go to the dealer n get it checked out

 

do you know if any codes are showing?

 

No codes are showing.

I would like to narrow down the problem as much as possible before the dealer quotes me an outrageous price.

 

Coolant level is good?

 

coolant level is alright.

 

My working assumption is that the R1234yf refrigerant is low due to a leak. Not sure how to verify this.

 

I'm not sure you can...without a set of gauges.

 

I obviously don't know your situation or what part of the country you live in. Many of us are experiencing severely hot conditions and the A/C in this situation may just have a hard time keeping up. if you car sits outside keeping the sunroof shade closed and using a windshield shade can help. If it is really a system problem you need to bite the bullet and take it to a specialist.

FYI, you can help people respond to your questions by updating your profile with specific car model info and your location. Click on your avatar in the upper right corner and select Account Settings.

 

Thanks for the tip. I updated my profile.

I don't think it's weather-related. I am sure it is not performing as well as it should. It's a degradation probably over some time. I started noticing it within the last two weeks. I rarely need to use A/C here in Portland.

 

I agree your situation in Portland is a little different than ours in Atlanta. Your A/C may be suffering from lack of use. 😎

 

I'll go along with the others regarding letting a pro with gauges fix your issues. As the late Kenny Rodgers sang, "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." Improperly using a $25 can of refrigerant might cost you 20x to fix all the other problems which it'l create.

Just a thought. With your engine running and the A/C turned on, open your hood to do 2 things.

1. Check to see if both fans are running. With the A/C on, both fans should be running. If only 1 is running, you won't get much cooling. The fix for an inoperative cooling fan may be as simple as replacing the fan relay.

2. On the passenger side, you will notice 2 silver/aluminum pipes. On top of the smaller pipe is a black cap with H on it. This is the high side of your A/C system, going from your compressor to your evaporator inside your dash. Be careful, this pipe should be hot. The larger pipe has a black cap with L on it. This is the low side of your A/C system, going from your evaporator back to the compressor. It should be cold.

Hopefully, these should give you some idea about your problem. Don't be afraid to get a couple of opinions on this, as it is your $$$.

P.S. If you run your defrost, you run your A/C. That is what removes the moisture from your interior. You may be using your A/C more than you think.

 

A/C issues are one of those things where it's fairly simple and straightforward for any mechanic with the proper tools to diagnose and repair the issue. And difficult, at best, for a DIY-er to have the least clue what the problem is, and even if they did, be able to correctly solve it. (Yes, you probably could just buy some gauges and a hose kit and throw some refrigerant at it, but that's never the right way to fix an A/C.)

 

I even have the r1234yf gauges and still lol it has a vacuum and refill valve so it's confusing more valves then r134a gauge. And you need an adaptor for left hand to right hand to screw on the refrigerant bottle. And even then don't know what the he about the pressures where they should be there's a chart but when you don't know the gauge and pressures are way off still end up needing a HVAC guy to look at it until you understand pressures and how the r1234 gauge works. Should be the same but it's not when you have extra valves and you can't just evacuate with a vacuum pump you need to recover then vacuum for a recharge it's all complicated

 

Do you hear a noise? I hear like a scraping disk noise like compressor maybe and it's same low and a 17 crv exl

 

No noise. Everything seems to run normally, it is just not cooling enough.

 

If it were completely empty from a leak you could just get the gauges for the r1234, I have them, and rent or buy the vacuum pump and pull a vacuum see if it holds vacuum for 30mins at -30Hg and if doesn't you may have a leak if it doesn't then maybe it's a restriction in the condenser or the compressor, could be temp blend door motor, cabin air filter etc. If you haven't check those

 

And I heard that the compressors are designed to leak some refrigerant over time to prevent running dry and so after 3-5 years it is normal that the system is low that's just the nature of the beast.. so a simple recharge, even with no leaks can be done, and if you have the gauge set and refrigerant about two cans 8 oz x 2 = 16 oz about .454kg of r1234y as per the sticker under the hood min .435kg Max .485kg

If it's a full recharge and you weigh it and has no major leaks I think it's better than trying to eyeball one can and top off a low system.. with no real way to measure how much is still there in the system and how much you're actually putting in in relation to manufacturer specs

 

And I heard that the compressors are designed to leak some refrigerant over time to prevent running dry and so after 3-5 years it is normal that the system is low that's just the nature of the beast.. ...

Really?

 

Scotty Kilmer?

LOL

I wouldnt trust him to put a knife in my back if I paid him my last £2.30 in pocket change to do it on my command. As you say yourself, your dont listen to any opinion - so am confused as to why you think Mr Kilmer is superior to all else just because of his tenure as a mechanic.

If its any consolation, before I got rid of my Accord many moons ago, which I had had from new, it never once needed anything apart from re-gassing when the original refrigerant finished - probably some 9 years or so...... So I certainly disagree with you on the A/C working for 3-5 years thing.

But if you truly believe compressors are "designed to leak", then I'm afraid I cant help you. That is worse than believing in the nonsensical flat earth.

 

Go to an ASE certified technician and get it checked out!

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I will head to an expert to have this checked out.

 

On an older car I once added a small amount of refrigerant with uv dye and used a UV light to identify the leak. Worked well and I didn't add enough to risk overcharging.

However with a newer car as others have said take it to a qualified independent ac shop. They will likely quickly be able to find the problem and be cheaper than the Honda dealer. (this is assuming the car is out of warrantee)

 

<scrubbed out my comments specifically directed toward Paisaguila's attacks on DarkKnight... since Paisaguila is banned and their attack posts appear to have been expunged. No point in leaving any traces of that nonsense in my quote and comment response>

DarkKnight does have a point about Scotty. Scotty gets a lot of internet air time... but like many internet automotive pundits.. he is wrong as often as he is right.

Personally, I have largely dismissed Scotty since he went on a tirade about how all Hondas have OD... while using an 8 year old non GDI engine as his reference example in his video rant.

 

Not-trying-to-insult-you-with-the-obvious...

Check your A/C settings:
1. Press the CLIMATE button.
2. Make sure the A/C is "On".
3. Set the fan speed to "Hi".
4. Set the vent MODE to dashboard level only.

And for max cooling, press the "recirculation" button!

More details starting on pg 224 of the online owners manual.

 

I would add make sure recirculate is seleted and the Econ button is off

 

It's amazing to me how many owners don't know that the ECON button's use limits the AC compressor's ability to cool the cabin...

As other observant Gen 5 CR-V owners have discovered, the ECON button use doesn't really provide any economy, just blunts acceleration, and limits cabin AC cooling.

Oh, and BTW, Scotty may have been a certified mechanic for many years. That doesn't make his opinions something I take as "gospel". I'm sure many of us have dealt with certified mechanics who have not been able to fix an issue, or who have mis-diagnosed something. Scotty is now just an internet "Carnival Barker" Congrats to him for making a new career after his wrenching was no longer profitable for him.

 

I’m with you on this one. If you’re going through a period of hot /humid weather in your area, turn off the “Econ” mode and you’ll get better performance for the A/C as well as the engine performance (Based on my 2015 CRV, EX-L). If that’s not an option on your CRV, then I’d go with the loss of refrigerant coolant levels.

 

My 30 year old Civic still blows cold

 

I had the same issue about a month ago in my 2017. It ended up being a corroded hose, which was also out of stock in the Honda supply system. With the hose replacement and recharge, it was close to a $500 repair.

 

Thanks, this is very helpful!

 

Happened o me

The A/C of my 2017 CR-V EX has degraded to the point that it is hardly cooling anymore. The compressor is working. What is the most likely cause here?

 

Happened to me at 44k. Bad wiring harness. Dealer said it was the 4th one he had repaired. About $100 if out of warranty

 

Yes, I had it done at the dealer.

It was discharge hose - 80315-TLA-A01 for $78.37, $112.35 for the synthetic freon, and with labor it was $474.72.

 

Yes, I had it done at the dealer.

It was discharge hose - 80315-TLA-A01 for $78.37, $112.35 for the synthetic freon, and with labor it was $474.72.

Thanks

 

It's probably best to have a professional work on it. Without a gauge set, you'd be playing a guessing game as you won't know whether it's charged properly or over-charged. Also, unlike R134a, R1234yf is a lot more expensive (when it first came out, it was almost $100 a pound). Also, according to SAE, R1234yf is "slightly flammable", whatever "slightly" is supposed to mean. This is part of the reason I've been sticking to older vehicles as some have started using it as early as 2017, though it wasn't mandatory until the 2020 model year.

 

I just bought a Honda CRV EX 2020 a month ago and I am having the same issue.

 

Check post #33 in this thread. Also, make sure you are not in Econ mode (a/c doesn't cool properly)

Let us know the result.