Air conditioning blowing hot air when engine running

[jlao123]

Hi all I've had used Jazz Mk4 2020 plate for about a year and have had nothing but problems. I bought this as an approved used car from Chiswick Honda and also just had the 6 year service with them 2 months ago.

Firstly when initially buying the car I initially identified a leaking aircon condenser which had to be replaced and regassed.

Then I had to take it back again due to misaligned brake discs causing a constant squeaking sound.

Then of course there was the brake simulator failure with the alarming array of warning lights which got more and more persistent until eventually I had to call honda care assistance out and eventually got answers from this forum.

Throughout this all I've intermittently had issues with the climate control whether with heating or air conditioning. At one point during winter I just got cold air and no hot air despite having the temperature on maximum.

Now the weather is turning warmer in the UK and it's getting warmer I've tried using the air conditioning and turning temperature to low. But it will at some point start blowing hot air instead of cold air. I've tried AC on and AC off. I've tried manual control and I've tried auto control. I've tried D mode vs B mode. I've tried Eco mode and off.

But consistently what I've discovered is that cold air will blow when the combustion engine is off and I'm only using the hybrid/electric battery or when just sitting idle without the combustion engine running. But as soon as the combustion engine turns on e.g. during motorway driving or when recharging the electric battery the air immediately becomes hot.

Clearly I will have to take it back to Chiswick Honda to have this investigated and fixed for the 4/5th time since I bought this car just under a year ago. But I lack faith in their ability to correctly identify and fix the issue as it was only after researching on this forum regarding the brake simulator issue that I managed to get them to understand the problem.

So any ideas what the issue could be? Anyone else run into any similar issues. Any suggestions what else I can do as I'm currently facing a 200 mile drive back home on the motorway in these conditions.

[Kremmen]

Chiswick Honda have been complained about on quite a few Honda forums I've been on

They sound like a right shower

As you say, got to go back

[GeoffW]

I also have a 2020  model, an SR to be precise, bought before it was 3 years old. It has the fabric/fake leather seats. The fake leather on the driver's seat base split badly before it had done 25k miles. What is yours like? The dealer had a go at repairing it but it's splitting again. Yes I should have a go at Honda UK, but I'm more inclined to sell it and get a 10 year old non-hybrid Civic/Mazda 3/Vitara/Toyota etc.

Thankfully had no problems with the aircon/ventilation - yet.

The car is great to drive (apart from the utterly useless auto wipers!), but I'm not optimistic about its long-term reliability.

[jlao123]

Yes the side of my car seat is splitting. From what I've seen on the forums that seems to be a common problem.

Re: my issue even when the climate control system is off whenever the combustion engine kicks in there is definitely hot air coming out of the vents i.e. even when fans aren't running or blowing hot air is still coming out of the vents. When I change the open vents I can also change where the hot air is coming out. But I don't understand how this is possible even when fans aren't on or running. I seem to get cold air when I turn on the climate control to low with A/C on and the combustion engine isn't on so I don't think this is a condenser issue. It just seems to get overpowered by the heat generated by the engine when it kicks in - i.e. at higher speeds or when recharging the electric battery. So I think this is a more complicated issue which I find baffling. If anyone has had anything similar or has any ideas what the issue could be I would be grateful.

I am trying and struggling to get in contact with Honda Chiswick but if I do find out the issue through them I will update.