NHTSA Complaint #11173772 — 2012 HONDA CR-V

THE DRIVER SIDE DEFROSTER WILL NOT BLOW HOT AIR. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD IN ORDER TO HAVE PROPER VISIBILITY DURING WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN THE WEATHER SUDDENLY CHANGES WHILE DRIVING AND THE WINDSHIELD STARTS TO FROST OVER. THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER PERFORMED TSB 14-063 WHICH FLUSHED THE HEATER CORE WITH CLR AND FRESH WATER. THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, THE PASSENGER SIDE IS BLOWING EXTREMELY HOT AIR, BUT THE DRIVER SIDE IS COOL. THIS TSB WAS ISSUED IN NOVEMBER OF 2014 FOR A 2012 VEHICLE. OBVIOUSLY A HEATER CORE SHOULD NOT BE CLOGGED WITH CONTAMINANTS AFTER 2 YEARS WHILE RUNNING APPROVED HONDA ANTIFREEZE IN THE COOLING/HEATING SYSTEM. THE TSB ALSO EXPLAINS TO THE TECHNICIAN HOW TO CHECK FOR PROPER MOVEMENT OF THE MIXTURE DOOR FOR FRESH AIR. HONDA SAYS THAT THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO PAY FOR A HEATER CORE REPLACEMENT WITH A COST OF OVER $1200. IF THIS HAS BEEN A LONG-TERM WELL-KNOWN ISSUE BY HONDA THEY SHOULD PAY TO FIX THE ISSUE SINCE IT IS A MANUFACTURERING ISSUE AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH GREATLY AFFECTS VISIBILITY IN WINTER, WHICH CAN ALSO MAKE THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE IF THE WINDSHIELD CANNOT BE DEFROSTED. EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR HOURS, THE DRIVER SIDE STILL BLOWS COOLER AIR UNLIKE THE PASSENGER SIDE.