The AC compressor clutch was getting stuck after heating up causing the car to blow only outside temperature air. This would occur after having the car warm up, so it was not noticeable during a cold start. Initially the mechanic replaced the relay, but this did not solve the issue. A year after (did not need to AC during the winter season) I decided to bite the bullet and replace the whole compressor and this did the trick, unfortunately the part itself (my mechanic only uses OEM parts) was about $580 and the labor $350. If you are running into this issue, buy an after market compressor online and save yourself some money.

PRETENTIOUS PRELUDE---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Cars aren't made like they used to be made" - The line your grandpa proudly spouts ignorantly at the Thanksgiving dinner table, as everybody else tries to avoid eye contact and change the subject. Auto manufacturers and the US government themselves would love for you to believe that modern cars are more safe, reliable, and fuel efficient than ever. You should definitely buy a brand-new car, old cars are garbage and you shouldn't drive those.

Is it really true? Well, probably on average, for every 2008 Corolla there's 100 2002 Ford Explorers and Dodge Rams. And a modern car is definitely better than a 70s Chevette.

BUT LORD OH LORD does Honda not care these days. After making the automotive equivalent of shitting yourself in the middle of your final exams, things seemed to be going alright. Honda apologized, and maybe they'd start making some good cars again. Then they decided that all that "Honda makes good cars" stuff your mother says when she's trying to talk you out of that Mustang, that needs to end. Like, ASAP.

ACTUAL COMPLAINT------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 2008 Honda Civic's A/C is f*cked. It leaks R134, right into the atmosphere, because who cares. The wiring is faulty. The Relay breaks. Best of all, the compressor utterly fails and the belt stops turning it. This last one appears to be happening at a disturbingly high rate, which is all the worse as it's extremely expensive to get fixed and a PITA to do it yourself.

If you're a good mechanic, or you know one with a drug habit, you'll be able to get the compressor fixed just for the cost of the rebuild kit, I've seen them everywhere from $100-$300, I'm guessing it'd be more on the high side though. Of course, for all us regular people whose mechanical experience beings and ends at popping the hood and saying "Huh...it sure is broken", it'll be about $1000 for the dealer, and at least $500 for your local shady mechanic.

I live in the frigid hinterlands up north, but it still gets hot and sticky around here for several months. This car is like satan's asshole without A/C, which makes me pissed off whenever I'm driving it, causing me to drive recklessly. Still, I'm not gonna fix it, I'll be damned if Honda will ever see another one of my dollars.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A SIMPLE FREON LEAKAGE, BUT TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE. SO I HAVE TO DRIVE W/O AIR CONDITIONING UNDER THE HOT SOUTH FLORIDA SUN. I HAVE TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO SERVICE CENTERS AND THIS WENT ON FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, UNTIL FINALLY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE A/C COMPRESSOR WAS THE CULPRIT.

I AM NOT JUST GOING TO SIT BACK AND LET THIS ISSUE PASS WITH OUT SOMEBODY HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ME AND MY WIFE WERE PLANNING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER HONDA BEFORE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED, BUT ARE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT IT ALREADY. I AM HOPING THAT AMERICAN HONDA WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Honda has disappointed me with this. In the Pacific NW we only use A/C maybe 1-2 months out of the year. I have barely used it in the years I've owned it, because I like to drive with the windows open. I'm not even sure how long it was truly broken before I noticed it, who knows- it might have been under warranty when it actually broke!

It's just crazy that they charged me $120 just to inspect it and then wanted to charge another $980 to fix the broken compressor. I told them I would not pay that much to have something fixed which should not have broken in the first place. With the amount of people I've found who also have this problem I think a recall is warranted here and I'm surprised no one has done anything about it. How do you get that process started?

Adding myself to the list of folks that are also experiencing issues with their a/c compressor for the 2008 Honda Civics. Started turning on the a/c earlier this month to test the air conditioner and instead of blowing nice cool air, it blasted hot dry air. Figured I'd run it while driving, since it seems to only kick in with cold air once you're on the road driving for a while. Nothing engaged, no cold air, not on Max A/C or in any other way.

Finally took it to the Honda dealer only to be told that the air compressor needs to be replaced. When I asked for the estimate, totaled more than a grand!!! Went to my local auto parts cause I figured it doesn't have to be an OEM part and the store reps all said, "ohhhhh, yea, it's a known issue, Honda hasn't acknowledged it yet." Pretty peeved because I've been a fan of Honda vehicles for a very long time. My first car was a 1997 Honda Civic and that one had no a/c issues ever. Went online and the same is being said online. Honda Air Compressors are defective.

Pretty disappointed that Honda has not stepped up to acknowledge this issue, so I'm here now to say that if several vehicles of the same age, make and model are all having the same issue and be relatively new cars, then that's a defective part and it should be replaced free of charge to the customers. I've submitted a complaint through NHTSA as well. Hope that this gets some attention and that the forums also continue to write about this issue.

I'd certainly expect more quality from Honda than being told that I'll have to get a new air compressor, new coils, and a/c clutch and more out of my pocket for seems to be a defective part. Definitely don't see the lifespan of an air compressor as being 5 years only.

My first car was a 1995 Honda Civic. My second car was a 2004 Honda Civic. So when car shopping the last time a few years ago, I automatically put Honda Civics in my mix. I considered Toyota Corollas and Camrys, Mazda 6s, and Hyundai Sonatas. After my comparing and research, I decided to stick with the Honda Civic. They are small but spacious, get great gas mileage, and are reliable. However, I was so wrong with my 2008 Honda Civic Ex. I have had so many problems with this car, it's incredible. I AM BROKE!!!!

This latest fix... The AC Compressor went bad. In my research, I found that MANY 2007-2012 Civic owners have had this issue. "But you don't actually NEED A/C"... but unfortunately, I do. The AC helps to defog the windows in an incredible humid Pennsylvania summer. This single mom was trying to stick it out for the summer, but after not being able to see driving down the highway, I had to cave. $1300 on my Discover card...