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Honda CR-V AC Compressor Problems

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Comments

  • nicompnicomp Member Posts: 21
    Of course not. My point is that Honda cannot possibly be held responsible if your child gets hot. You are responsible for the well-being of your child to the extent that you have to find another way to keep them cool if the A/C fails.

    Your insurance company expects you to operate under the same principle. If your car is damaged in an accident, you can't sit at home, lose your job, then expect the insurance company to make you whole again. You are obligated to mitigate your damages by finding another way to work.
  • jkarjkar Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2003 CR-V and my air conditioner compressor blew up at 55,000 miles. HONDA IS PAYING FOR 100% OF THE REPAIR!

    Here's what I did. The problem was diagnosed at a local shop not a dealership. I was given a cost of $2000 for the repair.

    I came home and researched the problem on the Internet and found out how common this problem is. I called the dealership where I bought my car and asked to talked to the service manager. I told him I was the latest victim of the CR-V air conditioner compressor problem and asked him how they are handling it. He said they'd have to look the car over before they could decide how to proceed. I let him know I was aware this was a common problem (which he denied) and I knew about this website and carsurvey.com where there are over 65 pages of comments about the problem. I told him I expected the repair to be done at no cost to me. He said that would depend on mileage and if I've kept to the maintenance schedule, but usually Honda will pay for either parts or labor if they pay at all. My mileage is low for the age of the car and I have the regular maintenance done according to the owner's manual.

    I was shocked when after looking at the car, they came back and said Honda would pay for it.

    I think the leverage you have in getting Honda to pay is making them aware that you know your problem isn't unique and that there are many other CR-V owners who have had this problem. Its cheaper to pay off a few who make a big fuss than to have to do a recall or be hit with a class action lawsuit.
  • madrivermadriver Member Posts: 8
    Just wanted to thank everyone in this thread, and pass along my experience to date.

    I have a 2000 CRV, and my AC compressor literally blew up in my driveway (over a year ago), with a piece just missing my husband who was trying to find the source of an awful noise. Since the car was out of warranty, I had a friend replace it (a call to a local dealer gave me a cost I couldn't afford) and he charged me his cost for the parts, so it was a good deal. But after seeing this forum I contacted American Honda and asked for a refund. They're thinking about it, and haven't said no - just asked for more documentation (I still have the bad one, so I sent them a photo of it). I'm hopeful I'll get some money back and want to thank everyone who has posted their stories in this forum - I used you all as references in my letter.
  • msuarezmsuarez Member Posts: 1
    On 9/28/2007 my 2003 CRV a/c started to make a grinding noise. When I switched the a/c button "off" the noise went away. I reactivated the a/c button and all hell broke loose. A loud bang and clanking noise was heard. Of course the a/c stopped. When I inspected the damage at home I found the a/c clutch shaft had broken and the clutch was laying near a motor mount. I found this website and read what to do.
    I called American Honda on 10/1/2007 and got a case number. They told me to take the CRV to any Honda dealer for an evaluation. My local dealer's assistant service manager was great. He told me this was a common problem in the CRV model. I dropped the CRV off at 6:30 PM that same day (10/1/2007). I called American Honda from the dealer and told them who I was dealing with. I gave the assistant service manager the case number and he said he will let me know the findings. To my surprise he called my at 1:00 PM on 10/2/2007 to tell me the repair was done and American Honda covered the whole thing. ZERO cost to me!
    That is the response I expect from Honda.
  • arpcrvarpcrv Member Posts: 2
    On 9/28/07 my a/c compressor went out on my 2004 CRV at 57,000 miles. Called Honda America on 10/1/07 to open a case and then took it to the local Honda dealership. I just received word today (10/3) that Honda America is willing to pay the parts but I have to pay $600 in labor. I'm shocked. We were looking at buying a new 2008 CRV but after this experience, there's no way. I don't understand why some folks are getting their repairs paid at 100% and some aren't???? I expected better from Honda.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    On 9/28/07 my a/c compressor went out on my 2004 CRV at 57,000 miles. Called Honda America on 10/1/07 to open a case and then took it to the local Honda dealership. I just received word today (10/3) that Honda America is willing to pay the parts but I have to pay $600 in labor. I'm shocked. We were looking at buying a new 2008 CRV but after this experience, there's no way. I don't understand why some folks are getting their repairs paid at 100% and some aren't???? I expected better from Honda.

    The coverage depends on:

    1) Loyalty - How many Hondas you have purchased new or used before this one.

    2) How nice you are

    3) How nice the CSR is.
  • sgpsgp Member Posts: 13
    The coverage depends on:

    1) Loyalty - How many Hondas you have purchased new or used before this one.

    2) How nice you are

    3) How nice the CSR is.

    That is what is so maddening about this whole thing. I think they should treat all customers the same way.
  • arpcrvarpcrv Member Posts: 2
    My CRV is immaculate and I was polite. But, you are right, this is my first Honda and the manager my husband spoke with last night all but confirmed that I am not considered a loyal Honda customer since I bought it used and not from a Honda dealership. They have to know they have a problem though or why else would they be paying any part of it at all?
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    My CRV is immaculate and I was polite. But, you are right, this is my first Honda and the manager my husband spoke with last night all but confirmed that I am not considered a loyal Honda customer since I bought it used and not from a Honda dealership. They have to know they have a problem though or why else would they be paying any part of it at all?

    Oh, they know they have a problem. But, they are not legally obligated to do anything. It is not a safety issue, but a pure comfort issue. Cars before 1980's rarely had A/C, and only luxury cars had them.

    Just the fact that they are covering partially or fully speaks volumes of their dedication to their customer. They don't have to spend a dime on these problems, but they care enough to do. Like they say: "Beggars can't be choosers" Most companies would just laugh at these phone calls complaining about vehicles way out of warranty.
  • therecanbonly1therecanbonly1 Member Posts: 2
    Well, you can now add me to the list of 2002 CR-V's without A/C! I was driving up PA turnpike yesterday when I heard a noise that sounded like something had flown up into the wheel well. The the car sounded like I had a lawnmower attached to the side. Took it to the place that just installed new tires/alignment the day before (thinking something had happened along those lines). They said the AC compressor had blown, the noise I heard was the magnetic plate from the clutch flying off and then wedging in next to the serpentine belt! Since we were in the middle of nowhere on a Sunday, the only thing I could do was continue driving (with my wife and 2 kids in the car) until we got home.
    I called Honda America. They said that they could not open a ticket for this; but that I needed to take it to the dealership and ask them for assistance in the repair costs. So they'll get it tomorrow. I normally take it the dealership for everything; but the tires are just so much cheaper elsewhere. I'll let you know what happens, the quote from the tire place (they do all types of repairs) was just under 2K.
  • chrismattachrismatta Member Posts: 19
    "Oh, they know they have a problem. But, they are not legally obligated to do anything. It is not a safety issue, but a pure comfort issue. Cars before 1980's rarely had A/C, and only luxury cars had them.

    Just the fact that they are covering partially or fully speaks volumes of their dedication to their customer. They don't have to spend a dime on these problems, but they care enough to do. Like they say: "Beggars can't be choosers" Most companies would just laugh at these phone calls complaining about vehicles way out of warranty."

    That is actually not true. Toyota, as one example that I can speak to from personal experience, will conduct repairs in good faith on their vehicles that are out of warranty. They are not always legally obligated to do so, but they see the sense in maintaining good customer relations. Lets face it, they, as well as Honda, are in business to make money. Anyone in business knows that a good reputation is vital to continuing to maintain a competitive presence.
    Most successful businesses actually do want to make their customers happy, while of course maintaining a healthy profit. They do not view their customers as "beggars", by the way.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Some of you may be interested in The Secret Warranty - Understanding After Warranty Assistance.

    Loyalty keeps coming up in these situations.
  • big_greenbig_green Member Posts: 2
    Update: My final bill was $599 plus tax.
  • lbollatolbollato Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have the number to call Honda American? The same thing just happened to me. I'm so disappointed. I have an appointment with the dealership service dept. to get my brakes fixed tomorrow. I'm worried that'll try and screw me over.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There's current contact info at the HondaUSA site:

    Honda Customer Relations
  • therecanbonly1therecanbonly1 Member Posts: 2
    My total bill (I had to pay 50% of labor) was $603.xx. Honda took care of the rest; they did not cover replacing the serpentine belt that was damaged by the exploding system ($40). I still have the piece of the clutchplate if anyone once a broken piece of honda! :). Not happy that I had to pay anything (with the number of people that have had this problem); but 600 is much better than 2000
  • lbollatolbollato Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the info. I just got back from the dealership and Honda is picking up 75% of the cost...$3200.00. I called American Honda before I went in and got a case number. I didn't march right in and say that I called Honda I waited, hoping the service guy would offer help. When I realized that he wasn't going to offer I informed him that I spoke to American Honda. Here's a helpful hint to those who will encounter this problem in the future....Ask for what you want! America Honda and the service rep both asked what I wanted. And I told them that they had a real problem on their hands with the 2002,03, and 04 CRV's. I told both parties that the information is all over the internet. I told them that my expectation is that they do right by me and my car. I told them that I still wanted to have faith in Honda and their cars. I never gave attitude or demanded anything. I was saving that for when I needed to play that card. I'm still disappointed but $800 is better than $3200. Not to mention the car will be fixed and then I can trade it in. I'm not a glutton for punishment.
  • madrivermadriver Member Posts: 8
    While I think Honda should make an effort to treat all customers similarly, I guess I can understand their preference for multiple-Honda customers. I'm still waiting for my answer from American Honda (I had my AC compressor replaced by a mechanic friend before I knew about this forum, so needed some specific documentation for them which I sent a couple of days ago), but during my initial conversation with the service rep he asked me SPECIFICALLY if I'd owned previous Hondas. Since my CRV is my 3rd, all bought new, and since they didn't deny my claim outright, I'm hopeful that they're reimburse me for my out of pocket expense.

    I'll be looking for a new car in the spring, and the Pilot is high on my list, so I hope they come through..... I will state here that I haven't bought a Ford in 20 years because they wouldn't even discuss a problem that the dealer couldn't fix - Honda has always been much more customer-focued (IMO) which is why I've kept returning.
  • wincrvwincrv Member Posts: 2
    Repost of my message a few weeks ago regarding need to continually barrage Honda with this issue until they address it. In short the tel you want is 1-800-999-1009:

    Repost:
    Had the same problem as all the others with a 2002 CRV. Honda paid for the parts but not the labor. Escalated to Bernardi Honda dealership owner, dealership service manager and as we have seen in other cases the buck ends up at Honda America rep - in this case Matt.

    Matt can't "do anything further" for me and I asked how what appears to be an endemic problem with CRVs (and the only significant problem being discussed in the forums I have seen) can be escalated within Honda. He said that if "a lot of people" call American Honda about their problem then it might get enough attention for them to consider addressing it more broadly.

    So, call 1-800-999-1009 and ask that this problem be escalated within Honda corporate. Also suggest telling every Honda CRV owner you encounter about this issue.

    I told the various service managers that there were approx 100 new posts a month on this site about this problem and that was just the people who took the time/effort to post. Wonder what the real incidence level is of this problem? I also told them that this was THE problem being reported for CRV's - not a lot of noise on any other problems which made it even more amazing that it wasn't being addressed at the corporate level.

    Take a few minutes and call Honda America (1-800-999-1009)and make sure they know of your problem - if there is enough noise made then perhaps they will do the right thing someday. Those of us who have already had it might benefit and it would help those who will have it in the future.
  • jeffreynmandyjeffreynmandy Member Posts: 2
    My wife is getting a 2002 cr-v with 59,000 miles. it was just traded in and wasn't ready yet. they had to clean and certify it. so we haven't signed the papers yet. they just called and said the a/c compressor was being replaced. The shop told us everything but the hoses. it comes with the certified warranty. should we buy it, or leave it alone, since we did not sign the papers. Are the new a/c's fixed, and are they reliable other than that
  • madrivermadriver Member Posts: 8
    Honda America has agreed to pay 100% of my out-of-pocket expenses for my AC compressor replacement. Not knowing this this was a common problem, and because my car was out of warranty, I had the repair done by a friend so i got a break, but it wasn't free. I had to supply a lot of documentation and it took a while, but they will be sending me a check. I am VERY pleased with the result.

    My CR-V is my 3rd Honda, and I've got over 100k miles on it now. We just did the brakes (1st time), the timing belt, and I'm getting a rattle from the heat shield but this car has had far fewer problems than my son's much newer Ford. I'm starting to check out new cars now - will be buying in the spring - and the Pilot is high on my list. Honda's loyalty to me will certainly be a factor in my decision.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "We just did the brakes (1st time), the timing belt,"

    The Gen 2 has a timing chain, is that what you meant, or are you speaking of the Gen 1 timing belt?
  • the_breezethe_breeze Member Posts: 3
    The Rep from Honda America informed me to day that only certain compressors made by certain suppliers were going bad on CRV,s He told me that mine was not one from the suppliers that have had issues !

    Has anyone else heard of this ????

    My question is what parts of the USA are these compressors going bad, and is there any credibility to what this person told me. I asked him if there was a recall and he assured me there was not any recall on my vehicle with the A.C. compressor.

    Maybe more people who have not had this happen to them call Honda and inquire as i did . If they know they have an issue and CRV owners are aware of it possibly some action may be taken by Honda in a form of a recall and we can all feel better !
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    The Rep from Honda America informed me to day that only certain compressors made by certain suppliers were going bad on CRV,s He told me that mine was not one from the suppliers that have had issues !

    Has anyone else heard of this ????

    My question is what parts of the USA are these compressors going bad, and is there any credibility to what this person told me. I asked him if there was a recall and he assured me there was not any recall on my vehicle with the A.C. compressor.

    Maybe more people who have not had this happen to them call Honda and inquire as i did . If they know they have an issue and CRV owners are aware of it possibly some action may be taken by Honda in a form of a recall and we can all feel better !

    I think we have dwetermined a while back that all of the A/C compressor failures were in Japan made CR-V's. UK made CR-V's were spared.

    Look at your VIN number, and if the first letter is J, then it was made in Japan. If the first letter is S, then it was made in UK.
  • jamesbrjamesbr Member Posts: 2
    Follow up...

    AH called me back and told me that they could not locate my VIN# in their system. Repeated attempts proved unsuccessful. I told them my car was from Canada, and then they told me that since my car was Canadian, then that's why the car was not in their system and that I should call Honda of Canada and try my luck there. So I did. H of C was able to locate my cars VIN# in their system. They asked if I bought the car in the US and if the majority of the driving was done in the US, to which I said yes to both questions. They said that since the car was purchased in the US, it voided any warranty, except for safety and recall items.

    So, Honda could not help me. I was on my own.

    I had made an appointment with my local dealer before I knew I would not be covered. This dealer had given me bad advice when my AC first went out. It was making a grinding noise, but no oil had leaked. They told me that they had a car into their service center the week prior, and that they took the car for a drive and the noise just "went away". They advised I do the same and see if the noise just "went away". BAD ADVICE! I trusted them and took the car for a spin with the AC on, and that's when the compressor let go. What if the compressor was fine and it had just been the clutch that was bad? May have saved me some money. Anyway, since Honda wasn't going to help and since they had given me bad advice, I decided to try my luck elsewhere.

    I had heard about a local independent shop a few years ago that had a very good reputation for fixing Hondas. I googled them - http://www.mainstreetautoworks.com/. I read some testimonials, not on their site but other places on the web, and decided to give them a shot. I was given a quote of $1100 within 5 minutes of explaining my situation. I soon scheduled an appointment, brought the car in and had it back the next day. They replaced my compressor, clutch, and some other misc parts, flushed, vacuumed and recharged the system, and did it for slightly less than the verbally quoted amount. If anyone reading this lives within 50 miles of Monroe, WA, I highly recommend you check out Main Street Autoworks in Monroe to get your Honda or Acura fixed. They are great!

    Sidenotes - Mine was the first CR-V they had seen the AC compressor fail on. I guess AC failure is not too common around here.
    They gave me back my old compressor. It had a hole in the bottom big enough to stick my finger into, with tears in the metal surrounding the hole with they metal bent outward. I'm glad the shrapnel didn't hit anything critical under the hood or worse, a person!
    All parts used for the repair were genuine Honda parts, and are covered by the 12 month / 12000 mile warranty.
    My car has about 89000 miles on it.
    If anyone wants a detailed list of what I had done and what it cost, post it here and I will try to respond.
    James
    ___________
  • robk11robk11 Member Posts: 3
    My 03 with 60k on it seized a compressor . This broke the input shaft behind the clutch plate. I spoke with Honda of America 1-800-999-1009 ( Jose) . What a joke. he told me they were unaware of any problems with the compressors on the cr-v. He then went on to tell me the compressors were designed that way. When I put pressure on him with the thousands for failed compressors on the forums he told me to contact my insurance company and tell them a rock broke the compressor. That was when I told the CR-V was getting replaced with a Lexus. What a horrible way to treat a two time repeat buyer.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "That was when I told the CR-V was getting replaced with a Lexus. "

    CR-V and Lexus usually are not cross-shopped. I would think Acura and Lexus are comparable.
  • mauicrvmauicrv Member Posts: 2
    I've had a minor A/C problem for the last few months. I have an 07 w/ 3000 miles. I drive almost exclusively in town with little highway usage. As I start from a stop, the A/C cuts out in 2nd gear. It does not matter how slowly or quickly I accelerate. After I pass 2nd gear, the A/C is normal again until I stop at the next light. Has anyone else experienced this?
  • robk11robk11 Member Posts: 3
    The parent company that makes Lexus is Toyota. I was and engineer for a parts supplier of that company. They are very quality and customer satisfaction concerned.
  • robk11robk11 Member Posts: 3
    Just spoke with the dealer Merced Honda.They claim to never have heard of this problem. They quoted $2100 to fix the Ac unit. I told them thanks for the help. I am going to flush the system and replace the filter dryer and put a new compressor on the CR-V myself. I understand there is no issue with Honda's liability for the compressor. With all the documented complaints I do not like being treated like and Idiot. I will repair the CR-V and sell it . I will also remmeber how I was treated when I sign the next $40k check to Toyota.. Best of luck to all of you. X honda owner.
  • madrivermadriver Member Posts: 8
    "The Gen 2 has a timing chain, is that what you meant, or are you speaking of the Gen 1 timing belt?"

    It was a belt, and as I recall the documentation said it needed to be replaced between 95K and 105K miles. A chain sounds like a better design. There were other belts that were replaced at the same time.

    BTW, Honda sent me a check for my out-of-pocket expense on my AC compressor. This took several phone discussions and faxes to document the problem and the fix over about 5 weeks(I didn't have it fixed at Honda because I hadn't seen this forum then), but I stuck with it and they came through. Someone posted that the AH rep said he hadn't heard of a problem - that's BS, so don't give up. I ate the cost of my repair labor, but that's because a friend did the work and I didn't have a receipt....I think in the end Honda may have negotiated a partial, but I'm very happy with what I got.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "They are very quality and customer satisfaction concerned."

    Sorry, I have to disagree there based on my personal experience. I have owned three Camrys, and all of them gave me problems. Then I went to the CR-V and it had no problems at all.

    I know their reputation, but I won't buy one from them...
  • phisherphisher Member Posts: 175
    You should try calling them back and nicely explaining the problem. A different representative may offer some form of compensation. What reason do they have to replace the compressor for you if they already know that they have lost you as a future buyer and the defective part is out of warranty?
  • sevjvasevjva Member Posts: 1
    Two weeks ago my A/C system started to rumble so loudly that I've stopped using it altogether. At the local shop where I change my oil they've told me that compressor needs to be replaced, and quoted $1100 (with Honda parts) provided metal shavings did not get to the condenser and other parts of the system.

    That's when I've started looking online if others had that same problem and found this thread. Then I've called Honda. The rep (I must admit very professionally) avoided any far reaching questions on the matter. She only told me that there is no recall, and if I want to be considered for Honda "assistance" I must go to a Honda dealer, get an estimate, and then Honda will decide if they would pay any part of that.

    At the dealership they did not rush to tell me that they are dealing with this issue on a regular basis. But when asked did not deny it either. They confirmed that Honda will probably pay some part of the bill, but they have to contact district manger who makes the decision. After taking the system apart they found metal shavings everywhere and quoted very close to $3000 ($2080 parts, $680 labor, $240 taxes) for the replacement of the entire A/C system.

    After speaking to that district manager they said that Honda would pay 75% of that so my price would be $750 all in.

    I've figured out that by getting parts online, taking the car to an independent shop, and asking them to reuse whatever may be reused I could cut the total bill to maybe $1800. But then Honda would probably refuse to cover 75%, and I would end up wasting time and not saving any money. So I decided to give them OK to start the job.

    I just hope this new compressor was not made by the same supplier. And I was so fond that my CR-V was Japanese made, not British made! Oh well...
  • jseawrightjseawright Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2003 Honda CRV. 45,000 miles. I love this car! However, 2 days after having my 45,000 tune up done at the dealer, my fan quit working. I took it back to the dealer and they stated it would cost me $400.00 to replace the motor. Needless to say I was very disappointed and told them I couldn't have it fixed at this time. An hour later, the service rep. called me and told me since I was such a good customer, they were going to replace the motor and not charge me.

    Today I left my CRV to get the fan motor replaced. This afternoon I received a call from the service department telling me they replaced the motor, but the fan still doesn't work. They asked me to leave it until tomorrow and they will have a diagnostician look at the problem. They did tell me I would not be charged for the diag.

    I mostly drive within my very small town and only occasionally do I get out of town with it. I get great gas mileage, smooth ride, comfortable seats, etc. etc. I am really concerned after reading of other customers' air conditioner problems. Do you have any suggestions as to what I might need to do before a final decision needs to be made? I did not purchase an extended warranty as I felt Honda had an excellent reputation and two of my children have the same CRV and have had no problems. It seems that the fan should have been covered for at least 5 years!

    Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

    JS
  • jseawrightjseawright Member Posts: 2
    UPDATE:
    My dealer called and told me the fan motor was replaced, but still did not work. The diagnostician looked at the fan and determined it was a transistor problem. That was replaced and my car is back to being perfect! I was told the reason for no charge was due to a "one time goodwill replacement". However, it was covered under my warranty. I don't have an extended warranty.

    I feel Honda was fair with me and I will certainly continue to drive Honda!!

    Thanks to all of you who tried to give me advise!
  • rliggrligg Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2007 CRV with approx. 10500 miles. About two weeks ago I flipped on the a/c and the smell emitted from the vents smelled like a rendering plant. Really bad.
    I, of course, turned it off. I tried it several times after that and each time got the same sickening smell. I took the car to our local Honda dealer to have them look at it. They couldn't find the cause, so they sprayed Frigifresh(sounds like a deodorant)through HVAC Assembly. This did help some, but you can still smell the same smell, only not so strong. Has anyone else had or heard of this problem in the CRVs'??
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    I have a 2007 CRV with approx. 10500 miles. About two weeks ago I flipped on the a/c and the smell emitted from the vents smelled like a rendering plant. Really bad.
    I, of course, turned it off. I tried it several times after that and each time got the same sickening smell. I took the car to our local Honda dealer to have them look at it. They couldn't find the cause, so they sprayed Frigifresh(sounds like a deodorant)through HVAC Assembly. This did help some, but you can still smell the same smell, only not so strong. Has anyone else had or heard of this problem in the CRVs'??

    When you say you "flipped the A/C on" do you mean just pressing on the A/C button, or sliding the selector to "A/C" or "Max A/C" position?
  • rliggrligg Member Posts: 2
    Yes, I just pressed on the a/c button.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    Yes, I just pressed on the a/c button.

    So, you press on the A/C button, without changing the air flow selector, correct?

    Whatever may be lurking inside the fan housing or the ducts should have smelled without you having to press the A/C button.

    I would suspect that the A/C core in the fan housing has a leak and what you smell is the ester oil and the refrigerant.
  • kalmattkalmatt Member Posts: 4
    My A/C just stopped. No warning, nothing. I thought it might be a fuse...Anyway took it to my mechanic and the housing for the compressor is shattered - several large pieces of metal fell onto the ground when they took off the cover. The clutch is frozen also. The mechanic said to "start w/ Honda"

    Any ideas, illuminations, etc.
  • chrismattachrismatta Member Posts: 19
    I went through this in the summer. '04 CRV, 43k miles, above warranty. I was anxiety-ridden when I read on the net how much it cost to fix. I found this site, and it saved me. If I had to outline the path to success, it would be:
    1) Call Honda America Corporate and get a case #. State your case simply and diplomatically. Your tone can make or break the deal.
    2) Write a letter, stating the situation, but start off with how much you value being a Honda customer. If you have bought Hondas before, tell them so. Tell them how you are grooming your kids to be Honda customers. If you get your car serviced at a Honda dealership, say so. (By the way, your "history" with Honda - former purchases, service record, etc will factor into their decision). But after you butter them up, tell them how disappointed you are that this would happen to a Honda vehicle, but that you are confident that they will maintain their reputation by helping you with this. Diplomatically point out that you have reviewed Edmunds.com, and that you were suprised to see so many posts of people with similar problems, so you are "assuming that this a defect in the manufacturing". State again how you hope to continue to be a Hoda customer....
    3) Send the letter to the VP of Services at your dealership (can be found on their web-site), and another copy to your case manager at Corporate, who will have been appointed to you by this time.
    4) Hope for the best. The results I have read on this problem have been varied: full payment, partial payment, no payment at all. But if you follow those steps, I think your chances will be increased.
    FYI, Honda paid mine in full..
    Good luck.
  • lparrishlparrish Member Posts: 10
    I have been considering a used CRV, but am a little hesitant after hearing about the AC compressor problem (and having a couple of friends experience it!). One post mentioned that the problem might have been fixed for the 2006 model year--can anyone confirm?
    Thanks!
  • kalmattkalmatt Member Posts: 4
    I tried looking @ the Honda America web site to get information for contact numbers and no information is available. In fact there are no telephone numbers listed @ all on the national web site????

    I also checked out the dealer's web page and there is no information available on who the "VP of Service" (or any other staff) might be? the only numbers listed are the sales numbers (big surprise).

    I'm at a loss how to proceed w/ your advice? :cry:

    Thanks, K
  • chrismattachrismatta Member Posts: 19
    1-800-999-1009
    The first call will be uneventful. You state what happened and you get a case number. dont expect them to seem empathetic or to even ask many questions. The goal of the first call is to get a case number and a case manager assigned to you. He/she will then call you in a couple days. They will recommend that you bring the car into a dealership for analysis if you hadnt done it already..
  • kisseypookisseypoo Member Posts: 29
    We had problems with our '03 CR-V a/c in 2/06 (53K miles) and the dealer agreed to "one-time goodwill warranty" in which they had us pay for parts ($621) but not labodr. Yesterday (12/20...Merry Christmas from our Honda!) the a/c stopped working again. We immediately took it to the dealer. Now we have 77K and it's almost two years later. We got a call this a.m. that it was beyond 12K/12month guarantee. The service manager quoted us a repair of $1300! I told her, based on info from postings here, that according to my invoice, Honda had not done a complete replacement. That the condenser, etc. should have been replaced. (Dead silence on the other end of the line.) Then I mentioned the number of similar a/c failures that I had found on the Internet. At that point, she said she'd talk w/her boss and have him contact the District Manager. (Pass the buck.) Doesn't anyone have any authority to make a decision???

    I decided to check this site because I had luck get a reimbursement from Honda Customer Care (Corporate) when our rear differntial started groaning and moaning for the second time. It had been "repaired" by another Honda dealer in late September. Becayse of the info I found here, I was able to convince Corporate (but not our local dealer) to reimburse us for the cost of the repair.

    Back to the a/c. Once again, I'm armed with info about a part/service repair failure with the original a/c servicing. I noticed on our previous repair invoice that the condenser and hoses had not been replaced (only after reading this site and rereading my repair invoice). So the new system was probably contaminated by whatever (metal shavings??) were floating around inside.

    Our Honda service manager was going to check to see if there was a service bulletin on the a/c repair...after I got assertive with her about yet another a/c repair. I told her I wanted her/her manager to "go to bat" for us. We shouldn't have to be calling Honda Corporate to have Honda do the right thing.

    It's midafternoon and I'm still waiting to hear from her. Meanwhile, I've printed out the comments you folks have sent in to this site to use for "ammunition" if I need it. By the way, I also had an oxygen sensor replaced in late September at the time of the first rear differential repair. Someone else mentioned in their post that they also had a o2 sensor replaced prior to a/c failure.

    FYI,my VIN begins SHSR.

    Will keep you posted as to my success.

    This is my first Honda...and it maybe my last...

    Kissey Poo
  • kisseypookisseypoo Member Posts: 29
    In my previous posting today, I related that my second a/c compressor, installed less than 2 years ago, had failed again. :lemon: I rec'd a call late today telling me that the car was repaired but that the local Honda dealer, after calling the district level mgr., could provide me with no relief.

    I became very assertive, :mad: quoted from posts on this site and let it be known that I was expecting Honda to make things right. The mgr. asked why I hadn't purchased an extended warranty as opposed to dealing directly with the fact that other dealers had "gone to bat" for their customers, even those with cars out of warranty, and had gotten Honda to pick up the entire tab for the repair. The end of our conversation was that he (the Mgr. of the Service Dept.) could do nothing for us.

    By the time we went to pick up the car, 15 minutes later, he had supposedly called the District Level back and got agreement to provide the parts free, but we would have to foot the bill, again, for the labor. :( While this was some relief, we were not satisfied and let him know it to no avail. We assured him we would contact Honda Customer Care and let them know of our dissatisfaction with his efforts, with our Vero Beach, FL Honda dealer, and if we didn't get further relief, from Honda in general.

    When we looked at today's invoice for the repairs, once again, the condenser and hoses had not been replaced. When I questioned the Service Dept. Mgr., quoting from this forum about the need to change the condenser and hoses, he said that changing the "drier" took care of catching the metal particles. (If that was try, why did the compressor fail again yesterday?) So I ended up with the same repair as in 2/06 and had to pay $532 in labor. Quite likely, I will end up with the same a/c problem down the road. :mad:

    We haven't given up the quest for satisfaction. We will communicate with the Vero Beach Honda dealer owner letting him know that we are dissatisfied and giving him a chance to win back our business, both for servicing and buying future Hondas. Simultaneously, we will be in touch with Honda Customer Care.

    As I said previously, we bought our first Honda when we purchased the '03 CR-V and it's likely to be our last. We will also convey our situation to our son who also owns a Honda (bought based on our earlier recommendation) and suggest he consider replacing his Honda before he's subject less than satisfactory customer care and failing, defective parts.

    Will post any further results after the holidays. :mad:
  • kalmattkalmatt Member Posts: 4
    I was able to get my A/C system replaced and I paid the labor of $548.50. Honda paid for every thing else!

    I contacted the local Service Director, first. I was very careful to be pleasant and supportive of Honda and to present a "I Love Honda's" persona. Which is not a lie - I do love Honda's. I've had 3, my daughter had two, my sister-in-laws each bought one after I had such good luck with them, etc.

    I mentioned what I'd seen on Edmond.com about the "issue with A/C's in CR-V's". Once I was able to get the American Honda corporate number I called them and got a case number. I had to explain to them what happened, how old the car was, how many miles, etc, etc. etc. But I was very pleased with the outcome.

    the person I spoke to @ corporate was very pleasant, asked essentially the same questions that the Service Director asked. I gave the same answers (obviously). Within one day I heard from the "case manager" about what they had talked about with the local Honda dealer and what the local Honda dealer was willing to "do" for me.

    I now have a new A/C system with a 12 month, 12, 000 mile warranty.

    I'm pleased and continue to be a satisfied Honda consumer.

    Good luck, K
  • kisseypookisseypoo Member Posts: 29
    In Posting #670, K relates that she "only" paid $548. for a new a/c system. Good luck! We paid $621 for the first replacement in 2/06 and another $532 for another compressor today. Yet, if you review the postings on the CR-V a/c issue, there are others, whose cars were not under warranty, who had Honda charge them nothing or reimburse them in total for the a/c failure. Why should I be hit with labor charges and others receive repair for no charge at all?

    K, glad you're satisfied. Guess I've been bitten twice now and I'm not happy!
  • kalmattkalmatt Member Posts: 4
    I don't believe I said I "only" paid. I said I paid. Yes it was a large chunk of change, but not as much as the $2,000 to $2,500 that it would have cost me if Honda hadn't stepped up to the plate.

    I have had my entire A/C system replaced, every nut, bolt, tube, etc. If I have problems in the future I'll deal w/ it at that time. Till then I'm driving my Honda w/ the A/C running and I'm a happy camper.

    As with all situations in life, sometimes your the cherry and sometimes your the pit. This time I was lucky.

    Good luck, K :D
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