Honda Owners Say Cars Won’t Heat in Winter Below Certain Temperatures

Hundreds of Honda owners say they are stuck with a heating system that doesn’t work when temperatures drop in the winter.

A new investigation by CBC revealed there have been hundreds of complaints to Transport Canada and consumer advocacy groups about the heating failing on some 2017 and 2018 Honda CR-Vs and the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Honda Civic with the 1.5 L turbo engine.

Honda says the problem involves excessive engine oil dilution, and did a 2018 update campaign for come customers involving new software, an oil change and a new air conditioning control unit that was supposed to fix the issue. 

However, automotive consumer advocates and individual consumers told CBC it didn’t work for many.

No Solution for the Heating Issue Yet

Jean-François Beaulieu, who lives in Quebec, told CBC his vehicle often won’t heat up if the temperature drops below –10 C. 

He has two young children, and said after buying his 2017 Honda CR-V EX-L new for $46,500, he noticed almost right away the car wouldn’t heat up inside on the colder days.

“Winter is solid here four months a year. You need a car that’s going to be able to weather that,” he told CBC. He said he contacted Honda multiple times after the 2018 update failed in his car, and didn’t get a response for more than two years when news outlets started reporting the issue.

Other consumers said the issue would cause the windows to fog, creating a safety hazard. An Automobile Protection Association survey of 152 Canada-based Honda drivers found 58 per cent had heating problems during cold weather and 49 per cent had trouble with the windshield or side window defrosting, CBC reported.

The survey included 2017 and 2018 CR-Vs and 2016-20 Civics, of which almost three quarters had received Honda’s 2018 product update.

Calgary resident Cathy Haugen told CBC her 2018 CR-V Honda, which she bought new for almost $43,000, often won’t heat up, causing her windshield to fog.

She said when she contacted Honda, it responded with tips like not using Eco mode, not turning the fan up too high, and trying not to stop and start while driving.

Haugen said she asked Honda why she needed tips. “Shouldn’t I be able to just turn the heat on and have heat?”

A Need for Review of Old Regulations

Transport Canada has reviewed the issue after receiving dozens of heating complaints for 2017-19 Civics and CR-Vs, but found the vehicles meet its minimum requirements in its safety regulations. 

However, consumer groups contend the safety regulations are outdated, having been set almost 60 years ago.

Honda owners have filed a class action lawsuit over the oil dilution issues causing the heating problems, which was settled in March. 

But automotive consumer advocate George Iny told CBC the settlement was a bad deal for customers, with nothing being offered that hadn’t been offered before, and no solid fix. 

Honda Canada responded to CBC saying the 1.5 L Turbo engine was designed with efficiency in mind, so the engine does not produce high levels of excess heat as quickly as other engines.

The automaker said 90 per cent of vehicles with the heating problems had undergone the update at no cost to drivers, and that it had extended the warranty by a year.

Meanwhile, in December, Honda recalled 53,770 vehicles in Canada for issues with sliding door handles, rear view cameras and software. 

The company is also facing a class action lawsuit alongside Toyota, alleging some of its vehicles have a fuel pump defect that can cause serious engine problems.

Do you think a vehicle update is a sufficient solution for owners of the affected Honda models? Let us know in the comments!

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