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Honda CR-V AC Compressor Problems

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Comments

  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    "The 7 year/100,000 mile warranty from Hyundai does not cover A/C. It covers a very limited list of components that are almost never fail. "

    I am not familiar with the Hyundai warranties, but the HONDA extended warranty does indeed cover the A/C compressor. My father in law had the compressor go out at 65K miles after 6 years, and he didn't pay a cent - the HondaCare warranty covered everything.

    I would advise against buying anything except a genuine HondaCare warranty. The 3rd party warranties are no good at all, IMHO.

    The response was to the poster saying that they would have rather have a Hyundai with the 100,000 mile warranty. I merely pointed out that the 100,000 warranty from Hyundai does not cover much.

    A friend had a Kia Sportage with the said 100,000 warranty. The car would refuse to run when it rained. It was traced to a short in the main harness. Hyundai/Kia refused to cover it under the 100,000 mile powertrain warranty because the harness short was not "In the engine or transmission"

    It is a useless piece of marketing doo doo, like Crysler's lifetime warranty that does not cover much.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    We are experiencing an "AC Compressor Explosion" in Florida. 2004 CRV. I am interested in how to contact Honda America "Goodwill Assitance". Does anyone have the shortcut info?

    Thank you in advance,

    Toasty in Florida!

    The contact info is in your Owner's Manual.
  • lisatincalisatinca Member Posts: 7
    I believe the number for Goodwill Assistance is 1-800-999-1009. I would make a point not to get overly emotional in talking to them. State the facts, express your loyalty to Honda and your disappointment in the early failure, and let them know that you know there is a defect with the a/c compressor. They paid for my repair 100%. I know from reading this forum that it is not always the case. I suspect it may have to do with the mileage on the car or the history of Honda ownership they have on you (I've owned many Hondas over the past 20 years). Good luck!
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "The response was to the poster saying that they would have rather have a Hyundai with the 100,000 mile warranty. I merely pointed out that the 100,000 warranty from Hyundai does not cover much."

    Thanks, sorry I missed teh connection. As I recall, the Hyundai warranty is only good for the original owner...
  • jerseyjohnjerseyjohn Member Posts: 1
    Complaints can be filed at the Nat'l Highway Traffic Safetywebsite:
    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

    Probably won't do any good but can't hurt.
  • aedlaedl Member Posts: 4
    I understand your position, but I would still like to remind you that you should consider yourself "lucky". There are many people (like me) who are stuck with 75% or more of the repair bill. Honda offered to pay about $600 on my $2500 repair. I would JUMP at the chance to have a $300 bill....$2500 is something to complain about!

    I am pleased that some of you are getting this repair done at relatively little, to no cost. Just dont forget about the rest of us...
  • sfsmith4sfsmith4 Member Posts: 3
    This is our 4th Honda car in 23 years. My sons is driving our 94 Accord with the original clutch still in it after 290,000 miles. Only work has been 2 starters and 1 ignition switch in that time. Our 02 CRV was rear ended by a tanker truck w/o injury to CRV driver. With almost 124,000 on the 04 CRV I told Honda that I'd pay $700 of the $2750 bill. Maybe I should of said less, and maybe they wouldn't have covered anything. I felt that was fair.
    I took apart the old compressor and it was indeed in pieces.
  • ajf27ajf27 Member Posts: 18
    I'm sorry if my message came across rude. I wasn't trying to brag about my $300 repair, I was actually trying to help you. I thought maybe you could fight for them to pay more, especially since you are a long-time Honda owner. I am definitely NOT forgetting about the rest of you! That's why I check this site so frequently...I like to try to help others and give them advice on what worked for me, and what I see working for others. I'm just curious...do you know why they quoted you $2500? My estimate was $1200 and my compressor totally blew up as well. I'm not sure if anyone has figured out why there is such a price difference for estimates on the same repair. Bottom line....NONE of us should have to pay ANYTHING for a faulty compressor.
  • scifichickscifichick Member Posts: 1
    My '04 CR-V with 71,000 miles also suffered from the AC Compressor implosion, affecting the rest of the system. Thankfully, I read and learned from earlier experiences on this forum. I called Corporate Honda first and opened a case number. Got the estimate from my local dealer (over $3,000). And Corporate called back and asked me how much I was willing to pay. I said, of course, I'd like it all paid, but I'd be content with just paying $250-300 of it. They called back almost immediately to let me know I'd only have to pay a $200 deductable.
    I'm just happy I don't have to pay all of it.
    I, too, am a loyal Honda owner. This is my 2nd CR-V. And my entire family only owns Hondas. Corporate told me this helped with the Goodwill Assistance.
  • vikingblood68vikingblood68 Member Posts: 5
    I have a Honda CR-V with 125,000 miles. I was driving the other day when it sounded like something fell off my car. This coincided with the air condition blowing only warm air. Does this sound like the compressr issue? Has anyone had success getting Honda to pay for a CR-V that has this many miles? I have been a Honda owner for 12 years and also convinced my father and sister to buy Honda...hopefully this will count for something!
  • lisatincalisatinca Member Posts: 7
    When my a/c went out i thought is was the transmission or something. I had someone walk me through a diagnosis and it was turn your engine on w/o running the a/c, does it make the noise? turn the a/c on, does it make the noise? What you don't want to do is run the car with the a/c on if that is when it is making the noise when the a/c is blowing. You can do some serious damage. The dealer that I took my car to believes I got 100% coverage because they can tell the history of Honda ownership. I've been a Honda owner for 20+ years. I only had 67k on my CRV though so that might account for something too. It doesn't hurt to ask and even if they pay something it is better then nothing. Good luck.
  • andradeandrade Member Posts: 1
    just bought my first Honda a 2004 cr-v , in less than a month I owned it, my a/c is not working. honda says is external damage in the condenser, I said the is very strange after reading all your posting in this board! i had many different cars and NEVER had a condenser damage. it sounds to me that a bad part is causing the internal damage to the a/c and they are trying to blame it on something else, is there anybody else with same problem??
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "just bought my first Honda a 2004 cr-v , in less than a month I owned it, my a/c is not working. honda says is external damage in the condenser, I said the is very strange after reading all your posting in this board! i had many different cars and NEVER had a condenser damage. it sounds to me that a bad part is causing the internal damage to the a/c and they are trying to blame it on something else, is there anybody else with same problem?? "

    Unfortunately, it can happen that rocks can damage condensers. I would take it to a 2nd dealer for their opinion.

    I would imagine that any Honda dealer would recognize the now-famous compressor imploding issue, and not mistake it for road damage... besides, a condenser replacement would be cheaper than the "compressor explosion" repair, and if the dealer wanted to dishonestly make a buck, they would have told you your system exploded - so they could make more money. The fact that they did not tell you this indicates they may be right. But a 2nd opinion is always best.
  • lisatincalisatinca Member Posts: 7
    I was told this too when I took my CRV in. The first service advisor said it sounded like the condensor and then another service advisor came out and said a lot of times road debris kicks up and punctures the condensor. I think they know there is a problem and don't want to deal with it. Take it for a second opinion.
  • lucy03lucy03 Member Posts: 2
    I was a little surprised when a case manager from Honda America contacted me w/in the week. He and I played phone tag for a while, and via VM's he told me that in order for them to look into the situation, I would indeed have to have it looked at by Honda service.Last Wednesday I took it in and for 91 bucks I was told the exact same thing that my mechanic told me for 100 bucks. Honda's estimate for the repair was 1337. I waited for my phone to ring, and finally yesterday- over a week later Edward calls me. He asked me when and where I bought my car, and if it was my first Honda. I told him that it was actually my FOURTH Honda, and that I bought it used and where- it was not from a Honda dealer. He then asked me if I have ever purchased from a Honda dealer, and I told him that I did (LOL, went on to tell him that it was for my Honda CR-X, how much I loved that car, and how much trouble that naughty car got me into- 3 speeding tickets w/in 6 months- bad little rockin' car LOL)
    He said that as a goodwill assistance Honda America would pay for half of the repair. It will be repaired as a warrantee job, which brought the repair total to 1000 bucks, which leaves me paying 500. But, I have a 10% off repair coupon, which brings it to 450. A HECK of a lot better than over 1300!! I am thinking that the fact that I didn't buy my car new, or from a Honda dealer knocked some "points off of the decision" but that it was not my first Honda, and that I did buy from Honda in the past gave me some "points" in my favor.

    Sorry for the long post- hopefully this post will help someone else out there that is facing the same problem..........

    And again- THANK-YOU for this awesome forum!! I know for a fact that I would have never of gotten my air fixed, and would have been MISERABLE every summer bc of it............ you all totally rock : )
  • zip700zip700 Member Posts: 1
    Our 2003 CRV only has 37000 miles on it. On Wednesday (3 days ago) we were headed out on some errands. I went out to start the car and get the AC on so it would be cooler for the kids. As soon as I started the engine and turned up the AC I heard some funny "clanking" noises. Not knowing what it was, I was reluctant to go anywhere with a toddler and newborn baby in a car that might be on the fritz so my husband took the car to AMPCO and they checked it, and told us we needed to replace the AC at a cost of over $1200.

    My husband was doing research to find less expensive parts and came across this forum. I scanned through the over 900 messages and found a lot of helpful info most of it is summarized above by Lisatinca here: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0d3fb5/981

    so we followed the advice.

    On Thursday we called Goodwill Assistance at 1-800-999-1009. We mentioned that we were long time Honda owners (since 1991) and the our current vehicle, while just out of warranty, only had 37k miles on it and we would like them to take care of the AC problem. They opened a case and told us we had to take it in to the dealer and the dealer would handle this. Dealer was booked that day and told us to come in on Friday and they would try to fit us in. We got our car into the dealer before 8am on Friday and they advised that there would be a $120 fee to assess the problem (take things apart, etc) and they should have an estimate for us by noon. Around noon THEY call us and informed us that "corporate" had been in touch with them, and that they would complete the repairs without charging us (even waiving the $120 fee) -- and they would complete the repair by 5pm the same day.

    What a relief! $$ has been tight since we have a new baby and other big expenses -- I'm sure that the information on this board helped a lot, in addition to the fact that our car has very low milieage -- so a big Thank You to all of you who took the time to share your experiences with this issue! Good luck to the rest of you!
  • aedlaedl Member Posts: 4
    I also apologize for sounding upset. I just flat out do not have the money to pay for this repair and have been driving around TX summer since May with no A/C. I have 2 small kids AND my job requires lots of driving. It has been beyond difficult. I cannot stand to even get into that car now! I have talked with Honda AM till I am blue in the face - all the time being very polite. They just will not budge. My only choice is to continue to drive w/no A/C since I do not have the money to fix this much less buy a new car. Seeing that this is our 2nd A/C to explode/fail, I thought Honda AM would at least offer more than they did. I do not understand the differences in cost from dealer to dealer. I am so frustrated with this experience...words cannot convey how disheartening this is...
  • lisatincalisatinca Member Posts: 7
    I am SO glad this worked out for you. Loyalty and attitude, I believe, account for success in Am Honda's willingness to cover the cost of the repair. Congrats!
  • lzclzc Member Posts: 483
    Don't forget low mileage. A failure at 37K miles is a powerful argument that the a/c was defective. At 100K+ miles, most of the cases here I believe, the a/c is past the half-way point in its life expectancy. No a/c compressor lasts forever.
  • ajf27ajf27 Member Posts: 18
    I believe, from reading all the posts, that "most" of the failures occur around 50,000 miles. (There are definitely different mileages involved as well.) You are correct, no a/c lasts forever, but I think it's pretty obvious that the CR-Vs are built with faulty ones.
  • jam8jam8 Member Posts: 22
    My wife's 2003 CRV is having the entire A/C system replaced for the second time. It now has 55,000 miles. The first time was at 37,000. Luckily we bought the HondaCare warrantly as we intend to keep the vehicle 7 years. Couldn't believe how loud the noise from the compressor was. It was like using an air-powered tool to remove lug nuts!
  • bjlintonbjlinton Member Posts: 1
    I am still arguing with Honda America and my local dealer. So far I have got it down to $500 on an estimate of $3,500. I just noticed that a law office in NJ is collecting info for a class action suit. Honda-lawsuit.com . I guess Honda figures that it is cost effective to just piss people off instead of recalling all of the faulty compressors which would cost a small fraction of the eventual price we owners have to pay to replace the whole AC system.
  • cutigresscutigress Member Posts: 2
    This forum was a godsend for us last July 2007 when this issue arose for us with a brand new baby at home. We used the 1-800 number and we paid for the parts and the dealer paid for the labor for our 2001 Honda CR-V with the same compressor issues everyone else is mentioning.

    Here we are just over a year later, and it happened again TONIGHT! I am BEYOND pissed off at this point as tomorrow I get to go back to the dealer who thought I was making this stuff up last year to have them run the diagnostics AGAIN to tell me what I already know, and then have to wait a few days for Honda America to work with them. I can't believe this, I know parts go bad, but it's been a freakin' year????
  • elzreginaelzregina Member Posts: 1
    This past weekend I noticed that my a/c was not putting out any cold air. First thought of course is it needs recharging. My boyfriend bought a can of 134 with a gauge on it, and when he tried refilling the a/c, the gauge read "high pressure". So I made an appointment with my dealer, but in the meantime, googled the issue and found this forum. I am so glad I did.

    On Tuesday I called and explained the situation (calmly and in a friendly manner), received a case # and was told to call back as soon as I had the diagnosis and estimate from the dealer. I was told that having been the buyer of EIGHT Hondas over 30 years and that I have the majority of my maintenance, etc., completed by the local dealers, would be in my favor.

    I took the car in today. Indeed it was the compressor and the reason for the failure was not external, but INTERNAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I called American Honda at 9:15 a.m., gave them all the info and was told I would receive a call within a couple of days. That if I had not received one by Monday, to please call them back.

    It's 1:35 p.m. and I just got off the phone with the Regional Case Manager. Due to the mileage on my car (108,000) and the basic life expectancy of an A/C compressor (120,000 miles), their offer was to pay for all the parts and materials, and I would pay for the labor. I more than happily accepted. The initial overall cost is $1273.37; I'll be paying $368, which is a savings of 71%. Would I have liked them to pay more? Sure, but I'm not greedy and am grateful to have found a solution and have it work out for me. I was also told it will be a new compressor; however, also based on what I have read here I will specifically question whether it is truely new or rebuilt, and get some sort of additional guarantee in writing.

    My car will be ready around 5 p.m. Thank you so much to those who posted.

    The number to call is 1-800-999-1009. Have your VIN number handy, know how many Hondas you have purchased, where you get them serviced. Be nice, be friendly. Honey will catch more flies than vinegar.

    Good Luck!!!
  • cutigresscutigress Member Posts: 2
    Wow, you got a quicker response than I did. I am still waiting for a call back from the case manager. I'm hoping to hear back tomorrow.

    (I realize I got my info reversed above... we too paid for labor, American Honda paid for parts last year for us.)

    When I took it to the dealer this morning (same dealer we've always gone to), they still feigned ignorance when I told them of this website and the issues. I reminded them that they replaced the same exact part last year for us and their response was that it was past 12 months so not covered under warranty (I checked.. It's been exactly 13 months...big whoop) So for a part that should last 120K miles, it lasted all of 11K miles and 13 months?

    Hopefully will hear from the case manager tomorrow. I have no problem with honey versus vinegar, but on the same token, I'll be darned if I'm paying anything this time. I'm to the point I'd rather get another non-Honda vehicle if they can't stand by a part for 13 months.
  • kpooldzinekpooldzine Member Posts: 1
    I have read about the experiences that some are having. It seems that most are blaming this on bad compressors ? When I found out about my a/c experiencing "Black Death" it was via my mechanic that has done service on my CR-V for the past few years. My a/c was blowing hot air, and my wife was driving it when it started she said that she had heard a noise before it began blowing hot air. He serviced the a/c removing air and moisture from the system and then recharging it, only to find out it was blowing hot air still, it didn't make any noise after the intial noise my wife heard. We all know the costs etc. The problem is something that Honda is very aware of but has not made it public. It isn't a bad compressor, more so it is where the compressor is located, there is no airflow where it is and it is in one of the hottest places it could be under the hood. Thus the problem with it happening in some cases more than once. Seems Honda has known of this for some time now. The CR-V generation 3 has a vented pan that allows air flow around the a/c compressor so I have been told.
  • vdoepkervdoepker Member Posts: 3
    Had the AC compressor on my 2003 CRV (VIN starts with SHS) literally explode this weekend while driving. Showered the under-hood area with bits of metal and compressor oil everywhere.

    Took the car to the dealership and was quoted $1400 to replace the compressor and all related bits. I found this thread and called Honda America at the number on their website and the representative point-blank stated that there was no known problems with the AC compressors on my particular CRV model and that Honda America would not help me out with the repair. I pressed on and told him about this thread on Edmonds and he still persisted that there was no problems with the compressor.

    I'm kind of at a loss here....should I swallow the $1400 at the stealership and then follow-up with a letter to Honda America? This is our second Honda...I'd really like to make it three, but this is a distinctly un-Honda'ish move IMHO.
  • madams1madams1 Member Posts: 101
    Sorry to hear this. What was the mileage on your CRV? From what I can tell, Honda is asking for the VIN numbers and will help on some and not on others. Also, mileage and loyalty play into the equation.
  • vdoepkervdoepker Member Posts: 3
    An update on my AC compressor problems:

    The day after posting here I called back into the dealership and talked to the service manager again (the same dude that quoted me $1400 to fix it the day before.) In a nutshell, I told him that I wanted him to approach Honda America on my behalf and try again for reimburstment for the repair. Wasn't demanding, just firmly confident about it.

    Long story made short....he puts me on hold for a couple minutes after asking a couple of questions and me mentioning this forum, comes back on the line and cheerfully says, "...geeee, you lucked out because my Honda representative is in the shop today and is standing right here. She'll split it 70/30 with you. When you can bring the car in?" Giddy up.

    Then the Honda rep wanted the details about my call to the HondaCare phone number where I was told that they wouldn't help out with AC repair. She seemed genuinely concerned that I had been told incorrect information.

    Just got the truck back this evening after two days in the shop....$1400 turned into total out of pocket of $300 and some change.

    Thank you for doing the right thing Honda. This is my family's second Honda and we'll most likely be going for three next year.

    PS: The CRV had almost 104k on the odometer.
  • drive62drive62 Member Posts: 637
    So Honda knowing it has a problem with A/C compressors that were installed five or six years ago continues to use faulty compressors when doing repairs??

    There must be something about about these multiple failures that should tell us what the problem really is.
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "So Honda knowing it has a problem with A/C compressors that were installed five or six years ago continues to use faulty compressors when doing repairs?? "

    I don't think I've heard of a 2005 or later Gen2 with the problem. My theory (I have no "inside info") is that the first three years of the Gen2 had a compressor/engine design that required a certain compressor model. For 2005 they probably went to a different manufacturer, and changed the engine are to accomodate it - so it isn't possible to retrofit the 2002-2004 models with the new compressor.

    Otherwise, Honda would be putting better compressors in the repaired models, or the 2005 - 2006 models would have failed compressors - but those years don't have problems.
  • dr99saxdr99sax Member Posts: 1
    My Honda is in the shop today. Ac implosion, and Honda will pay for the part, me the labor. Service looks at it , and the destruction went into other components of the AC system, and again Honda will pay parts, we pick up labor. My part about 825, thier part about $1900.

    Sound like a good deal, but truth is, this AC issue is well documented, and Honda should pay for the entire thing. Sound like a class action law suit is needed
  • helpme145helpme145 Member Posts: 1
    Please read and offer some advice:

    My wife has 2003 CRV, 108k miles. Air compressor shelled much like the problem that everyone else is having on this site.

    Took it to Honda dealership. They said it would cost 2300 to repair in addition to 100 fee just to inspect it. I said I would be contacting Honda US to see if they could offer additional help. The dealer called me back and said that their field rep would allow them to reduce the price all the way down (sarcasm) to 1700.

    I called Honda US, and filed a case. Told them my whole situation.

    Rep calls me back and says they can offer no further assistance. I mentioned this site, which offended the rep, saying that they cannot validate random internet sites. After doing my best to try to see if he would please reconsider and then finally saying I would never buy another Honda, I could see that he would not help. I asked to speak to a supervisor, but he would not transfer me. He led me to believe that he was the highest authority possible.

    So I called back later, and asked to speak to a supervisor overseeing the case. The person told me that the case manager I spoke to was the one that handled this area and I would have to speak to him again. When I asked if I could speak to a supervisor over him, I was told that ONLY HE COULD transfer me to a supervisor. So I am handcuffed with this individual.

    My list ditch attempt was to have the dealer call the field rep, and have him call me tomorrow. Seriously doubt he will be able to do anything.

    IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON WHAT I SHOULD DO, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP.

    I am a young, newly married young man, and don't exactly have $1700 to throw around at the moment. This puts me in a terrible spot.

    Thank you a million times over in advance if you can help!!!
  • jnpt49jnpt49 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I had my AC fixed after 40,000miles (4yrs). I am lucky that I bought a extended warranty from Motor Warranty Service. The air compressor is broken, making a loud noise. Its really scary I thought its something to do with the engine.

    These are the total of my bills => 2242.46 not including the air compressor (warranty co. need to send the remanufactured parts)

    Condenser - 380.32
    Hose, Discharge - 169.75
    Evaporator- 277.45
    Valve, Expansion - 93
    Oring - 2.83
    Hose, Suction - 169.75
    Freson - 33.60
    Oring - 6.14
    Oring - 2.83
    LABOR- 960

    I paid 50 for my deductible.

    Gosh , I am lucky I bought the extended warranty for $895 - 100,000 miles or 7yrs.

    I can sleep now just paying 50 dollars.

    Thank You.
  • blueiedgodblueiedgod Member Posts: 2,798
    Hi,

    I had my AC fixed after 40,000miles (4yrs). I am lucky that I bought a extended warranty from Motor Warranty Service. The air compressor is broken, making a loud noise. Its really scary I thought its something to do with the engine.

    These are the total of my bills => 2242.46 not including the air compressor (warranty co. need to send the remanufactured parts)

    Condenser - 380.32
    Hose, Discharge - 169.75
    Evaporator- 277.45
    Valve, Expansion - 93
    Oring - 2.83
    Hose, Suction - 169.75
    Freson - 33.60
    Oring - 6.14
    Oring - 2.83
    LABOR- 960

    I paid 50 for my deductible.

    Gosh , I am lucky I bought the extended warranty for $895 - 100,000 miles or 7yrs.

    I can sleep now just paying 50 dollars.


    If this is the only time you use the warranty, then you have paid $945 ($895+$50) for the repair, not $50.
  • lawmom71lawmom71 Member Posts: 1
    My AC went out at 114,000 miles in May of this year -- just two months before my last payment was to be made. I had purchased the extended warranty, which had expired, however, and read about the AC problem on this site. The dealership initially quoted me $1300 to fix the problem and said they couldn't get Honda to cover any of it because it was out of warranty. I expressed my extreme disappointment, noting all the complaints that had been lodged here, and said I would be contacting Honda directly myself. I also found out that a friend of mine could replace the compressor for me for about $450, the cost of the part.
    The next day, the dealership said they had spoken again with the Honda rep and, as a one-time "good will" gesture, Honda was willing to split the cost, and my portion would be $500. I didn't question the math, since it was in my favor, and figured that this way the repair would be guaranteed by Honda for a year. I said I was still disappointed that a known problem wasn't being entirely taken care of by Honda, but appreciated that they had done something to assist a customer.
    AC has been working since then, but, of course, after reading this forum, I am leery of the replacement part. I plan on running my air from time to time all winter long, just to make sure if it goes bad, it will be under the 12 mos. warranty time.
    My point here, is, the determination of how much it will cost, after warranty has expired, appears to be solely up to the discretion of each dealership and how much it is willing to help its customers. I have no idea if Honda covered anything or if the dealership just ate the labor costs, since what I paid would have more than covered the parts. So, my advice is to be persistant, in a firm but "Columbo-ish" kind of way --"Gee, I'm confused. I really don't understand why this shouldn't be covered, and I've sent a lot of people to you to buy cars, and any help you can give me would be grealy appreciated." etc.
    I know it might be difficult, but if you play the game, sometimes it helps. With Honda's reputation, I planned on keeping this car past 200,000 mi., so was not expecting everything to fall apart now. We had a Mercury Marquis that made it to 160,000 mi. without nearly as many issues. Now my emissions malfunction light has come on, so I may be in for more fun. ;o))
  • crv78754crv78754 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2005 CRV with only 39,000 miles on it and the AC compressor imploded yesterday, destroying the whole AC system. Initially the service manager at the dealership wanted to charge me $3,200 for replacing the entire AC system. Then my wife did a search on the Web and found this is a common problem for CRV. Apparently this also affects 2005 model. We talked to the service manager and he finally agreed to file a case on our behalf to Honda America to see if they will pay for the repair.
    I'm highly disappointed with Honda quality at this point and I hope they will do the right thing and extend the warranty on the AC system. This is clearly a design defect given the unusally high number of reported cases. We're initally considering buying an Odyssey in the near future but now we'll have to wait and see how Honda responds to this problem.
  • okiescottokiescott Member Posts: 1
    hi,

    about a week ago my ac went out on my 2001 honda crv (75k miles). i took it in to the dealership and left it with them. they have had it all week.. the service dept. called me and told me that the entire system would have to be replaced. there was metal everywhere. she said that she had called honda on my behalf because they had seen this before in newer models. honda agreed to pay $2,500.00 and i will have to pay $950.00.
    from checking the internet i am not alone. somewhere along my search i found that it can be a problem in 2000 to 2008 models.
    i don't think that thee is any set deal... it just depends upon the dealeship and honda and what they feel like on any given day. there should have been a recall.
    my worry is that if metal went everywhere throughout the system did it also blow metal in to the car? could i have metal in my lungs?
    hopefully someone will know.
    thanks, okiescott
  • meganleigh3meganleigh3 Member Posts: 1
    A week ago my 2004 CR-V with 53k made a horrible sound and then shut off while I was driving. I took it to the dealer and they said they didn't know anything. It wasn't until I got my car back that I realized the a/c wasn't working. I took it back to the dealer who then confirmed that my compressor had blown up and spread metal pieces throughout the entire a/c system and it would all need to be replaced. The cost was around $3300. The service rep from the dealer contacted the district rep right away and asked for Honda to "participate" in the cost. The rep, whom I believe was a district rep, offered to pay 75% of the cost, leaving me with a bill of $775. This still pissed me off and I went ahead and contacted the corporate end of Honda (the 1-800 number). The regional rep I was sent to said he couldn't do anything once the district guy has made a decision. He also said the offer was very generous. The regional rep stated that Honda expects the customers to take on any costs after the warranty has expired. How convenient. My car is 1 year out of warranty. He also said this is not a common problem. I find that hard to believe now.

    While I understand their offer of paying for 75% is generous, I am still upset, especially after seeing all of the posts in this forum. I ok-ed the dealer to start work with the offer they gave me, and I also called the regional guy back and expressed my dismay with Honda for their (as I see it) bad business practices regarding this problem. I also told him that I thought it was ridiculous that he pretend he has never heard of this problem before. Isn't it easy for them to just say that? Do they think the internet doesn't exist and their customers won't figure it out?

    This is my third Honda. My entire family has hondas, most of my friends have Hondas (and a lot of them actually have CR-V's). No one I know has had this problem, but I suspect my friends with CR-V's will have this problem soon. No one in my family has had any major issue with Honda, which is probably because most of them have stuck with sedans. I am very hesitant to keep this vehicle after this and that is very disappointing. I dont have the money for another vehicle and I really loved everything about the CR-V.

    Bottom line - If Honda isn't willing to stand by their vehicle, I'm not willing to stand by Honda.
  • mafsafmafsaf Member Posts: 1
    Where are the lawyers for this case?

    Our CR-V AC exploded in my husband's face when he opened the hood to determine the source of the noise in August of 2007. We paid about $1500.00 to have it repaired because the extended warranty had expired. I was driving the vehicle this last August (2008) and heard a noise that sounded like I had something stuck under the car so I pulled over. About that time, I heard a louder noise and there was no AC. We took it back to the mechanic and the part was under warranty because it was installed less than a year before, but we had to pay over $800.00 in labor. Now, after spending 2300.00 to repair a defective compressor from Honda, we will probably have to trade it in before it happens again. The dealership was very defensive, threatening that if we were considering legal action that they would not talk to us. My husband was only stating to them that they send reminders of when to change the oil but fail to inform of a defective part.

    As much as we don't want to trade it in, we feel that this could happen at any time again. Unfortunately, we have purchased 2 Honda Civics in the interim for our family inbetween the two explosions. I have not researched if there are problems with the new civics. Our mechanic tells us that there is no logical explanation for what happened with the CR-V except for defective design and found it humorous that we were going to try to get Honda to reimburse. We have pictures and receipts and really think Honda needs to acknowledge and address this issue.

    I realize that there are numerous people in the same situation and Honda refuses to fully reimburse for the defect that should have been recalled. Count us in if someone drives the legal bus!
  • lvancinilvancini Member Posts: 1
    Wow, I'm glad to find this forum. The compressor on my 2004 Honda CR-V just went this past weekend, My local Honda Dealership wants $3200.00 for the repair, a complete replacement. They claimed they talked to America Honda and they would give me about 30% discount so I would have to only pay $1950.00. plus tax for the repair, a good faith deal. But I talked to and auto AC company and they said they have repaired a bunch of these, and there cost is only $950.00 with a 12 month warranty just like Honda. Some good faith deal from Honda. Not Happy about this due to so many of these are going bad. I too have file a complaint to the NHTSA .. they need to get off there butts and make Honda do a recall on these compressors..
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Maybe you should bypass the dealer and open up your own case with HondaUSA?
  • novice_i_amnovice_i_am Member Posts: 3
    Our 2002 CR-V (LX 4WD, 94K, bought two weeks after model introduction in 2001; remember the seat belt buckle issue?) had the compressor fail catastrophically a few days ago. Dealer says whole A/C system must be replaced because metal shards have contaminated all parts of the system, American Honda will pay for all parts ($2800), we must pay $980 for labor. Resolution seems fair to me (I can afford the $980 and would like to keep the car for a few more years; college expenses looming). Service rep says replacement system will have 3-year 36K warranty. We own two CR-Vs (2002 and 2007) and regularly use this dealer for service; that may have helped. Repairs will take two to three days.

    Service rep seemed aware of problem--when I said "terrible sound" and "no cold air," he knew exactly where to look.
  • crv78754crv78754 Member Posts: 2
    The district rep agreed to pay for 100% of the repair (about $2,200). The only requirement was that we had to let the dealer do a 40,000 mile maintenance check. We're glad that Honda is owning up to its design problem. Anyhow, they should have recalled the part.
  • tommydtommyd Member Posts: 10
    We lost the AC compressor, researched this forum, called Honda America, and they said they would work with us. We took our CR-V to the dealer where we purchased it, (Woodbridge, VA) and they said the damage would cost $3800.00 to repair. The compressor literally exploded, and it did some damage. We agreed to pay 1/4 of the cost, or $950.00. Now, the dealer is trying to get us to pay tax. I am more than a little PO'd. Their cost is $3800, so why should I pay tax on their cost, IOT jack up their gain on the problem that emanated from their faulty product? Any others with this type of experience?
  • shima1shima1 Member Posts: 19
    There are thousands of these complaints about the CRV on this and other forums. I have an 02 with 80K miles and I feel like I'm driving a ticking bomb. I don't want to replace the compressor myself and have it go too as has been happening. Does anyone know if a later bug-free compressor is available? I would have it installed privately. Otherwise there's no option but to sell the car. Too bad because I like it just fine except for this major problem. If you Google "Honda CRV a/c problems" the 1st hit is a law firm mounting a class-action suit. I contacted them but of course they can't help until the damn thing blows!
  • madams1madams1 Member Posts: 101
    I have an 03 automatic with 84K and too have been monitoring the A/C issue. I take mine to an independent shop that only works with Hondas and Acuras and he gets about 3 per summer in the shop. Most of his have been just the compressor and they did not 'explode'. Basically, from what I hear the problem is the design of the compressor, which cannot be changed. I asked him if it would be too proactive to go ahead and change it out, and he said that since the cost would be near 1,000.00 he would just wait.
  • jtkaojtkao Member Posts: 2
    I've been in the market for a preowned crv for a while and found this 05 CRV with 68k miles at a dealership just few days ago. I got very excited until I've come across this forum last night. I was shocked by seeing the number of cases here. I need to get some advise whether I should proceed to get or not. Are there any 05 or later crv owners out there who had the same a/c problem?
  • shima1shima1 Member Posts: 19
    05 is not immune and this isn't the only forum with the bad news.
    http://tinyurl.com/6kbea2
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "I've been in the market for a preowned crv for a while and found this 05 CRV with 68k miles at a dealership just few days ago. I got very excited until I've come across this forum last night. I was shocked by seeing the number of cases here. I need to get some advise whether I should proceed to get or not. Are there any 05 or later crv owners out there who had the same a/c problem? "

    I personally don't recall any problems with 2005 or 2006. I suspect that they made a major change in either 2005 or 2006 to redesign the A/C systems. I realize others may have seen 2005 problems, but the latest I've noticed is 2004.
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