Honda Civic Climate Control System

targettuning

We own a 2006 Civic and it too does about the same thing. Additionally, there are others on both this site (do a search) and another dedicated to Honda Civic who have complained about this. It seems you must be a bit more crazy that you think because I believe it IS normal...stupid as it seems. Oh, its the AC compressor that gets momentarily shut down...stupid design in my opinion!!!

kenlw

on small engine cars, it is very common to have the compressor shut off under hard accelerating. A car with that little horsepower needs all it can muster to get up and going. Add an automatic transmission which takes about 25-30% of that away, and you could be in serious trouble merging on a freeway or passing that bigrig. A new civic 1.8L with automatic transmission will be lucky to have 100 HP available if the AC is on.

them ain't a lot of ponies, pardner....

This feature is common and you can adapt your driving style to minimize the impact. I've had it on several small cars, and even installed it myself on one that desperately needed it.

Basically the harder you accelerate the more likely it is to shut off. And the longer you keep it floored, the longer it stays off. Don't floor it, let it upshift as quickly as possible and it will minimize the compressor down time.

ddove1972

Well it does not even have to be when the car is at a high RPM. Just driving down the road is enough to do it. I have taken 3 honda sevice guys out on different trips and they all have agreed that it is not normal for the temperature to change this much. We even drove another 2007 civic just to see if it was doing it. It is in the shop for the 4th time in a little over a month and only has 8900 miles on it.

maggienaj

Hello, did anybody tell you where that filter is located? I have 07 Civic and same problem - thanks!

kenlw

It's not just high RPM, it is load-based. it SHOULD only do this when accellerating. It isn't so much that the temperature is changing, it's that the compressor is shut off. Mine does this all the time, but it is hardly an issue on mine.

If you have taken it to 3 service guys, why haven't they fixed it? Either the sensor (or whatever controls it) is bad or an adjustment on the sensitivty needs to be made. It isn't rocket science. You need to elevate the issue thru the dealership to the regional folks.

nathan118

Did Honda fix the problem with "pebbles" on the road damaging the AC Condenser for the 2007 model? I see 7 complaints on the '06 and only 1 complaint on the '07 at the ODI website.

maggienaj

Somebody at the parts store told me that the filter is located under the dash in the casing that holds the a/c blower, it is usually accessed behind the glove box.
The Honda owner's manual is useless - doesn't say anything; I have one at home.

dsrtrat2

Friend had the on again, off again A/C problem and it was fixed when the dealer put a different software chip in that controlled the parameters of the A/C cycling.

She is now a happy Civic owner.

will26

I don't know if it's still a problem but I took no chances after reading about the problem. I drive to work on a highway with 4 different gravel pits and there are dump trucks everywhere throwing rocks out of their tires. In fact, one hit my windshield the first day I had my car. I had my boyfriend who is in the body business add a screen behind the grill. He agreed that the opening was just too big. It looks awesome and now I don't have to worry about fixing an ac in the future.

elwood5

Is there any chance that your friend could tell you the details of the software chip, part number and software version, so it can be shared with others.

jet10000

Simply take everything out of your glove box. then push on both sides of the "tray" part of it (right near the top).

The box will then fall.

Then you'll see the Cabin air filter tray. simply unhook it and pull it out. Take the old filter out and put the new one in, then slide the tray back.

Seriously, It took me less than 5 minutes to do it from start to finish. ridiculously easy.

kenlw

those instructions are very good. Mine's not due yet but i think even I can remember how to do it.

targettuning

I cannot totally confirm the authenticity of the following information but Honda of America has supposedly issued a service bulletin addressing the poor AC operation on all 2006 and some 2007 Civics.
Issued: 19 Sept 2007
Service bulletin #: 07-062
Affected vehicles: all automatic 2006 sedans (and maybe..probably...coupes as well)
And a serial numbered list of 2007 models
THE FIX: a reflash of the PGM
I will post further info as found.

ddove1972

You are correct. I JUST got a call back from the Honda dealer. I had this patch uploaded about a month ago before the bulletin came out officially. When this one came out officially , I was at the dealer with a Honda rep trying to figure out what to do next. We thought it was a newer update but it wasn't (according to the call today). Still did not take care of my problem so I am not sure what my next options are.

12K miles on the car.
Thank You

ts45

1st full summer season in Mobile Alabama, our temps average about 95 + from mid July to mid Sept. The Civic EX 1.8 Liter AC system worked fine, once cooled down maintained Cabin temps to whatever was needed.

Any Honda I've owned has taken a little while to cool down.

xlstealth

I lost the book for my 2000 Honda Civic Lx and cannot find the location for the air conditioning relay. My honda air conditioning and heater fans have stopped working the lights that usually come on are no longer working. We tested the fuses which appear to be okay. Auto Zone suggested that it must be the relay switch. Does anyone out there know where the switch is located on the Honda Civic Lx 2000.

maggienaj

Thank you very much for your response! It's very helpful

will26

I was just reading on another website how people are putting in a code to deactivate the A/C when you use defrost. Using the code will give the person the option of turning the a/c button off. Would it be a good idea to use the code? I like the idea of it not running it all winter and think it might have something to do with my gas milage drop all winter but I'm just afraid putting in some code might mess with other things. Any ideas..

shipo

One if the pitfalls of not running your A/C all winter is that the hoses and seals can dry out and/or corrosion can form on critical internal components. The refrigerant in your A/C system includes a lubricant and conditioner, and the circulation of the system (which sends the refrigerant through a dryer if I'm not mistaken) on a regular basis is key to keeping the system trouble free for many years. FWIW, most A/C systems deactivate when defrost mode is selected once the temperatures get down beyond a certain threshold (sorry, I don't know the specifics of the Civic system).

Best Regards,
Shipo

tysalpha

Agree about running the A/C in winter. In fact, I would recommend using the A/C at least once a week, provided it's above about 40F outside. I've had no worries with my 07 Civic so far, but in my previous car I forgot this routine one winter (when the car was about 4 years old), and the A/C was completely ruined afterwards.

kenlw

If your AC was "ruined" after one winter of not using the AC, i think your problems were elsewhere. Once enough freon leaks out, the low pressure switch will prevent the compressor from even coming on, preventing any subsequent damage to the system.

Worst case may be that the pressure in the system was so low as to allow moisture to enter and "soak" the dryer. In that case replacing the dryer would be the extent of the damage once the actual leak was located and repaired.

4 years of use (imho) indicates shaft seal wear on the compressor, the most common leak point on modern auto AC units after a few years. r134a is more prone to leaks anyway due to the smaller molecules .

Sandman6472

My compressor in my '06 Civic LX with 32.6k on the clock is bad and needs to be replaced. Am very pissed because the car isn't that old and I've treated it very tenderly. Have a case number with Honda Corp. and hopefully they'll see to it to help with the cost of the repair, as I realize that I'm out of the warranty already. But this does seem to be a premature problem with an a/c compressor. Hopefully Honda will do the right thing here!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

jchamp

I am getting no power to my A/C climate control on my 2007 honda civic EX so I can not add freon because the air will not come on. Thanks