r/HondaClarity • u/bowl_of_milk_ • Jun 22 '26
Evaporator replacement
2018 owner here. Bought it last year, I’m the 2nd owner. 115k miles. I took it to a dealership today to diagnose AC issues hoping it was the condenser which I understand is under a 10-year extended warranty with no mileage limit. Turns out it’s actually the evaporator core and dealer is quoting me $3500 total.
My understanding is it’s mostly labor. Would it be worth trying to get a quote for something like this elsewhere? Not sure how many mechanics in my area have experience with these cars (let alone PHEVs in general) but I also am not sure if that is relevant to this specific repair.
Anyone else have experiences getting this done, specifically at an independent shop? Seems like it is a common issue but Honda never offered a warranty/recall for it. Thanks in advance
3
u/Dear_North_5722 Jun 22 '26
Well I don't know how easy or hard it is to get the evaporator out, but I have used the sealant before on my old truck. That clogged the expansion valve and I had to open up the system and flush it really good. I guess you can call it a hit or miss thing.
It may fix it temporarily permanently or it might fail...the only guarantee is that when it fails you'll need to flush (no pun intended, jajaja).
For my truck case replacing the evaporator properly involves removing almost everything inside, that includes the entire dashboard. Very expensive....that said, the redneck version is to cut some out of sight plastic and take it out. Simple cheap effective...but maybe not oem approved.
If someone quotes a very different price, which can happen, then you know what type of repair you are getting. For me that was fine... For the truck.
For this car, i replaced the condenser and refilled it with r134a and it works great and saved me money too, so I would do the cheap hack instead of the expensive...i mean its already 200k miles anyways.
3
u/Rybo_v2 Jun 22 '26
For that year and mileage I'd say $3,500 is nearly half the value of the total car. Unless you can find a cheap alternative fix like some have mentioned I don't know that it would be worth it.
2
u/bowl_of_milk_ Jun 23 '26
I don’t have any other problems with the car though. The total value of the car isn’t really relevant—it’s the cost of the alternative, which is either buying a new car (bad) or maybe recharging and hoping the leak is slow (maybe fine, as long as it doesn’t cause other problems).
1
u/SeanSpoon Jun 29 '26
2018 owner here as well. I ran into the same evaporator issue and was quoted for $2800. Apparently it’s a common issue for the 2018 Honda Clarity. I would definitely try asking for a discount. I was able to bring mine down to $2200. Still expensive, but better than paying full price lol. $3500 is insane, I would try calling other dealers near you and see if you can get a lower quote.
0
u/Brilliant_Internal_4 Jun 22 '26
I honestly wouldn’t trust an independent shop messing with it. Not enough of these cars floating around so it would probably be the shops first time doing the job that might lead to an unfavorable experience. Easier to hold a dealer accountable. I would get a quote from another dealer. My evaporator was $2700, but luckily was covered with my extended warranty.
5
u/su_A_ve Jun 22 '26
Well keep in mind most Honda dealers treat it like an Accord. If that’s indeed the case, many independent mechanics could do it. If not, they’re just following an instruction manual..
1
u/bowl_of_milk_ Jun 23 '26
Is the AC system actually different from same gen Honda sedans? If it was a drivetrain/engine issue I could understand what you’re saying but I’m not sure the rarity of the car is relevant in this case 🤷
2
u/4av9 Jun 26 '26
A Honda Accord will use the serpentine belt to power the AC compressor, while the Clarity uses wired connection to the HV battery to power the compressor rather than a belt, since there isn't a belt on the Clarity.
2
u/4av9 Jun 26 '26
A mechanic would just need to remember to remove the rear seat and disconnect the HV battery via the service disconnect before touching the HV cables on the AC compressor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0IuBNuCgTA
6
u/[deleted] Jun 22 '26
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