[quetallsd]

Hello!

We need to replace the evaporator in our 2016 Pilot and have two estimates. We are looking at $1035 +tax at the dealer v. about $760 from a local mechanic (certified by repairpal.com). We have maintained the vehicle well, according to Honda recommendations, etc., with all work being done by a local Honda dealer. We are out of warranty.

Question is... do we stick with the dealer or go to the local mechanic? I would really appreciate any insights you all have!

Thanks.

 

[Cousin Itt]

If you can check with others that have used the local mechanic as to quality of work etc., do so.
I guess it all depends on how much you want to spend for out of warranty work.

 

[The Todd]

The evaporator, as in the air conditioner? It went bad/leaked?

These usually last the life of a vehicle.

 

[undivide]

I've had to replace the evap coil on my wife's old ford focus. they are prone to corrosion because of the condensation they collect. of course a honda coil is going to be built a little better than a coil from ford but nothing is immune to the effects of corrosion ! most important thing is find a shop with a good reputation that you trust, not some shed with a dirt floor with a guy you can't understand a word he's saying. they should definitely back up the repair with a limited warranty, sometimes 90 days or so for the system.

also anytime the a/c system is opened up to have components replaced, it is a good idea to replace some other parts as well like the receiver drier desiccant element

 

[Highspeedbail]

The evaporator, as in the air conditioner? It went bad/leaked?

These usually last the life of a vehicle.

Thats fake news.

Maybe where you live but you clearly don't live in Florida.

The only reason I always buy the extended warranty is for AC repairs and I've always made out winning.

Undivide has the right mindset... the biggest part of the expense is pulling the dash into the front seats to make the repair. It's multiple hours to pull and then replace.

I wouldn't hesitate to have it replaced at an independent mechanic that you trust and ask them for a quote to replace other items that will potential fail then make the decision.

Good luck

 

[Ronnie pumpkin]

local mechanic all the way. save the extra money.

 

[briantii]

I think Id stick to the dealer for this one if you don’t already have a good relationship with the independent shop. Its only 300 bux and chances are they’ve done this before on your car where as an independent who doesn’t specialize may be learning on your car. With that said you can have bad results anywhere.

 

[quetallsd]

Thank you all for your input! We live in north San Diego on a little over an acre, and unfortunately, there are a lot of rats here. We've tried about everything to deter... rodent spray, sound/light device, Irish spring soap, dryer sheets, leaving the hood open. Anyone has any other ideas to deter rats would also be very appreciated. Those little buggers have done several thousand dollars worth of combined damage to our vehicles.

Anyway, we had rat damage and apparently the evaporator was freezing up the fan, literally. I contacted a couple of local mechanics and got quotes, and my Honda dealer came within about $50 dollars of their estimates, so we went with the dealer. This is the fifth attempt to repair the a/c! Thankfully it wasn't "black death" (at least not yet).

 

[Cousin Itt]

If you can stand the smell of moth balls (rats cant) try giving them a try. I'm dealing with cleaning up after a village of mice that lived in the 2006 Pilot we got a couple of months ago while it sat parked for 2-3 years before we got it. The little buggers had access to the previous owners dog's food. I'm still finding kibble they drug back to the car, and mouse poop.
Just getting started on figuring out the A/C and since hearing your description of the rat damage think I'd better check the evaporator. You wouldn't believe the mess that dropped down when I removed the headliner.

 

[Slvr7]

Make sure who ever installs it actually cares. I'd any of the foam strips get dislodged your a/c temp will suffer by about 30°. Fixed multiple half assed core replacements, every time I find a chunk of foam out of place.

 

[mmmmark]

I would discuss warranty on repairs. I had a Honda shop do my alternator and they warrantied parts for 3 years and labor for a year, while the independent would do neither.

 

[zroger73]

of course a honda coil is going to be built a little better than a coil from ford but nothing is immune to the effects of corrosion

Neither Honda nor Ford nor any other automaker makes evaporator coils. They usually come from the same supplier such as Denso. Some models from some brands for some year models tend to have more problems, but you can't accurately say that evaporator coils in Hondas are better than evaporator coil in Fords because that's not true.

Cars Most Likely to Have Air Conditioning Problems - Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports highlights the 10 cars and SUVs most likely to have air conditioning problems requiring costly repairs.

www.consumerreports.org