tonyaufdeutsch

Hello All,

I have two problems with my 2008 Civic. One is the AC and the other is the noise it has been making every so often the past month or so. Though they both started acting up around the same time, I'm not sure if they are related. Please someone advise if you know anything about one or both of these issues.

A/C: The AC blows out hot/warm air when I have it to cool. It stays that way whether I have it on the moderate cold or coldest setting. However, sometimes it'll kick back on, but that is becoming more and more seldom. Reading around different forums online, I've heard mentioning that this could have something to do with the car's filters (engine, cabin, what have you), and I have not changed mine for a while. I know that filter maintenance is necessary for a host of other reasons, but I'm skeptical about it causing the AC to be warm. I've also read that this is a common issue in Civics around the '08 timeframe. Now, what's strange to me is that, when I turn it to defrost, I'm able to actually feel the cool air coming out of those upper vents. Obviously that doesn't do me much good. Once I try switching the setting back to blow out into the car, it goes back to warm air.

Noise: At about the same time the sir started to intermittently cut out, the car started making a noise that basically sounds like someone is taking a crow bar and dragging it along the street. It's higher pitched and is a clangy hiss, metal-ish. There's nothing dangling off the car, so I don't think that is it. However, this does only happen when I'm accelerating. Once I start to brake, the noise goes away or at least mostly goes away. Once I accelerate back up, the noise kicks up again. This isn't a constant thing, but it goes in and out. this morning, for example, the noise hadn't happened until I had already been driving about 20 minutes at roughly 70mph. I've also experience the noise going less than 10mph in my apartment's parking garage. So I don't think it has to do with reaching any certain RPM or anything. The car is an automatic, if that helps anyone derive an opinion.

I wanted to get some feedback on here before I take the car to a mechanic and get charged for all of these different tests and maintenance fees (currently in a tough financial spot), so I can have a lead/clue as to what the problem is beforehand.

Thanks, everyone, for the help. I'm a new member here and looking forward to meeting everyone.

-Tony