I've just spent the last six weeks trying to resolve an issue with my newly acquired '98 Acura TL 3.2. There is a distinctive hissing noise that can be heard every 15 seconds and lasting about 5 seconds whenever the AC is operating. I've been to the dealer several times and they've insisted that all Acura's hiss when the AC is on. I couldn't believe when it was confirmed by Alan Reynosa from Acura customer service that indeed the annoying hiss I hear is considered "normal noise". Even more unbelieveable is that nowhere in any of the Acura chat rooms has anyone mentioned the noise, nor was it mentioned in any reviews I read about this vehicle. I would have thought that there would have been enough complaints that Acura would have come up with a retrofit that would have eliminated the noise. So now I have a $20,000 vehicle that I have to drive with the windows down and the AC off in order to avoid that incessant hiss. Maybe they should refer to this vehicle as the Type-SSSSSSS.

 

I have an 01 and it hisses also depending on what temp I have it set on. I don't mind because it blows snow balls. I think it does it when the compressor is cycling.