Honda City 1.3 Air Condition System - A/C Issue

Hi,

I have also the same problem with my City and the Honda dealer and most of the AC mechanics advised me to replace the compressor but I couldn't buy their idea.  I went to a experenced Mechanic, known to me, and asked him to please takeout the compressor and open it and take out its bearing at my own risk. Bearing was SKF 6201ZZ Made in Japan, however I could buy the same size in China made and it cost me PKR 150. + PKR 1500 for gas charging and labor.

Therefore I would advise plz do not rplace the Compressor with used compressor which is not relible and repair the original one. It is simple and easy, just have to open one Nut to takeout the bearing.

Good to hear that you were able to fix it before bearing really got demaged. This indeed proves that all the Foreign car brand dealers are not doing honest job for their customers and they are over charging their customers just because their customers are 1) not knowledable enough 2) They can affort to pay such big money. This also to me is one kind of moral corruption!!!!

Only way to change this to create more awareness.

2004 model Honda City EXi and the AC started acting up 15 days ago. No noises etc. but suddenly on a hot afternoon the AC stopped working. There was no problem for the next few days but again 1 day while driving the Compressor stopped and would not start again. Last saturday I decided to show the car to my regular Honda ASC in Okhla but the AC was working fine (after driving for 40 minutes in the hot afternoon of Delhi) till I reached the ASC. I explained the issue but the Service representative @ Honda ASC had no clue what could be wrong and asked me to leave the car with them for 2 -3 days for them to investigate. This did nort sound feasible or sensible to me so I told him that I will bring the car around again when the AC has stopped and I left the service shop but within 4 -5 Kms on the way back to my home the problem reappeared. I turned around and headed back to the ASC. In between after stopping for about 5 - 6 minutes the compressor restarted but then stopped again before I reached the ASC. I showed the problem to the service rep. and he still could not say what was wrong and asked me to bring the car back, first thing on Sunday morning.

Since this showed the level of incompetence @ the ASC I decided to consult other reliable sources and found a decent AC repair and service oputfit in Ajit Arcade (Auto Cool India). I went to the shop on my way back from the ASC and the experienced mechanic there heard my explanation of the issue and told me that most times this problem in this particular model is because of a week magnetic coil (clutch)which stops working under high ambient temperartures. As such my car has run over 110000 Kms and he said even the compressor should be reaching the end of its lifecycle but the current problem can be resolved for atleast another 2 - 3 years with a coil replacement and complete servivce and overhall. Total cost Rs. 3500/- including Gas refilling.

I have dropped the car at the workshop today and hope this works out. I will update how it goes within a week.

Honda city maintenance costs are exorbitantly high. i own a city, just now tabulated that the per km maintenance cost , turns out to be is 5-6 Rs/km. My santro was 1-2 Rs/km. The car is very smooth, reliable but high on cost. This was anyway expected when u buy this perticular car, in India. We also do not have the access to see the cost of spare parts online unlike Honda usa. This is the reason why the sales are not going to pick-up despite sharp reduction in prices. Honda in India needs to completely overhaul the spare part pricing system.

Everytime when one visits ASC, the honda guys would normally try to maximise the bill, without even knowing/testing the car. It seems that the service advisers are more of data entry operators rather than any kind of advisors.

Bottomline is that "If u don't like rape, better enjoy it "