I bought a 2015 Fit last week. While driving it in Austin, Texas, 100 degree heat, AC on high, I turned a corner going left and water drained onto my left foot. This happened twice. So yesterday I took the car in to be checked. They couldn't figure out the source of the problem and kept the car overnight. Just talked to the service guy and this is what he told me....

Condensation from the AC had collected on the heater box so they ran the car with the AC on recirculate to dry it out and now my car is ready to be picked up. He said whenever I use the AC, I need to keep the air intake on recirculate or this problem could happen again. "Just keep it on recirculate."

I told him Honda would not make a car that drained water onto the driver's feet regardless of how the air intake lever was positioned. He assured me this is just the way the car is so I need to keep the air intake on recirculate while using the AC and it'll be fine.

I don't believe him. Could this be true? Or could it be that a drainage hose is loose but it'll be a big hassle to get to it and this guy is giving me a line of bull?

Do all you guys get wet feet if you have your AC on and the air flow lever on fresh air?

I pick the car up tomorrow (9/20/14). At this point, I don't want the car until the problem is fixed. But if what he said is true....

Please advise me as to how I should handle this.

 

I have been in 118 temp with the air on full no water but the air was on recirculate. I would ask the dealer to tell you who the local Honda Rep is and put the question to him.

 

That is a problem and needs to be fixed correctly - and by correctly, I mean by not having to just use the recirculate feature. I had a similar experience in my old integra and it was fixed pretty easily.

My integra used to do that when a hose had cracked just behind the heater core in the car. Water would trickle onto my right foot near the gas pedal and/or soak the carpet (because the core was behind the dash in the middle of the car). It would do it all the time though, not when I was turning, but ONLY when I had my AC on. Once my mechanic changed the hoses behind the heater box core, I didn't have the issue. NEVER did my mechanic tell me to use recirculate versus fresh air (though he did tell me to use recirculate when running the AC to keep out the humidity from outside in the heat).

I would pick it up and see if it happens again... I don't know what to do in those circumstances because I have never had to take my car back more than once; but I have been lucky to not have a new car with issues lately.

If it happens again, they have to fix it and correctly. Third time you take your car in for the same issue, you can lemon law it (if that applies in Texas). Can you take it to a different dealership to see their opinion? Or maybe an independent mechanic shop for an opinion and take those back to your dealership?

 

There is a honda rep who keeps track of this forum. I would guess you will be contacted by him. These are the types of problems they want to keep in check. Personally I think your dealer sucks! I would not use them.
If all else fails contact honda customer service at 800-999-1009

 

You are correct to not believe this guy, who backs up my theory that the way to tell if a dealership employee is lying is to carefully watch their lips. If they move, they're probably lying!

AC units have drains for condensate and the water that condenses should be draining on the ground periodically. That is why you see those puddles in parking lots on hot days.

Your drain is probably plugged by some debris left in the system during manufacture.

Getting to the drain pan is often a pain in the butt as it is buried deep inside the dash. Dealers don't want to put in that much labor at the rates that Honda corporate will reimburse so they gave you the stock BS answer and hoped you would go away and bother some other dealer with it.

Do get this dealt with as soon as possible, since it will destroy your carpeting and start rusting the car as water ends up in places it shouldn't go.

 

Patently ridiculous. Call Honda customer service and tell them what this bozo told you.

 

I've had my Fit for 5 years and NEVER have it on recirculate and not once have I had that problem. That's a crock of s*** that you were told.

 

Dunno, I'm in Austin too, new EX, have AC on, but do use recirculate. It's been cooler this week, but I'll test it in fresh air and let you know. My feet have stayed dry. I'm short, though. Where is it dripping, exactly?

 

Thank you so very much to those of you who replied to my post. You've been saying pretty much what I expected to hear. Gonna print out your replies and take them with me tomorrow.

Coyotesweat, the water slushes out above/beside my left foot, from the upper left corner under the dash. The very first time it happened, I must have been going rather fast around the corner because the water actually flew under the dash and got all over my right foot. The second time, there was more water and it dumped on my left foot. I don't know how much there was in volume but it was far more than a "drip."

I ordered this car 6 weeks in advance and was delighted when it finally came in. Then less than 100 miles later, its in the shop and the service people don't want to fix it properly. Such a disappointment. I'll give the 1-800 customer service folks a call in the morning before heading over to the dealership.

Again, thank you for the suggestions and advice. Fit Freaks rock!

 

No you should not need to operate the AC on recirculate, and no it should not be dripping / spilling water to the car's interior.


Please bear with my explanation, then get back to the dealer and explain to them what needs to be fixed...


Any AC system operates basically the same way. The cooling unit that is inside the passenger compartment of the car (called the evaporator box or matrix), holds the evaporator core (it looks like a small radiator), inside a sealed box up under the dashboard. It will pull moisture out of the air when the AC is running and air flows across the evaporator in that sealed box.... Just like moisture/condensation collecting on the outside of a nice tall glass of iced tea.


The more humidity in the outside air, the more will get pulled out of the air as the system operates. In your car, that moisture gathers on the evaporator and drips down, collecting in the bottom of the sealed box.
That growing puddle of water has been removed from the air that is being cooled by the AC and the water needs to go somewhere.


Near the bottom of the sealed box will be a connection to a open tube that is supposed to drain the water from inside the sealed box, out the bottom of the car. The water just flows out the tube, because it is a downhill trip and there is nothing to stop the water. The water ends up draining out onto the road or parking lot / driveway, underneath the car.


It doesn't matter if the car is a 2015 Honda Fit, or a 1970's Chevrolet...... That operation of the AC system in those respects is the same.


IF the drain tube from the evaporator box (inside the car, under the dashboard) gets blocked (for whatever reason).... The water continues to accumulate inside the sealed (evaporator) box, filling up the drain tube and backing up inside the sealed box, as you operate the AC. ..... If you now use recirc and not outside air, you bring less fresh moisture into the evaporator box and add less to the existing puddle.. In fact you may slowly dry up the puddle by moving air (fan on) across the puddle and putting moisture back into the air inside the car..


While you have a growing puddle of water inside the evaporator box, it will get deep enough to reach one of the air duct openings for the box. Just like water overflowing a bathtub.... The sealed/evaporator box does have air duct openings in it, for the interior air, or exterior air to get to flow thru the evaporator core and become cooled (and drier/moisture removed) air to exit thru ducting to the dash vents, or outlets under the dash to the front footwells and onto the front occupants' feet. Then you have water dripping onto your feet, or sloshing out when you make a turn. The AC would not have to be running when that sloshing happens, because the puddle of water has already been created inside the evaporator box and is waiting to get out, thru the blocked drain tube, or thru one of the air duct openings and onto your feet.


Drain tubes may be blocked or pinched closed at the factory if not properly installed. The tubes can become blocked over a period of time, with fungus that might slowly grow inside that nice sheltered and moist environment or even dirt. Clearing the tube may be as simple as running a piece of wire up the open end of the tube from underneath the car, and roto-rootering the obstruction out and onto the garage floor.


I suspect that on a week old car, there is a problem with the factory build that is pinching the drain tube and not fungus or dirt.


Back to the dealership service department.






If you printout this reply and show it to the service writer or service manager, see if they disagree with the basic concept of how the condensate drain system is supposed to work. I suspect they will agree that there is a drain tube problem that needs to be fixed under the Honda warranty.


Good luck.

 

Hi Belinda,

Sorry to hear about your concern. This appears to be unusual. We would like to review the situation with you and the dealer. May I have you private message me with your VIN, mileage, and dealer so we can better assist you.


Thank you,

Jonathan
Social Media Team
Honda Automobile Customer Service
Twitter: @HondaCustSvc

 

Nice to know someone is actually following this forum from HONDA!!!

Belinda ... too add insult to injury for your dealer .... you will notice specific instructions in the Owner's Manual to switch the lever to "fresh air intake" when operating the windshield defroster/defogger, NOT RECIRCULATE! On my LX those instructions are printed right on the selector dial!

I would call and ask for the Service Manager as well as the Sales Manager .... let them know you how you came by your information as well as being contacted by Jonathan from Honda's Social Media Team.

Dealership should be ashamed of themselves for parading their incompetence like this!

 

One last entry on this thread.....

After refusing to pick up my car on Saturday, my original service team was off on Monday (9/22/14) and I was given an entirely different team of service personnel to work with. They were the professionals I expected from the start. They were eager to fix the problem and insure I was happy with the outcome. If I had this team from the beginning, I never would have posted this thread on the Fit Freak forum.

So, high five to my local (no-haggle, hint, hint) Honda dealer. I'm a happy camper.

Again, thank you to those who responded to my question. Also a big thank you to Jonathan, the Honda rep, for his input and follow thru. With him following the forum, we can all feel taken care of. He's a great guy.

If the original problem returns, yes, Texas does have a Lemon Law.

 

If they are giving you good service please tell us their name! No need to be coy!

 

Great service right there! A lot of issues with the 2015's it seems, what is Honda doing!?

Hope you get it resolved, my guess is there is a little water left over in the "channel" the outside air is pulled from in the duct and when you turned the corner you sloshed it to the path inside.

 

Awesome that they got it taken care of Belinda!