Just Knocked out my Fuel Pump recall & AC condensor on extended (free- not ext war.) warranty

  • Thread starter Thread starter Geor99
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 16
  • Views Views 2K
G

Geor99

Active Member
I dropped my Clarity off yesterday for the Fuel Pump Recall. My AC hasn't been blowing cold, so I mentioned the extended warranty on the condensor and asked them to take a look; and if it is the condensor to replace it.

4.5 hours later, I had my new fuel pump AND my new AC condensor replaced for a total cost of $0.00. I am a very very very happy camper; as I have been refilling my AC with refrigerant for over a year now.

I went to Honda Chula Vista, and my service guy's name was George. He is a good service guy, and if you are in the San Diego area; especially if you have AC issues; I would recommend doing exactly what I did and ask for George in the service department.

Now, I just need to find a used windshielf projector/camera, so that I can have cruise control; and get rid of the ever constant warnings on the car. I have been looking weekly for 8 months and I can only find Canadian parts, which I supposedly cant use on my yankee clarity.
 
It's interesting how differently some of these cars have behaved. I've got 72k miles on my 2018 and never had any problems with the a/c (it will still freeze you out, even here in Alabama), my rotors stay clean/shiny (even though the brakes are still essentially unworn), etc. The car has never been in the shop for anything other than routine maintenance (and the fuel pump and some coolant valve that I seem to remember being replaced under recall). I'm still occasionally seeing over 50 miles on the GOM and it will still get 55 miles or so in moderate weather from the battery if you drive 35-45 in town or on back roads. Early on, I had the issues with needing to remove the ground on the battery occasionally when public chargers misbehaved (and that one will still crop up once or so each year), and I have had a couple of instances of the infotainment going blank (again mostly years ago) and having to reset that. But, overall, this has been a problem free car with very minimal maintenance. I have thoroughly enjoyed owning it, but I guess somewhere in the next 3 years or so I will start to think about what to replace it with. For me, now it is essentially performing as an EV, without being an EV (as I tend to drive it now 95%+ of the miles in EV mode).
 
Hello Robert,

What is this coolant valve recall that you mention? I have never heard of this; and the dealer the other day certainly didn't mention any other recalls, save the fuel pump impeller. Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks Robert. Even though I also have a 2018 Clarity, I was never mailed anything about this update/recall. So, since I wasn't contacted and I dont appear to have any of the mentioned issues; I am going to ignore this one:)

But I really appreciate the quick answer to my question.
 
Robert_Alabama said:
It's interesting how differently some of these cars have behaved. I've got 72k miles on my 2018 and never had any problems with the a/c (it will still freeze you out, even here in Alabama), my rotors stay clean/shiny (even though the brakes are still essentially unworn), etc. .
Click to expand...
My experience is IDENTICAL to you Robert, except I have 104k on my 2018. And I plan to keep mine as close to forever as I can. My guess is the AC condensor problem is a mfg. issue that didn't happen until after our cars were built.
 
I have a 2018 Clarity Touring built in the first batch of October 2018. My condensor failed last year and was replaced. The air conditioner was still blowing cold air but I discovered oil on the bottom of the condensor (enough to leak onto the garage floor). We have less than 16,000 miles on the car. So, the problem existed in the first Clarity PHEV's built. I think the InsightMan"s Clarity (also a 10/2018 build) also had the condensor replaced.

LeoP
 
FYI: I purchased mine on October 10, 2018, and I had the ac issue after year 4 with the car. Hopefully, they redesigned the condenser and didn't just install the same original design as before.

Down the road, 'd recommend people having it dye checked at 9.5 years, which is right before the extended condenser warranty dies. It is extremely expensive to pay to replace the condenser.) With some YouTube videos under your belt, you can do the dye test yourself.

If the design didn't change and it fails again within 10 years, I wonder if they would replace it again for free??? Hopefully, I won't come to that bridge again:)
 
Let me correct the post I made above. My Clarity Touring PHEV is an October 2017 build. I sometimes get the build year mixed up with the model year. We purchased the Clarity, the first one at my Indiana dealer, in February of 2018.
 
leop said:
Let me correct the post I made above. My Clarity Touring PHEV is an October 2017 build. I sometimes get the build year mixed up with the model year. We purchased the Clarity, the first one at my Indiana dealer, in February of 2018.
Click to expand...
My November 2017-delivered Clarity is on its 3rd condenser.
 
Sounds like I may be on borrowed time on my condenser, but still am hopeful that since it has held up this long (in Alabama running the A/C a high percentage of the time), it might make it through without failing. :)
 
insightman said:
My November 2017-delivered Clarity is on its 3rd condenser.
Click to expand...
Did you get them to pay for the replacement twice under the condenser warranty, or did you have it under the original car warranty/extended warranty; or did you pay out of pocket once/twice? It sounds like they may not have redesigned it; and they are replacing it with the same defective condenser?
 
Last edited:
Robert_Alabama said:
Sounds like I may be on borrowed time on my condenser, but still am hopeful that since it has held up this long (in Alabama running the A/C a high percentage of the time), it might make it through without failing. :)
Click to expand...

Like Robert_Alabama, our first base Clarity (60k) was built in November 2018 and hasn't had any ac issues thus far. The second Clarity (50k) was built June 2018 and no issues since purchased last February, but I don't know if it has the original condenser. We use ac from May - October here.
 
NorCalPete said:
Like Robert_Alabama, our first base Clarity (60k) was built in November 2018 and hasn't had any ac issues thus far. The second Clarity (50k) was built June 2018 and no issues since purchased last February, but I don't know if it has the original condenser. We use ac from May - October here.
Click to expand...
You might be able to get a dealer to pull a work performed list, if the previous owner did indeed get a new condenser and did it through a dealer, which is probably the only way to get this part replaced realistically.

Also, I just added a poll on the Clarity AC issue; so feel free to vote.
 
Last edited:
Geor99 said:
Did you get them to pay for the replacement twice under the condenser warranty, or did you have it under the original car warranty/extended warranty; or did you pay out of pocket once/twice? It sounds like they may not have redesigned it; and they are replacing it with the same defective condenser?
Click to expand...
I didn't have to pay for either replacement condenser. Perhaps Honda will requisition @Robert_Alabama's Clarity and rip out his condenser to figure out why it's lasted so long.
 
NorCalPete said:
Like Robert_Alabama, our first base Clarity (60k) was built in November 2018 and hasn't had any ac issues thus far. The second Clarity (50k) was built June 2018 and no issues since purchased last February, but I don't know if it has the original condenser. We use ac from May - October here.
Click to expand...
One reason mine might still be fine is how little I use it. Even though I live in South Florida I prefer to drive with all windows open in the heat. I only use the AC when its hot and I go on a highway, maybe 15 times a year.
 
David Towle said:
One reason mine might still be fine is how little I use it. Even though I live in South Florida I prefer to drive with all windows open in the heat. I only use the AC when its hot and I go on a highway, maybe 15 times a year.
Click to expand...
Our triple-condenser Clarity has only about 24K miles on the odo and we rarely use the AC other than to defrost the windshield.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top