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2008 Honda Pilot Air Conditioning Problems

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Comments

  • gary15809gary15809 Member Posts: 1
    I am having the same problems ,did you ever get iot fixed and what was wrong with it
  • shaolinkazshaolinkaz Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2012
    So I take my 2007 Honda Pilot to the dealer to have my A/C worked on since it stopped blowing cold air and I get a call back from the Service Technician to tell me that there's a hole in my condenser due to "foreign object" that struck it. My question is wouldn't the undercarriage guard that protects the oil pan and other engine components be able to block this? I have Honda Care coverage and when I called them, they told me that it wasn't covered under the warranty. What's not to prevent this from happening again? I think this is a poor design on Honda's part and not the fault of myself or any driver. So upset that Honda wants to charge me almost $700 on a repair that can obviously happen again at anytime. Completely BS...they should do a TSB/Recall on this issue.
  • big_jorgebig_jorge Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2012
    Unfortunately, in order for your a/c to work efficiently the condenser needs to be in front of the vehicle where there is maximum air flow. All vehicles have this issue not just Hondas. If the condenser was re-located or covered to protect it, your a/c wouldn't be as efficient. Some drivers may drive 100,000's of miles without incident others may encounter it several times. It's not Hondas fault. If a rock ran into your windshield, would you also think Hondas have a problem with windshields? Your car insurance may cover that repair. It depends on your policy carrier and your coverage.
  • shaolinkazshaolinkaz Member Posts: 2
    I understand that the condenser needs as much air flow as possible to function properly and the location of the unit is fine by me but the problem is the actual front grille design on the 04-07 Honda Pilot. If you look closely, its an open design and anything can fly in there while the vehicle is in motion. A simple fix would be to install a mesh grille to keep the foreign objects from striking the condenser while driving. This shouldn't have to fall on the consumer and that's my point because it isn't the fault of the driver. I strongly believe Honda is aware of this design flaw yet refuses to acknowledge it. My dealer called back to inform me they'll cover the entire cost of the repair and I won't have to payout of pocket since I have Honda Care with a $0 deductible. They're sending a representative from Honda to investigate. If they decide to have a change of heart at the last minute, I've already contacted my insurance company and they said surprisingly they should be able to cover the entire repair cost under "Collision" and not "Comprehensive". I'll just need to fork over my $100 deductible, better than paying over $700!
  • mgranmgran Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem. I brought it in for service (July 2012) and was told that the diagnostic check didn't reveal any issues. The tech said he agrees the sound can be annoying, but it is not a sign of a mechanical issue and therefore there is nothing he can do. Wonderful
  • mike8383mike8383 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2012 pilot with 7300 miles on it. A/C moaning noise that dealer cannot find. Have replaced compressor and right cooling fan so far with no results
  • urbs15urbs15 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Honda Pilot. My air conditioning works fine when I am on the highway or when I am not stopped but when I am in stop and go traffic, the air conditioning blows warm air. Also, when I turn the car off, the fan stays on for five to ten minutes then shuts off. In the winter, I was having the opposite problem. The car would only blow hot air when the pedal was on the accelerator. Otherwise, it would blow cold air. Hopefully, all these problems are related. Any ideas?
  • help34help34 Member Posts: 1
    I know it has been almost year and you may have it fixed by now. However, I believe it is the "anti-noise controller" that is making the noise, ironically. The dealer can check it pretty easily, but it is about $600 to fix. It is tied to the radio somehow...
  • desertdog928desertdog928 Member Posts: 2
    Let me know if they find the problem. My dealership has had my vehicle twice and still cant figure it out. Honda motors refuses to give me any compensation, ie trade in. Basically said any thing else would have to be litigated!! WOW
  • shuleisshuleis Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2012 with the same noise. Noticeable at idle and when A/C is on. When I test drove the Pilot I noticed it on some and not on others. I'm not sure if this is normal, I would say not. I have not taken it to the dealer for the noise yet. Have you had your problem resolved? If so, what was the problem?
  • two_labstwo_labs Member Posts: 1
    Honda Pilot 2006 88,000 miles.
    For the last year our air conditioner (on both a/c and heat) makes these horrendous loud noises about every 30 minutes to an hour when the a/c or heat is on. I have to shut the air conditioner off and then turn it back on to get the noise to stop. By loud...it sounds like a train is bearing down on you in the car...

    We took it into our honda dealer and they had a hard time recreating the sound (because they weren't driving it around for 1/2 hour.) They finally recreated it once about the third time I took it in. They replaced the air condenser, but that didn't fix the problem.

    Any ideas? Could it be a bad bearing?
  • bighurt35bighurt35 Member Posts: 1
    Front and rear A/C not cooling. Local mechanic tested system and found significant leaks in front evaporator core and rear evaporator compartment. (Added 1 lb. freon to system that holds 1.5 lbs.) Stated leaks this severe for a vehicle that is 3 1/2 y.o. with 38K miles is unusual. (AllData has TSB for rear compartment.) Suggested we return to dealer and state a case for financial assistance with this repair. Thoughts?
  • ktnrktnr Member Posts: 255
    According to discountacparts.com:
    "Your compressor failed for a reason. The number 1 reason is contamination in the system. Cleaning out this contamination is crucial to ensuring that the new compressor is not also contaminated. Always flush and evacuate before changing parts. Always use A/C system flush solvent. If it is not perfectly clean after the flush and vacuum, we recommend re-flushing the system."

    My Atlanta Honda dealer botched my A/C system repair by initially just installing a new compressor and running the system to note poor performance. Only then did they inspect the accumulator/drier (replacement of this part is REQUIRED by every compressor manufacturer as part of the warranty) and noted it was leaking desiccant balls and other black junk into the system. THEN they decided to flush only the evaporator line and replace the clogged dryer and also the contaminated condensor (the A/C radiator at the front of the car, often difficult to flush). This is noted right on my invoice! The invoice doesn't mention cleaning or replacing the expansion valve nor purging the other line - things any half-trained A/C technician would have done. Obviously, my new compressor now has it's oil flooded with seven years of accumulated black crud. So I just paid $1,800 for a brand new compressor which WILL fail prematurely.

    I have a case open with Honda corporate to see what they can do given that the repair ddn't follow the Honda's - or anyone's - service procedures. You have to watch your dealer closely to ensure they perform the A/C repair correctly. The warranty on the repair will be only 90-days labor / 12 -months parts so, if the new compressor fails again within a year, you get to hassle with them all over again on the labor. After a year, you're just out another $1,500-$1,800.
  • ktnrktnr Member Posts: 255
    Honda reviewed my A/C repair bill. I had faxed them Denso’s warranty on their compressors (requires system purging and dryer replacement or the warranty is immediately void) along with industry articles describing the importance of thoroughly cleaning A/C systems to avoid contaminating a new compressor. I faxed them a copy of the Honda Service Bulletin showing the easy and very inexpensive alternative to the dealer’s suggested $480 power steering pump rebuild to cure a minor noise issue. I explained how the Service Advisor switched from protesting AGAINST additional work that would be wise (but would have required him to come in on his day off OR split his commission with someone else) to pushing unnecessary and over-priced work the next day (once he was resigned to protecting his commission by coming in on his day off, the Service Advisor wanted to make it damned worth his while). I explained how the dealer tried to charge me 8.976111 shop hours (a plugged number they made up) before they backed off their “mistake” and cut the labor charge by 40%.

    Bottom line: Honda said repairing a contaminated A/C system just by replacing one part at a time was “proper”. The attempted over-charges and commission wrangling are solely between me and the dealership. Honda suggested I contact the dealership Service Manager again to see if he can explain what they had previously refused to explain. In a word, Honda offered me NOTHING.

    If you’re looking for Honda dealer service in downtown Atlanta, you’d be wise to go far North (Woodstock, Georgia) or far South (Morrow, Georgia) instead. Even then, ask in advance to insure that your Service Advisor will be working the next day too in case your car needs to stay overnight. If anyone quotes you a price over the phone, get their full name to avoid hassles over service prices and commissions. Better yet, find a small, local shop who works off their reputation and repeat customers.
  • dogmamadogmama Member Posts: 1
    My '08 Pilot air alternates between blowing cold air and tepid air. The fan seems stronger when it is blowing cold air. The shop did an air conditioning service & said it was slightly low on freon. Still, the problem continues. They have no more suggestions. Help - I'm in AZ where air conditioning is essential.
  • bamonsonbamonson Member Posts: 4
    Hi,

    I have a 2011 Honda Pilot with 9,000 miles on it. In the last few months I've noticed that at stop lights (i.e., in gear but brake applied) it will lurch forward. I thought this was just part of the engine revving to compensate for A/C on a hot day, but it also happens when the A/C is off. Anyone else experiencing this?
  • bamonsonbamonson Member Posts: 4
    This problem does not always occur, but sometimes when you first turn on the A/C it will produce a foul odor, which I can only compare to the smell at a hair salon when someone is getting a perm.
  • mikewavemikewave Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Honday Pilot and don't have any heat. The A/C works well and will blow cold air. The blower works well and will blow air, but I can't get it to blow hot air.

    I am planning to change the cabin air filter as I expect that can only help, but was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to how to make it blow warm air again or what the scope of the problem might be? Any help or ideas would be welcomed.
  • rkpacmanrkpacman Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2010 Honda Pilot and the air stopped blowing cold air. The blower is working and the heat works but it's like the compressor stopped working. It has engaged one time and it blows cold air but then it stopped working again. Anyone have a suggestion?
  • bryanc20bryanc20 Member Posts: 1
    Recently we've had several problems with the a/c that have finally resulted in the a/c not cooling any more. I'm sure they are all related but I'd appreciate if someone can point me in the right direction.

    First, we noticed that the a/c would cool when the temp was turned all the way down (like 60 degrees) but if we turned it up just a few degrees it'd go strait to full heat.

    Then, the rear a/c stopped working all together, no blower or anything. This summer I had cleaned the vent and replaced the $80 resistor on the drivers side of the center console and it worked great.

    Now, the dash vents just blow ambient air. We hear a loud hissing from behind the passenger side of the dash from time to time but nothing consistent.

    This sound familiar? Any ideas where to start?
  • tommybilly25tommybilly25 Member Posts: 2
    I have a Honda Pilot 2008 (115k miles ). After a long trip ( Georgia to Miami ) I noticed during the trip that my ac was not blowing enough cold air even though it was set to the maximun. My wife noticed few drips of water from under the glove box. When I touched under i felt a piece of ice attached to the plastic that covers the Ac filter and evaporator. Also, the car is dripping a lot of water from the 2 draining hoses ( one in the front and the other one towards the middle of the car ), lots of water dripping from both hoses so I am assuming the drain is not clogged up.
    I just changed my AC Filter since I have never changed it before ( it was not so bad ) however, I noticed when I looked through the filter case compartment that both pipes where the expansion valve is attached were extremely "sweaty" and dripping few dropps of water every 10- 15 sec. Also the tube that continues through the firewall was also "sweating a lot " as well as the whole low pressure tube .
    The Compressor engaged with no problem , both fans are working. compressr clutch engages with no problem but it seems that doesnt desengages, it is ON all the time ( im assuming because is trying to get the interior of the car cold but it doesn happen, inside the car is not cold as should be ) .
    I re-charged with more refirgerant becasue it was a little below where it should be and i used the UV dye one but After i recharged i didnt found any leak. Now same signs, ac not cooling enough and a lot of sweaty pipes and lots of dripping through the draining hoses. Please help, any ideas?
  • dougegooddougegood Member Posts: 1
    have a 2003 pilot ex. Replaced cabin filter 2 weeks ago. This morning air flow to all front vents stopped while driving. Can hear fan and controls change speed. Tried all defrost/upper/lower combinations. Rear vents working and cold when a/c on. What to do?
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