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Honda CR-V AC Compressor Problems

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Comments

  • brownbear168brownbear168 Member Posts: 3
    I am the original owner of Honda CRV 2006 with mileage at ~88,250. My AC quitted on me because the compressor went bad. The dealer told me because the grinded metal of compressor contaminated the whole AC system, I have to change the whole AC system with the price tag of $3,700. Thanks to this forum, I realized this is a common problem for air compressor for Honda CRV 2002-2006 model. 20 years ago, my used Ford Taurus air compressor went bad at mileage of 70,000. I changed it myself with a rebuilt one of $150 (just 2 screws). Got it vaccumed in a local shop and added back freon. The whole thing only cost me around $200. $3700 quoted by Honda is like chaning a transmission or engine to me. I bought my Honda CRV from this dealership and 95% of services were done between 2 local dealerships. Honestly, compared with prevous cars I owned, my CRV is dependable, never quit in the middle of road like my previous cars did. This is the only true mechanical problem, other than routine maintenence, I've ever encounterred with my CRV. I called Honda America yesterday, they responded nicely and did their own investigation on a case by case fashion. The dealer just called me this AM and told me that Honda will cover most of cost of repair, I only need to pay $500 plus tax. That exceeded my expectation. I guess the mileage, service record, and what happend to the air compressor helped me in my case. I understand that every car will eventualy have mechanical problems here and there. Honda did their own investigation on my case and acted responsibly. Thanks, Honda! I will be a return-customer as expected. I hope you guys got good luck, oo.
  • stumpzstumpz Member Posts: 2
    Hi everyone. I am posting after quite awhile. We had our compressor replaced in our 2007 CR-V at a private shop. I sent in all the paperwork for reimbursement. The "clutch" failed at around 95K but we didn't change it until the following spring because the last thing we need in New York is A/C. All my receipts from the shop did not have vehicle mileage listed. Does Honda call the shop to ask mileage at time of repair??
  • lrd5530lrd5530 Member Posts: 10
    You are very fortunate Honda took care of your A/C. But there are over 2000 posts on this forum, and most of us didn't have the same positive ending. I won't get another Honda because of this.
  • sissytoosissytoo Member Posts: 21
    I am on my THIRD repair. Honda started out about $3000 for the repair, then kept trotting back into the waiting area, first "well, it needs this for the repair too" then again, " you have to do this too, and all new lines as well" and by the time they came to a number it was $6000. Really? So private shops have done the work. The first repair lasted one month and it went bad again, then 3 years later, again. Except for this, has been a good car but who can afford to continually make this expensive a repair? It is ridiculous.
  • rrubyyrrubyy Member Posts: 19
    Same story here and my CRV had 40,000 miles on it. 2nd blow out after 1 month and still haggling with Honda for reimbursement (which they very reluctantly paid 1/2 of for $900) I said NO MORE Honda products in my garage EVER AGAIN. Traded it in on Toyota RAV 4 - no problems, runs great, wonderful car. .
  • brownbear168brownbear168 Member Posts: 3
    I am sorry to hear that. I am going to pick up my repaired car from the dealer today. I hope the repair lasts.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    I have watched over the years dealership good will strategies. They seem to be practiced by most brands but is certainly very evident with Honda.

    Take known issues like the poorly designed air conditioning vein type compressors in the CRV's or the known faulty engine blocks in the Civics..You go in with a legitimate claim..let's specifically label a claim that I consider quite legitimate and fair, even though technically it might be out of wty. And this very example is known on this forum in at least two different cases I believe..about a year or so ago..one had 40k miles, another had 54k or so but, the owners made their claim about 6 months outside of wty. That's where the technically being out of wty comes in..but wait! We have a KNOWN issue with these claims, and some mileages have been way less than the original warranty period, but only having breached it in terms of time, and sometimes not very much time past wty..This compressor issue is a really good example, because what would cause it to fail is due more to poor design and actual usage...miles. So..so what if the thing has just past the time period of the wty? Don't split hairs and be like that with us, the customer. We purchased our cars from you in good faith. Good faith does play a part in the automotive world where often...no..make that the normal practice is to release a new product into the hands of the consumer while still testing that product for function and longevity. We are the guinea pigs and this testing is done on our dime! Why do they do this, you might ask? Well, first..because they can and have gotten away with this for years..but mainly they do this because the longer they keep a newly designed product in in-house testing before recouping R&D dollars by selling it to us, the less profit they stand to gain for the life of that generation car.

    So when along comes a design weakness that causes the product to fail prematurely, we have not only been testing it for them..the manufacturer on our dime, they have audacity to attempt to nickel and dime us, saying crap like.."Well since you didn't service your Honda with our Honda Service Centre (read...since we haven't had the opportunity to charge you three times more per service than a local competent indy shop would have) we are going to deny your claim". This hits especially close to home for me because I do all my own service and maintenance and am damn good at it. Furthermore, I am not on a time clock where time is money, so I take my time when I do these jobs on my cars. If I have receipts and well kept documentation of what was done and when, why do they actually try to use the excuse cuz I didn't let them overchg me for these services. It is an insult to my intelligence. And when you have a sealed system like your A/C system, that doesn't require any service during the wty period (and if you are lucky often for up to 10+ years) it is especially reprehensible for Honda to use this same excuse. Which brings me to another chapter of this strategy they use..the so-called good will part..

    The fact is, they overcharge for this A/C repair in the first place. Because of the particular design failure in the compressor, it starts to contaminate the rest of the entire system long before an actual failure takes place, which is your first telltale that you have a problem. Reports of slightly reduced cooling at...say...11am in the morning, usually end in a total failure by 4pm! And in order to have a somewhat successful repair and expect any longevity whatsoever out of a new compressor, is why the advice is usually to replace the entire system, because if you don't, the debris in the system takes out the new compressor..and so it goes all over again. And it is a fairlybig job, so takes quite a few hours to do. And there are a lot of parts involved. But to compound an already unfair situation in which we find ourselves there in the first place they overchg on the parts and labour. We know this FOR A FACT, because the prices across the country have varied just too damn much! All for exactly the same job! There have been dealer quotes from as little as 900 bucks (a bait, cuz not only is that amt too small to repair properly, it represents only a partial part replacement..the compressor only, but with a very high part price also) to the newest high I read recently being 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!!!! We know that by comparing the stats on the thread (I have followed it from the VERY beginning) the most common overpriced, but proper repair* (replace entire system) is usually between 3000 to 3500. Ridiculous..And this is where the good-will crap comes in. IF and I do mean IF you have bought numerous Hondas over the years and always had them service at your dealer, they might say to Honda Corporate.."well they have been a good customer, so we should help them, cuz afterall, we KNOW we designed an inferior quality compressor in the first place". So them Honda crunched the numbers and often will say..ok we will pay HALF. But let's remember something. Their idea of half, is still half of a very overpriced parts and labour product in the first place. This is done deliberately, so that they can actually do it FOR THEIR ACTUAL COSTS (and sometimes even still make a little on it) by charging your 1500 to 2000. for the repair. This price range has been the most common throughout the thread. So the customer thinks, well, at least they did try to treat me right...Ya right...they managed to pull the wool over your eyes and charged you THEIR COSTS! So they are actually out NOTHING! And they think (and often do) they have secured you as a Honda faithfully loyal customer for years to come.

    But then you have the other side of that...what about these poor customers whose negotiating skills maybe aren't as good, or they have a crappy dealer, or maybe they didn't service their Honda at their dealer..etc, and the quotes come in as a real high, like 4200 to 4500. This range has been the most common for the blatantly high quotes of a full system re and re. Well duh......that is STILL 1200 HUNDRED to FIFTEEN HUNDRED BUCKS MORE than the already ridiculously high priced norm of 3000 to 3500.!!!!! And if they get some of the victims to actually pay this road-robbery price, that just pads their profit margins to cover some of the other pay-half to sometimes pay nothing repair...those ones are rare limme tell ya..And usually in those circumstance when Honda did step up and pay for it ALL, it was because usually those were the customers that had owned Honda for more than two decades and always took their cars to the dealer for all maintenance and service reapirs, so Honda has already made a huge FORTUNE over those years...the least they can do is do a free-bee....and...and this is REAL KICKER #1...on a repair of an ALREADY KNOWN poorly designed (for longevity, at least
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    at least they blow really cold when they work) A/C system.

    Now.....ya wanna know the REAL KICKER #2? It's that when they DO replace the entire system either for their costs, or as much as a few THOUSAND more than their costs....

    THEY REPLACE IT WITH THE SAME DAMN TYPE COMPRESSOR THAT WILL BLACK DEATH YOU ALL OVER AGAIN...sooner than it should. :mad:
    And so the cycle continues..

    Ok, so here are some tips that will help you get the most life out of your compressor.

    - do NOT bypass the 2 defrost settings which automatically engage the compressor when you choose defrost in the winter months. This auto engagement of the compressor serves two purposes, first (some would say...the ones who haven't had a failure yet) is to assist in demisting, but really..in my mind the most important reason, is that it keeps the system lubed with the oil that is also in the lines and gets distributed with the freon type gas, or 134A etc. during the off season. This helps keep the system oiled and the seals compliant and able to better resist shrinkage/cracking and leaking. So when you read on the internet the procedure of how to bypass these two defroster settings, either don't bother doing it all, OR, if you choose to do it, then be pro-active in the off season and make sure you cycle the compressor manually by pushing the A/C switch and running it for at least 10 or 15 min twice a week. If the temp is really cold, there is a chance that your compressor will still not turn on because there is a thermal-electric temp relay that does not send power to it in the really cold temps.. It will vary from brand to brand, but usually colder than 15 to 20¼F. So when you have a mild spell in the winter, make sure you try to cycle the compressor for a good long drive during that mild spell.

    - the second tip I have is little known, but it serves two purposes, both to your advantage. When I am 2 to 3 min away from my destination, I turn off my A/C and sometimes turn the fan speed up a notch or two. What this does is blow off the cold air from the evaporator. This serves as two really good purposes..first, this habit will result in a lot less mildew growth on the evaporator from constantly getting wet (feeding pollen etc) and then drying into a nice wet hot environment for nasties to grow. Blowing off the cold air, reduces this moisture considerably and you will notice your A/C smelling a lot cleaner, longer. The second perk to this habit, has to do with the inner PSI in the high and low pressure lines of the A/C system...by manually turning off A/C prior to your destination, the blowing off of cold air on the evaporator, let's these high and low pressure lines equalize. This is a good thing. Now...there is a valve in the system that does this automatically, but sometimes they fail, or their working parameters are such that it takes longer to let the lines PSI equalize. By you doing it manually, you not only extend the life of your system, you extend the life of this equalizing and expansion valve.
  • brownbear168brownbear168 Member Posts: 3
    #2145 and #2146 posts are very good and helpful. Thanks for the tips.
    I am in Memphis, TN. As they explained, changing air compressor +/- condenser alone, a fairly simple job, will not solve the problem for Honda CRV 2002-2006. Dobbs Honda quoted me $3,700 for replacing the whole AC system. It is quite expensive for an air compressor problem. My Honda CRV 2006 was very dependable until the air compresser broke. Thanks to this forum, I learned and understood the air compressor problem. I called Honda America and the case manager Rio started investigation within 24 hrs.

    The assistant service manager Mr. Joe Sims at the dealership was also very nice, patient, and professional. After investigation, Honda agreed to charge me only $500 + tax for this repair, which exceeded my expectation. I know changing air-compressor with original Honda parts alone would cause more than that. I picked up my car 5 days ago, so far so good. Joe told me it came with 1 year parts and labor warranty. I am gald I got it repaired in the Honda dealership.

    For my case, technically, Honda doesnot have to help me because I am out of warranty. But arguably from my point of view, an air compressor failure should not cost $3,700. I think my service records, mileage, and two good people, Joe and Rio, helped me. In comparison, my previous cars, like Ford Taurus, Toyota Corolla, and Nissan Sentra, all costed me much more than $500 in repair when reaching 88,000 miles. So for my case, my Honda CRV so far is the most dependable. In addition, Honda America and Dobbs Dealership did make my repair experience less painful to handle -- They do not have to help me, that is why I am so grateful.
  • Sandman6472Sandman6472 Member Posts: 6,953
    Have had a few issues on my '06 mode land twice, Honda has paid me half...once on the tires and again on the a/c repair. This has been my 1st Honda product and sadly it will be my last. Reading all these posts just shows me the lack of customer commitment Honda shows people like myself. My issued were real and happened way before my warranty ran out so it seems Honda Corp. has no faith in their own products and treats their customers like crap! Plan to go back to either Toyota or Nissan next time or possibly Hyundai/Kia. Our Hyundai Accent has been an outstanding car and the one major problem was fixed in the 4th year of ownership with no questions asked within 2 hours...very impressive. Honda, maybe y'all should take a look at how Hyundai treats a customer and learn something. Your days of being a top cat company have passed and that y'all better step up to the plate here or you will be a niche company before too long folks!

    The Sandman :) :sick: :shades:

    2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2015 Golf TSI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)

  • endthetsaendthetsa Member Posts: 1
    Keep up the good work!
  • chantal714chantal714 Member Posts: 6
    My 2007 CR-V AC suffered "Black Death" with less than 35,000 miles on it. The dealership refused to do anything stating that I should have bought an extended warranty. My husband and I both own a Honda, but if they don't take care of this, it will be the last one I ever own.
    The reason I bought a Honda was because I thought they made a quality product or at least stood behind their product. They have offered to pay $600 toward the bill, but in my case, the entire system had to be replaced due to their faulty part.
  • sissytoosissytoo Member Posts: 21
    Mine has been replaced three times.....THREE!!! The last episode left me stranded on the freeway for hours with my autistic grandson. I am so fed up, and with summer fast approaching, wonder if my air will work this summer, or leave me stranded again. Financially, I cannot afford to fix it again. I guess if it does, I will have to trade cars and it won't be another Honda.
  • dvickersdvickers Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2011 CRV that in two years has been in five times for poor cooling performance on the AC. Last time it was in they did the recall on the clutch. Each time they tell me it is working properly and each time I tell them when it gets over 75deg and sunny the car will not cool down. It seems to start out good and cold when I turn it on, put after about ten minutes is just looses the good cold flow and is cool but not cold like it needs to run so the car never cools down no matter how long or how hard I run it.

    I am thinking either a problem still exists in the cycle of the compressor or it is just under designed.

    Is this a common problem ?

    Dan
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited April 2013
    Most shops do not vacuum the moisture out of the system for long enough because time is money. Often they only get 5 min of vacuum when they should have upwards of 2 hours. Naturally care has to be taken when undoing equipment to preserve that dried internal system environment. Any amount of moisture whatsoever in the system will contaminate the new refrigerant and make it cool less efficiently.

    Also, very important to install a NEW dryer canister whenever A/C parts are replaced. This helps keep internal moisture at a minimum. They do not cost a lot considering how important it is.

    Next, make sure there is not too much refrigerant being put back in. If the shops A/C tool centre, has extra long hoses, then that extra length might be contributing to over charging. That is a bad as under charging.

    I am not an expert, but from what I do understand, it sounds like you have an expansion valve that is freezing, hence the nice cold air at the beginning. Or even the evaporator may be freezing up. Is there an excessive amount of dripping water after the car has been turned off for an hour or so in 80¼ weather? And then if you start car A/C will blow cold again for a bit? An icing evaporator will do this and also if you seem to not have as much air flow coming into the car...because the ice is literally plugging the evaporator veins.

    Also make sure the fans that pull air through the condenser are cycling with the compressor. If they are not working then in stop and go trips, when u come to stop, air will not be cold as when you start to drive again getting air through the condenser.

    But it could be other reasons too..

    edit- also..."5 times" - insist on having a DIFFERENT tech address this issue. The original guy could be doing the same wrong things over and over, or lack knowledge.
  • mada4mada4 Member Posts: 1
    I may be in the same boat, my 2008 CRV is at the dealer now with A/C not working. Has anyone repaired this themselves? Ive read that the entire system needs replaced, has anyone attempted this? Im just considering all my options. I have 110,000 miles so I'm even outside the extended warranty for the A/C system.
  • jimw18jimw18 Member Posts: 1
    You are correct. Honda not customer service orientated. I also had a problem with my 2004 Honda CRV compressor. I had an extended warranty which paid for a new compressor. The extended warranty through Honda cost me $1,200. I am part of the class action lawsuit against Honda for their compressor problems. Now Honda won't pay anything because I purchased the extended warranty. By the way I also own a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. Hyundai really takes care of their customers. I will never buy another Honda product again. Honda's quality and service after the sale really stinks.
  • dvickersdvickers Member Posts: 5
    The freon has been taken out three times in the first year. Mostly to fix leaks, could be moisture in the system but I am not getting water dripping off after shut down.

    Honda ran a test on it last time and went through the report with me. They claim all is with in. Specs. All I could tell the guy is if the car sits in the sun you can drive it for two hours and it will not cool down so either you under designed the system or it is not working properly under demand

    Honestly not sure I feel like fighting with Honda any more about it. I am going back to Fords the reliability gap does not favor the Japan made cars any more
  • sissytoosissytoo Member Posts: 21
    I hold my breath every time I turn mine on, afraid it isnt going to work. Has been fixed three times. Had it fixed once, new system installed which immediately went bad and had to be replaced again, then two years later, after locking up and leaving me stranded on the freeway. I love this car, but won't buy another. Can't afford to keep doing this expensive repair.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Not sure Ford is going to be any better than Honda in that regard. See link. But besides that...pick ANY issue Honda has ever had whether it be auto trans, A/C, too sensitive air bag sensors...you name it...Ford has done it all and more.

    http://aircondition.com/tech/questions/15/

    As you can see, Ford too have had their issues with what is known as Black Death. This is the same symptom that takes out the CRV A/C systems. It is why the entire system needs to be replaced or the contamination just re-contaminates the new parts that were replaced and the cycle starts all over again.
  • chantal714chantal714 Member Posts: 6
    After three months, speaking to 12 people, and having me submit documentation of repairs numerous times I was told Honda would not reimburse me for my repairs. My husband and I test drove the 2013 CRVs and are both in the market for new cars. I was all set to purchase that day, but I wanted to see if they stood behind their product. After speaking to three or four managers, each of them telling me there was nothing wrong with the CRV a/c, I realize THEY DON'T stand behind their product, so I they lost two sales. I will NEVER buy another Honda.
  • rugglesbrugglesb Member Posts: 1
    My 2010 CR-V, even brand new, never "wowed" me with the AC performance. So, when I got the letter about the compressor clutch warranty extension, it made me wonder. Sure enough, the first warm spell of the spring came, and my AC would not blow cold air, so I took it in to the dealership (with my extension warranty letter in tow) only to be told that the problem was not the compressor clutch, but the evaporator and expansion valve that would cost $945. Is it me, or does this seem a little too coincidental? Looks like a scam, quacks like a scam....anybody else been given this all too profitable answer from a Honda dealership?
  • chantal714chantal714 Member Posts: 6
    Consider yourself lucky if you have only had to replace a couple parts. Honda will tell you it's anything just so they don't have to spend a few dollars to make it right and admit fault. They don't realize that they would have happy continued loyalty instead of angry disgruntled one time customers.
  • dvickersdvickers Member Posts: 5
    Mine is essentially the same story.
    1st time was 2mo after I bought it new in 2011. It had less than 5#'s in it they claimed it was low from the factor I sad BS it has a leak.

    2mo later I take it back in and demand they take the freon back out sure enough down to 5# again. they put die in it and tell me the fill valve is leaking.

    2mo later back in 5# again, oh the valve is still leaking.

    Now it is winter. next summer take it back in they claim it is full show me a fancy test as tell me it works fine. I say BS to the service manager.

    3mo later I get a clutch recall notice, take it in sure enought the clutch is all most completly burned up they agree to replace it.

    Still does not get very cold.

    I don't hate Honda's they are a low cost low thrill car. But what it does confirm for me is that a Ford truely has caught and passed Honda in over all quality, which is more than a low price. Drive a new Excape, it is just a better vehicle than a Honda for the price. Buy American, the Honda's are nto better any more.
  • chantal714chantal714 Member Posts: 6
    UGH! So FRUSTRATING! How can they ignore every person that is having an issue with the A/C system?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited June 2013
  • duncanodinduncanodin Member Posts: 1
    Just got off phone with Honda about my Ac in my 2007 crv- The jerk I spoke to denies Honda ever having class action suit against them for Ac problems. Right now im looking at approx. 2600 to 3,000 for ac repair. Im so beyond words with Honda... This guy talked to me like im stupid.
  • pvilllooknpvilllookn Member Posts: 2
    I revived a letter a couple of months ago from Honda in Torrance, CA. I filled out the claim for $900+ and sent it in. Two weeks later I got a check for $617. That us $617 more than I thought I would get. Had to verify that the car had less than 100,000 miles when the clutch went out. I have a 2007 CRV. I had to buy the compressor and clutch from a third party as Honda did not have any on the east coast when mine went out. Not totally satisfied but a lot more happy about the ending than I was.

    Call Honda in Torance, CA they are the ones handling these claims. :D
  • oldbearcatoldbearcat Member Posts: 197
    I just took my 2010 CRV to the dealer as well because of poor A/C performance. They checked it out and told me the system was performing to specifications, and, there's nothing wrong with it. They didn't charge me anything, but, it convinced me that this will probably be my last Honda. I'm tired of cooking when I sit in traffic in the Summer.

    Regards:
    Oldbearcat
  • dvickersdvickers Member Posts: 5
    I had my clutch replaced on my 2011 CRV and it still does not get cold like it should.

    I am a bit tired of going to meetings dripping because my car will not cool down if it sat in the sun.

    I hate to say this but I am thinking serously about just dumping it and buying a new Escape and admit I bought it because it was cheap and I got what I paid for.
  • fogrollininfogrollinin Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2007 CRV and last summer my AC failed. I read horror stories of 2-3K for repair bills, but magically in fall of 2012, I received an extended warranty notice in the mail from honda about AC clutch assembly - up to 100,000 miles. I had 96,000 when I got the letter! I took the car to honda and they replaced the faulty compressor with an updated model - for no charge. It works great now!

    However, a caveat first. They wanted to charge me $160 to flush AC system and replace freon - which they claimed they "needed" to do to properly test for leaks, and diagnose it was really a fault AC clutch assembly, etc. Luckily my uncle owns a service station and he had already checked this a few months earlier. Freon was not the problem. I returned to Honda with a diagnosis from my uncle's station and then they finally fixed it for free.

    Good luck!
  • dilbert4dilbert4 Member Posts: 1
    I also have 2007 CRV. 56,000 miles. No cold air !! I've been reading about all these /c problems and have to go to dealer now. I want to know if you had already purchased a separate extended warranty before your a/c issue. I am the original owner with standard warranty . I have not received any notices . Would my vehicle be eligible for class action settlement/ rebate? Always used dealer but pricey
    Help in Boston!
  • fogrollininfogrollinin Member Posts: 5
    hi Dilbert... I did nothing to receive the warranty extension. My CRV was out of warranty. I also found out last summer that I missed the class action lawsuit deadline. Honestly I had given up and then received the warranty extension letter in Nov2012.

    Let me give you some basics from the letter I received. It specifies Honda Reference Svc Bulletin #12-072 at the bottom of the letter. Also to direct any questions to Honda Customer Service 800.999.1009, and select option 4. I would recommend calling before going to the dealer.

    This letter is to notify you of a warranty extension on your CR-V. What is the reason for this notice? The A/C clutch wears out causing one or more of the following symptions:
    The A/C performance is poor and it's blowing air that isn't very cold.
    • The A/C doesn't work and blows warm air.
    The A/C makes noise that seems to come from the compressor area.

    To increase confidence in your vehicle, American Honda is extending the warranty of the A/C clutch to 7 years from the original date of purchase or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

    This warranty extension provides coverage for the original owner and any subsequent owners.

    What should you do?
    If your vehicle is experiencing any of the listed symptoms, call any authorized Honda dealer and make an appointment to have your vehicle inspected. If the symptom is caused by a worn A/C clutch, the A/C clutch and, if needed, the field coil will be replaced at no cost.

    Lastly, it says "we apologize for any inconvenience this warranty extension may cause you"

    Hope this helps!
  • chantal714chantal714 Member Posts: 6
    I didn't purchase an extended warranty since my car had such low mileage and I had lost my job. I think you should have received a notice about the extended warranty on the ac clutch. My repair only covered the cost of the clutch so contact American Honda directly and keep a file of who you speak to and when. I must have talked to 25 people and still got nowhere. Best of luck!
  • pmuudapmuuda Member Posts: 1
    Thanks a lot Guys, I stumbled across this thread and very useful information. I just called Honda service @ 800.999.1009 and they said my VIN is covered under this new warranty extension. If not for this information, I would have had my A/C repaired out of my pocket expneses... close to 2K. Thanks again.
  • fogrollininfogrollinin Member Posts: 5
    so happy to hear this! I hope it gets fixed as soon as possibly, especially with crazy heat this summer.

    I agree with most folks on this board that Honda is really missing the boat with easy customer service basics. If they would simply fix the problem without trying to bleed their loyal customers, they would have repeat business. I generally love Honda cars, but this CRV AC issue is a serious problem. Although an easy one to correct.

    I never thought I would see the day when Honda owners were saying to buy Ford cars!
  • cdohncdohn Member Posts: 1
    I had a belt snap on my 2009 Honda CRV this weekend. Pep Boys is telling me that I need to replace my AC compressor bc it seized up and caused the belt to snap?? My AC has not been working for most of the summer but I cannot afford to have it fixed so I am just dealing with it.

    Any idea how this could be - a compressor needs to be replaced bc a belt snapped ?

    Any info is appreciated!

    Thanks!
  • nicompnicomp Member Posts: 21
    2000 CR/V: When my A/C failed the engine quit running and wouldn't even turn over. The thing had to be towed to the dealer. Dealer wanted $3K to fix it. I told them to cut off the belt and I've been driving it that way ever since.

    $90 total cost.

    That was 9 years ago.
  • fogrollininfogrollinin Member Posts: 5
    you should read post #2175 for the honda phone number and bulletin number for the warranty extension on the AC compressor. I've read other posts talking about a 'black death' problem where the AC unit basically blows up from failed compressor and causes other problems as a result (i.e. snapped belts).

    I don't think PepBoys is saying the compressor has to be replaced because of belt failure. It's the other way around.

    I'd argue with Honda that they need to fix it under warranty.
  • sissytoosissytoo Member Posts: 21
    The same thing happened to me the last time my compressor went out, after two other previous repairs. I was stranded on the freeway with my grandson for hours. The first two times, the compressor did not lock up, but the last time it did, leaving me and an autistic child in the middle of nowhere.
  • jebhow515jebhow515 Member Posts: 1
    I have to get the entire AC system replaced b/c there is metal in the whole system. My fix-it guy said it would cost me about $3500. The Honda dealer told me $4200. I was FLABBERGASTED especially since I was seeing that this is a problem of epidemic proportions. I called corporate at the number stated in previous posts and explained my situation and asked them if they stand behind the quality of their vehicles. The said they would pay part of it and my cost would be $2500. Somehow these jedi mind tricks made me feel like $2500 wasn't so bad. I feel like they are doing this for people to avoid another class action suit. The previous class action suit ran out last summer. Does this sound reasonable or do I negotiate??? And for those who are having the same problem...definitely call Honda of America at 1800.999.1009 and tell them their issue. DO NOT PAY $4200 or even $3500 to get this fixed.
  • sissytoosissytoo Member Posts: 21
    Shop around by all means. I wouldnt pay that much.
  • carpedatumcarpedatum Member Posts: 1
    Our 2005 CR-V's A/C failed in a similar way a little over a week ago. The repair bill was over $1700 (after a 10% discount negotiated with the dealer). That was for a new compressor and clutch.

    I called American Honda about it. Before the case manager actually spoke to me, he called the dealer and, and as he recounts it, the service technician told him that it was not 'black death'. I got the distinct feeling that the tech may have had a few words put in his mouth, but it doesn't matter. American Honda is would rather trash another customer relationship than admit that this is just a bad design that will fail early.

    An A/C compressor can easily last the life of a car. The 100k extended warranty that some Honda customers are seeing is, I think, just a calculated bet made on solid real-world failure information. Most of these things after the '04 model will probably survive to 100k miles. That they die shortly afterward, and cost an arm and a leg to repair, is apparently the customer's fault.

    I used to buy an occasional American-brand car but always sold them before 100k miles. I've had Hondas for 40 years and never thought I'd see this moment, but apparently Honda has decided to join that club.

    Yes, shop around! If you're reading this because your A/C failed, I'd recommend doing what I wish I'd done - made a few calls and found an independent mechanic who handles A/C and is willing to work at the bottom of the engine compartment. If you work with the dealer, as I and others here have, your wallet will almost certainly feel insulted.
  • ktchaplinktchaplin Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 CR-V that started blowing warm air last summer. I took it to an independant mechanic thinking it was a simple repair. He told me that the compressor had died, and did not recommend getting it fixed because it would require gutting the car to get to the part, and could cause other mechanical components to fail in the process.
    I called American Honda recently (the heat made me do it,) and had the service bulletin number ready. I was only hoping for some guidance, maybe a discount. I didn't even get that. They tried to tell me that they know nothing about this or any issues of this sort. They claim to have no record. I tried to give them the service bulletin ID and they said that it was a NITSA number and it wouldn't help them. They said that the only thing they have that is close is a condenser coil on years 2007-11. The only thing I got was a recommendation to take it to a Honda certified dealer to look at.
    I have loved my CR-V, but I'm not feeling love for Honda right now.
  • vbholtvbholt Member Posts: 1
    I live in the U.K. and the same thing is happening over here. Mine is also a 2007 which apparently is the worse year for this fault. Like you I ask why they did not notify us about the problem and now turn it around so they are blame free. I will never buy a Honda car again which is a shame because prior to this they were first class.(this is my 3rd Honda) They really need to look at their customer relations policy. I have been quoted £1700 pound for the repair so not a happy chicken.
  • rbellorrbellor Member Posts: 1
    BEWARE HONDA CRV OWNERS!
    I normally don’t post or voice my disaffection in public but this is something you all need to know if you own of are think of owning a Honda.
    I will try to keep this short being most of you have had the problem with the catastrophic air conditioning compressor failure of have heard of it and are doing research (which until yesterday I had never heard of). We have 2004 CRV with 110000 miles on it and have never had a problem and it’s well maintained per the factory recommended time frames. This past weekend my wife was out and she heard a loud noise and the air started blow warm air. I could see that there was a problem with the compressor cultch and it would need to be fixed. We took the car in to our local dealer and after they looked at it we were advised that we would need to replace the whole air condition system at the tune of $2900+. So I stated my research to discover that this is a common issue with the CRV’s. I place a call to Honda of America to see if there was any help that they could provide and was advised that there is no recalls and this kind of catastrophic failure is rare. I recommend that that they should do some search and would see that is more common and I feel the least they should do was to pick the price of the compressor with no luck.
    Honda needs to do the right thing and advise the CRV owners that the air conditioning compressor need to be replaced prior to 100000 miles or risk a catastrophic failure. I would have been happy to pay 700-800 to have this repaired.
    In closing my family owns five Honda’s and were in the process of upgrading two of them and adding one more but now after our issues with Honda of America we will be working disinvesting our self’s from Honda.
    So Honda of America I just did some quick math and I know it’s no big deal to you but this year you will lose about $90,000 and as two of our Honda’s are owned by younger drivers and the will not be buy Honda you will lose about another $180,000; plus your local dealer will lose the service work on five customers cars so no big deal.
    Thank you
  • rrubyyrrubyy Member Posts: 19
    You are one of the lucky ones ,,,, Oh how I wish I had gotten to 100k on my 04 CRV.... It was more like 40k when it blew up and then again 45 days later. Words with Honda produced nothing for 60 days and then after repeated hounding from me they finally reimbursed 1/2. ABSOLUTELY NO MORE HONDA products in my garage EVER AGAIN ..... That includes an Acura
  • txterrytxterry Member Posts: 3
    THANK YOU rrubyy!! I too had this issue and our dealer quoted $3,700! I did my research when this happened to my vehicle and also called Honda of America which told me basically this same thing. I was fortunate enough to have a nephew who is a certified Honda mechanic and he did it for 1/2 the price. My family has also had Hondas (six), but after this incident Honda will DEFINITELY not be a top choice for us. Again, thank you for your comments!
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Very interested to read this posting. Just to be clear, when you say fan relay, you are refering to the HVAC blower motor relay which blows air through the vents, right? If the blower motor is positioned in one of the 5 speed positions which IS working then this would not be a concern right? The idea being that the evaporator would not get a chance to ice and thereby creating higher temp pressures at the compressor?

    Also, when you say condenser fans, should we assume you are referring to the EXTRA fan for A/C use and not the fan for coolant temperature regulation? Why would the condenser fan be more prone to failure than the coolant fan? Is it because of a wiring harness connection that is maybe more prone to corrosion than the coolant fan connections? Or maybe the relay itself is not the same one as the coolant fan, and is of inferior component size given that the A/C relay probably cycles much more often than the coolant fan relay when the vehicle is on the highway and air is being driven through the coolant rad. I suspect that the A/C condenser fan still cycles more often on the highway when the HVAC temp control is in full cold position, and if it is the same size/type relay, then its contact points may wear or become pitted sooner than the coolant fan relay.

    If you are a Honda Tech and have this inside info in the details, please share as I would like to do some preventative measures by going to these very wiring connections and confirming the wx seal is keeping them looking electrolysis free, and/or just buying new relays now before they fail so as to instill new life. Much more affordable than the other scenario, which as we know now, by the time you discover you have a problem, it is too late and the entire system has been pouched/contaminated.
  • bbk56bbk56 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 CRV, AC went out summer 2011 at 120,000miles. Took it to local repair shop, said they could replace compressor HVAC, expansion valve, condenser HVAC for $1800.00. Did it but the AC began acting up again in summer 2012. Didn't want pay that again and now, summer 2013, dealing with cold, cool, warm, hot air. It is intermitted and sometimes the AC will work for a good while before turning warm again. I noticed when the days are over 90 degrees it happens more often. If it's 100+, it happens a lot more. Any one else have that same scenario?
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