[ItsonlyAHonda]

Do t know if this is the right place for my post but, here it goes.

I have an 18 EXL 2.0, currently 37k miles.I've had it a little over a year. I love it, bought it mainly for commuting to work. Modifications, not many, tail lights and sound system. Sound system uses alot of power but I have an AGM up front and 2 lithiums in the back, stock alternator and hardly any voltage drop. Just wanted to put that out there if any one wants to blame the sound system for the issue. Link to sound system if your Interested ⬇.

18 Accord done, maybe.

I got some time on my hands so I guess I'll post my build. First I want to thank the ppl that try to help on my first post and apologize if I didn't take that advice. I also want to thank all the gurus on here that stay active, I've spent alot if time on this site reading just for fun. Car...

www.diymobileaudio.com

Now thats out of the way I'll get to it. Almost over heating has happened 3 times in the last year all 3 times were in blazing heat above 100 and going uphill. First time was in palm springs going up to the Arial Tramway. On the way up a hill right before I got there my Ac shut off and car started to almost over heat I was maybe 2 bars away from the top of the temp gauge. I got there did what we went there for and when we left it was back to normal. Took it to the dealer when we got back home. They couldn't find anything wrong sent me on my way with an update. Second time we were on our way to Vagas from Los Angeles a couple weeks ago, no issues the whole way there until that last hill before you reach vagas. Then again Ac shuts off then temp gauge climbed a little bit may at the 6th bar. Then the Ac turned back on and temp stayed at the 5th bar the rest of the way. I thought maybe I was over working the car 3 hours into the drive over 80 most if the way. Then again on the way home but this time in the beginning of the trip on the same hill as before. Ac shuts off the temp starts to climb. The Ac turns back on then temp comes down. It never fully overheated but it's scary when you away from home and your car starts having issues. Especially when you have kids in the back seats. If I take it to the dealer they will send me away again. I'll mention it when I take it in for my next oil change. Has anyone ever had that problem on desert road trips. Any help will be extremely appreciated. I've had similar situations in the past with other cars but they had high mileage and eventually the cooling fan dies. Sorry for the long first post thanx if you have some input.

 

[Mr.2.g0]

Have you confirmed that both the rad fan and condenser fan are switching on and off as needed? I’d also check for any sort of dirt or debris in the radiator, intercooler and condenser. I’ve pushed my 2.0 with a ktuner stage 2 thru hot central Texas summer without issue.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

I can check if they are switching when I get a chance. I had the dealer check it out after the first event last summer. They said everything was doing what it's supposed to be doing . But I know there's an issue some where. I'll check for dirt or debri in that area. I think my fan is having issues but I never notice it when it's not hot. Is the fan suppose to turn on when the car has been shut off. My volvos fan kicks on after I shut the car off. My accord does not.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

I'm willing to put out money to get it fixed and I think the dealer thinks I'm trying to do some type of warranty claim. I have a couple thousand miles before my next oil change and I'll ask them to check it out again. Does this car have a relay or does the whole fan needs to be replaced.

 

[Vegashybrid]

Could just be a bad or sticking thermostat

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

Could just be a bad or sticking thermostat

If it was that, the AC compressor would not shut off. It was hot outside and the AC compressor shutting off was noticeable. My volvos fan died not long ago but just my condenser fan not the cooling fan. Car was not over heating but Ac wouldn't work. I replaced the compressor and Ac didn't turn on until the engine cooling fan completely died and I replaced it. Ac worked after that. I'm not a mechanic but I've owned and fixed alot of buckets in my life time. Thanx

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

I was just in a parking lot waiting for the wife to get her "nail did". Took about 2 hours. I checked for debri, and everything is clean. With the AC on both fans spin, when I shut it off, both fans turn off. I though 1 fan was for engine cooling and the other was for the condenser. I could be wrong. But with the AC off there is no fans running. And that was at the end if my 2 hour wait with the car on. Temp bar was at 4 the whole time which I've notice that is normal if I'm not taking long desert drives.

 

[Vegashybrid]

If it was that, the AC compressor would not shut off. It was hot outside and the AC compressor shutting off was noticeable. My volvos fan died not long ago but just my condenser fan not the cooling fan. Car was not over heating but Ac wouldn't work. I replaced the compressor and Ac didn't turn on until the engine cooling fan completely died and I replaced it. Ac worked after that. I'm not a mechanic but I've owned and fixed alot of buckets in my life time. Thanx

That's not necessarily true. The cooling system and the AC system are two completely independent systems. The computer would choose if and when to shut the AC system off. It's not guaranteed to shut it off when the car is overheating only when it feels it's under undue stress. Now if it was your heater core that's a different story. This is especially true if the thermostat is simply sticking and opening occasionally, instead of being fully stuck in a closed position. You issue sounds exactly like it could be a stuck thermostat or something else stopping coolant from getting to the engine fully at all times. Really would have been the first thing I checked. Try running the car with the cap off and seeing if the thermostat looks bad and coolant flows into the engine. Good luck.

 

[Vegashybrid]

I can check if they are switching when I get a chance. I had the dealer check it out after the first event last summer. They said everything was doing what it's supposed to be doing . But I know there's an issue some where. I'll check for dirt or debri in that area. I think my fan is having issues but I never notice it when it's not hot. Is the fan suppose to turn on when the car has been shut off. My volvos fan kicks on after I shut the car off. My accord does not.

Because your Volvo like many turbo cars has a coolant after run pump. Even with a coolamt after run pump it doesn't come on every single time only when it feels that it's too hot and needs to cool down after being shut off.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

That's not necessarily true. The cooling system and the AC system are two completely independent systems. The computer would choose if and when to shut the AC system off. It's not guaranteed to shut it off when the car is overheating only when it feels it's under undue stress. Now if it was your heater core that's a different story. This is especially true if the thermostat is simply sticking and opening occasionally, instead of being fully stuck in a closed position. Good luck.

The Ac would shut off first, then the engine temperature would start to climb. If it was the Colling system causing the problem wouldn't the engine temp go up before the Ac shut off.. I know they are separate systems but the cooling fans are meant for both the radiator and the the ac condenser. If it was the thermostat sticking I think I would be over heating even at normal driving situations. Like I said I'm not a mechanic and I'm not bypassing what your saying and honestly this car is new to me and 0 experience will be spared if I have to replace the fans and the thermostat I'm down for whatever. An other not I was flying up that hill probly over 90 but after the temp came up a little I slowed down.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

Because your Volvo like many turbo cars has a coolant after run pump. Even with a coolamt after run pump it doesn't come on every single time only when it feels that it's too hot and needs to cool down after being shut off.

My volvo is a naturally aspirated V8 xc90 2008. But shouldn't the Honda since it's a turbo turn on after its shut off if hot enough.

 

[Vegashybrid]

The Ac would shut off first, then the engine temperature would start to climb. If it was the Colling system causing the problem wouldn't the engine temp go up before the Ac shut off.. I know they are separate systems but the cooling fans are meant for both the radiator and the the ac condenser. If it was the thermostat sticking I think I would be over heating even at normal driving situations. Like I said I'm not a mechanic and I'm not bypassing what your saying and honestly this car is new to me and 0 experience will be spared if I have to replace the fans and the thermostat I'm down for whatever. An other not I was flying up that hill probly over 90 but after the temp came up a little I slowed down.

Again the two systems are separate. The computer determines when to shut off the AC compressor and when not to. There is no set order of things. As you have checked the other things it's time to start check thermostat and accompanying sensors as well. There is also a coolant temp sensor that can go bad.

 

[Vegashybrid]

My volvo is a naturally aspirated V8 xc90 2008. But shouldn't the Honda since it's a turbo turn on after its shut off if hot enough.

I didn't say all turbo cars have them, it something VW/Audi and other German cars have used for years normally aspirated or turbo charged. Not sure about what Honda does or doesn't use, I have/had a hybrid and haven't really wrenched on these cars like I have German ones.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

Again the two systems are separate. The computer determines when to shut off the AC compressor and when not to. There is no set order of things. As you have checked the other things it's time to start check thermostat and accompanying sensors as well. There is also a coolant temp sensor that can go bad.

How would I determine if it's the thermostat or the temperature sensor. I could always just replace em. It's not giving me issues now so there's no rush but we go to vagas and palm springs very often and I like taking the Honda for fuel efficiency vs the volvo. I just don't want this issue to escalate on a trip. All 3 occasions I was going up a hill with outside temps over 100. The first time was last summer then again this summer.

 

[Vegashybrid]

How would I determine if it's the thermostat or the temperature sensor. I could always just replace em. It's not giving me issues now so there's no rush but we go to vagas and palm springs very often and I like taking the Honda for fuel efficiency vs the volvo. I just don't want this issue to escalate on a trip. All 3 occasions I was going up a hill with outside temps over 100. The first time was last summer then again this summer.

Since you seem to only be having the issue heading uphill, you really couldn't take off the thermostat cap and open the radiator to see if that fixes the issue. You would have to inspect them visually and make a determination if one look eroded or bad. Maybe the sensor has a wire severed or something to that effect. I think a thermostat is like $70-80 for this car.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

I'll look at the wiring and I might as well replace the thermostat if they going to open it up. I'll have my mechanic take care of it cuz I doubt the dealer going to want to. Thanx for your help it's much appreciated

 

[EngTech1]

My volvo is a naturally aspirated V8 xc90 2008. But shouldn't the Honda since it's a turbo turn on after its shut off if hot enough.

NO Honda Built in a Way to have Convection Currents - Draw Heat Up Pulls Cooler Coolant from Below ( Hence Two Different Line Sizes )
Larger Coolant Spot inside Turbo Housing Block - then just a Drill Passage ..

 

[EngTech1]

Odd this Happened After Replacing A/C Parts ?

I Know there are Part Numbers that Suppose to be Scanned into Computer on some Cars , If New Part isn't ~ Recognized ~ Weird Things Happen . .

Who Installed A/C Components ?

On My Volvo If it wasn't Exact Part Number some Items Would NOT Work , like say Same Part but from Europe ./.
said it had to do With Stolen Parts , but Hey ( I don't do that Car Computer Stuff )

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

A mechanic shop couple blocks away from my house. I've always taken my volvo to them. I replaced the compressor because it kept blowing the ac fuse, which is weirdly the same circuit as the accelerator pedal. But after I replaced the compressor it didn't kick on any more. I couldnt figure out why but it stop blowing the fuse. I have the vida/dice and it didn't tell me anything about the ac being bad. But it mentioned the cooling fan. I noticed that it wouldn't kick on when i turned the ac on and Eventually it gave out completely. It was less than a year old (Aftermarket). When I replaced it with an OEM cooling fan my ac came back.

 

[ItsonlyAHonda]

I thought the Accord may have been having similar issues. AC would shut off during uphill acceleration and engine temps would start to climb. I though maybe the fan was giving me issues. It never got to the point of over heating but it was almost up there once. It only happens uphill with 100+ degree weather. I have noticed some times when I step on the gas hard my ac seems like it's having issues. I do it on purpose sometimes. I'll put my hand on the ac vent then accelerate hard and the air gets a little warmer but not for very long. I'm almost due for an oil change and I will mention it again to the dealer when I go back. But I'm certain they just going to bypass what I'm telling them like last time. I know there's an issue somewhere. But they are not going to be able to recreate it.