usually with a relay problem though, it just simply won't work... 85% working does not sound like a relay problem.

 

With a relay problem, it works intermittently and then finally craps out later. Mine worked on and off for a few weeks before it died completely one day.

 

Either way I'm going to give it a shot. Thanks guys!

 

Bah, I was actually thinking fuse...

 

I just looked at the owners manual and opened up the fuse box in the engine bay and I'm at a loss as to which one to replace. Could someone tell me which relay it is that I should purchase and replace from this diagram:

http://acuraautomotiveparts.org/acur...s=&view=normal

Thanks!

 

I believe there are 3 A/C related relays:

position 2 A/C compressor clutch relay
position 1 blower motor relay
position 15 condenser fan relay

The positions are highlighted on the inside of the cover of the fuse/relay box.

 

These position numbers don't match what I have on the underside of my cover of the fuse box:

2: RR Defroster Coil
1: L-H/L LO
15: Back Up, ACC

Now I'm totally lost......

 

You need to look at the fuse/relay box in the engine compartment NOT the cabin.

The cover of this box has no number but pictograms. Position 1 has the picture of a fan, position 2 has the picture of a compressor and position 15 has the picture of a compressor and a radiator.

If you PM me, I can scan it for you.

 

I don't know which relay was replaced on my car, but here is the part number taken directly off my invoice:

39794-SDA-A03 Description: relay assembly

 

Thanks. I figured it out after I posted. Just got back from the dealer and changed out the three relays and nothing...no fix. Time to call corporate. Not sure they'll do anything for me, but in the last two years I've already payed over $1.2K to change the clutch, $500 to get aftermarket rotors after going through 3 sets of warped Acura rotors(no warrping now), and now this. Plus I've had to change out the head unit from the blackout and it's blacking out again and I'm way out of warranty.

I'm sorry guys, but never again for me...no more Honda products...not even lawnmowers. I used to be such a fan boy too.....sad day.

If anyone wants to be scared their car will do this...I'm a green ringer.

 

Well, we bought two new cars at the end of 2003 - my TSX and an Audi A4. The A/C went dead on the Audi at 37,000 miles. Car was 4 1/2 years old - so warranty had just expired. Dealer wanted $2400 to replace. We called Audi who then agreed to pay half. So, we were stuck with $1200.

My TSX blew the HVAC at 75,000 miles - a year out of warranty. Dealer quoted me $3500. I met with the factory rep though, and then Acura agreed to pay for the entire charge. As a goodwill repair, the entire thing was no cost to me.

I was just reading Motor Trend today. They were doing a longterm follow-up on an Altima 3.5 they'd had for a full year. A few months out of warranty, the A/C went and they were hit for a $1000 charge (see latest issue of MT).

I'm starting to think that the theory somebody had around here that most A/C systems in cars are built by the same few companies. So, I'm guessing that the A/C going out is going to be commonplace, and it is just going to be a question of how different car companies handle it.

 

Just got off the phone with corporate. The case worker will contact me when he is in I was told. I get the feeling that they aren't going to help me because I'm so far out of warranty. I told them that I've dumped thousnads of dollars into the car for CORRECTIVE repairs and that I don't think I can stomach another Honda.

Two quotes:

"You understand that we can't trust things talked about in internet communities."

I guess that's fair, but naive at the same time.

"I've only heard of one other A/C problem, so I'm not sure why you think this is commonplace."

Am I the only one calling about this?

 

I was explicitly told by an Acura factory rep that A/C failures had been common on the 2004 TSX (or, as he put it, "not uncommon"). You are certainly NOT the only one they have been called on it and Acura is quite aware that they have a serious problem on their hands.

 

Are you talking about the rep at the dealership or at Acura Client Services? If you have a dealership name or a name at ACS that would help me immensely! They thought I was making something up and I got the impression they think I'm a punk trying to get a free repair for no good reason.

The “case worker” is supposed to call me back today and I want to make sure my ducks are in a row.

Does anyone know what the MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) is supposed to be on this system? That would be an interesting piece of information that I'm sure Acura won't give away.

 

Sauce,

What mileage were you at when this happened? I too travel 95% highway and I'm way up there in mileage...probably not even as close as you, but way too much none the less.

 

Sounds like they are in denial, or just don't want to admit there is a problem. All they have to do is check the service records at their dealerships and they'll see they have a big problem. Last gen CR-Vs have the same issue. I honestly don't believe that they don't know about this, though.

If I buy any more Honda products, I'll be sure to get the extended warranty.

 

Well, egg on my face for this one guys. Acura CS called me this morning and said that he spoke with the dealership and I completely misunderstood the dealer....it wasn't the compressor that was broken, it's the condenser.

Turns out that the crazy highway mileage I've done over the life of the car has beaten the hell out of the condenser screen and there isn't really much of any heat transfer going on right now. That explains why the A/C worked this morning when it was 70 out, but didn't work on the way home yesterday when it was 101.

I ordered an aftermarket condenser online this morning for $150 (vice the $450 from Acura) and it should be here late next week. I can change that out no problem with the guys here in the office

I just hope I'm not delaying the inevitable with the rest of the A/C issues everyone else is facing.

Funny thing though, a similar issue is what made me get rid of my '95 Civic. The radiator got pelted so baldy from stones in the Civic that I got my TSX. Honda dealership told me that the whole engine was shot, but I sold it to a Navy guy I knew and he just replaced the radiator and all was good. Crazy huh?

I think Hondas may be stone and bug magnets....recommend everyone think about investing in a screen for their front ends.....I may do something up when I replace the condenser next week.

Pray for cool weather until then….today sucks in the northeast!

 

I hope it's just the condenser. You still have the issue of the refrigerant. The manual says for condenser replacement:

1. Make sure you have the anti theft codes...

2. RECOVER the refrigerant with a recovery/recycling/charging station

3. Remove the front...

4. Remove the battery..

Step 2 is what makes an A/C related repair not user friendly.

 

That's why working on a submarine base with nuclear submarines that use R134a A/C and refrigeration plants has its perks

 

Sweet! I can just imagine the resources...

 

2004 Acura TSX owner here with the exact same intermittent A/C problem. For me the A/C works fine in the city (stop and go traffic) and starts blowing warm air when I'm moving at a consistent speed (highway).

I went to the dealership and ran into bad customer service as well. They thought I was dumb and didn't know how to work the A/C. I mentioned this community and the similar problems I've noticed but they obviously don't take us seriously. I offered them potential solutions based on all of your problems but once again didn't care to listen.

That being said, I'm now having my water pump replaced which I haven't read about yet on this thread. They offer no guarantees and its basically an educated guess which is probably wrong. The only thing they know how to do is sqeezing money out of us.

I'm pretty fed up with Acura's customer service and their refusal to take customer's complaints seriously, their denial, and poor quality. If anybody else feels this way I am willing to start an online petition regarding this A/C problem just to show them how many people are being effected. If you want to him them harder, they just launched the new TSX and it is being heavily promoted. Right now is the last time they need negative press.

 

moda_way is also collecting service invoices relating to the A/C problem.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43601

 

In no way is a water pump going to fix your ac. I hope the pump was bad or you where just taken for a ride. The only way you need a new water pump, is if the car was running hot or leaking. Your AC will work just the same as it did before.

 

Got the car back today and this was what was replaced:

- compressor
- clutch set
- coil set
- expansion valve
- condenser

Diagnosis was: found hole in A/C compressor whcih caused to lock up compresor damaging condenser and expansion valve

Thankfully covered under warranty.

I agree that in no way is the water pump related to an A/C problem. Good luck dwest1023!

 

I meant: Good luck kboy1082!

 

i'm so glad i found this website. as i'm writing this, my car is at the dealership getting my a/c checked out.

About a month ago my a/c starting acting strange. for the most part a/c wasn't working but sometimes would kick in. I thought it might be a fuse so i took them out and put it back in (including the relay)... It started working for about a week but then crashed on me again. I dropped it off at the dealership and they told me that it needs freon. WHAT?!?! how is that possible with 55,000 miles??? why did the a/c work again after playing with the fuse/relay....anyway after reading this i called the dealership up and asked for them to replace the relay....haven't heard anything back from them yet but i'll keep my fingers crossed...overall i'm very disaapointed with the tsx....had so many things go wrong... what do i have to look forward to if i keep this car??

 

2004?

A/C and center console lights will be your main problem. But there is a TSB for the console lights, so not as many worries there.

 

I see that this post hasn't had an activity in a long time, but I've recently come into some trouble with the AC on my 2007 TSX.

I got out of school at 3:00pm on monday, and it was between 90-100 degrees here in CT, and my car had been parked in the hot sun since 6:30am! And after school I had to commute from Bridgeport, CT to Manhattan. Got in my car, turned on the AC, and it was blowing icy cold- like it had all weekend, since it was 90+ all weekend.

So as I'm driving down i95, I began to notice the car was getting really warm! Next thing I know- my windows actually began to fog up because the inside of the car was actually warmer than the outside!! Crazy!! So after trying every possible solution, I came to the conclusion that my AC had officially stopped working! Needless to say, this made me VERY upset considering that this $30,000 LUXURY Honda is less than 2 years old and has about 32k miles on it!!

Any how.... I called the Acura dealer, and told the "service consultant" my situation, and he told me to bring it in. My first question to him was "will this repair be under warranty?" and his response was a little to suspicious. He said "Yes. Unless a rock hit your condenser." So guess what....... brought it in, he reminded me again that it would not be covered if a "rock hit the condenser" and I had done my homework by read this thread throughly and told him to check the "relay switch" first so on and so on.... 10 minutes later, the service consultant told me........... "A ROCK HIT THE CONDENSER!".

$974.00 + tax. I asked him if we could split parts/labor. The answer was a very kurt "no", which ended that discussion.

I'm at a loss. The mechanic told me this is "very common", and that the condenser is "right in front of the car". Now I know VERY little about cars, but if this is true then I'm very disappointed with the engineering of the TSX, why would they put the condenser box where it is accessible to road debris & such?? I was not driving recklessly or speeding or anything of the such.

So I don't know what to do! $1,000 could be a down payment on a new Ack!! Does this explanation sound reasonable? Am I being lied to? I'm young, and people frequently take me for stupid- which is truly a shame. So any advice would be much appreciated!

Thank You!

 

LuvMyTsx mentioned this is common in CR-Vs... this is also common in Elements big time. Someone I know VERY well works for Honda and I was in picking up some parts for the wife's Honda and I grabbed a mechanic's ear to ask about the compressor failure rates. He laughed and said, "I stopped counting a long time ago because there have been too many." I then asked, "So you pretty much do all of these repairs then." He responded, "No, we all are doing a lot of them." So Honda is COMPLETELY aware of this which is why I started the thread to post up your invoices removing your personal information from it b/c if you can print of 15 or 20 repair invoices and bring it with you, then it is undeniable that there is a problem. It may not help your situation at all, but it is better than walking in with Internet stories. So members, PLEASE POST YOUR INVOICES. I haven't had the failure yet, but I rarely use my A/C, I mainly just use the fan turning the A/C off or running with the windows down.

https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-tsx-problems-fixes-128/c-repair-invoices-post-them-up-679124/

 

This damage should be covered by your comprehensive insurance coverage. Same thing with windshields chipped or broken by rocks.
Don't blame Acura for a poor design, blame yourself for being in the wrong place at the right time.

 

Thank you for the advice:

Already called my insurance company. They said they could file a claim, and I could pay the $500.00 deductible (better than $1,000+) however, they would process it as a "moving vehicle accident" since the AC stopped working while I was driving, which means that my rates are going to go up!!!

So basically I'm stuck..... because even though I don't have $1,000 to fix it, I really don't have the extra $$$ each month for my already sky high insurance. That's what happens when your a 19 year old male who drives a brand new Acura

 

Have you read this thread? A piece of debris striking the condenser is a repeating theme in cause for a/c failure... that's poor design combined with wrong place/wrong time.

Wow that's stupid. I hate insurance companies... which company are you using?

 

Gah, meant to say have you read the A/C failure thread, but was thinking more about my lunch than my post.

 

Call them back and ask if that's the same way they process a broken windshield. If so, you should start looking for an insurance company that processes this damage under comprehensive coverage.

I'm with State Farm, and that's comprehensive, not a moving vehicle accident with them.

 

No I haven't checked out that thread yet but I will. Enjoy your lunch!

I'm using Liberty Mutual. They have been great with the 3 broken windshield claims I've filed (My factory windshield was defective, cracked into a thousand pieces the first time it went below freezing!) and the other two were rocks on the highway.... but I'm very annoyed with this situation... what's the point in having insurance if you can't use it??????

And yes it is poor design. I have been in wrong place at the right time many times ie- trying to stop on a sheet of black ice- and my car was engineered to apply ABS and electronic brake force dist. and engage VSA and it prevented me from a tragic ending. Thats some pretty complex technology, so why can't they put the condenser in a safe place..... just my

 

And thank you nbtx. I will call Liberty mutual and see what their response is.

 

The problem of TSX AC condensers being hit by stones or other road debris isn't, of course, to be confused with the problem of AC compressors "grenading."
I had the condenser problem; it must be five years ago this month that I found out I did. Here's what I said in a post back in 2005:

My AC condenser was KO’d within a few months of my taking delivery. (Bought the car in October of 2003 and the condenser was hit during the winter that followed.) The service adviser at my local dealer said the warranty wasn't applicable because the damage was done by an 'outside force.' An attempt to get assistance from Acura client relations failed. Then, to my surprise and relief, my local dealer’s service manager decided to replace the condenser under warranty as a 'good-will gesture.' For anyone who hasn’t already noticed, the TSX condenser is something of a sitting duck for road debris. It’s vulnerable because of where it’s positioned and how little there is in front of it.) I’m hoping I won’t be the first person to have a condenser nailed twice, because I’m almost positive that the 'good-will gesture' was a one-time thing.

I suspect that the newness of my car had something to do with the service manager's decision to grant the "good-will gesture." I probably would have gone the insurance route had he not helped me out.
Condenser #2 is still intact, but the TSX condenser's vulnerability will always be a worry. I wonder whether the second-generation TSX's condenser is similarly positioned -- and unobstructed. I'm guessing that it is.

 

Is the huge AC Failure problem pretty much related to the 04 models, and resolved by the 05's?

 

Yes.

 

Does anyone happen to know if they relocated the AC condenser on the 2nd gen. TSX/ or on the new TL..... because I see absolutely NO POINT in paying ANY AMOUNT of money to fix something that can be broken from road debris 2 seconds after I get it fixed.

I'm getting REALLY sick of having a $30k car that doesn't have AC!!!!!!!!!