- many thanks, Frieda723

frieda723

In a previous post (sorry, do not remember which one) someone made mention that it has been found that only certain VIN's are having the compressor problem. Does anyone have this information? Is there a way to tell based on your VIN? We have a 2004 CRV. Many thanks --

chickie6

Phooey on Honda (to put it mildly)--I bought a 2003 CRV w/ 69,000 miles in the spring & air went out the end of June. Figured I was SOL (& $1400 for my mechanic to fix it). He called Honda about it & they told him whole system should be replaced for over $3000 due to metal fragment contamination & the company would be willing to help me get it fixed. I called Honda America & a nice person told me to take it to Honda dealer for diagnostics & Honda was being "very generous about this problem".
In the meantime, I got online & found out that this is a common problem. So, when Honda America rep called & said they would pay 1/2 & I would be responsible for $1500 + taxes, I gave her some attitude--told her if it was a common problem, why didn't they own up to it & take full responsibility--that I would never had bought the car if I had known about it--that I was really disappointed w/Honda. Her reply--the internet is full of lies & most of the stories aren't true; that there isn't anything wrong w/the car--it was just a chance thing that the compressor went out. I asked if they replaced the compressor, was it guaranteed not to happen again? Her reply--no, it is a man made thing & there are no guarantees. I continued to vent & she got testy and said they were making the offer in good faith, didn't have to do it at all & would rescind the offer of 1/2 payment if I didn't want to go along with her story..I made an appt to get it fixed at dealer because my mechanic said they would use real Honda parts & he would use after market parts, but not sure what to do at this point. I've tried to go without the air but since it's been in the 90's & humidity is around 80-90%, I can't handle it. (getting migraines from the heat) You know,it wouldn't be so bad if the car was paid off, but I've still got 43 more payments on it.

kisseypoo

I never asked for compensation for the 1st a/c repair or 1st rear differential problem. When the a/c failed for the second time, we contacted Honda America (after finding this website) and received a case number. We had to fax them documentation of what we'd paid for the second a/c labor and I wrote a long letter proclaiming my loyalty to Honda and our problems and asked not only for reimbursement on the failure of the 2nd a/c compressor, but also for the 2nd rear differential repair. (Forgot to ask for reimbursement for 1st a/c repair.) Honda America sent us a check for both the 2nd a/c and 2 rear differential repairs!

Good luck in getting some satisfaction. Keep us posted.

KP

kisseypoo

Forgot to mention in my preceding post (in repsonse to your question) that all our scheduled maintenance was done on time and at Honda dealers. Same with any repairs. There was nothing we could have done to prevent any of our a/c or rear differential or oxygen sensor problems.

When Honda America inquired why we hadn't bought an extended maintenance warranty, my response was: "Why would I need one with Honda's reputation for high quality products?" Of course, there was no answer from them. But they did e reimburse us in a timely manner.

Be assertive, not angry, and I think you'll get satisfaction.

Keep us posted.

KP

stevedebi

"Have you [ poster/member stevedebi ] not recognized the multiple declarations of
long time purchasers who will not consider Honda for another purchase.
Do you not intuit the geometric progression of taint that's set forth in the "unspoken others"?

Stevedebi, the attitude and implicit message conveyed in your post is precisely what those of us facing this situation are currently having to oppose. "

I am proud of the fact that Honda America is stepping up to the plate in an attempt to provide customer satisfaction. I think that they are doing it out of a sense of pride in their product as much as attempting to protect future sales.

RE: Attitude. I'm not stating attitude, I'm stating legal facts.

The "opinion" part is that I don't think any US manufacturer would give you the time of day if you came in requesting a fix after the warranty period (especially for those fixes LONG after the warranty period - like 60K plus miles).

stevedebi

"I think we should all get together and get a class action suit on them. I would start it up I just don't know where to begin."

Well, keep us informed!

Personally, I suspect Honda had some VERY good lawyers drawing up their warranty booklets...

jnetti

My 2006 CR-V is awaiting it's sixth repair on the A/C.
This time I am told it's a loose hose.
Previously have been told it's a loose hose, overcharged compressor,
a damaged compressor (from a rock), and a loose hose.
Have been a happy Honda owner since 1981.
Thinking this will be the last one.
Have read the CA Lemon law, not sure this qualifies -
anyone know if this does?
Thanks,

Jeannette

denverjohn

I have a 2003 Honda CRV with 105,000 mile. A/C went out a few days ago. The Honda dealership told me the whole system needs to be replaced for a mere 3500 dollars. After researching this defect on the internet, I found this to be common with the year and model. I called American Honda, they said there is nothing they can do. I asked why do some customers get assistance to help pay for the repairs and other do not. The customer service lady said its on a case by case basis. So if you want service at Honda you must yell and complain at the service rep. I will not be a Honda customer in the future.

stevedebi

The Ford Freestyle had problems in 2006 with rear brake pads wearing too fast. Turns out they had a batch of pads that had been doused with water in storage. They eventually issued a notice that Ford would supply one free brake job before 36K.

I think Honda would do well to emulate Ford in this case...

stevedebi

" So if you want service at Honda you must yell and complain at the service rep."

I don't think yelling will help, in fact I think it hurts. Appealing to the Honda rep to adhere to the Honda quality standard is the key in my opinion.

There has been a lot of speculation about what criteria Honda America uses to decide who gets assistance. I personally think that they know which VIN batches may have problems, though there may be other factors as well. Certainly having clear maintenance records would help (if one uses the dealer for service then there is no question).

sostaffed

I'm seeing so much here, there doesn't seem to be a reason to echo what we all seem to be going through. I just took my 2004 CRV (80k) in for it's 4th compressor in 3.5 years of ownership. I highly recommend contacting Honda customer care, but will warn you, they will give you the runaround so badly, I'm not surprised it gets some people to give up. Be prepared to get letters in the mail telling you that they tried to contact you by phone (whether they have your number or even tried or not) and since they could not, you now have three days to respond to this letter or they will assume your issue has been resolved. And my favorite was when rep Julie Kim told me that "at some point in time you'll have to accept responsibility for having purchased your vehicle" How many people does it take to start a class action?

sonny2008

Jeanette,

I thinks your car would qualify as a lemon law case. If it has been bought new, and despite serveral repairs keeps breaking down (the same part that is, in this case A/C), that must be it. You definitely should get started.

ajf27

Well, add me to the list!! The air went out on my 2004 CR-V a few weeks ago. I took it to the dealership today to get diagnosed. Of course, it was the air compressor. The mechanic informed me that it would cost $1,200.00 to repair. He also informed me that Honda was willing to pay for the parts, and I would only be responsible for the labor. I called Corporate and currently have a case opened requesting that I should NOT have to pay for any of this (including labor!).
After reading almost all of these 850 posts, I became quite upset. This problem most DEFINITELY needs to be addressed by Honda and should NOT be on a case-by-case basis!! Do you realize that this forum was started in 2006 and people are still experiencing the same problems?!?
I have read numerous posts asking about a class action suit. Will someone PLEASE figure out how to get this started and let the rest of us know?!?! It seems to me that there would be a ton of us on-board. Let's stop talking about it and get something done!

2002crv_ga

3 days ago, the AC in my 2002 CR-V failed. Yesterday, the dealership (Hennesey Honda in Woodstock, GA) diagnosed compressor failure and that metal particles had contaminated the entire cooling system, resulting in a cost of $3300 to replace the entire system.

Yesterday, I contacted American Honda to open a case as others have done on this forum. Today I heard back from Scott @ Honda (ext 118040) in response to my case. He asked me what I wanted Honda to do. I told him that given the widespread occurrence of other CR-V owners with the same problem, it seemed obvious that there is a fundamental defect in the compressors, and I wanted Honda to pay for the repairs entirely. He told me that he would contact the dealership and see what they could do. Later, the dealership called to inform that Honda would cover $1000, leaving the balance of $2300 for us to cover.

I plan to contact both the dealer and Honda to try to ascertain their rationale for covering anything. It seems to me that agreeing to pay something this far out of warranty indicates some degree of an acceptance of responsibility on Honda's part for the obvious defect(s) in this component.

Bottom line is that unless Honda covers the repairs entirely , I will do without AC (not easily done in 100 degree Atlanta) until the rest of the vehicle falls apart, and I will never buy another Honda again.

So much for Honda being a standard of quality! This definitely causes me to give some serious consideration to the manufacturers who will stand by their vehicles for 10 years/100K miles.

I wonder how many CR-V owners just paid for the repair and never thought twice about it?

stevedebi

"Have read the CA Lemon law, not sure this qualifies -
anyone know if this does? "

In CA there are a couple of basic rules. Either:

1. You brought the car in for the same repair three times IN THE FIRST YEAR. I;m not sure if "loose hose" is a the same as compressor failure, but maybe, since they both are part of the A/C system.
2. Your car was out of service for 30 days (total, not at the same time) IN THE FIRST YEAR.

You may see the COMMON thread in the above. You can't claim a lemon after two years. I'm not sure what would happen if you came back now (after the 1 year elapsed) and tried to invoke the lemon law. I suspect the first thing a judge would ask is "why didn't you apply during the first year, if you had a lemon".

Rock damage does not qualify - it has to be a defect.

I think you may need to contact an attorney if you really want to attempt this.

stevedebi

"Bottom line is that unless Honda covers the repairs entirely , I will do without AC (not easily done in 100 degree Atlanta) until the rest of the vehicle falls apart, and I will never buy another Honda again. "

You could be in for a long wait. It isn't at all unusual for a Honda to hit 200K.

Good luck in your efforts.

stevedebi

" How many people does it take to start a class action?"

One person. A judge decides if the case is worthy of class action status. If you win the case, Honda will have to contact all members of the class to offer relief.

If you are serious, contact a class action attorney. They will know how to proceed.

madams1

4 compressors in that length of time is unacceptable. I posted this before, but is it possible that the problem is not the compressor, but maybe the electrical going to the compressor? What are the odds of even two, much less four compressors being bad in that length of time?

chb417

Today my 2005 CR-V is finally in the shop at Heritage Honda in Rome. They are changing out the entire system. It is supposed to be done by this afternoon. As soon as I get this car back, I'm trading it for a Toyota Camry. I had always had Toyotas until we bought this car.

We were already planning to trade cars before the air went out, but I knew we couldn't trade with the air conditioner not working! Even though Honda is picking up 90% of the bill, we can't count on that if it happens again.

If someone starts a class action suit, we would be interested in becoming part of the class. For now we are just glad to be getting air conditioning back in a car here in Rome where the heat index is somewhere near 104 for the past few days.

See my post #816. :shades:

2002crv_ga

For those interested in potentially pursing class action, here are some resources for exploring such an option:
About Class Actions
Frequently Asked Questions - About Class Action Lawsuits
Step-By-Step Process of a Class Action

Most class action attorneys do not collect any fees unless the suit is won. It will not hurt anyone to call any of the numerous law firms that offer free consultations to explore our options as a class. I encourage everyone who has been effected by this negligence on Honda's part to look into initiating a class action.

Also of interest is running a Google search for "Class Action Attorneys +Honda". You will find that Honda is no stranger to class actions, and that they have already lost several of them. One of the firms that have been successful in a previous suit might be a good candidate for filing this action...

I'd love to spend the time contacting various firms about this issue, but I simply don't have it. I hope someone who does have the time resources will use the information I have provided to get something in motion.

kisseypoo

I went to the Google site you suggested (typed in Class Action Suit+Honda without the quote marks) and clicked on the transmission suit settlement. A list of several lawyers who pursue class actions is listed.

Be aware, class action suits generally are of more financial benefit to the litigators than to the class representatives, but a successful suit may get some remedy for the affected class members. Read the results of the transmission suit to get a flavor for what the remedy might be.

KP

lzc

Does anyone know of a successful class-action suit involving product performance well beyond the warranty period? I don't. What would be the legal basis?

Every Honda and Toyota I've owned, as good as they've been, as had at least one thing fail after the warranty period. Most of these failures preceded message boards like this one, so I don't know how common the failures were. But given the volume of cars involved, I doubt my car was the only one.

bwtwsw

This is an update to Post #813. The Honda dealership confirmed that it was the compressor and that the entire system was ruined and would have to be replaced. $2500. We were given reduced price of $46 instead of $87 for the diagnosis as the service person said it took only 15 minutes or so to confirm that the compressor was locked up. The service person did not know of any service bulletins or noticed any problems related to CRV. Due to the short length of time it took to diagnose and the reduced price (I did not ask for or expect a reduce price) it makes me suspicious.
Honda America took three buisness days to return my call. I had to call them three times before they called me back. Regional Case manager named Brian called and asked details of the problem and what I expected Honda to do. I told him that I expected Honda to pay for the entire repair as this seems to be a defective part based on what happened to me and others who have posted on this web site. It is a nonserviceable part. The part that fails breaks the entire system. He told me that the internet is not always a reliable source of information. I told him that I was well aware of that and that I take all information with a grain of salt- I also told him that I extensively researched the internet before purchasing the CRV so the internet can also help Honda. He called back three hours later and said that they would pay for the parts but not the labor. He was unable to explain how he had arrived at this figure. I told him that I was happy that Honda would pay for parts but I was not satisfied. (the parts cost them less than they would charge me so their offer of $1500 for parts is actually less probably 1/2).
The CRV is scheduled for repair 8/1. I am to fax the repair to Brian at Honda so that they can reimburse us for the parts.
I am drafting a cover letter to fax restating my position asking for coverage of the entire repair.
Thanks again to all who have posted and I will Update our situation soon.

jpcanavera

My dealer rep at the time told me he was unaware of any general CRV AC problem or service bulletin. I found out here and addressed the issue to Honda America after I paid for the repair. The settlement was for parts with me paying labor. For me that meant a $825 check in the mail. Considering I was out of warrenty, I bought the car used and it had 88,000 miles on it, I was extremely pleased at what Honda offered me.

For those asking for class action, I think you would have a difficult and protracted road to hoe, with questionable results other than making a law firm rich. The question is when a warranty is up, what is the responsibility of a manufacturer that all components of the car need to be trouble free? What truly is the scope of this failure (number of cars built vs. reported failures)? Has the manufacturer offered assistance in repairs? Do the owners have any responsiblity regarding maintenance of their air conditioners and if so, how many folks follow those procedures. I see all kinds of ways for this to go either no where or a settlement that has less value than many of us have received today. I remember looking at Consumer Reports when I bought my CRV used and I didn't see at the time, the AC being an issue on my '02. I haven't checked the most current reports though. It would be interesting if someone has the used car reports to see if the AC is showing up now.

Jack

ajf27

This is an update on post #849. I called American Honda on Tuesday, requesting to open my case. The woman I spoke with was very nice and informed me that a case manager would contact me within 24 hours. This failed to happen as it is now Thursday. Therefore, I called Honda back today and they connected me with my case manager. Of course, I received her voicemail. I left a nice message, hoping to hear from her today. As of 5:30pm, still no word. I am beginning to lose more and more respect for Honda each day. What a disappointment! Now I see why more and more of you are switching to Toyota. I'll let you know what happens. That is, if someone ever returns my call.

madams1

Hope everything works out for you. Did your compressor 'blow up' like most of the others or just go out. The reason that I ask is I am still trying to figure out the differences in the price paid. Even accounting for regional differences, the difference in the estimates is quite large.

ajf27

Thank you. I have also been wondering about the price differences. As far as I know and have been told, I just need a new one. I don't think it "blew up". I never heard any noises or saw any smoke or anything like that. We were just driving along and the air went from completely cool to completely hot. The dealership quoted me $1,200.00 and I am hoping it stays that way. I'm fearing that they will go in to change and it and find all the pieces of metal everywhere and then say that it will cost more. I REALLY hope that doesn't happen because I will be furious. I'm assuming, from what I've read, that the higher estimates are due to the compressor "blowing up" with the shrapnel everywhere. This is just a guess though. Does anyone else have any ideas as to why some of us have to pay around $1,000.00 while others pay close to $3,000.00?? I forgot to mention earlier, my mileage is around 53,000, my dealership is in Illinois, and my VIN number starts with "J". Hope this info helps. Thanks to everyone who has posted their stories. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this forum!

ajf27

Well folks, here is the conclusion to my Honda CR-V a/c compressor saga. (Please refer to my previous posts 849, 861, 863). I called Honda for the 3rd time this week, hoping to hear from someone regarding my case (as no one had called me back yet). I FINALLY was able to get a hold of my case manager after waiting on hold for 15 minutes.
Let me start by saying she was very nice and informative. It seemed to help that I was also polite, yet PERSISTENT. It's true what others have said that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
I stated my case that I was aware of the numerous other CR-V owners with the same compressor issues. I also stated that it seemed to me that there was an obvious defect in the compressors and that Honda is admitting fault by willing to pay for the parts, outside of my warranty. Therefore, I felt that Honda should cover my entire cost, not just the parts.
My case worker stated that first of all there is no "Goodwill Warranty" or "Unofficial Warranty". It is "Goodwill Assistance" which is Honda's way of trying to keep their customers happy. I was told that Honda is NOT admitting fault with the a/c compressor issue and their is currently no recall. Therefore, they have no obligation to assist us "outside" of the warranty. We are supposed to look at their help as a "favor". She admitted that she deals with similar cases as mine quite frequently and they document everyone. Eventually, if there is enough customer complaints, they will issue some kind of recall or do something about it. I personally feel that this is long past overdue.
Bottom line, she asks me what I would like Honda to do. I tell her once again that I want them to cover the repairs entirely. She tells me that this is not an option since my warranty has expired. I kept PERSISTING (key word here) and arguing all of your points from this forum. Eventually I negotiated my cost for the labor down from $460 to $250. I know, I know, I shouldn't have had to pay anything but after an hour on the phone, I was ready to end the conversation. I still think if I kept on persisting or threatened to buy a Toyota, I could've gotten the entire cost covered. I did the best I could though.
One more thing to note....I asked her why some people get the entire repair covered, some get 50% covered, some get 25%, etc. She informed me that Honda deals with this issue on a case by case basis. They take into consideration how long you've been a Honda owner, how many miles are on your vehicle, your warranty, how many times you've used Honda's repair service, etc. I find this to be somewhat biased and unfair. I feel we should all be treated equally!
Well, to sum up, am I happy that I'm only paying $250 for a $1,200.00 repair? YES. Would an American car company compensate outside of the warranty? Probably not. Do I feel there is a fundamental defect in the compressors and we should all be compensated entirely? YES. Am I happy that I had to call Honda 3 days in a row to talk to someone? NO.
Hopefully some day they will issue a recall or something of that nature. Until then...keep your calls and complaints coming to Honda and wherever else possible (i.e., this forum). Knowledge is power. Remember when you call that you are in control. Be firm, yet polite and above all, BE PERSISTENT. Hope this helps! Thank you to everyone for your knowledge and help with this matter.

kisseypoo

I would only add to "being persistent" that you need to constantly reiterate how much you like your Honda, how many you've owned (if this is your first, tell Honda America about all your friends and family who own Hondas because you recommended them or who is going to buy (name) model to replace their current car because of your satisfaction with your Honda). Honda likes "be backs" (repeat owners) and loves the free word-of-mouth advertising.

Happy motoring to all and continue to post on this forum.

KP

stevedebi

" She informed me that Honda deals with this issue on a case by case basis. They take into consideration how long you've been a Honda owner, how many miles are on your vehicle, your warranty, how many times you've used Honda's repair service, etc. I find this to be somewhat biased and unfair. I feel we should all be treated equally! "

I can see their point about service. If the Honda has been serviced by an authorized dealer, then Honda American KNOWS the service has been done right, and they have computerized records of all repairs.

perrydpt

My 2003 CR-V blew the compressor shortly before the 3 year warranty ended. It literally exploded with shrapnel hanging out of the air dam. The dealership fixed it with no problem until 2 weeks ago. An independent mechanic said that the compressor was cracked and that he would recommend replacing all the major components to eliminate metal shavings that could send the new compressor to an early grave. I called the Honda 800 number and they said there was no official recall and I should try to work something out with the local dealer. The local people said to bring it in and they would see what they could do. The first repair was just a replacement compressor. If the proper repair would have been to replace other components as well I feel they have some liability. I will report back after seeing the dealer. Mechanical problems are inevitable but two compressors in 5 years and the hundreds of cases on this list tell me these are not typical failure rates.

lucy03

I have a 2002 CRV which I bought used in November of 2005. Never had a prob with my beloved car or the AC until the first time I turned it on this summer (First weekend of June) When I returned from my VERY HOT trip, I took it into my mechanic to see what the issue was. He called me that afternoon and said the news wasn't good, and that my compressor and clutch, etc was shot and it would be at least 1200.00 to fix it. He said that he wouldn't know until he tore it apart if I would need a condenser as well. If I do then it would be an additional 200-250. I had NO clue until I saw a post on Consumer Report that this issue is as wide spread as it is! My word!! I didn't opt to fix it at that time- just couldn't justify paying that much for something that doesn't effect the way my car runs~though I am miserable as hot as it has been which is totally effecting me~ not in a good way either LOL
I don't normally take my car to the dealer as it is all the way on the other side of town, and I just don't trust the dealer (any of them) I did call the dealer today and he informed me that I would have to bring my car in so I can be told what I already know-what a total PITA! I just got off the phone with corporate and he opened my case and informed me that I would hear something in 1-3 business days (meanwhile I have to take my car down to the dealer) Tony (at corporate) informed me that they are dealing with this issue on a case by case basis and that it depended on the year of the car and how many miles, etc........... I told him that I read many issues where that person’s car was the same age as mine, but with more miles. I have about 74,000.
So, time will tell..................

I want to extend a ginormous thanks to this forum; it was truly a shock to hear that I am not the only one that is dealing with this................

ajf27

Good luck with everything. I know there are over 860 posts on this forum but do your best to read as much as you can. There is a lot of good information that you should know when dealing with this situation. Unfortunately it is somewhat of a "game" when dealing with Honda and trying to get compensation for their bogus a/c compressors. You have to be persistent!! If they don't call you back, you will need to continue to call them. Don't give up and make sure you get as much compensation from them as you can. Keep us updated on what happens!

tl_connecticut

Just picked up my REPAIRED 2003 CRV with 75,000 miles - VIN starts with the letter J. THANK YOU FOR THIS FORUM!!! I don't know what made me think to check the internet when my air conditioner blew up last weekend - but fortunately I did - and I believe because I had information posted here, Honda agreed to pick up 75% of parts and labor after 4-5 days of telephone tag. They also honored a 10% discount card I have for an additional $45.00 deduction off the total bill. In total - my cost for the repair was $440.00 for what was originally quoted as a $2,300.00 estimate.

In the last 15 years we have purchased 4 new Hondas and one used - bringing it to a total of 17 between me and my sisters immediate families. This is the first to have an air conditioner compressor fail with a "hole in the side of the casing". While I believe it was a defective part and never should have happened - and that Honda should have notified all CRV owners, I realize they could have and probably would have ignored individual owner's request for reimbursement on the repairs if it weren't for postings from so many CRV owners. This and other posts prove there is something to be said about the power of the internet.

I plan on sending an email to everyone I know telling them to pass this information along in a chain email to everyone they know. Hopefully some other unlucky CRV owners that didn't think to check this site will be saved the $2,000-$3,000 bill.

As a side note - about five years ago when the outside mirror on my 2000 Accord was damaged in an minor snow related accident and needed to be replaced - the cost of the mirror was $200 more just because the VIN # started with J - which means it was made in Japan - and not here in the U.S.

Thanks everyone.

horchata

I have owned my 2004 CR-V (41k miles) for less than 1 week and less than 300 miles. I was innocently driving along with my a/c on, when I hear a grumble, a clank, and a sound like something was being dragged behind the car. Suddenly, my a/c was blowing air the same temp as the vent setting. Argh! I bought my car from a BMW dealer here in Sacramento. It came with a 3,000 mile/3 month warranty. Not sure if this piddly warranty will cover the a/c or if I should contact Honda for help. Any thoughts?

billiestamps

I have a 2002 CR-V. The a/c went out the third year. My dealer told me the cost and then said to hang tight while they went and called Honda NA to see what they could do. She came back and said they would pay for all of it. I had taken my laptop with me that day (thinking I probably needed a freon charge or something nominal) and quickly started searching on the net while she was on the phone for a/c problems with that model and saw that it was an issue with a lot of folks. I was relieved that they fixed it at no cost to me. I have been a Honda purchaser since the mid-seventies and always let them know that. I also use my dealer for almost all of the service. I did think that helped that day.
Now my new problem. The a/c went out Friday night. Just like before. No explosion as some have described here -- just a subtle power decrease and then no more super cool air and no blowing on my feet no matter what setting I put it on. I have a service appointment tomorrow at 8:00 AM. The time interval is almost exactly the same -- three years. What is the deal????
This may be the wrong subject area in the forums, so tell me and I'll take it to the proper venue -- but as I was already thinking about getting a new CR-V, do you think I should go ahead and have it fixed and wait until October when the new models come out or trade it in and let them repair it?
I've been reading posts here about what people are paying for 2008 CR-Vs currently. Do you think the price will go down as we get closer to the 2009s coming out? Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

stevedebi

"Not sure if this piddly warranty will cover the a/c or if I should contact Honda for help. Any thoughts? "

Take it back to the BMW dealer and tell them the A/C doesn't work. See what they do.

brasho

"I have also read every post. OK, so now I have seen two Gen 1s, although I didn't see your earlier post (or don't remember it).

I think my point is still valid, this appears to be an issue with some of the A/C compressors shipped with Gen 2 CR-Vs from 2002-2004. Gen 1s failures are rare, and we must remember that any A/C compressor can fail and not necessarily be part of a larger problem with all A/C compressors."

I think the reasoning for the apparent lack of seeing the 2001's on here isn't due to it not being a problem but other circumstances: less sold, older cars people assume it is due to age, but whatever it is, it is not due to there not being problems.

I stumbled upon this site and after reading some recounts of some other owners' problems with their AC Compressors, it sounded like exactly happened to me this past Sunday. Air was blowing great, had a slight surge of power then the air started blowing hot, and then it sounded like somebody threw a fork into my engine which rattled around for about 3 seconds.

Add one more 2001 to your list. I'm calling Honda when they open to see what can be done. I've got 63,500 on my CRV purchased in late 2001, we'll see what happens.

chb417

Dear Brasho,

If you read my posts you would see that my CR-V was a 2005. So what generation does that make mine?
Just remember to talk really sweet to the people at Honda.
It is easier to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!

stevedebi

"I think the reasoning for the apparent lack of seeing the 2001's on here isn't due to it not being a problem but other circumstances: less sold, older cars people assume it is due to age, but whatever it is, it is not due to there not being problems. "

Well, you could very well be right. Hopefully any Gen 1 owners will speak up. Yours was a late 2001 purchase, my father-in-law's was a mid 2001 purchase (right before the gen 2). So if there was a compressor issue, these could be the same compressor as used in the Gen 2.

I think the other failure was a model year 2000, which was WAY before the current problems.

sgp

I emailed the attorney that handled the Honda Odometer class action suit and gave him a link to this forum and asked if he thought there was any merit in a class action suit. Here is his response:

"Perhaps. It really depends on the nature of the problem. The only really viable class action is the one stemming from a uniform defect. In our odometer case, for example, every instrument did exactly the same thing for exactly the same reason. These compressors could be failing for any of a number of reasons -- some of which could be totally unrelated to whatever defect caused your failure. These variations make a class action very difficult.

What we really need is for someone to reveal the root cause of all these failures. Then we can evaluate the case."

I have no clue how we could figure out the root cause of the compressor failure.

kisseypoo

On behalf of all of us who have had a/c compressor failures (some of us more than once w/the same CR-V), thanks for contacting the Odometer class action suit attorney. It was good of him to reply even though he doesn't have a definitive answer for us. Perhaps someone who knows how to figure out the root cause of the compressor failure will read your post and advise us.

In any case, thanks for taking the time to try to help all of us.

Gratefully, KP

ajf27

Yes, THANK YOU for looking into this. I'm sure it is very much appreciated by all.

Root cause huh?? How about "defective a/c compressors"? I still think we've got a case....

Seriously though, I've noticed a lot of people have stated that it was "really hot" outside when their compressor went out. Not only was it extremely hot when mine went out, but we were in bumper-to-bumper traffic and had been driving for about 2 hours. Maybe this has something to do with it? Someone else has suggested it could be an electric problem with the compressors. Any other ideas?