michelegarza

I have a 2013 RDX with 68K miles. I am a little past the certified pre-owned warranty and did not purchase the extended warranty. My driver side air is not cooling during the hottest part of the day. In the morning and evening when it is cool outside both the driver and passenger ac seems to be working ok. The passenger side ac appears to work fine all the time. I can put on dual ac or take it off, either way the driver side is always a few degrees warmer and at times is just plain HOT. In Texas mid-day is brutal and only the passenger side is cooling.

I took it to the dealer and they said it is the AC Compressor. They said it looked like a rock or debris knocked a hole in the compressor and I need a new compressor which will cost about $1000 for labor and parts. I am confused - if the compressor has a hole why does thee passenger side cool and not the driver side? What part could it be that would only allow the passenger side to cool? Why does it cool at night and early in the morning when the air outside is bearable? This may or may not be related but the ac does not cool well if the car is idle, it cools best when I am driving a consistent speed, not in traffic.

Any help is appreciated, thank you ahead of time for your opinions on this matter.

MG

ceb

You might want to have an AC shop take a quick look. I agree that if you had external damage to the system that it would affect both sides. If the system isn't working optimally, then it will still seem like it is cooling at night merely because it doesn't need to cool so much, but the differences in the two sides is odd although it does sound like you have a compressor problem.

Maybe somebody with AC experience can chime in here.

Have you had your airbag replaced yet? If so, did the airbag replacement coincide with the AC issues?

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

michelegarza

Thanks for the quick response.

No, I did not have my airbag replaced yet. I was told it would be a very long wait.

ceb

So get yourself a loaner from Acura. That has several advantages:

1. You don't have to worry about metal shards decapitating you in the event of an airbag deployment - unlikely in a 2013 but possible)
2. You'll most likely get a new battery because yours will die from not being used
3. You'll put fewer miles on your car
4. It'll be winter before you get your car back and you won't have to worry about the AC

markAZ

That sounds like BS to me. If there was a hole in the compressor you'd lose the refrigerant and it wouldn't work at all.

I'd suspect an issue with the ducting under the dash, the mechanism that distributes the air among the vents. I don't know how it works in the RDX, but some cars use vacuum and can develop leaks in the vacuum lines that cause some of the system to not work.. Others are electrically operated. In either case it's usually a real bitch to fix, the dash often had to be disassembled to access the pieces.

Other thoughts...have you checked the cabin air filter? It might be clogged but I'd think that would affect the entire system. Easy to check.

Another thing to check would be to be sure the refrigerant level is correct, altho again, I'd think that would affect the entire system. A shop would need to do this, it requires a set of gauges to check the pressures while operating. If it's low there's a leak somewhere that needs to be fixed.

I'd try another dealer or take it to an A/C shop.

johnhyre

Heater door is not closing on the left side

shivaswrath

Probably the start of your compressor not efficiently circulating freon - mine is doing the same. I'm at 108,000 miles though...(2010).

Danny Boy

I have the same problem - on the extreme hot days, the driver side vents not blowing cold air as compared to the passenger side. This happened a few times over 2-3 weeks and in the worst case it took over 30 minutes for the driver side to start blowing cool air (not cold air). For the last few days it wasn't as hot, the A/C seems to function Okay although the driver side is still a few degrees warmer.

Yesterday I made an appointment with the dealer. I was told the compressor is leaking and needs to be replaced. I was given the impression that there are two side of the compressor (or maybe there are two separate compressors). In my case the driver side is leaking. Replacement parts are being ordered and I have been given a TLX loaner for the time being.

I will ask the right questions and give you an update early next week when I pickup the car.

NutznBoltz

I am running into this issue at the moment (2013 RDX Tech/83k mi). This is the first major issue since I bought the car new. Miami only has two settings during the summer. Hot or HOTTER. In Miami's afternoon heat, the drivers side vents only blow (hot) air; passenger side blows cold. All vents blow cold and function properly during the earlier part of the day and at night. Whats up? How can this be a compressor issue if one side of the car cools properly except during the hottest part of the day? I want to hear how the dealer explains this one. Has anyone resolved this?

Tech

Hot as in "ambient hot" or with some added heat from the heating system? How cold is cold? That will tell you if your AC is working, at least to some degree.

Go to Walmart and get yourself one of these for under $15 and then you won't be guessing. I place them in the vents to know what is going on.




These new cars are getting over-complicated with temperature probes for the left and right sides along with circuit boards to tell the flappers (motor control) what to do. I have not had an issue yet with mine since it is new, but you really need to download the repair manual and you also need to know how to diagnose.

dave08902

Attached is the climate control system troubleshooting from the FSM.

Tech

Found the link in my bookmarks. I took a one-day subscription just to copy all the "maintenance" section and to see what the service is all about. Much like my Honda paper service manual (Toyota and Honda) really know how to put out a service manual (compared to my Ford).
https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/logon.aspx

Dave08902 posted the trouble-shooting section (look at page 2, third row down).

NutznBoltz

Thank you, dave08902 for posting the CCS troubleshooting guide. Tech, as noted, page 2, third row down is precisely the issue. Your suggestion of the meat thermometer is great, I have one somewhere in the kitchen. Ill use to be more precise but can guess, when it happens, the difference is more than 20 degrees. What puzzled me was the fact that it happens only during hottest part of the day. The rest of the time it works as well as it always has. As suggested on the CCS Index it looks like three control motor tests are in order. Thanks for the input!

Tech

It is so much easier to use one of those digital thermometers than pulling out my Fluke 88V with thermocouple.

I know your issue is not likely an A/C issue, but...

A couple of weeks ago, I had a friend over where the car had no A/C at all. Before connecting my gauges, I simply wanted to know if one of the "flappers" might have been the cause...was it ambient air (using the vent fans) or was a flapper adding engine heat, etc. Sure enough, there was no R134a in the system (0 psi) when I connected my gauges and the A/C clutch confirmed that. Vacuumed the system and it held the vacuum. Unfortunately, I only had a 12 oz can (with sealant) when the car takes 36 oz. But at least the pressure switch registered that and the A/C clutch engaged and the A/C ran silent (low mileage car).

Most car guys are not A/C experts since it does not make a car run, handle or brake, but this video explains an A/C system well.

dave08902

Here are the motor tests for your issue

truelies

I have this problem too, seems it's a very popular issue. Where is this Air control motor located? Is this the door problem or the motor problem?

acuratech481

Either a driver's air/mix motor issue or low refrigerant charge if I were to take an educated guess.

truelies

Checked the air mix motor, I turned the driver side AC max and min, the motor moved smoothly, no click sound, seems it's working. What need to check next?

truelies

I also checked the voltage between 1, 2

Hi: 3.96v
Lo:0.54v(this one is too low, but the motor seems moving ok)

Max_NJ

Did anyone figure out what the fix was for this issue? I'm experiencing the same thing on my 13 RDX. Passenger side blows cold air but drivers side is only cold when then engine is revving whether while driving or in N.

acuratech481

This is 9 times out of 10 an A/C refrigerant charge low issue. The other 1 out of 10 would be a driver's side air mix motor. Good luck!

Max_NJ

Thanks, I was looking to get some more info before setting up a service appointment. The weird thing is that the drivers side blows cold air while driving but it warms when idling, passengers side is always cold.

markAZ

That's pretty much what happened to our 2014 a few weeks ago (right after I had bragged about how well it worked even here in Phoenix in 115F temps). Ours was the other way around, tho...the driver's side was cold, around 50F while the passenger side was about 65F. Since it was still under AcuraCare we took it to the dealer. They found that the schraeder (sp?) valves (they're like a tire valve, one one high pressure side and one on the low side, used to add & remove refrigerant) were leaking and the charge was way low. They replaced the valves, evacuated & recharged the system, and now it works better than ever. All the vents blow air in the mid 40s. It wasn't covered by AcuraCare so it cost about $175 and took about an hour. I was a bit skeptical that it would fix it but it's still working great. It was the first time since we bought the car in August of 2013 that it had been in for service. OTOH, it only has 40K miles on it.

Max_NJ

Good info. I'll see what they say when I get it in for service. This car is in Las Vegas so I'm definitely noticing it with the heat.

mdfree

Yep today my 2014 started to feel warmer on driver’s side. I’ve got about 82k on her and the timing belt is coming up on the 7 year mark. Trying to decide how much I want put into it at this point...

sixonemale

This same type of problem happened not too long ago to another vehicle of mine and it was an actuator. I'm not all that familiar with the RDX, but if it's like my other vehicle, which I think there is a high probability, it has several actuators. For instance a right and left side blend door actuator, air inlet actuator, and A/C evaporator discharge air temp sensor. I replaced the actuator myself, an inexpensive part but usually in terrible locations. In summary, if both cold and hot air blow, but not where they should, it sure sounds like a malfunctioning actuator. It would be great if someone could post a schematic of their locations.

sixonemale

Under the sticky thread above "RDX Factory Service Manual Request", I requested information regarding the HVAC system, specifically where the actuators are located. I did a quick search in the attached PDF and found that the nomenclature they used was very interesting. At a quick glance in the on page 53 and 57, rather than use the term "actuator or blend door actuator", they used driver's and passenger's "air mix control motor". Again, if the system puts out both hot and cold air then the problem is more than likely one of these motors not working properly, therefore, not channeling or blending the air properly.

Nates NJTL

Having the same issue with a 2013 Tech. Other day it was 95, brought my thermometer and took the RDX for a spin.

Using fresh air setting with temp at coldest / fan on max:
Passenger vent closest to center stack 50, passenger vent closest to window was 61. Drivers side vents both 70

Using recirculated air, coldest setting with fan on max, readings were:
Passenger center stack 48 , passenger window vent 58 , driver vents both 66

Turned off car in parking lot for 5 min or so.

Using recirculated air, coldest setting fan on max:
Passenger center stack 58 , passenger window vent 63.5 , driver vent / window 72 and driver vent center stack 75


So question is, for the one vent blowing coldest air, was the temp within spec given the outside temp was 95? If so, then its a mixing valve issue.

Can I go to auto parts store and get one of those DIY cans of freon / leak patch and use the gauge on it to determine if freon pressure is adequate? I know the gauges won't be as good as dealer or specialty shop but its a start and if pressure is low, can I just top off with freon or is there damage I can do to system?

Actuators are electric and not pressurized by freon correct? Can anyone tell me how I access them. I saw posting but the graphic wasn't detailed enough for me to determine if I could do it myself. Thoughts on what Acura dealer would charge to replace?

Here is the DIY AC Charging product I referred to:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/A-C-Pro-U...ll&athena=true


Thanks, hope all of you with issues can resolve them.

sixonemale

First off, I'm not an HVAC expert, but in general, if an air conditioner is working properly it should be able to drop the outside ambient temperature by about 20 degrees.

I'm also not super familiar with the RDX yet, but actuators are usually tucked away under or in the dash. Some may not be all that difficult to access while others can be very difficult to get to. The actuator itself is usually not that expensive, but the labor can run up the overall repair significantly.

egads

The days of DYI A/C charging are over. This new refrigerant needs to be weighted in. What a tech does nowadays is
remove all the refrigerant, Pull a vacuum on the system to make sure there is no moisture in it and then "charge" it
back up filling with the specified amount. Costs $100. to $120. This is what has to happen if any component of the system needs replacing.
A DYI person can get just the evacuation part done before working on it. Then take it back and have it vac & charged.

This is the issue with these new systems: they are very sensitive to having the exact charge. Folks try to dyi with a cheap
kit and overcharge the system. It cools really well until the compressor dies prematurely. This will make the cost of having it properly charged seem cheap. Some of those kits have stop leak chemicals that will ruin your entire system.

Any system will lose a slight charge as the years go by. If it is sudden, look for leaks.

Nates NJTL

So if the system looses its ability to blow cold air over extended period of time, like years, its normal that freon leaks out. What would cause the difference in air temp coming out of each of the front vents (4 of them)? I'm at the mercy of the dealer, they could be honest as the day is long, tell me my problem and price and I go on from there. The could also find a bunch of things to do and I end up with a $2k bill.

egads

Without reading all of the service manual trouble shooting posting above, I really have no idea exactly why a low charge causes one side to be warmer than the other.
But I do know that many have been skeptical, changed blend doors and valves only to find it was not the issue*. A low charge is the most common reason for this.
As I said above, modern systems require very exact fill or charge levels to work correctly. If you think a dealer may be less than honest about your issue, look up the best local
auto air conditioning shop and take it there. If there is anything Acura specific wrong, they will refer you do the dealer.

*my suggestions here are also informed by being active on a Honda Odyssey board. Those vans have dual temp from HVAC systems as well. I can assure you that there is nothing exotic about an Acura RDX. I often describe it as a CRV with a V-6 and soundproofing. (at least the 2013-2018) This configuration lives on as the new Honda Passport.

sixonemale

In the case with my other vehicle, the driver's side temperature was exactly what it should have been, based on the temperature it was set at. The passenger side was a lot warmer and would not cool off. In this particular situation, it was pretty easy to conclude that it was a malfunctioning actuator on the passenger side. There were two of them, so I replaced the one that was easiest to get to first, and unfortunately, that was not the correct one and had to replace the other actuator to ultimately solve the problem.

In your case, I would probably pay the diagnostic fee at the dealership to see what they believe the problem is. IF they are good, they should be able to nail it in the diagnosis. If they come back and say it could be this or it could be that, start with the least expensive option first, but pay attention to what they will have to take apart and where things are located to avoid them double-dipping in labor charges. If you don't like their diagnosis take it to an independent mechanic who has solid experience HVAC experience with Honda's and/or Acura's and get a second opinion.

markAZ

I'm not sure why it happens either, maybe it has to do with temp variations across the evaporator and/or how air is is directed across it and to the various vents. At any rate, this happened to ours a while back...one vent, the one to the right of the steering wheel, was about 50F, the others were around 70-80F. I suspected the blend door issue so took it to the dealer. It was under AcuraCare so I figured that about anything would be covered. They did their diagnosis and found the charge was quite low, turned out to be about 1/4 what it should be. They did the standard evacuate/vacuum/recharge and it's pretty frigid now on all the vents...like upper 40's. They also said the shraeder (sp?) valves (they're like a tire valve, one on the high pressure side and one on the low side used to check pressures/evacuate/fill) were leaking so they replaced them. The service guy said that was not surprising after seven years. I was skeptical but it's still going strong, thankfully...we've had almost 40 days of 110+ temps with more on the way...definitely need working A/C. Unfortunately refrigerant is not covered by warranty so the whole thing cost about $175. It's the first time the car has been in the shop since bought it new in 2013 so I'm OK with it as long as it stays fixed (our AcuraCare expired the week after).

Take it in & have them run diagnostics on it and see. It might not be a major fix.

Nates NJTL

Thanks for all your comments. Great information. Part of this is a puzzle that I want to solve just for the sake of solving it. Many of the Honda and Acura parts are the same, perhaps with a unique number to each. For those with AC issues, I noticed that one of the AC lines, I think the low but don't quote me is showing a bit of oil buildup at the point where two metal hoses connect (its a compression fitting). On other cars, I don't see the oil build up so on some level, it's a leak. If the oil also has any type of metal shards in it (not sure how those could make their way out of the compression fitting) then the compressor itself may be part / all of the issue.