Greyout

Having an odd problem with the air conditioning in my wife's '04 EX-L.

The A/C will blow ice-cold, and then fail suddenly. Cabin fan keeps blowing at the desired setting, but the air coming out is no longer cold. A minute or two later (lately sometimes longer), it comes back full cold.

And yes, this is with the climate settings on manual full-cold. LO / LO on driver and passenger side temp settings, and recycle turned on.

Any suggestions on where to start? Thanks.

Ross 2.0

How long does it usually work before it gets warm?

Greyout

Good question.

When the problem first came up, it would work normally for I'd say 10-15 minutes, then it would cut out for 30 seoconds to a minute, then come back. It has been getting worse and worse.

Now, the A/C works for about 5 minutes after you start driving, then it very abruptly stops. I haven't driven the car long enough in the last day or two to experience it coming back on.

Are there any instructions available for pulling the HVAC error codes from a non-nav EX-L climate system?

Greyout

...and oddly enough, this thread describes similar symptoms

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-accord-crosstour-2003-2012-118/intermitten-air-conditioning-03-accord-2416141/

and my battery had to be replaced yesterday. Only in my case, it did not fix the problem. A/C was still acting up today.

Also, it fails during cruising speeds, when the RPM is high enough for the alternator to provide plently of power. So I think available amps is not the issue.

I could try it with my stereo and headlights off and see if that made a difference I guess...

Ross 2.0

Sounds like it's overcharged or it has moisture in the system causing the expansion valve to freeze up. Once the high side pressure goes too high it will cut out till the pressure drops back to the low side. Take it to a shop that's good with A/C work and they should be able to make short work of it. 9 times out of 10 with the symptoms you're describing it's going to be a pressure system problem and not electrical. If it were an electrical issue it would likely not work at all or would act crazy all the time.

Greyout

The A/C hasn't been serviced in the 3 years I've owned the car, so I doubt its overcharged.

I did notice, perhaps as a complete coincidence, that if I leave recycle turned off, it will last for 20 minutes or more before failing.

Greyout

But I guess moisture is a possibility? That would suggest a leak to me, given its lack of service in such a long time.

Duane_in_Japan

By not using recycle, you are bringing in warm air from outside, this in turn keeps the evaperator warmer than on recycle. You say its blowing ice cold so it must be working well otherwise.

Of course we need the pressures from the LO and HI side to give you any real info but I am going to say that the Evap is freezing up, the Evap temp sensor is telling the computer that it is too cold and kills the compressor, it takes some time for the ice to melt and then it turns back on.

If the freon is a little low, it will cause the evap to condense more water and your ice cold system is freezing the water on the evap. This is my theory, leave your windows open and flood the cabin with warm air and see if it lasts for more than 20 minutes, either way, we need pressures still.

You may need to spray some cleaner into the warm air inlets in front of the windshield to get rid of some of the contamination on the evap also. Your water drain may be slightly plugged but maybe not.

jeffreymarshall

Tnx for warning us.

PowerUser

So it may have never been serviced since the car was new? I'd say take it to your dealer or a local honda shop that deals strictly with hondas to get it looked at. it sounds very much like the pressure is low or high in the system.

BLKFLSH

Greyout

I did the self-diagnosis thingy as shown above, and it didn't do much. It made the system turn on for a few second, it blew at me, then it turned itself off. No code of any kind was shown on the display when it was done.

Duane_in_Japan

Still waiting for LO and HI side pressure readings, peticularly at the point when it starts blowing warm. This means you will need to drive around with the pressure gauges sticking out from under the hood where you can monitor them through the windshield. The pressure readings will tell most of the story.

Most of the issues that the guys have been talking about will not be covered by the self diagnostic system. Also the purple note talks about a different procedure for self diagnosis, which is not listed in the instructions above.

Labod

My 2003 Honda pilot doesnt cool in traffic, pls what cld be wrong?

BLKFLSH

My compressor clutch and stator (coil) were replaced not long ago, for the same symptoms.

Splatch

I love these forums, over the years I have saved a lot of money and had a decent time working on my (now 10 year old) Honda..

SO HERE IS THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION FOR AT LEAST 80% of Honda Accord owners with this problem!:


Honda Accord intermittent AC air conditioner clutch stator; sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Very annoying problem! I took it to one guy, he wanted to recharge my AC. OK, try that. ($100 please)
No help.. Take it back, he recharges it again, ($xxx dollars please) to see if there is a leak. Still AC works only sometimes, mostly in the winter...

I'm sure this is a common problem for 7th generation Honda Accord 2003, 2004, etc.

Here is a link to the part, it's $7.
http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/200...rol_relay.html


Good luck finding this part at an auto parts store, so go to the dealer yourself to get it, or better yet, order from above online. My mechanic said the dealer did not want to deliver the part, since it's so cheap.. so he had to send a runner to get it.

I could have easily replaced this part myself, so I wish I had read this thread before I spent $100 at my mechanic today to diagnose and replace it for me. I thought my compressor clutch was dead, since it was working in cool weather, and would fail in warm weather.. I lived with this problem for 2 years hoping it would just die because in the winter when I was showing it to my first mechanic, it worked fine. (AHHHHHHH!)

but second mech traced it with a trouble light just by seeing the voltage to the stator was not making it past the relay. Simple.

These cars all have the same problems; look up your problem online and fix it yourself!

Splatch

Sorry,
above post link doesn't work; but if you giveit in your model/year/make it will work.

I have seen a post that has a diagram, I will try to find it.

This problem is often caused by electrical relay that becomes faulty and only works part-time.

Find the relay under the hood in the fuse box, there are 3 identical relays, you can probably just swap them to identify if this is your problem; 2 for AC and 1 for radiator.

Standard Motor Products A/C Control Relay
Sale Price:
$7.10

Part Number: 17897-07148578
Notes: A/C Compressor Control Relay -- Genuine Intermotor Quality

Splatch

Sorry,
above post link doesn't work; but if you giveit in your model/year/make it will work.

I have seen a post that has a diagram, I will try to find it.

This problem is often caused by electrical relay that becomes faulty and only works part-time.

Find the relay under the hood in the fuse box, there are 3 identical relays, you can probably just swap them to identify if this is your problem; 2 for AC and 1 for radiator.

Standard Motor Products A/C Control Relay
Sale Price:
$7.10

Part Number: 17897-07148578
Notes: A/C Compressor Control Relay -- Genuine Intermotor Quality

Splatch

http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/sh...=1#post2864137

This post has a diagram that points out the location of the relay.

Splatch

Part Number: 17897-07148575
Notes: Accessory Power Relay -- Omron; 4 Pin; Genuine Intermotor Quality