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Mazda3 Maintenance & Repair

4991 messages,  Last post on Jan 21, 2013 at 9:58 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA3, Hatchback, Sedan

    
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Messages Page 327 of 500

#3255 of 4991 Re: slate1 [z71bill] by ex_tdier

May 09, 2006 (9:24 pm)

Replying to: z71bill (May 09, 2006 7:01 pm)
It was - does the auto climate control cool better (as in make the car colder on a hot day) than the manual system? OR - Did installing the auto climate control solve the weak AC issue in the Mazda3?
 
You havent been paying attention, have you? The auto-climate control was made and installed in the 2004+ overseas models just like the rest of the body parts. In otherwords, you're asking: "which came first, the chicken or the egg"?
 
I disagree that there is no link between auto climate and the compressor. I believe (unless an A/C tech tells me otherwise), the auto-climate control DOES control the compressor cycling time. The interior sensors send a message to the onboard computer and that plays a key role in controlling the cycling time.
 
C'mon, think about it and let's get back to what was originally said here, the compressor is on for 10 seconds. It "rests" for 60 seconds and then restarts again. It's during the "resting" phase that there is inadequate cooling because the gas is not being pumped. If the compressor was on longer, a lot longer there would NOT be an A/C issue. The actual vent temps prove this. It's when the compressor is off that there is no cold air. Make sense?
 
The manual A/C system on it's own is bad but that could be due to the 134A gas and the size of the evaporator. However, Mazda engineers knew of this when the designed the Mazda3 so they offered their Mazda3's equipped with auto climate control to greatly improve the A/C performance (wer're talking many years ago when they were CADing the Mazda3.
 
And forget about Mazda doing any mods to your car. The car cannot have ambient temperature monitoring. The wiring harness to do so cannot be installed in our models. Doing so would basically require the car to be torn down and rebuilt. This is why Mazda North America won't acknowledge the problem. They neglected to include it in their North American Mazda3 models. They realize it was a mistake not to offer it in North American models and now are including it (or soon will be) like they did when they first built the Mazad3 years ago for countries other than Canada and USA.

#3256 of 4991 Re: slate1 [ex_tdier] by vonnyvonce

May 10, 2006 (5:44 am)

Replying to: ex_tdier (May 09, 2006 9:24 pm)
Ex, With all due respect, you are incorrect as to how AC works. The cycling of the compressor is related to the temperature in the AC system itself (evaporator or ?) not in the interior of the car.
 
The AC compressor does not care about the temperature in the car interior at all. If you have your auto CCset for 70F on and 80F day the ac will work until interior temp is 70F. If interior temp goes below 70F the ac compressor continues to work, a blend door or some system bleeds in a little warm air until you get back to 70F.
 
The only time ac compressor is off is when you default it off, shut off the fan or if the outside temperature is below the low default temp fot the evaporator (if it is already cold enough no need to come on). I'm not an ac tech but the above is my understanding about how ac works. If you watch closely how/when your ac works I trust you'll agree.
 
Bottom line as mentioned earlier by others is unless Mazda made other changes to the ac system, making it auto would have little/nothing to do with the ultimate performance or cooling ability.

#3257 of 4991 nifty56 by z71bill

May 10, 2006 (9:13 am)

I did not look to see what the $1.00 mod to the AC is - but let me guess - Is it a bag of ice?
 
slate1 - mine is 1.1 pounds same as the 2005 & 2006 model. I have also ask the parts department guy at Mazda to check the Mazda part number for the compressor, condensor & evaperator - they are all the same part number (for 2004, 2005& 2006) - which makes me think they are the same part - although it would be possible that they improved a part and kept the old number - although most business I have worked with always change the number if they issue a new part - makes it easier to track.
 
I have posted this before - but I had Mazda check my AC system - to determine if the compressor was shutting down before it should. Its been way over a year - so I don't recall all the exact numbers - but what they did was put a set of gauges on refrigerant lines and monitor the PSI readings as the compressor cycles on and off.
 
If the high side of the system is 200 PSI that = 33 degrees at the evaperator (just a guess on the PSI VS temp). So by looking at the PSI reading at the point the compressor cycles on and off the tech can tell if it is working correctly. Mine checks out. I also had a friend / former employee - that is a refrigeration department manager for a large industruial company put his gauges on my Mazda he confirmed what Mazda told me - the compressor cycles on and off when it should.
 
You can not just run the compressor longer - like I have said before - if you do it will freeze over the evaperator and your air flow coming out of the vents will be blocked - your cooling will be rduced to zero.
 
ex_tdier - do you know what ambient means?
 
Think of it this way - cooling capacity of the AC system is like the capacity of a pipe to supply water.
 
If you have a 1 inch pipe 30 PSI it will supply 10 gallons of water per minute (whatever). It does not matter if you turn the water on with a manual faucet - or if it is computer controlled utilizing satellite technology to monitor the ambient temperature - it will still supply the same 10 gallons per minute. Unless you change the size of the pipe or the PSI it will still have the same capacity.
 
I am not saying the auto system does nothing - it soulds like a nice system - but it does nothing to increase the capacity. Unless Mazda figured out a way to put 3 pounds into a 2 pound bag!

#3258 of 4991 I'm at a loss at this point... by slate1

May 10, 2006 (12:08 pm)

Replying to: z71bill (May 10, 2006 9:13 am)
If all the components are the same - the only indication as to why I'm getting satisfactory results with the Auto-climate control system in my '06 then MAY be the cycle times.
 
I keep reading that the system in the '04 models everyone keeps complaining about is cycling on for 10-12 seconds and then off for 50-60 seconds. Essentially only giving you 10 seconds of "on" time per minute. Mine is consistently cycling on for 10-12 seconds and off for only 15-20 seconds - giving you more than double the amount of "on" time per minute.
 
This has to be due to a change in the compressor temp sensor or some software issue.
 
As I've said over and over again - I don't know why, I don't know how - but, trust me, the Automatic Climate Control in the '06 GT Sedan works and works well.

#3259 of 4991 Re: I'm at a loss at this point... [slate1] by vonnyvonce

May 10, 2006 (6:58 pm)

Replying to: slate1 (May 10, 2006 12:08 pm)
Slate, Your cycle times MAY be related to your local conditions. If your car is in a hotter climate the ac will probably cycle more frequently. Comparing cycle time to cars in other locales tells us little.
 
One more thing that comes to mind and this was a problem in Vibe/Matrix is the blend door was not closing properly thus letting a little warm air bleed in even when the temp control was set full cold. Perhaps this is the problem with the manual Mazda3 system that somehow works (seals) better in the autoCC systems. The blend door 9if in fact that what the 3 uses) in the auto system would be powered by a motor. Perhaps this motor system seals against warm air leakage better, thus colder ac. Just a thought, again without actual temps it is just a guess.

#3260 of 4991 I'm at a loss at this point by ex_tdier

May 10, 2006 (7:22 pm)

My head is spinning here....so what the heck do the added sensors then do in the auto-climate control models? Users in all locales with climate control report no problems. Those in the same locales with the manual DO report problems: compressor cycles less ie. is not on.
 
BTW, $1.00 mod is a resistor and it decreases the overall temp inside the car by 5F.

#3261 of 4991 Re: Mazda 3 upholstery and interior fabrics [gabbydog] by retailroy

May 11, 2006 (12:02 am)

Replying to: gabbydog (Jan 13, 2006 5:00 pm)
I had the same problem. After a ton of complaints to mazda they authorized to have the seat covers replaced. They started wrinkling a week later. Part of the problem I believe lies in the stiff foam they use in the cushions that begins to breakdown from use and heat and then the seat covers wrinkle and shift. After twenty thousand miles the seat cushion material is breaking down and sinking in the middle. I weigh about 180 pounds and my wife about 105 pounds and the seat problem is in both seats.
 
Coupled with the worst ac I have ever owned in any car and that includes the 9 mazdas we have driven I went in last week and signed a contract to buy a new camry se. I am counting the hours till it gets in to get rid of what in many ways was a very enjoyable car but too many lies by mazda and minor problems with the car. As a long time owner of mazdas I was a little concerned with too much Ford influence and it has come to pass. The hesitation in first gear, the ac, the seats, the brakes, and other small problems were denied by the mazda rep and he tried to tell me that he had not heard of any of these problems. Mazda no handles warranty like their sleazy sister company Ford, too bad, it was a nice ride with them for twenty plus years. I will a long time before I buy another one.

#3262 of 4991 Re: Mazda 3 upholstery and interior fabrics [gabbydog] by retailroy

May 11, 2006 (12:11 am)

Replying to: gabbydog (Dec 25, 2005 1:39 pm)
If you keep complaining they will cover them. Funy how they claim they have never heard of the problem. The quality of the interior is very suspect. I only used the floor mats for ten thousand miles and under the pedals they show excessive wear. The carpet is mounted on some type of stiff cardboard or something and does not look like it will hold up long eithr.

#3263 of 4991 Re: I'm at a loss at this point [ex_tdier] by vonnyvonce

May 11, 2006 (7:54 pm)

Replying to: ex_tdier (May 10, 2006 7:22 pm)
The added sensors tell the climate control system to add or not add heat to keep interior temperature where you want it.
 
In an auto CC car something has to tell the system what to do, the sensors do this. In a manual CC car you make these changes yourself, you're the "sensor".
 
Some cars just work off interior temp. Some add sun sensors, Acura integrates this with GPS. Bottom line without some sort of sensors how is the climate control going to know what to do?

#3264 of 4991 Re: Mazda 3 upholstery and interior fabrics [retailroy] by richml

May 12, 2006 (11:27 am)

Replying to: retailroy (May 11, 2006 12:02 am)
Mazda no handles warranty like their sleazy sister company Ford, too bad
 
We've owned five Mazdas since 1980, and have had a very different Mazda warranty/service experience than you've had. The five vehicles were bought and serviced at four different dealerships. Any warranty work required has been promptly taken care of to our satisfaction. We've never had to contact the national Mazda office with a complaint.
 
I drive a 2005 Mazda3 with manual transmission and leather seats, so I can't comment on your thoughts on cloth seats and first gear hesitation - the only hesitation I've expereienced is when I forget to shift back into first as I'm sitting at a traffic light! I haven't experienced the problems that you've mentioned - hope I don't!

Messages Page 327 of 500

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