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Honda CR-V AC Compressor Problems

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Comments

  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    ARRGHHH! I just posted a long response to old_red and my computer crashed. So I'll keep it short.

    FWIW, I think you should skip the dealers and go to a good local shop that you trust AND is willing to work with you AND you're not real anxious to get the car back right away.

    From what I've read, the problems tend to be "upfront" in the system rather than under the dash with the evaporator. All I know is what I read. The reason the dealers just replace everything is that they are certain that you won't come back and it's better to have a customer upset b/c of cost and a fixed car than a broken car that is bleeding a customer to death. It just makes sense.

    Since you have to pull the front bumper to anything serious to the AC system, might as well pay your guy to pull that and check the easy stuff (after he checks the AC system with the procedure outlined by Honda which involves only the knobs in the center of the console.)

    I assume that there are no leaks evident. If everything checks out OK, he first checks the compressor clutch by putting 12v directly to the clutch wire. If it does not engage, replace the pump. If the pump is bad, then it's easy to simply check the interior of the AC lines for bits of debris (if your compressor made a "noise" just before it died, then it loaded your AC system with shrapnel and you must replace everything back to the evaporator under the dash - $$$$$). My compressor just died so I was lucky. I'm not convinced that compressor explode as often as people say they do.

    If the compressor looks OK inside and the lines look OK, then have him check the condenser in front of the radiator in the front. If that's clogged as mine was, then you luck out as I did. If not, spend $40 to replace the drier dessicant as a precaution.

    I think it all comes down to whether you want to hang on to the car for as long a period of time as justifies your expenditure. A car with a non functioning AC has to worth a LOT less than otherwise. Tough call.
  • crvlover2crvlover2 Member Posts: 4
    Yes any 8-9 year old vehicle is going to have problems and I would expect them but every 2 years the a/c failing starting in year 2 is unacceptable high miles or not.
  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2010
    You know, I thought about the quality of that ChiCom compressor when I was making my purchase. What I do know is that I have a Taiwanese made AC compressor that is branded as a Sanden. Sanden is one of the most popular aftermarket Japanese AC compressors for the hot rod crowd. I'm not married to Japanese quality but at least I've had experience with other countries of origin. My Sanden compressor has worked perfectly for over five years in my big block vette.

    And let's say I'm wrong about the ChiCom unit and it fries in two years. If I still have the car and didn't grenade the compressor, then I buy another one and this time it takes me two hours to flip out the old for the new. Since I don't pay for labor, it just doesn't matter in this world of disposable items. You raise a good point about the cost of labor. I don't mind at all that someone makes a living but why do they have to make ALL of their boat payments off of just ME?

    I suppose I'm rationalizing here and I risk going off topic but I recently learned that our refrigerator uses R134a as a refrigerant so that my tools will work on our SubZero. TALK ABOUT A rip off. I had no choice of fridges, this beast came with the house. The temp kept going up and I finally called the authorized repairman who replaced the condenser under warranty. I carefully watched him. His skill set consists of soldering and getting factory parts at cost. I scoped out his tools. He used a 25 micron vacuum pump (what I bought at Harbor Freight) PLUS he never recovered the old refrigerant. He used a mannometer wheras I use gauges. His refrigerant tank was labeled the same as that for the cars.

    He charged me $300 for his travel time and refrigerant under warranty. He said the bill, out of warranty, is almost $2,000.

    THAT was when I decided that I could fix a car AC system.
  • crvlover2crvlover2 Member Posts: 4
    My issue is that my crv is 7 years old and this is the 3rd time the a/c has gone out starting year 2 then year 4 and again this year. There is obviously an issue with the components for the a/c not the age of the vehile or the miles.
  • old_redold_red Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for the good info Vinnie. I wish I had seen the long version. I have checked with several independent shops, and the consensus is about $1,500 for a compressor, condenser and expansion valve. I don't think that is going to do it because I heard a terrible metallic grinding noise just before losing cold air. I had just started the vehicle in the driveway when it happened. So I'm assuming the shrapnel scenario.

    Based on your earlier post, I've even considered doing this job myself. I've done a fair amount of mechanic'ing on my '66 Mustang, but a 2003 Honda is a whole other animal. I had planned to keep the CR-V indefinitely, but after this, I don't know.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    Well.. okay...

    To be clear... mine did not turn off the light or the compressor..

    When "defrost" is selected, both the light and the compressor still come on... BUT, when I then push the button, the light and the compressor both go off...

    I guess my point is.... the light still indicates whether the compressor is running, or not... The compressor isn't running, when the light is off...

    At least, I don't think so.... I traded that car in, two years ago... ;)

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  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Boy, I don't know...all of that labor and you put on a chinese made compressor?

    I just haven't heard any good reports but maybe things have improved quality wise.

    Harbor Freight sells junk and they sell some things that wold probably work perfectly well for once in awhile home use.

    I know the pros won't touch their stuff.

    What would the price difference have been between the chinese pump and a quality (?) rebuilt one?

    Labor rates are nuts now but so are overhead charges, the wages it takes to attract quality people and thxes and insurance.

    The shops aren't really getting rich.
  • k04401k04401 Member Posts: 1
    My 02 CR-V's (@ 102,000 miles) a/c stopped working a few weeks ago, I thought I just needed a freon refill as I do not remember any loud noises, just a hiss and no more cold air, then this weekend I started having trouble keeping my car from stalling out when I was in idle, I also noticed a burning rubber smell, no warning lights came home, I managed to get home and when I opened the hood I was surprised to see the serpentine belt broken right in half. I took it in today and was told the clutch and pulley on the a/c compressor was broken and that caused the serpentine belt to break and he was unable to fix it and suggested a radiator and a/c specialist that quoted me 950 to fix it. My dad is helping me out and having his mechanic look at it to see what can be done, I can live without a/c in my car but it's my impression that this issue is bigger for most people than just having a/c or not, am I right or could there be something else wrong with my car? Thanks!
  • crvlover2crvlover2 Member Posts: 4
    Have you heard back from NHTSA? I am on my 3rd ac unit and Honda is not willing to do anything due to high miles on the car. I travel for my job and need a dependable car with AC which is why I bought the Honda.
  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2010
    WOW isellhondas...

    you sound JUST like the homers who crapped all over the first hondas and datsuns that reached our shores when Roger Smith ordered GM to NOT include import sales unts in the market forecasts presented to him

    Based on my SUBSTANTIAL experience of buying Chicom tools (I was an early adopter of buying stuff from Harbor Freight), I can say that my own personal experience is that the tools are of perfect quality for me..perhaps not for a professional mechanic, but certainly good enough to build a 454 zz440 and a blown 355 small block chevy that will leave your rice rockets in the DISTANT rear view mirror

    As far as ChiCom car components, I admit that that they've had their share of problems which is why I've been very careful about buying any aftermarket parts. I can't say that I've had any problems attributable to ChiCom manufactures products. That includes a bunch of Heier refrigerators/freezers that we bought at WalMart. What data do you have that demonstrates that Chicom components are inferior to any other country of origin?

    Geez, you must be REALLY upset that Geely bought Volvo which gives the Chicoms what they wanted the most - US distribution. For your health, I certainly hope that you don't have to change your non de plume to isellgeeely

    Please relax, it's all a global village.

    And I am VERY comfortable that all my work went into installing a Chinese air compressor and not to some fat cat mega car dealer so that he make make his next boat payment.

    Maybe you should up the dose of antihypertensive that you're on or take a Vicodin or something. Oooops, now that I think of it, that will only make you more upset because the vast majority of drug raw materials come from India or China. And THAT is backed up by data, not personal opinion.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Oh, I'm not in the slightest bit upset. Far from it.

    It's just that in my many years in the tool business, I saw a lot of Chinese junk come to our shores. I watched jaws break on cheap Chinese vises and floor jacks blow their seals quickly. I saw the chrome peel on their wrenches and saw their brittle sockets break under load.

    Having said that....

    I am also open to the reality that things CAN change and that quailty CAN improve.

    Korean cars are a good example of that.

    You'll have to remember that I was in a business that dealt strictly with the pros who demand top quality tools that hold up. Thses guys won't even buy Craftsman tools for the most part.

    Would I buy a Harbor Freight electric drill that I would probably use four times a year? You bet!

    Would I get under a car supported by Chinese jack stands? Um...no.

    And, no, I'm not upset that the Chinese bought Volvo. I doubt if they could make them any more troublesome than they already are.

    BTW...I'm an old racer too only I perfered the Chevy small blocks!
  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2010
    Hello there,

    Intuitively, I think you are absolutely correct. It wouldn't be the first time that me as a lone wolf has a different opinion than a bunch of very qualified MEs who do this sort of stuff for a living.

    What I think we can all agree on is the premise that moving as much air as possible over a radiator device is a good idea for the device dissipating heat into that radiator. That being said, the factory, I'm sure, designs their systems to take into account a wide variety of operating conditions and since they sell CR-Vs for people who live in the desert, that likley beats any situation that I have in the North East.

    All I know is what I've seen empirically with my car and cars that I've been asked to look at. Moving the front plate out of the air path resulted in a subjective increase in AC productivity. This is a well know fact which, as I said, dates back at least to the introduction of high performance engines in the '60s. I'm left with speculation about the root cause of failure. I can't imagine that the compressor itself caused the problem because I found no shrapnel; the clutch failed It is entirely possible that the compressor problem and condenser problem occured simultaneously due to chance.

    As I said, I over engineer my solutions. I added a 10" pusher and that proves my point. I am now content in my fantasy world of moving LOTS of air over the radiators.

    I don't have much energy to argue whether my theory is correct or not. It's just a theory.

    Thanks...
  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2010
    Well, I can see that you're a pragmatist, which is what I appreciate. Your comment about Volvos proves that.

    Right now, the ChiComs are kicking the crap out of the Indians as far as general low-cost/medium quality manufacturing capability goes. That won't last a hell of a lot longer b/c the cost of living is going up pretty quickly in the more sophisticated areas of the mainland. It's only a matter of time before the Indonesians come on line and then it will be South America.

    To get back on topic, I feel bad for those of us who bought CR-Vs made in Great Britain b/c of the cost of parts. WHY would ANYONE buy a car made in Great Britain??? (that'll generate some hate mail, I'm sure). If I had a "G" car instead of a "J" car, my very first project would be to retrofit the front end with J car spec AC parts. It would probably look like hell but I'd just cover it up with the front fascia.

    I can see from a number of the posts that these problems have scared off (or at least rattled) future Honda buyer. From what I've read, I don't see this as a major problem.

    I've had some recent problems that caused me to spend a few bucks on the CR-V but I'm not that concerned. A rear caliper locked closed, grinding away the brake pad and I had the metal brake pad grinding into the brake disk. Never heard the brake tell tale kick in and the rear brake caliper/disk was HOT. Replaced that and brake usage seems to be as expected.

    CR-Vs also have a bad reputation for ABS units and the dealer cost is beyond belief; it is staggering to say the least. My ABS master is making a "ticking" sound so I bought a used unit off of a "good" car and just have that sitting on the shelf for the time when I need it. Couldn't find a ChiCom replacement. I still think this is a great car for the price but will also look at the Koreans when we next go shopping. And probably Geely if they have a truckette in the line up by them.

    I can't resist poking fun at the mechanics who will only work with certain brands of tools. Snap On is very good quality but I don't know that the price is justified over that of Craftsman or even Home Depot/Lowes' brand. Oh, I'm not against buying very high quality tools, I have a set of Hazet tools that I used when I worked as a mechanic. They're just tools.

    It's not the tools, it's always been the guy/gal behind the tool.

    As a post edit add, I'll try to repsond to your other questions. Clearly, in my opinion, Harbor Freight does not "sell junk" and their warranties are as good as anyone's out there. I even bought an 8" swing lathe from these guys and we're clearly not talking about high end here - there's a lot of lash that needs to be taken out before you do high quality work. BUT, it easily turned a true 4" diameter, 3 inch long extension for a crank pulley on the small block which drives my centrifugal supercharger. Plus I got a two year, no questions asked, return-whenever-I-want to warranty. I actually use this stuff rather than talking theory.

    Also, based on my experience, you/anyone clearly DOES NOT get what they pay for when are serviced by a dealer. Yes, I know it takes money to cover overhead costs. Rather than ripping off Joe or Jane Doe, why doesn't the dealer just reduce overhead costs? Stop allowing the salespeople to drive home in dealer cars would be a REAL good place to start. Teaching sales people that dealer cars are to be driven with respect would be another good way to reduce overhead.

    The concept of a flat rate book is archaic. If the manufacturers would stop this nonsense, then you could really encourage dealers to become competitive.

    When you take your car to a dealer (or any shop for that matter but dealers are the most virulent with the practice), you pay top dollar for a mechanic, regardless of his/her quality. Makes sense, because they have so much overhead (see my points above). The quality of expertise is uneven but that doesn't affect the cost of the job. Sounds like a teacher's union to me. I went to a Honda dealer on Route 73 in South Jersey because my CR-V had THREE recalls to be fixed (honest to God, the fourth one was in my mailbox when I got home that night). They proudly displayed their service customer satisfaction rating - 69% for the top ranking. I understood why when I went to pick up my CR-V. Their AFSME certified mechanic neglected to attach the driver's side door panel when I went to take the car home. Musta' had a tough day.

    As far as the difference in cost for compressors, I just checked again and I was wrong on the price. The cost is $179, not $199 as previoulsy stated. The rebuilt Honda compressors were ~$400. The reason why I didn't go with the rebuild is my experience with rebuilt water pumps and brake calipers - I just haven't had good luck with them and decided to go a new route. And as I noted previously, the Honda OTC price was beyond sanity. As it was, I HAD to buy a relay from Honda and that cost me $30!!!!!!! It has a proprietary pinout so I had no choice. OK, I'll but a local GENUINE HONDA part every 8 years or so. LOL!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I think that you and I are probably about the same age with similar backgrounds. We would probably get along quite well.

    I think the reason you are so tuned into air flow is because, like me, you dealt with cars that ran so hot they were always on the edge. We had to watch our temp guages and if caught in a traffic jam, we had to switch off our A/C. When we had our radiators recored we usually "stepped up" and bought the heavy duty four row jobs. These made a BIG difference.

    But at this point, when I walk into our local HF, I feel the tools and look at the quality. They sell both good and inferior stuff. I am not sold on the Chinese stuff but in the case of a seldom used tool, sure, I would buy it.

    Funny, our 2003 CRV has never had a recall for anything. It is a "Japan" car.

    I do have my brake fluid changed every two years to prevent my calipers form freezing up.

    Hazet tools? Some old time German mechanics will use nothing but Hazet or Stalwille.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited August 2010
    Where did you wire in the 10" fan vinnie? I meant to ask you that before. Is it with the clutch wiring? The clutch is an electro-magnet action I believe, so not a lot of current. But if u used that connection, then the fan would work off and on without u having to remember to sw it all the time. What was that fan rated to draw in amps, did you happen to notice? And rpm etc? It looks like it might be std issue universal use accessory rad cooling part? $ ?

    Also, when u mounted it it looks like it is mounted directly to the condenser? Yet surely not. The vibration would quickly loosen the very lightly place fins. In the pic it actually looks like u poked a hole though a fin area, but that must be an optical illusion.
  • vkgarryvkgarry Member Posts: 7
    Hey, Vinnie!

    As a desert dweller, I have had FIVE A/C compressors fail on my 04 CR-V. Every summer, like clockwork. The first one failed the first summer in 05, and subsequently in 06, 07, 08 and 09. The first two times the whole system was replaced by the factory warranty, the second two by the extended warranty (in fact, my dealer waived the deductable on the 4th one), and this last one wasn't covered at all. It's sitting parked while I drive my 04 Hyundai Sonata for the summer. I guess the Hyundai will get a winter vacation. The heater on the CR-V works great!
  • smalltalksmalltalk Member Posts: 5
    Update blower for air ceased so returned to Honda dealer and they said something had triggered the fusebox to fail and it was the blower transmitter. Replacement would have been 227 but since same week of the other work gave me a break and charged 89 instead. Go figure that one. lol :confuse:
  • vinnie_the_kidvinnie_the_kid Member Posts: 9
    Good morning,

    I want to wrap this up because I didn't respond to this post to gain a pen pal.

    What I can say with great authority is that I've posted what I've actually done and I hope this helps some of you folks figure out what to do with your own problem vehicle. If you follow my advice, I think you'll obtain some useful information.

    I'll see you folks next year or so and let you know how my assumptions worked out, good, bad or indifferent.

    be cool.....
  • pvilllooknpvilllookn Member Posts: 2
    Anyone having problem getting a compressor from Honda? Mine out for 2 weeks and Honda told me they were back ordered and would arrive yesterday. Now telling me 8/21...another 2 weeks. Not a happy camper. Anyone know where I can get one on line? Thanks :mad:
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited August 2010
    Before you go, where did you wire in your 10" fan Vinnie? Do you switch it on manually?
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    To get back on topic, I feel bad for those of us who bought CR-Vs made in Great Britain b/c of the cost of parts. WHY would ANYONE buy a car made in Great Britain??? (that'll generate some hate mail, I'm sure). If I had a "G" car instead of a "J" car, my very first project would be to retrofit the front end with J car spec AC parts. It would probably look like hell but I'd just cover it up with the front fascia.

    Nice write up on the repair.

    I too have been using Harbor Freight tools as disposable, job specific tools. We were remodeling our kitchen last year, and the 5 year old Craftsman drill died. I grabbed one from Harbor Freight for $11. I replaced it 4 times for the duration of the project. They don't even ask for a receipt. I just bring it back in the box, and they tell me to pick one off the shelf. It is like having a lifetime warranty, which Craftsman does not provide on power tools.

    Anyway, back to the UK vs. Japan. I think most of the A/C failures have been occuring with Japan made CR-V's, not UK. But, I understand where you are coming from. I had a 2002 Civic Si that was made in UK, same Swindon plant as the CR-V's. It was the most troublesome Honda ever, approaching the amount of trouble I got from Mexican made VW.

    By the way, the VIN letter for UK is "S", not "G". :)
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Our store didn't get any of the British made CRV's but we got a lot of "J" CRV's and as I have said before, we really didn't have enough A/C compressor failures to even think about.

    Walked through Harbor Freight yesterday and I was amazed at the quality of their wrenches. 14.00 uys a set of VERY nice looking wrenches! These wrenches would be more than 14.00 each if they came off of a took truck.

    Now, the jaws may spread and they may be brittle and snap and the chrome may peel but for limited usage they looked much better than I remembered.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "To get back on topic, I feel bad for those of us who bought CR-Vs made in Great Britain b/c of the cost of parts. WHY would ANYONE buy a car made in Great Britain??? (that'll generate some hate mail, I'm sure). If I had a "G" car instead of a "J" car, my very first project would be to retrofit the front end with J car spec AC parts. It would probably look like hell but I'd just cover it up with the front fascia. "

    So far as I am aware, the parts for all A/C are identical, regardless of where the vehicle was assembled.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I believe that is correct otherwise they would need to know the VIN number when ordering parts and that would be nuts to stock a variety of diffrerent parts.
  • rickseibertrickseibert Member Posts: 1
    We had the same experience as many other posts. We heard a rattling in the engine compartment, followed by a puff of steam under the hood, and then the car "died". I was able to get it restarted shortly thereafter..........BUT no A/C. We took it to the Honda dealer in Bend, Oregon (where we were vacationing) who informed us that the compressor & condensor needed to be replaced. Cost would be $1,600, no sales tax. I called my local Honda dealer in Las Vegas who quoted me $2,500 + tax. It was a no-brainer. We extended our trip a couple days and had the car repaired in Bend. Honda has issured several service bulletins to their dealers on this problem and our Technician told us that Honda was experiencing significant problems with the 2006 CR-V compressor they chose to have made in Mexico at a cheaper price (even though there is a "Japan" label on the part). He said "now they're paying for that decision". Don't know if that's true, or hearsay. Our compressor housing was literally cracked in several places with a hole the size of a half-dollar. Technicians must examine the entire system to insure that metal shavings from the compressor have not made their way through the rest of the system. Meanwhile, we contacted American Honda Motor Co. in CA to request a "Courtesy Warranty" as our 2006 model was beyond the warranty period. Our car is almost 4 years old with 43,000 miles on it. Within a couple days they informed us they would reimburse us for the cost of "parts" ($1,022) and received the check in the mail today. I guess Toyota's current publicity fiasco may have provided Honda with some added motivation. In any event, we are very satisfied with the service (and price) we got from Bend Honda and for American Honda honoring a courtesy warranty. This forum was also extremely helpful in that it never would have occurred to me to ask Honda for some financial assistance.
  • jim442jim442 Member Posts: 6
    Hey PV
    Sorry to hear about the AC failure on your 07. My 07(with 48K) AC failed last month and Honda was out of stock. Of course my Honda dealer was "shocked" to hear of Hondas with AC problems. I should call Honda America to check on reimbursement, let me know if you attempt that.
    My private mechanic had me order one online from discountacparts, they were great. It arrived in 3 days (shipped San Diego to Tucson) the compressor and dryer (sock) cost 435.00 with shipping and no tax.
    Please post your results, we might be the first wave of 07 and newer CRVs with AC issues. Yeah,lucky us. The fact that Honda is out of compressors is not a good sign for owners. It would be nice to know how many they carried in their inventory. They have had a run on them or their inventory guys are idiots for not having any in stock.
  • pspmacpspmac Member Posts: 13
    These systems are failing in various models from 2000 - 2009, I am stopping every CRV owner I see in Palm Springs and inquiring about their AC systems. 99% have stated their systems failed and was replaced to the tune of $2000.00. The local Honda Dealer isn't even bothering to mention that Honda might give you a very small credit on the repair.

    Don't count on Honda doing anything for you, their corporate customer service reps have been very nasty on the phone and basically refuse to help.

    I am joining the class action lawsuit against Honda at www.honda-lawsuit.com and I am making a giant lemon to fit over the back tire that reads, " Honda AC Failed? Contact www.honda-lawsuit.com." I drive on the I-10 an average of twice a week between Palm Spring and Los Angeles, thousand are going to see my sign!!!!!!!

    I have also started an email campaign advising all of my family, friends, and business associates how Honda has handled this matter and told them not to buy a Honda. I was thinking about buying a Pilot but Honda's behavior in this matter has completely turned me off from being a customer of theirs ever again!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    So, you've stopped 100 people in their CRV's and 99 of them have had A/C problems?

    Really?

    I understand you will never buy another Honda and you will make a crusade out of this.

    My only questions is, what will you buy that you can be assured will never cause you any trouble?
  • lenchermacklenchermack Member Posts: 5
    I feel your pain and believe Honda's reputation is at stake now. I owned other Honda cars and until I got this lemon a 2007 CR-V, I and several family members would have sworn by the company for quality and support. The 2007 CR-V A/C compressor stopped blowing cool air in Wyoming while heading to Seatle from Dallas with several others in 3 cars to connect on an Alaskan cruise. It made it 900 miles before catostrophic failure and the compressor pulley assembly froze ( A/C clutch should not have engaged because it stopped 900 miles earlier and I tuned the A/C buttons off) and while driving from Seattle to Dallas the pully froze and the serpantine belt stopped moving. Honda should have redesigned and used dual belts given the previous compressor issues on past models .

    So at 4PM on Friday August 6, 2010 in Pendelton Oregon I learned why consumers should be wary of buying a product from Honda. Honda and their support network simply do not support their cars or customers. Honda as I have read has known this to be a major problem yet fail to have parts available n the logistics centers with the knowledge of large MTBF ratios on the A/C condensor since 02. My dealer in McKinney Honda in McKinney, Texas said they had lot's of compressor problems in their shop. They tried to help remotely as Honda Roadside service (who said they would call back but never did) left me stranded in Umatilla Oregon (27 miles or so from the next Honda dealer in Pendelton OR.) We got another towing service.

    The dealers only fault here is that they represent this product. They should advise customers away from the CR-V and tell Honda they won't stock them. I had an 05 Pilot that ran forever without problems. Family member and myself will probably never buy another Honda given the way this service issue was handled and from what I have read. No one wants to be stranded with a car that cannot be repaired immediately or within reason. My brother-in-law driving in the caravan said now he will trade his Honda in and not buy another Honda/Acura product because he witnessed if traveling you are left holding the bag when their product fails.

    I got back to Dallas squeezing my girls and I into the other 2 cars in the caravan with many of our pices of luggage in a car some 1400 plus miles away unrepairable because Honda does not have the parts. Dealer in Pendelton tells me they he put the request as critical to Honda. Does anyone think Honda cares? Honda district reps authorized to cover half of the repair. And not considering I now have to fly to Portland or Boise get a one way rental to get the car when repaired and pay again the same hotels to return home.

    I'd tell people to take their bills to small claims, but given the number of complaints, the judge would probably force us to settle via a class action.
  • motoguy128motoguy128 Member Posts: 146
    Right.... a dealer is going to refuse to stock the #1 selling midsized CUV in the US and the 3rd best selling vehcile on their lot, which probably also has a higher margin than the 2 vehciles in front of it in sales.

    I do agree that if this is a common failure, Honda needs to have the parts available. thsi may be a result of the economic times and Honda keeping invetories lean.

    I must admit that until I see some hard facts in terms of AC failures on CRV's vs. competitors and the industry as a whole, I'll remain skeptical.

    For example, if thsi problem was so widespread, there would be a negative mark in the Consumers Reports survery. There is not.

    I think you have to keep in mind that this has been the top selling SUV's over hte last few years so there's a lot of them out there. Whenever soemone has a failure, it's common these days ot complain about it online. Most people don't go online ot tell everyone they didn't have a problem.
  • alamocityalamocity Member Posts: 680
    I've been following this for a while and do wonder why if there is no problem why would their be a shortage of parts? Could understand if it was a part for an old car where parts may not be readily available but that isn't the case. Lean times or not a manufacturer need to ensure they have sufficient parts on hand and from the sound of things there must be a problem, otherwise why would there be a shortage of parts on something that is not considered a special order item.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    When I checked with my old store last week the main parts guy told me that they had sold ZERO compressors for 2007 CRVS and had warrantied none.

    This problem is being hugely overblown in forums like this but that happens all of the time.
  • motoguy128motoguy128 Member Posts: 146
    I stand partially corrected:

    In Consumers Reports, 02-04 model years, '04 in particular show higher than averag enumber of complaints abotu the climate control system. The complaints drop off in hte '06-current model years.

    Also, the complaints drive system (AWD system?) on '05-07 models are higher than average. I wonder if this is related to lack of maintenance on the rear differential, rather than failures. Sicne there was no engineering change after '07, I suspect the problem is related to not servicing the rear diff at all or not soon enouhg. Once drivers get to 50k miles or more, they get noises, and take it to the dealer.

    Finally there are a few low marks on the fuel system in '02 -'04 models. Overall the marks are excellent and it earns their highest reliability rating.

    Their surveys do not differentiate between failures and complaints or problems that were ocrrected and are somewhat subjective.

    In comparison, the Subaru Forester has some bad marks for the drivetrain prior to '03. The RAV4 is about the same. The Rogue has a few bad marks and the Santa Fe also has some bad marks. No car has perfect marks. Each has a few weak spots on older models.

    The CRV clearly has some climate sytem issues in '02-04 models, but other vehciles have similar issues ot address.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    It's amazing how CR can give a red dot for a catagory yet the next year, they will give it a lower rating when NOTHING CHANGED between those two years.
  • alamocityalamocity Member Posts: 680
    That may be true however I find it odd that if there was not some sort of problem the parts should be available readily without having to wait two or three weeks.
  • lenchermacklenchermack Member Posts: 5
    Motoguy you sound like a lawyer for the manufacturer "I want to see some hard statistics"; Remember Camry was once the number 1 selling car until recently and Toyota's problems with it. So I don't care how popular the brand is. Brand deterioration starts with ignoring consumer complaints. Toyota fell out of the number 1 automaker spot because they failed to fix known problems. Albeit there problem caused deaths. Yes it is common to complain online and yes there can be some emotion to it, but the details in the complaints given are showing these instances to have both merit and credibility.

    Let's examine the facts, cars less than 3 years old should not have so many problems pointing to a particular component, in this case the A/C compressor since 2002. If you do look at google you will see many have a problem with this (why are there at least 1100 entries); When the dealers tell you they have a problem and cannot get the parts, I don't need hard statistics when hard facts suggests there is a problem. My dealer had 4 A/C compressors go out last week in high heat in Texas. I have a degree in mathmatical economics and very familiar with statistics, so yes unless their is an appropriate sample etc. one can stand behind or lie with statistics, one can work these stats to their advantage (If you like, there was a book I was required to read in my Economic studies called Lying with Statistics). Let's just say the MTBF on these units are high and failure rates probably exceeded planned by Honda and the require inventory of parts are being exhausted at a greater rate than supply in the supply chain (In layman terms my dealers are calling around every where to try to get these Honda certified parts and the car broke down on August 6th: That kind of tells me something is wrong ; lawyers are hovering to file a class action and I suspect one will be filed.... so I guess Consumer Reports has this one wrong, and I can tell you from experience having owned other Honda products, the CR-V has cost me more in such a short time of ownership than my Pilot or past accords.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    According to our store there isn't "some sort of problem" but I agree, parts should be available.
  • alana50alana50 Member Posts: 12
    There may not be a shortage of parts. Most businesses run on what's called 'Just In Time' business model, which means that unless there is a common problem (air filters, oil filters and the like) they do not keep them on hand as storage space for so many vehicles would be very expensive. Therefore, they order parts from main warehouses or clearing houses.
  • alamocityalamocity Member Posts: 680
    I fully understand that but it there is a two to three week wait for parts to arrive there is either a shortage of the part or a problem in the pipeline somewhere as that can of delay shouldn't be happening.
  • cookie60cookie60 Member Posts: 2
    Sad to say I'm part of this club. I just got the bad news today. I took my 2005 CR-V in this morning thinking that all I needed was minor repairs to the AC. I have been very conscientious about taking care of my vehicle and doing the oil changes and scheduled maintenance. I have not had any problems in 5 years. Imagine my shock when I heard the it would cost me $2797. I have about 76K miles and had plans to keep this car for several more years. I literally became ill. If I hadn't been sitting down, I would have fallen down. I thought that the estimate was high and I wanted to get a second opinion; so I didn't get the work done today. It's 100+ degrees in TX right now!! I'd like to know how many people had success getting Honda to pay something.
  • ohiojeffohiojeff Member Posts: 3
    Just got ours fixed. We had 51k miles on a 2004. They initially quoted $3200. The dealer then talked to their Honda rep and they did a goodwill warranty for what they said was 50%, although we only paid $1265+tax. Still too much, in my opinion, but it's better than $3200.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Not too many car companies would have done anything on a six year old car.

    I just can't understand why these jobs are so damm expensive?

    Not that many years ago when some of the Civics didn't come with A/C, we would install a complete Honda unit for 1295.00 which included everything!
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited August 2010
    Every one of your posts suggests that you are still on Honda's payroll. Oh, you attempt to make them sound objective at times. Other times not at all. I could pull those ones up for other recent CRV owners to see for themselves if you would like?

    It is like you are on a crusade to pooh pooh people who are here looking for help, and yet statistically, victims are gaining in number every single day! Yet the regulars here can now count on you to pop in with your Honda-defending remarks like the one above "Not too many car companies would have done anything on a six year old car."
    Am I the only one here who feels these types of remarks by you is getting old long ago?

    How about these points below to consider?

    - a consumer has a reasonable presumed value and life-expectancy built into a product we use our hard earned money to purchase. Warranties are in place because history has found that some products fail prematurely due to any number of variables. Often because a bidder/supplier of a subbed out part, decides to alter quality content in that part, hedging that that will ultimately get away with it, or even by discovering a very honest defect in a mold that doesn't surface right away. A consumer out in the real world may not discover that their car has this same defective part in their car, but either because of their climate or (lack of) number of miles driven, the problem doesn't surface in time for it to make it obvious this is a design defect or part defect. And huge corporations being what they are, (trying to stay huge) they sometimes (usually) use less than straight-up means to defer customers who have legitimate claims. Stalling/stonewalling/....the infamous "Good Will" cr&p gestures and any other assorted practices that leave the customer out in pocket.

    - and because of this presumed value and life-expectancy there are patterns or statistics that SHOW a trend. And even though you incessantly keep maintaining your old dealer/employer insists there is no problem, it is all too painfully obvious that literally HUNDREDS of posters here do NOT agree with you!

    - whether you care to admit it or not (we know by now of course that you would attempt to call black- white if you say it enough times) there is a problem with certain A/C systems in certain cars and configurations. And as we are seeing, there are many that are not being caught under wty. Usually it is the time that expires before the miles. See? That in itself suggests that MILES of use is an important element in determining a legitimate claim even perhaps long after the time/wty expired. The point being, just because a customer drives less in any given period of time, does not make their car immune to a defective component! Read that over enough times till you get it please.

    Now....as we ALL KNOW the excuse you (isellhondas) are quick to load your typing hand with...it always goes something like... "You expect a "x" # of year old car to perform flawlessly indefinitely! That's ridiculous." But don't assume we are all stupid here. It is an insult to us! Many are here for answers/help. Not some Honda-paid poster to defend and try to call black white, with the conviction that if you say it enough times, maybe you can get a few more victims on board and influence them to quell their voice.

    But I do want to give you credit for at least one thing. By your own admission the first-price dealers are telling customers is almost 3 x's the cost of an A/C installed at the dealer level still in many cars today. A recent example I have first hand knowledge with is a base model of the Hyundai Accent. Dealer installed at around 1200 or 1300 bucks. And there is nothing overly uniquely different in principle in a manual A/C system other than design flaws (i.e. not enough air getting to a condenser causing it to run hot and therefore strain the compressor...as only one of many many examples) so costs should all be around that figure, and has been for 2 decades. Simple increased sales figures and manufacturing numbers have offset inflation, to hold that price of 1000 to 1500 bucks per unit.
    And on that same vein, this is another detail that sticks in my craw. When a dealer says, ok ok, out of Good Will (roll eyes) we will charge you half the usual price. Well DUH, just because they attempted to OVERCHARGE in the first place, does not leave me feeling like i been the recipient of much good will when i STILL had to pay for what the unit should have cost full on, in the FIRST place! Again...they treat us like we are stupid. The problem is though, too many fold like wet napkin. I commend those here who opt NOT to fold.

    But it is these DESIGN or COMPONENT FLAWS - that customers both in and out of wty are disputing here, and rightfully so whether you think so or not.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    But I do want to give you credit for at least one thing. By your own admission the first-price dealers are telling customers is almost 3 x's the cost of an A/C installed at the dealer level still in many cars today. A recent example I have first hand knowledge with is a base model of the Hyundai Accent. Dealer installed at around 1200 or 1300 bucks. And there is nothing overly uniquely different in principle in a manual A/C system other than design flaws (i.e. not enough air getting to a condenser causing it to run hot and therefore strain the compressor...as only one of many many examples) so costs should all be around that figure, and has been for 2 decades. Simple increased sales figures and manufacturing numbers have offset inflation, to hold that price of 1000 to 1500 bucks per unit.
    And on that same vein, this is another detail that sticks in my craw. When a dealer says, ok ok, out of Good Will (roll eyes) we will charge you half the usual price. Well DUH, just because they attempted to OVERCHARGE in the first place, does not leave me feeling like i been the recipient of much good will when i STILL had to pay for what the unit should have cost full on, in the FIRST place! Again...they treat us like we are stupid. The problem is though, too many fold like wet napkin. I commend those here who opt NOT to fold.


    I think if you ever worked on the house, or a car would realize that it is much easier to do a fresh install than a retrofit. During a retrofit, or repair you always have to spend twice as much time removing the old components as it takes to install new.

    I don't know what you do a for a living, but imagine someone coming to you and stating that they think you chagre/get paid too much for what you do. How would you feel about it?
  • shima1shima1 Member Posts: 19
    "Am I the only one here who feels these types of remarks by you is getting old long ago?" No, you aren't. As I said a while ago, best to ignore all his posts.

    The fact that Honda replaces the flawed comp. with another flawed one, over and over again, is more than dishonest, it's immoral.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited August 2010
    You are confusing issues. First of all, what would you be removing in order to install a dealer-installed kit A/C besides a few components that are in the identical area that you have to access anyway?
    In order to be environmentally conscious you would have to evacuate the system, but you work on someone else's car while that is going on.

    You could add (some time) for rusted fasteners on a used vs new car. And (some) time to pull the old stuff out of the way.

    But TWICE? You can justify twice the costs? See, don't give me that..

    I am a mechanic and a contractor and have built my own house and done renovations on others. I have also worked in sales, so I have and can see both sides of the coin here. I also have a conscience and the ability to determine right from wrong treatment of a person/customer. It is often as simple as that. It isn't rocket science. I have read posts in other threads on this site, and the attitude is often self-attempted-justification of how much can you extract out of the other person. And sales people seem to think that as long as they are in 'sales'....anything goes. Well...again...that's not true, not rocket science.

    And to keep us on track here, Honda knows full well what they have on their hands here with the CRV A/C systems. They have nickel counters who are weighing how little can this whole thing cost them, yet not risk losing a customer forever.

    As for your question:
    "I don't know what you do a for a living, but imagine someone coming to you and stating that they think you chagre/get paid too much for what you do. How would you feel about it?"

    In answering your question but keeping it within context with this thread/problem, I would expect the company, who I represent every day day in and day out, to back me in keeping OUR (reasonable) customers happy.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Yes that's true. I've been trying and have managed to ignore the last 10 or so, but today I caved.

    And I caved because it is my hope that new posters don't be made to feel like they are complaining over nothing or have their concerns pooh pooh'd. So my hope is that my post offsets his irrationale, and re-instills confidence in those who gently force their dealer to do the 'right thing'.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    edited August 2010
    I deleted the first response to you and it's probably a good thing I did.

    First of all, I don't need you to teach me about how a car runs. I've been in the automotive industry all of my life and I once ran a large shop.

    I heve been around these forums since they started and I have watched minor grass fires rage into infernos as more and more people with problems flock to the "problems" forums. Some are real and others have been blown way out of proportion. A lot of people have neen needlessly frightened into thinking they better not take their car on vacation lest some component such as an A/C pump could suddenly fail.

    I'm not sure just how many miles or how many years you think an A/C compressor should last but given enough time, sooner or later, they will fail providing the car itself has a very long life.

    Life isn't even and some people will have much better luck than others.

    I am no longer am involved with Honda...I really don't care!

    I only passed on the info that I got from several key people at the store where I worked and that is (and still is) that they have not experienced this on CRV's any more so than on any other model Honda and that A/C pump failures aren't very common.

    Now, having said that, I do feel for the people who have been hit with these huge repair bills. My wife drives a CRV and it's seven years old with 50,000 miles.

    I still don't think that it's a DESIGN or COMPONENT flaw whe something breaks that is many thousands of miles or many years beyond it's warranty.
  • old_redold_red Member Posts: 6
    I have 105,000 on my 2003 CR-V. After writing to Honda and speaking to the district rep, I got nothing from Honda for the repair. Honda dealers in town wanted $3800 to replace the system. I drove 2 hours to a dealer I bought a Civic from in 1997. Their estimate was $2800 and they gave me 10% off that. I had the entire system replaced. I told the Honda rep that they had a customer for life. After this, they don't.

    As for the notion from isellhondas that parts fail, get over it, I'll list some other vehicles I've owned that didn't have the A/C compressor crap out at 105,000 miles and was still working when I sold the vehicle: 1984 Ford Mustang, 168,000 miles; 1985 Honda Prelude, 225,000 miles; 1993 Ford Ranger, 135,000 miles; 2000 Ford Ranger, 127,000 miles; 1992 Ford F-150, 136,000 miles; 1991 Jeep Wrangler, 141,000 miles. My 1997 Honda Civic compressor failed this summer at 275,000 miles.

    It appears that A/C systems are one of the more durable components in a vehicle, except for the 2002-2004 CR-Vs. Why did Honda write up that TSB and put together part-specific repair kits if this was all just a normal failure rate?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
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