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1. Slow down - Strenuous activities should be reduced or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day.
2. Dress for summer - Wear light-weight, and light-colored clothing.
3. Stay hydrated - Your body needs water to stay cool. Even if you don't feel thirsty, continue to drink water.
4. Don't get too much sun - Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult.
5. Spend more time in air-conditioned places - Doing so makes the body's job of staying cool that much easier.
6. Do not drink alcoholic beverages - The intake of alcohol only leads to further dehydration.
Extra Credit: Take Prof. Null on a barefoot walk on my asphalt (black) driveway and my concrete (white) sidewalk one summer afternoon, and we'll see which one he (or is it she?) can stand on the longest.
Meade
P.S. I think the Good Professor's last name alone should sum up how much I value his study.
I think their study shows that higher exterior surface temperatures don't necessarily translate to higher interior temperatures....
They aren't the first to come to this conclusion... I've never heard of a study coming to the opposite conclusion, either... Well, except for your driveway theory...
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Or after leaving something in the oven for 4 hours, it doesn’t matter what color it was when you put it in
Here's a link to one of the studies:
http://www.4rkidssake.org/Vehicleheatstudy.htm
http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/2003/January/03.html
Dark objects absorb more radiant heat than light objects. The paint on the roof of a dark car gets hotter than that of a light car. The paint transfers this heat to the metal roof (metal is a good conductor of heat) and ultimately into the car's interior. Because the roof of a dark car is always hotter than that of a light car under similar conditions, more heat is conducted into the dark car's interior. Therefore the maximum interior temperature of a dark car is always hotter than that of a light car. The two cars NEVER reach equilibrium at the SAME temperature (as some have argued) because the temperature of the roof of the dark car is always hotter.
Similarly, dark seats absorb more heat than light seats. When a car is started and the air conditioner is turned on, the air conditioner has to work longer to reach its temperature set point because the air conditioner has to draw out the heat stored in the dark upholstery.
The following data is taken from a teacher's workbook (answer book) for a science experiment for middle-grade students. The students use a temperature probe to measure the ambient outside temperature and the inside air temperatures of two cars, one dark and the other light in color. Both cars are parked in full sun with all windows rolled up. The inside air temperatures of both cars are measured again after one hour. The temperature probe used in the experiment is hung over the back of the driver's seat, in shadow and not touching any object.
Data from Teacher's Workbook, Middle School Science Experiment:
............................................ Car 1 .......................... Car 2
Exterior color ........................ White ......................... Navy
Interior color ......................... Tan ............................ Black
Make ......................... Civic 4-door sedan ...... Civic 4-door sedan
Outside air temp .................... 70 °F ......................... 70 °F
Initial interior temp ................. 75 °F ......................... 75 °F
Temp after 1 hour .................. 89 °F ......................... 98 °F
Interior temp change .............. 14 °F ......................... 23 °F
Rate of temp change .............. 0.23 °F/min ................ 0.38 °F/min
Finally, I draw two analogies from home construction:
(1) Homes in my area (east-central Illinois) invariably have light-colored shingled roofs to reduce solar heat gain in summer and to reduce home heating loss in winter. (Dark objects are good emitters of heat as well as good absorbers. That is why car radiators are black. Don't ever get one chromed!)
(2) Most HVAC contractors install too large an air conditioning unit in new homes. For maximum humidity removal, the air conditioner should be sized to run almost full time during the heat of the day, and not cycle off and on. Computer programs exist that, using such data as house size, site orientation, amount of window glazing, etc., compute the size of the most efficient air conditioning unit. Contractors use the program AND THEN DOUBLE THE RESULT! Why? Because they don't want home owners to complain that the house does not cool down fast enough. A house with an excessively large unit cools faster, but then the unit cycles off and on and does a poorer job reducing humidity. I imagine similar reasoning holds for cars too.
A dark surface will absorb heat quicker than a light colored surface. More over, the dark surface will reach a set temp that a light colored surface cannot, given the same ambient conditions. Once these conditions are removed, both surfaces will begin to cool down. Obviously, the light colored surface will reach its coolest temp before the dark surface, though, I think the change/hour will be much greater on the darker surface. In the midst of this change, radiation occurs. A dark or a light EXTERIOR color will radiate outside and away from driver/passenger. A dark or light INTERIOR color will radiate around the driver/passenger. So, when you put the a/c on in a dark colored interior car, its like having a the a/c and the heat on at the same time.
What I found interesting about this study is that it was measuring the effects of EXTERIOR colored vehicles on INTERIOR temps. It went as far as including a SUNSHADE in the test. But it DID NOT take INTERIOR colors into consideration. How odd? Now, that was $$$ well spent! I have to agree with Meade, Null and VOID.
BTW - How many children/people has this study saved? Oh, oh, I sense another wastefull study is on the horizon!
Sorry but I must disagree.
I have been involved with dozens of new buildings - the contractors always estimate the size of the AC using a calculation - and then they DOUBLE (or more) the result. The reason is simple - the calculation does not take every factor that can impact the system into account - sure it gets the main ones - heat load generated by the people - type of insulation used - outside temperature where building is located - bla bla bla - but there are hundreds of other factors that can cause the calculation to be off. If you add a larger unit when you are building the building the increase in cost is rather small - but it will cost you an arm and a leg if you go back in after the building is complete and try and increase the AC capacity.
Bottom line is - PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE from the builders over rides the mathematical calculations - because the contractors know that if they just put in the exact amount that the calculation calls for that they will have a VERY UNHAPPY customer.
Meade
As far as home AC is concerned, I think I know something about that. Here is what happens: A home builder contracts to a HVAC contractor to install heat and air-conditioning units for homes in a housing development. The homes might cost $500K to $1M. (Yes, even in the outskirts of Champaign/Urbana IL, where I am located.) The developer does not want to hear any complaints, because if he does, he steps on the HVAC man and the latter gets no more sub contracts from the developer. What to do? Compute the size of the most efficient unit and then double it. The contractor is not paying for the over-sized unit; the home buyer is. Guaranteed no complaints from the home buyer about slow cool-down times. But the buyer does not know (probably will never know) that he has traded off fast cool-down times for higher humidity. I could show you a lot of architectural studies to back my point. (I repeat, I am talking about homes here, not automobiles. I know nothing about sizing automobile air conditioning units.)
Don't tell me that the AC sizing programs for buildings are inaccurate. The computer programs cost about $400 / yr to run. They require a lot of input data. I would say you need to take a year's course in a local community college to learn how to use these programs effectively. Anybody can knock up a house; but the better homes are built with a firm grasp of engineering technology, not "gut feel."
I could tell you a lot about poor practices in home design, even very expensive homes, but this is a Mazda forum, not a home construction forum. But hey, believe what you want. Maybe I have a
bridgehome I could sell you.Still, Null and Void found a difference. (I doubt the difference was that the darker colored car was cooler and the lighter colored car was hotter). Besides, what's considered minor?
If someone were to tell me that a dark colored car gets hotter than a light colored vehicle, I would agree and then point to Null and Void's study as proof (backup), however minor the difference.
When I start the car in the morning and put it into Reverse.. I get a loud Click, it sounds like the gear is having a tough time getting into the groove... it only happens on the reverse gear and only on a Cold Start.. once the car is driven for sometime.. its perfectly fine...
Anyone faced a similar problem? :confuse:
I have a Sp Hatchback and I've noticed there is no UV protectant in the glass. In hot Texas sun my skin feels as if I were outside. Compared to some of my other cars with factory UV protectant... This heat obviously, directly transfers to the interior.
Also, and something odd - with livin in Texas I'm used to how I need to warm up, er cool off an A/C. I let the car idle for a bit, windows down and fan on lowest setting to chill off the coils. Then head down the road a bit, roll up the windows and turn up the AC and all is good. The Mazda, for whatever reason stays OK.. not great, but about 1/2 way home (24 miles) all the sudden it gets ice cold... odd.
As an aside about houses and AC size... what good does it do to remove the humidity if it's still 84 degrees. People are only human. Seeing an AC run for hours with the temp creeping down will garner complaints. I am one of those people. My bill was 600 a month in a new house, then they swaped out my AC units, it's now 250 and a pleasant 70 something. Telling me my house had less humidity would not have worked well.
In the end, first Mazda I have ever owned, love it! Performance, MPG, it's all good.
Every AC stsyem is also a dehumidifier - that is why you get the water dripping out of the bottom of your car when you run the AC - and why the AC in your home has a drain line - I had the drain line in my house plug a few years ago - my wife called me at work and said the roof was leaking like crazy - but it wasn't raining! What a mess.
I knew right away what is was - so I told her to shut off the AC.
Yeah, if I remember my AC history, that's how it was invented. To remove the humidity in a paper mill. Benefit being it also chilled the air.
Can't wait to see this car in the winter because it does warm up very quickly.
Meade
Anyway - I think when you turn the little knob to adjust the air temp from cold to hot that it is moving a cable that is moving a little door that is between the AC evaperator and the heater core. "
I;m going to the dealer on Fri (Rosenthal Mazda in Tysons Corner, VA). when i spoke to the service mgr on the phone, he had no idea what a mcc cable is.
any more help on how to explain this thing?
THX!
When I start the car it reads all the way over on cold.
After driving a few blocks it moves all the way up to the middle - once it starts to move up it only takes a few seconds before it reads about half way between cold and hot. It stays at this reading - no matter what the driving conditions. I know that the car is designed to keep a constant temp - but my other vehicles will - for example - after a few blocks from cold start read 175 then will slowly rise up to around 200 - maybe taking up to 5 minutes depending on the outside temp - then after a few more minutes will stop at 210.
It is almost like the Mazda gauge only has three readings - COLD, NORMAL and HOT (have not seen this reading yet)
If after driving the car a few miles - then shutting it off for a while - when I re start the engine the temp gauge is either at cold or normal - never "half way" between.
I'm not sure about Mazda, but it sure sounds like it is the same way.. Not really a temperature gauge in the truest sense... Just as you describe...
regards,
kyfdx
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Is this 'jump' happening b/c the oil in the car is beginning to show signs of needing to be replaced or a more serious issue?
The same condition is found on the Mazda6 2.3L - but in that case Mazda has developed a patch - which is a new program that is flashed into the memory - It changes the program to smooth out the shift.
This is one of the things that really bugs me about Mazda - they have the same problem in two cars -same 2.3L engine - same 4 speed auto (basically the same - don't get to technical on me) in one car they fixed the problem - but on the Mazda3 it is considered NORMAL!
I could live with the harsh shift the first 3 or 4 shifts in the morning - but mine also will have a very hard CLUNK shift once in a while - about every 10 days or so - the first few times I thought I had dropped second gear - this normally happens when I am driving slow - like in a school zone. Hard to get this to repete when the car is in the shop - so until it happens all the time - or until the tranny fails - Mazda just says - it is NORMAL!
I even called Mazda customer service and ask them if they had a TSB on the harsh 1-2 shift - I was told that they could not give me the TSB number because it was against company policy. So I ask - if you can't give me the number - then does that at least mean that their IS a number - if you didn't have a number then wouldn't you just say we don't have any TSB for that problem? The rep then said that they would pass on any information they had to my dealer - and that when I take the car in the dealer could pull up my file and get the information.
So when I get to the dealer they pull my file and there is no information. He then did a search of the TSB's for all Mazda cars - and found the one on the Mazda6 - but none for the Mazda3.
I think I have a BIG black mark by my name on the Mazda computer system. They must keep track of anyone who has a certified LEMON - or maybe after a dozen trips to the dealership for defects they feel that they have spent enough money and they just cut you off.
If they solve the problem please pass on the solution.
Meade
There appear to be many complaints but they are from a few individuals; this is not unusual as we are less likely to praise then to condemn. Consumer Reports rates the A/C on the Protege/Mazda3 as excellent. The A/C on my Mazda 2002 Protege5's has kept me cool for four summers without complaint.
DO: Exhaust the hot air in the cabin; switch to recirc; tint your windows.
Sigh...
AC can be a divisive issue (just read some of these posts!). I've worked in offices where one person's idea of cool is another person's idea of the deep freeze, or a broiler. I've witnessed many battles over control of the thermostat.
I don't doubt that some ACs in 3s are fine, and others leave something to be desired.
Do you have any idea of what the temperature in your 3 (say in the back seat) actually is when you describe it as "freezing cold?" Some people have taken measurements of the temperature of air coming out of the vents. That surely is important, but no one is seated in the vent; perhaps a more meaningful temperature would be one taken in the actual seating areas?
The temperature that you describe as "freezing cold" may equal "hell" for z71bill and others.
I agree wholeheartedly. The part I'm having trouble with is, I'm always the guy who thinks it's too hot! You see, while I hate to admit this since I always wasn't a freakin' ox, I'll put aside my pride here to use myself as an example.
I am six feet tall and I weigh 280 pounds. I have a 46-inch waist. I, my friend, am clinically obese (yeah, but the camera adds 50 pounds, right?)
I sweat all the time. I wear shorts and a T-shirt around the house in the dead of winter. Our house's a/c is set on 70, and it'd be on 68 if my wife's teeth would stop chattering. I'm always HOT.
I have no complaints about the a/c in my Mazda3.
Now doesn't that seem kinda strange to you?
No, I agree more with what autonomous said:
There appear to be many complaints but they are from a few individuals.
If you'll go back and look, only about a half-dozen people here have actually complained about their a/c. Many have followed these complaints -- especially potential or new owners -- saying they are concerned about their a/c -- or that their a/c doesn't seem to be as cold as the a/c in car X or car Y. But it's easy to plant an impression in people that makes them think there may be a problem, and then when their a/c doesn't perform as fast as they think it should, they instantly say, "Oh, I must have that problem."
I have owned six brand-new Mazda vehicles since 1991. None have them have given me one ounce of a/c trouble. The last one I owned until 91,100 miles; the one before that took me 114,000 miles before trade-in. I never even needed to have my a/c recharged in any of that time. The a/c on my Mazda3 works just as well as the a/c in my last Mazda, a 2000 Protege ES, did. And you know what? I test-drove a Winning Blue Mazda3 and a Lava Orange one prior to deciding on my Velocity Red one, and back in May 2003 my sales manager let me borrow the first 2004 Mazda3 wagon that arrived at my dealership.I used the air conditioning in ALL THREE of the cars I test-drove prior to deciding on the FOURTH one, and all three (four counting mine) cooled my portly posterior perfectly.
How many owners have reported buying Mazda3's here, and how many have actually had air conditioning problems? How many have joined Edmunds and made "I have an air conditioning problem" their first post? No, what you've seen is, "I just bought/am about to buy a new Mazda3 but I've heard they have air conditioning problems. Have they been resolved/I'm afraid mine may not be working right?"
Tell people you got sick by going outside and some will claim they're getting sick too. It's a real phenomenon -- why do you think they always compare the effectiveness of a new drug against a placebo (i.e. fake pill)? Because some people's "symptoms" will magically disappear just because they think they've taken the medicine!
The mind is an incredible machine, and can be torqued around just as easily as a lug nut!
Meade
Who wants the soapbox now? Lemme guess ...
Meade
How does that fit on "Problems and Solutions"?
2% of the previous generation of Acura TLs had defective transmissions.. A huge number for a major component...
That means that 98% of the Acura TL owners didn't have that problem...
But, I don't know why that would matter to the 2% that had transmission failures.. Or how it would be relevant.
regards,
kyfdx
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How does that fit on "Problems and Solutions"?
My friend, it fits on "Problems and Solutions" just as much as z71bill's retort about his car after every post I make. I have seen no news, admission, TSB, or ANYTHING saying that the 2005 Mazda3 has an air-conditioning problem -- but by reading a lot of the hearsay and accusatory language here about a so-called "problem" that wasn't "fixed" in 2004, many would be led to believe otherwise.
Just as several people here find it amazing that Mazda doesn't admit this "problem" exists, I find it stupendously amazing that Consumer Reports and the motoring press from several different countries, who have bestowed such titles as "Car of the Year" on this vehicle for two consecutive years, and several of whom have adopted it into their long-term test fleets, have not reported one word on any air-conditioning problem.
Which takes me back to why my post "fits" here.
Complain all you want about individual problems or concerns. That's what this discussion forum is for. But when you start suggesting, implying or (in this case) outright accusing Mazda of a "defect" that affects the entire line, you (a) have no basis for your accusation, and (b) you're doing a disservice to the vehicle and those who own it.
Meade
Your lack of problems with your car does not diminish the problems he is having with his... your ridicule of his problems does nothing but diminish your standing in the eyes of fellow posters.
As far as admissions from Mazda? Honda spent two years denying that nothing about the CR-V was contributing to fires after oil changes... Then, amazingly, found defective gaskets on the oil filters... The manufacturer denying a problem isn't indicative of anything.. I don't find it at all amazing that they deny there is a problem.
regards,
kyfdx
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I never diminished his problems -- you didn't read my post. I am upset because he claims that since his vehicle has problems, they ALL do -- even those in newer model years. Note that the TSB you refer to ONLY APPLIES TO 2004 MAZDA3's.
There have been A LOT of implications here that the a/c in 2005 Mazda3's is defective. There is NO PROOF of this AT ALL, ANYWHERE.
Meade
P.S. I've been here for more than five years. People can have any opinion they want of me. I'm not here to win any popularity contests! But I'm tired of seeing my car and every other 2005 Mazda3 berated by a select few here who have not one iota of proof to back up their claims.
Mazda does indeed have a TSB on this problem. Here's what you need:
http://web2.iadfw.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/01-013-05.html
Meade
Mazda even came out with a TSB on the weak AC system! Does anyone want to explain why Mazda would do that - if it is not a problem?
The other thing that strikes me as strange is why so many people keep posting about how cold their AC is - or something from consumer reports about how GREAT the AC system is - trying somehow to support the view that this is not really a problem at all.
They would change their view if they had the weak Ac system that is in my car.
Taking the temp in the back seat is a good idea - I thought about it a few times and just never got around to it - think I will give it a try today. The battle for the thermostat is also right on target - the manufacturing plant I ran had areas where large groups of people worked - some would be wearing winter coats and complain about the cold - others would be in T-shirts and be complaining about the heat. No way to win these battles. Even a 1 degree change would cause dozens of complaints.
IMO a real good auto AC system should lower the temp down to 72 degrees or less (as long as the outside temp is below 100). I would be happy with 74-76 degrees. Even 78 would be acceptable - but anything 80 or more is a problem.
Anyone think my standards are too high? I will post the results later.
http://web2.iadfw.net/theman/protegefaq/tsb/07-005-04.html
What's causing my whities to get tighty is when I read all the supposition about the problem being "across the board" and the "fix" not having been applied to 2005 models. Just as in the TSB I just posted to the guy two posts ago, the TSB you keep referring to says the problem is with "some vehicles" -- not all of them. That's why we haven't seen the fuel pumps go bad in all 2005 models.
So let's summarize:
1. I believe you have a problem with your a/c.
2. I think several people here complain too much.
3. Several people here have accused the 2005s of having the same problem.
4. There is no basis for the accusation in No. 3.
Oh ... one more.
5. I have every right to refer to my own car's problems -- or lack thereof -- when somebody implies that my car is defective -- as anyone else who posts here, and I believe that potential buyers should be able to see BOTH sides of the issue when someone implies that three or four cars having the same problem means the entire line is plagued with it.
Meade
P.S. I don't have my digital thermometer, which is good down to a tenth of a degree, here with me at work today. But I certainly will perform this test and let you know my results. I can't wait to compare!
If I experience wind noise in my new car, is it normal for this model, or is my weather strip defective? Or am i just more sensitive to it? Did I notice it on my test drive prior to buying? No? Why not? Too many other things to notice, and the thrill of that new car overwhelmes.
Other folks comments can help me determine what to do next. Live with it? (it seems to be normal) Ask dealer to fix? (maybe they will agree it is not right, maybe not)... sell car? (No mention to potential buyer, as it may be only a percieved problem by me)
I see the real benefit of these forums as communication between folks with similar products....many times I have benefited from someone elses suggestions, or replies to my concerns....some end up being "just the way it is"
Everything in life is a compromise...and...Life is too short to make huge issues out of these kinds of things...yes, they are important today,and every day we drive the car that "bugs" us, but lets all put things in perspective...I have bought cars that I thought were "defective" in some respect, some I have lived with it, others I have sold them in short order, and moved on.....being more wiser on the next test drive..
Sorry for rambling
Jeff
BTW - since you keep harping about the TSB being for the 2004 model - what changes did Mazda make to the 2005 model to solve the defect? I ask a tech from Mazda corporate what changes were made to the 2005 and he said NONE. Now I see a post from someone (sorry don't recall who) that claims Mazda is not making any changes (to the AC) in the 2006 model.
Has ANYONE who has purchased or test drove a 2005 Mazda3 posted that the AC system is weak? (I think yes) In addition to this I also recall several posts where owners (both 2004& 2005) claim the AC is - not the best - could be better - is "acceptable" - is just "OK" - is about the same as a 10 year old Honda Civic - or because they live in a part of the country that does not get very hot - or is only hot once in a while the weak AC was not that big of an issue to them anyway.
As far as your list of 5 things above - I agree with # 1,2,3 and 5 - I do not agree with you about #4 (like I just posted above) people with 2005 model cars have posted about problems with weak AC. What will it take before you will accept the fact that SOME 2005 model year Mazda3's have weak AC systems. Does Mazda need to issue a TSB? Does consumer reports need to print a special Mazda3 defective AC issue?
I think you just answered your own question.
Please remember, "weak" is a very relative term, subject to a LOT of variables pertaining to climate, personal taste and the performance of the a/c systems in past personal vehicles, to name a few.
I'm asking for more proof than "weak", and I'd like to know whose book we're going to use to decide when "weak" becomes "defect" -- in the absence of any documented proof.
Who would YOU go by? A handful of people here who say their systems are "weak" (whatever that means), or several thousand owners who told Consumer Reports their systems were "excellent"? COME ON!!!
Meade
If they have a TSB, it can't be that rare of a problem. Then they told me I won't be able to get my car back until Monday b/c it takes 4-5 hours of labor to replace. The TSB states 2 hours. I wasn't about to tell them to hurry and finish. History has taught me to never rush mechanics or plumbers. In any case thanks for the TSB. Did you have your fuel pump replaced?
Darin
When I started dating my wife in the 80s, she was driving a black Pontiac Firebird, looked just like Kit in that lame show with David Hasselhof. She told me that it had a 4-cylinder engine. Couldn't be, I thought, a 4-cylinder Firebird with automatic transmission?! Well, unfortunately they did make four-cylinder Firebirds for a couple of years.
We live in New Jersey, and you had to stop at a tollbooth about every 15 miles on the Garden State Parkway to toss your quarter in the basket. That car with AC was so underpowered, you had to shut the AC off as you slowed for the toll, otherwise the car would stall!!