Symptom explainer · every vehicle on the site
A/C blows warm or the compressor fails
Most reported: 2016 Honda Civic with 214 reports. Across the 368 model years on this site with at least five, owners filed 5,499.
- 5,499owner reports
- 368model years affected
- 45,000median miles
- 69involved a crash
- 78involved a fire
Most A/C complaints start the same way: the fan still blows, but the air coming out of the vents is warm or only a little cool. Some owners get cold air that fades after a while, and others hear a noise from the compressor before it quits. It's rarely a safety problem on its own, which is also why it seldom gets a recall.
Which cars report it most · By model · When it happens · What it is and what to do
The 25 vehicles with the most reports
Each row is one model year. The bar is its count of A/C failure reports; the share is how much of that car's complaint file this problem takes up. Bigger sellers draw more reports, so read the share alongside the count. Red dots mark crashes and fires in these reports; amber marks a recall on the same system.
- 121420% of its complaints40k mi
- 217112% of its complaints63k mi
- 313423% of its complaints40k mi
- 42016 Ford Explorer1 fire1104% of its complaints24k mi
- 52015 Ford Explorer1 crash1096% of its complaints30k mi
- 62018 Honda Civic1 fire10214% of its complaints47k mi
- 78312% of its complaints56k mi
- 82014 Ford Explorer1 fire805% of its complaints30k mi
- 9736% of its complaints60k mi
- 102015 Chevrolet Tahoe2 crashes1 fire6610% of its complaints52k mi
- 11654% of its complaints9k mi
- 12607% of its complaints46k mi
- 13583% of its complaints11k mi
- 142015 Tesla Model S1 crash558% of its complaints59k mi
- 152017 Honda CR-V1 crash553% of its complaints37k mi
- 162018 Honda Accord1 fire553% of its complaints24k mi
- 17517% of its complaints55k mi
- 184932% of its complaintsfew mileages
- 194320% of its complaints56k mi
- 202015 Chevrolet Suburban1 crash409% of its complaints56k mi
- 212016 Honda Pilot2 crashes1 fire382% of its complaints36k mi
- 222016 Hyundai Tucson1 crash2 fires372% of its complaints8k mi
- 233610% of its complaints36k mi
- 24368% of its complaints30k mi
- 25357% of its complaints65k mi
Where it dominates the complaint file
Model years with at least 25 reports, ranked by the share of all their complaints that describe A/C failure. That takes most of the sales-volume effect out (small sellers still swing more).
- 14932% of its complaintsfew mileages
- 213423% of its complaints40k mi
- 321420% of its complaints40k mi
- 44320% of its complaints56k mi
- 52018 Honda Civic1 fire10214% of its complaints47k mi
- 62513% of its complaints47k mi
- 78312% of its complaints56k mi
- 817112% of its complaints63k mi
- 92015 Chevrolet Tahoe2 crashes1 fire6610% of its complaints52k mi
- 103610% of its complaints36k mi
By model, every year together
The 12 models with the most reports. Each chip is a model year; the darker chip is its worst year.
- Honda Civic508
- Honda CR-V174
- Ram 1500149
- Ford F-150124
- Honda Accord116
- Nissan Rogue102
When it happens
2,923 of the 5,499 reports state a mileage. The middle half fall between 24,000 and 66,000 miles; the median is 45,000. Each column is a 20,000-mile band.
Reports by model year
Every report of A/C failure, grouped by the model year of the car. 69 involved a crash and 78 a fire. 125 people were hurt.
What owners describe
Share of the 5,499 reports that use each phrase. One report can use several.
What got replaced
Reports that name the part, across every vehicle.
What it is and what to do
What is usually involved
The parts owners name most in these reports are the compressor, the condenser, the evaporator and the compressor clutch. The compressor on many engines is driven by the same accessory belt that turns the alternator and other parts, so a worn or slipping belt can take the A/C down with it. The Car Care Council lists A/C failure among the symptoms of a belt problem, alongside squeaking at start-up and a smell of burnt rubber.
What a shop has to do
Anyone paid to work on a car's A/C has to be trained and certified under Section 609 of the Clean Air Act and use certified refrigerant handling equipment. Refrigerant has to be recovered before the system is opened, it can't legally be vented, and what comes out has to be recycled or reclaimed before it goes back in (even into the same car). Cars on the road today use either HFC-134a or HFO-1234yf, and the equipment standards differ for each. That's part of why a proper A/C repair takes longer than a can of refrigerant from a parts store.
When to stop driving
A/C failure by itself doesn't make a car unsafe to drive. A squeal or grinding from the front of the engine is different: if the belt that drives the compressor also drives other parts, get it checked before a long trip, because losing that belt can take more than the A/C with it.
What to tell the mechanic
Say whether it's warm all the time or only after the car has run for a while, and whether it's worse at idle than at highway speed. Mention any noise when the A/C switches on. If it was recharged recently and is warm again, say when. Ask them to tell you whether they found a leak, and where.
Recalls, bulletins and warranty
Automakers must send NHTSA a copy of every service bulletin and warranty extension they send dealers about a defect, safety-related or not. Those show up as "manufacturer communications" when you search your year, make and model on NHTSA's site, and an A/C bulletin there is worth printing before you visit a dealer. A compressor that fails within the factory warranty's months or miles should be covered. The FTC says using an independent shop for routine maintenance doesn't void that warranty, so keep the receipts.
Sources
- EPA: Motor Vehicle Air Conditioner (MVAC) System Servicing
- EPA: Regulatory Requirements for MVAC Servicing
- EPA: MVAC Background and Resources
- Car Care Council: Vehicle Systems Overview (Belts and Hoses)
- NHTSA: Check for Recalls
- 49 CFR 579.5, manufacturer notices and bulletins (eCFR)
- FTC: Auto Warranties and Auto Service Contracts
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints on the 1,040 vehicle model years that have a page here, grouped by the word patterns described on the method page. A vehicle needs five matching reports to be counted in this ranking. Checked Sep 27, 2026. All problem explainers.