9th gen AC Evaporator Service?

[mrdeejay]

A friend told me that evaporator needs to be cleaned every couple of years to remove dirt buildup - just like home ACs. I've never heard of this before. Can anyone confirm this? Do Honda dealerships offer this service? Do they remove the evaporator to clean it? cost?

We've been changing the cabin air filter regularly ever since we got the vehicle.

[Xulfiqar]

Your freind is gravely mistaken

The reason manufacturers installed cabin air filters was to prevent dirt buildup in the inside heat exchangers.

Heat exchangers are

Evaporator and heater core.

[disisfifty]

Thanks for the reply @Xulfiqar, I have heard the same what OP said from other people too. So now we just have to keep the cabin filter in check and that will help extend the life of the evaporator and heater core, there is no need for any periodic service.

[mrdeejay]

So if my car's AC isn't cooling as well, then only cause could be refrigerant leakage?

[mrdeejay]

I called Honda service dept, the guy said they do AC service for 8K, in which they clean the evaporator and also recharge the system. And that we're supposed to do it every 1-2 years

Looking at pics of evaporators online, seems like they get dirty even in cleaner environments like US, Europe - that don't have fine dust issues like we do in Lahore.

[Xulfiqar]

One of the cars I drive is an ancient relic from 2004 and has a cabin filter - Ive put a scope into the evaporator box and it was clean as can be. (btw I live in a desert with worse dust than Lahore). My other piece of trash is from 2002 and has no cabin filter - its evaporator is also rather clean because I keep it clean with the procedure I mentioned above and also a spray cleaner that it pumped up through the drain tube. (I have not recharged its AC for years and years now)

By design every single AC evaporator in the world is going to be slightly dirty with fine dust or some fungus buildup on the fins. The evaporator is self cleaning though and will flush junk out of the drain, The way to keep it clean is shut off the AC 2 minutes before stopping the car and running the blower at max speed to get all the water droplets to condense and drop out.