Weak air conditioning!

[nuttygent]

Has anyone had a problem with weak output of the air conditioning. Car has 60K, purchased with 30K so everything should be up to snuff, but the air is cool at best, thanks much.

[aris]

These cars don't have srong A/C:bang

[skunk2]

this may not be related but i had to replace the thermostat of the car because of a leak and after getting it replaced, i noticed the AC worked a lot better/cooler.

[mazdabetty]

You guys are crazy lol.... so demanding. Is it blowing out just cool air? Cuz that would be an issue... but it takes a little while to get working, like any other car. And same with the heat. Just put it on 4 and use the setting that blows directly on your face for 5 minutes, you'll be fine. :chuckle

[Go_Habs_Go]

or bring a bag of ice in the car!

[nuttygent]

Thankyou most honourable TM3 people, it's just cool and no more or less. On a very hot day it leaves a lot to be desired, compared to my previous Sentra SE-R which was a disaster in all areas so I can't complain...just a little anyway.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Has anyone had a problem with weak output of the air conditioning. Car has 60K, purchased with 30K so everything should be up to snuff, but the air is cool at best, thanks much.

What year is your car? The 2004's and early 2005's were known for weak AC systems and there is a TSB to address it. The later models incorporated improvements to the AC systems and they are indeed colder.

However, the AC in the 3's in general, are not super powerful AC systems. They do the job, but couldn't make ice cubes to keep my beer cold, which is a shame cause the glovebox could hold at least a 12 pack.












...and for all those truly sensitive enough that you are thinking about making a post to flame me for insinuating I drink and drive and have open beer in my car...well, don't. It was a joke, deal with it.

[nuttygent]

It's an 06', thankfully the summer has decided to be a no show this year.

[m_a_t_r_i_x]

according to the used car review that i just read, the cons of 1st gen mazda 3 are -
- poor fuel economy (on 2.3L engine);
- paint easily chips and rust issues; and
- weak a/c

the a/c issues has been discussed many times here already, just search.....

besides you cant win them all, other car/s has issues too...the reason why we bought this car is the fun factor and best bang for the buck !

[tkdm3]

What year is your car? The 2004's and early 2005's were known for weak AC systems and there is a TSB to address it. The later models incorporated improvements to the AC systems and they are indeed colder.

However, the AC in the 3's in general, are not super powerful AC systems. They do the job, but couldn't make ice cubes to keep my beer cold, which is a shame cause the glovebox could at least a 12 pack.


...and for all those truly sensitive enough that you are thinking about making a post to flame me for insinuating I drink and drive and have open beer in my car...well, don't. It was a joke, deal with it.

Actually, I was going to flame you for putting ice in your beer. :P

[mit-gee-mui]

As already stated, many members complain about a weak a/c.

Here is one of the longer threads. It's fairly old, but you get the picture: http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19285 (Same as link at bottom of this page)

More links and (some duplicated) links within links:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=9832&highlight=tsb%2A+air+con%2A

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=24345&highlight=a%2Fc+problem

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=26209&highlight=a%2Fc+problem

Not sure if you want to try this:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=304545&postcount=1





Or this :chuckle:
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=27778&highlight=weak+a%2Ac

[towelsnap]

^ LOL , I've got an 06 as well...... it's not the greatest for air but it works lol

[mazda lover]

Make sure you have it set to Recirculate and not at the outside air mode...
I have an 05 and the A/C at high speed driving-highway is good, can't complain but slow stop and go it sucks.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Actually, I was going to flame you for putting ice in your beer. :P

LOL. Not in the beer mang... I'm not a heathen, nor American. Just ice in the glovebox to keep the beer nice and cold. I'm thinking of doing a glovebox cooler conversion... Maybe a group buy??? :chuckle

[rick10]

mine also has a weak ac ... my civic in mid level blows the same air as tha 3 in the highest LOL....

[mazdabetty]

LOL. Not in the beer mang... I'm not a heathen, nor American. Just ice in the glovebox to keep the beer nice and cold. I'm thinking of doing a glovebox cooler conversion... Maybe a group buy??? :chuckle

IN!!!!!!!

[TheMAN]

What year is your car? The 2004's and early 2005's were known for weak AC systems and there is a TSB to address it. The later models incorporated improvements to the AC systems and they are indeed colder.

However, the AC in the 3's in general, are not super powerful AC systems. They do the job, but couldn't make ice cubes to keep my beer cold, which is a shame cause the glovebox could hold at least a 12 pack.












...and for all those truly sensitive enough that you are thinking about making a post to flame me for insinuating I drink and drive and have open beer in my car...well, don't. It was a joke, deal with it.
the "incorporated improvements" is the use of the bigger evaporator core off the Mazda5 starting in May 2005 builds... I believe I outlined those details in my cabin filter id thread

anyway, since he has an 06, this shouldn't be an issue... my friend has an 08.5 (which has the same AC system as the 06) and it blows plenty cold... either the refrigerant is low or there is lack of airflow in one or both of the heat exchangers.... if the condenser fins are plugged up with bugs and stones, that can affect efficiency, much like a dirty cabin filter will reduce airflow in the evaporator

since the car is used, I'd give the condenser a nice rinse with the garden hose and replace the cabin filter (which is a bitch)


also, with the humid summers in TO, the ACs have as much load as what you will see way down in the southwest where it's dry.... humidity has a lot of latent heat and that makes any good AC system suck!

tinted windows will help out with the AC too

[Battl3hamm3r]

You guys are crazy lol.... so demanding. Is it blowing out just cool air? Cuz that would be an issue... but it takes a little while to get working, like any other car. And same with the heat. Just put it on 4 and use the setting that blows directly on your face for 5 minutes, you'll be fine. :chuckle

Lol true

[skitzo315]

I know I'm a bit late to the game here but I've got an '04 Mazda3 and am very sick of the crappy ac. I was wondering if anyone knew exactly what was changed on the newer models to fix the issue (evap core, compressor, etc) and if so, can I get the newer parts and install them on my older 3? Thanks!

[m_bisson]

it even says to do that in the manual :p

[-RJ3-]

thats what happnes when we buy the best economical car.... we lose the luxuries of a/c power lol.

[Pokey]

Guess you win some you lose some. I have some theories as to what could help with a/c, testing it out now. I'll post sometime this summer if my theories were correct.

[mazda lover]

Guess you win some you lose some. I have some theories as to what could help with a/c, testing it out now. I'll post sometime this summer if my theories were correct.

Can you give us a clue, a lot of us need help with our A/C
Thanks

[stevenma188]

+1 Having a black on black car with a weak AC is killing me, especially in this heat.

[Pokey]

Well I haven't owned the car very long, but taking a quick peek under the hood reveals - plastic and lots of it. So in the summer instead of letting the breeze do some of the cooling it's left all up to the radiator in the front as the bottom seems to be partially covered and the top of the engine certainly is. So far I've taken the plastic cover off the engine. Next step will be to take a look at the routing of the lines. Maybe there's a way to insulate something to help protect it against the heat of the engine? I'm thinking that a tube may be running too close to the engine so you'll have cold vs hot and in the summertime hot will win.

This weekend while standing at the border (ugh) I noticed that even set to cold, the air being blown in using the vents was warmer than the air outside (open window). Maybe removing a portion of the under car diffuser? would do the trick??? BUT I'd want to do this in a way that can be put back to almost stock for the winter.... I jjust need to spend more time looking at the car.

I'm sure there's lots of guys on here who know exactly what is routed where and could help with ideas. To insulate a tube/pipe is no big deal, you can use pipe insulation sold at Rona (silver padded sticky stuff).... Or maybe I'm just a noob and all this has been tried before or can't be done for some reason....

Anyone know the different routings?

[still2ill]

I have a 07 with 95K and the A/C is blowin hot air on me....any idea?? maybe gas needs to be filled?....the temp meter is fine its reads correctly.....but its 33 degrees outside and I CANT stand it without an A/C...I thought maybe someone else has experienced the same problem and can help me save some money by fixing the RIGHT thing.....

[-RJ3-]

Make sure the button on your vents is selected as the interior not exterior selection.

It happened to me as well till i noticed the button was set to the outside vents!!

[TheMAN]

on the newer 3s, they added a microswitch to the temperature knob (on manual climate control) where when you crank it over to full cold, it will automatically switch the air mode to recirculate... it can be nice and also annoying at times... I don't know when they made that change though because my 05 doesn't have that feature

[mazda lover]

Its been hot all week so far with high humidity so need to ask how every ones A/C has performed this week, weak? strong? except able? Mine works a little on the weak side I have a 2005, wish it was stronger but its an Asian A/C, on the highway at high speed its perfect, no issues, its when in slow moving traffic that it sucks.

[Manpreet]

mine is working fine

[mazda lover]

Well I haven't owned the car very long, but taking a quick peek under the hood reveals - plastic and lots of it. So in the summer instead of letting the breeze do some of the cooling it's left all up to the radiator in the front as the bottom seems to be partially covered and the top of the engine certainly is. So far I've taken the plastic cover off the engine. Next step will be to take a look at the routing of the lines. Maybe there's a way to insulate something to help protect it against the heat of the engine? I'm thinking that a tube may be running too close to the engine so you'll have cold vs hot and in the summertime hot will win.

This weekend while standing at the border (ugh) I noticed that even set to cold, the air being blown in using the vents was warmer than the air outside (open window). Maybe removing a portion of the under car diffuser? would do the trick??? BUT I'd want to do this in a way that can be put back to almost stock for the winter.... I jjust need to spend more time looking at the car.

I'm sure there's lots of guys on here who know exactly what is routed where and could help with ideas. To insulate a tube/pipe is no big deal, you can use pipe insulation sold at Rona (silver padded sticky stuff).... Or maybe I'm just a noob and all this has been tried before or can't be done for some reason....

Anyone know the different routings?

you can disconnect the line that goes into the fire wall and connect it to the line that is coming out of the fire wall, you won't have heat if you need it but its summer. I did that to an old car when the heater switch was stuck open and gave me nothing but heat, couldn't turn it off. Doing a loop worked perfectly, A/C seem to work better. gave me time to fix the switch