3.4
definitely annoying- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 38,333 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 2006 Honda Accord. She took the vehicle to the dealer for maintenance and a leak in the air conditioner unit was found. She arranged an appointment to have the vehicle repaired. The technician stated that a pebble could have caused the hole in the compressor. The vehicle was repaired at her expense. She called the manufacturer, but was not provided with any assistance. The current mileage was approximately 35,000. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000. Updated 6/19/10 updated 07/22/10
- Randolph, MA, USA
A/C stopped working. Was told that road debris damaged the condenser unit, though there was no incident of me hitting road debris that was visible. Thus a "road hazard" not covered by warranty, according to dealer. Cost to repair: $550. Unit is low to the ground, vulnerable to damage. Numerous websites note people experiencing similar damage with other Accord years and models, not covered, costing approx. Same amount. Sometimes damage recurs. Honda should provide a shield to protect this vulnerable part. The same part also activates interior defroster, which will not work if condenser is damaged. That is a safety issue, as visibility is reduced. My dependents have asthma and allergies, and this is a safety issue for them driving in a very hot and humid climate of the houston area. There is no shield or other device offered by Honda to keep the same damage from happening again. I drive carefully and keep my car well-maintained. It seems as though any object on the road surface is a potential hazard to this condenser unit even non-visible small rocks or pebbles.
- Manvel, TX, USA
Am having the same problem with my Accord. The first time it happened, I brought it to the dealer and they told me that a stone had damaged the condenser and was rare occurrence. They said that it was not covered under warranty and would cost between $600-$700 to replace the part. Amazingly after my husband spoke with them, they did put the part through as a warranty item. After searching the internet for Honda recall items and coming across other reports of the exact same problem, this clearly is not a rare occurrence, to me this is defective design. Also, this rare occurrence has occurred again this year - turned on the A/C and it doesn't work, again.
- Waterbury, VT, USA
A/C stopped working. Was told that a stone damaged the condenser unit, thus a "road hazard" not covered by warranty, according to dealer. Cost to repair: $650. Unit is low to the ground, vulnerable to damage. Numerous websites note people experiencing exact damage, not covered, costing approx. Same amount. Sometimes damage recurs. Honda denies ever having a complaint on this situation, which is not true. Honda should provide a shield to protect this expensive, vulnerable part. Same part also activates interior defroster, which will not work if condenser is damaged. That is a safety issue, as visibility is reduced. Having cool air is a safety issue if you have asthma, allergy, are elderly, or if you live in a very hot climate. Honda is remiss in not being responsible for this problem and are making money off of a flawed design. There is no shield or other device offered by Honda to keep the same damage from happening. I drive carefully and keep my car well-maintained. It seems as though any object on the road surface is a potential hazard to this condenser unit. I think Honda should be ashamed of itself and owes it to its customers (this is my third Honda) to provide a retrofit.
- Dublin, CA, USA
I bought my 2006 Honda Accord in April last year. On June 2006, my A/C condenser had a leak due to "road debris". Honda dealer wouldn't cover this because "road damage" is not under warranty. They charged me $700 to replace a new A/C condenser. Last week, I tried to turn on my A/C and found out the air was not cold at all. I took my Accord back to the dealer and learned that I was having the same problem. The dealer told me a small pebble might damage the condenser causing all the freon to leak. I replaced two A/C condensers within a year. I had driven many other cars in the past and never had my A/C condenser break down because of a small pebble. Honda Accord has a design flaw on the venting system and should take action to fix the problem. The main problem of the venting system is it does not protect the A/C condenser from the small of pebbles or debris. The location of the A/C condenser allows the tubing exposed in front of the fins where it is likely to be hit. Another improvement on the A/C condenser is using a stronger material on this product so it is not that fragile. The Honda manufacturer should replace my A/C condensers and improve the design of the venting system.
- Walnut, CA, USA
- Rogersville, TN, USA