macdian

Hi,

Lately, I've been experiencing a sort of "gas" coming into the cabin when the AC got really cold (after running for a while) on my 97 Civic LX sedan. I'd shut it off right away when this happened.

Now, the AC isn't getting very cold.

Based on this, my assumption is the gas I was seeing was the coolant, and now it's out of coolant. As such, I'll need to look for some sort of leak in the system.

However, am I wrong? Could that have been condensation somehow?

Thanks,
Ian

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i have had very thick clouds coming thru the vents in a hot and humid area when the ac was on, but it was also cold air coming out not warm. if yours is warm, you def have a leak. did it smell like chemicals? the 134a has a strong smell you cannot mistake for water vapor. its also very bad for you to breathe.

macdian

Interesting. The vapour definitely did not have an odor. So I suppose it was likely water vapour, and that I've now need a recharge just due to how much I've used the ac this summer. Might as well try it anyway.

Thanks!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

and the more i think about it, the more i dont believe that ac refrigerant can come into the cabin. almost all the ac lines are under the hood, and the only part in the vent system is the evaporator core which is heavy reinforced metal and probably would not break. also, the r134a stuff is clear and likely would not be visible at all even if it leaked out. you would smell it before you would see it. so yeah im thinking some sort of water vapor effect for sure.

THANXA

Hi Everyone : I'm the guy who found the answer to Honda hesitation but now I have another bothersome issue. It seems that my 2012 Honda Civic Air Conditioning vents spew out a strong musty smell. Should I call the engineer in Japan again or does someone here have an answer for me ? ( note : it has 5000 miles and has been doing it since new )

ezone

#1, Some people are overly sensitive to the chemicals normally found in newer cars.
If it has been there since day one, it is probably normal.
Go to your dealer.
Drive an identical car.
See if it also has a similar odor.
If it is the same, then it is normal.
We are done.

#2, pull the cabin (or HEPA or HVAC) filter out and see what is in it. If nothing (mildew, bugs, organic debris, etc.) then it is probably normal. (Unless you have dead mice trapped in it somewhere. It happens.) Yes, I have witnessed foul odors from trapped debris in that filter.

The HEPA filter starts life bright white, most are some shade of gray by 20-30k miles.

#3, it is under warranty. Go to your dealer. Don't expect much unless the smell is extremely offensive or just plain wrong. There must be a verifiable problem before we can do much of anything.

The cowl area (under the windshield where the wiper linkages are) is large and could harbor unwanted visitors. Warranty doesn't cover critters, or any damage they may cause.

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Some people are overly sensitive to the chemicals normally found in newer cars.

Chemicals that make up the "new car smell":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_car_smell
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_1...ars-are-worst/


The chemicals do leave a residue of sorts...
Article from a Honda Service News (here: http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/A011000.pdf )
Go to page 3, find this article:

Keeping Window Film Under Control

We’ve all seen it: that cloudy film that forms on the
inside of vehicle windows, especially on new
ones. But just what causes this film, and how can
you keep it under control?
A variety of things can cause window film:



I have a 2012 Civic, it is almost 1 year old now. The windshields (front and rear) have a bit of a fog on them, mostly noticeable at night. That's about the only thing I have seen on it. It is from the outgassing described in that article above. No, I haven't cleaned it off, I'm freekin' lazy.


HTH

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah exactly, cars have many toxic chemicals that leech from the plastics and this process can happen for 20+yrs and probably forever. even really old cars do it. to minimize interior haze, try and always keep the windows open an inch or more so the interior doesnt get too hot. this also helps save your dash from cracking. for the a/c odor, this is "normal" and happens to almost every car. it mainly becomes a problem due to how people use the a/c system. to fix it immediately, you can turn the fan on full and temp dial to HOT after the car has been warmed up by driving. let it run for a few mins and that will instantly clear the smell. next time you use the a/c, simply turn it off a minute or two before parking and let the fan blow. this dries out the system so mildew cannot grow. you also want to be using fresh air mode. if you must use the "recirc" mode to make the air colder and/or keep outside air from entering, then a few mins before you park you need to switch to fresh air mode and turn the a/c off to let the fan blow for a while. if you do this every time, you will never have any smells. i also removed my cabin filters (most old cars before 2000 didnt have them to begin with) so i get more air flow and dont have to worry about changing em. they serve no real purpose anyway. you get more airflow and dont have to turn the fan speed up as much to get cold.