RaeT

Hello,

When my a/c is on, it makes a loud rattling noise and it goes away when off. I had a mobile mechanic come by and he confirmed by looking that the a/c compressor needs to be replaced. He also said there are like 5 parts that go with it that need to be replaced with it, other than compressor and condensor, I cannot remember the names of the other things.

Does this sound normal that multiple parts would need to be replaced or could he just be trying to get extra money out of me?

Also does anyone know what this work would probably cost, a rough range? I'm in the Atlanta area.


Thanks
Rae

ezone

Please please please take it to a HONDA DEALERSHIP for AC related services!

Joe Blow mechanics and DIYers do not have the specialized equipment to deal with the hybrid compressor and the very special oil and service procedures that MUST be adhered to.


It may not be cheap at a dealer, but it will be far more expensive to let an amateur touch it.

RaeT

What would this end up costing at a dealership, any ballpark range?

I avoid dealerships like the plague unless I absolutely have to go. Hybrids have been out for years, one would think some shops would be able to handle them by now. uggh

ezone

Sorry, you have no idea what's wrong with it and I have no idea what prices might be.


I can guess that if the compressor has failed internally, a good portion of the system will need to be replaced. A compressor failure usually sends debris traveling on downstream throughout the system, and can contaminate every bit of it if the failure is bad enough--necessitating replacement of the entire AC system.

It may need to be disassembled to evaluate just how bad the failure is, and how far contamination may have spread.
You do realize I work for a Honda dealer.....?

Yeah, there are a few places that have spent the money necessary to equip themselves to fix Hybrids. Those are few and far between......And unless you are very well informed, you don't know what can and cannot be handled by average shops, and you have no way to assess their abilities, training, and tooling.

Some things on the car can be handled by almost any shop. Other stuff, NO.

And 90% of the shops you talk to may try to get you in the doors anyway. They most likely have no clue how bad they can screw this up.

======================

Regarding the AC on the 8th and 9th gen Civic Hybrids:
Copy-paste from some service info; Honda Service News, Feb 2007 and Aug 2008:

"This compressor is actually two compressors in a single
case. One compressor is the conventional type that’s driven from the crankshaft by the drive belt. The other compressor is driven by a high-voltage, three-phase electric motor.

Since the electric motor is inside the compressor case, and it’s in contact with the refrigerant oil, make sure you use only Sanden SE-10Y. This refrigerant oil has unique electrical insulating properties that protect you from dangerous electrical shock from the motor.

If you accidently pour in the wrong refrigerant oil or use dye, you’ll also contaminate the A/C system. Just how bad that damage gets depends on whether or not you run the A/C afterwards. If you don’t run the A/C, you’ll need to replace just the compressor. If you run the A/C, though, you’ll need to replace not only the compressor, but also the condenser, the evaporator, and all the lines."

=========



"This special refrigerant oil is really sensitive to cross-contamination by incorrect refrigerant oils. If it gets contaminated, it loses much of its insulating properties.


Running a cross-contaminated A/C system will most likely turn on the IMA indicator and set DTC P0AA6 (high voltage short circuit), resulting in a shutdown of the IMA system."

========

Are you understanding better just how expensive this could get if you let the wrong person touch it?


It takes a specialized AC recovery machine to handle the special oil inside the AC system of the Hybrid.

Contamination with incorrect oil can be an electrocution hazard, and may necessitate replacement of the entire system...... Again, by someone that has the equipment necessary to handle the work.

You, the Mobile Mechanic guy, and Joe Mechanic from Craigslist do not have the necessary equipment to handle this.
I'm pretty sure you can't get the right parts and oil from AutoZone, let alone the right equipment to do it.

Ordinary AC machines used by most shops have no way to separate and isolate the refrigerant oil already in the machine and service hoses and prevent it from migrating into the AC system of the car it's connected to.

The Honda dealership has the equipment to do it (and I would hope have people with the training to handle it). If you don't like your local dealer, call around to another dealer.

HTH

barryaz1

I've been having my dealer do just about everything on my 2007 HCH since new, although I just let my regular service place (for about 15 years on other cars) put in new brake pads/machine rotors.

In general, what am I safe having him do vs. the dealer? What about engine mounts?

Thanks.