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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!
The charge is $321 dollars and it includes a long list of items. The Mazda 3 manual doesn't mention any thing really about getting serviced from dealerships so i want your advice.
Did any of you get a 15,000 mile service done? Do you think that paying $321 is too much for service at this point in the car's life (@ 15,000 miles)?
Any help and comments is appreciated
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.
You can try calling another Mazda dealership and ask them what servicing they recommend and the costs involved. If you find the service from another Mazda dealership suits you better, you can always switch your business to them.
Also, you can always decline a specific service item saying that you plan on doing it later. I typically follow all the manufactured recommended service requirements and selectively follow those suggested by the dealer. For example, dealers frequently recommend servicing the disc brakes as Mazdas tend to have an issue with them if the calipers get dirty and lock up; I have chosen to have this service done in addition to those recommended by Mazda.
All the best!
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.
BTW, $1.00 mod is a resistor and it decreases the overall temp inside the car by 5F.
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.
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?
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!
http://www.finishlineperformance.com/mazda3/docs/0032.pdf
It depends on how straight forward the problem or repair might be. If it's a defective glove box, that's easily remedied, if the radio stops working, then that too is an easy fix. If it involves any troubleshooting, then you probably won't be so satisfied.
1) The fuse box is on the passenger side, the radio is a suction cup mounted model and will be on the driver's side. I do not see a whisper of space to pass a wire from left to right side under the dash. What is the best place to tap into power for auxiliary stuff like this on the driver side?
2) There is a Satelite button integrated into the the Grand Touring Audio system. Is it possible to to hardwire into the existing interface with a stock Siruis radio (without buying the Mazda version of the radio)? Obviously an adapter would be necessary. How difficult is it to access the ports?
OK several questions. Thanks in advance for the help.
Defective glove box? What - it stopped cooling the case of beer stored in it? :P
Let me assure you that our vehicles required much more involved warranty work than that! The warranty work was done promptly, some of it at dealerships other than the one where we bought the vehicle.
Also, from an A/C forum: The ATC may control the compressor, instead of the PCM. Many PCM's incorporate a re-strike delay that prevents the compressor from restarting for several seconds when cycling. "
If this is really what Mazda did to improve the AC then plan on replacing the compressor at some point - this could be (one of the reasons) why Mazda is lowering the warranty down to 36 months.
Also this change could have been done with or without the auto climate control - but either way its still a bad idea.
Also, how does the 2006 Mazda 3 s Touring handle in the snow and rain?
Thanks for any advice! I appreciate it!
As far as the AC is concerned - I would just test drive the car you plan to buy on a hot day - if the AC works you should not have any problem -
If the AC is weak then test drive a different Mazda3 until you find one that has a good AC. DON'T ACCEPT A CAR WITH A WEAK AC - Mazda will not fix the cars with defective AC systems -
My 3i Touring has never had any problems in the snow or rain as of yet. Only got in 2 months of driving in the snow now that its warmer out. I'm most impressed with driving at night. The red lighting lets me drive in stealth mode and concentrate on the road rather than a bright colored dash. The projector beams and the Hi beams are also pretty decent.
My A/C is plenty powerful enough for Pittsburgh weather.
As for the A/C check it in stop and go traffic on a very hot sunny day as it appears to be its weak spot. Let the car sit in the sun, windows up and than turn the A/C on before driving it. Drive the car into the sun so the sun hits the dash. If it is weak do not let the salesman tell you it will be better if the windows are tinted, thats not the solution. I am not impressed with the high speed braking ability for the 4 dic brakes the car has.
Google "Mazda 3 forums" for more info before buying...
The projector beams on a very dark country road is not good, no depth-distance as the light drops off sharply. At 50 miles an hour, with low beams I don't feel safe. My hradlights are stock, no upgrades. The 06 might have
HD lights?
http://tinyurl.com/zyqn2
Manual:
http://tinyurl.com/jpb96
As you can see from the manual, it's an 2004 and the auto climate has been around since 2004.
I otherwise loved the car but I question how the A/C will do on a hot day. When the car was not moving the A/C was not blowing that cold? For the people that have good A/C does it blow out cold within a couple of minutes even if the car is slow?
I am really leery of buying this car b/c of the A/C. Is there some way to test the particular car I would buy to see if it has weak A/C?
I would find one where the AC works better - Mazda has not (so to me that means Mazda will not) fix any cars with weak AC systems.
The thing that leaves me puzzled - why hasn't Mazda found a way to solve this defect - this is the 3rd year of the Mazda3 and all the problems (major ones anyway) should be solved.
It sure looks like all the talk about auto climate control was a waste - just as I though - it make no difference - because auto control adds no capacity to the system.
I work nights so a major portion of my driving is done at night. Compared to most other cars in the 3's class that I've been in lately (04 civic, 03 neon, 97 cavalier, I know all alil older cars) my lights are much better. Most of my driving is done on back roads around 40-50 mph and I feel very comfortable with my lighting, mostly use hi beams which are better than the cars mentioned. I don't know of a car that you can travel comfortably going over 50 mph on dark back-roads only using low beams for prolong periods. Anything over that speed on back roads is just not a good idea considering it is after all dark, weather is typically worse at night and most animals are nocturnal.
We don't really get extremely hot weather in Pittsburgh. So having a powerful A/C was not a hugh factor in buying a car.
Looking for an answer on my low key buzz I hear while sitting in idle, typically heard after driving. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I was also told that to do a refit, they would have to install a completely new wire harness system. This itself would require the car to be prettymuch fully taken apart.
Hence, no fix cuz of the huge cost involved. Mazda doesn't care about customer or brand loyality.
Could've fooled me. I receive mail and E-mail from Mazda and Mazda dealers with $500 discounts, coupons for discounts on service, and surveys asking how their service departments are performing. They also call to see if we were happy with the service.
As noted previously, a number of Mazda service departments have performed warranty and routine maintenance on all of our Mazda vehicles (since '80) without any hassles. My wife even commented the other day on how easy our local Mazda service department is to deal with.
I do feel for anyone who is unhappy with the service provided by any service department.
When it comes to stats, they are generally looking for specific things within the survey. I hope you don't believe Ford's jingle that "Quality is Job 1?" I am not that naive to be fooled by them, and neither should you.
And no, I thought about it. I have too many ongoing problems and issues with my Mazda that I darn well know they will NOT fix the A/C issue, even if they did, which they won't, all the other quality issues and lack of customer service are still present. That's not enough. I look at the big picture.
So, no. I will NEVER buy another Mazda again. Again,they do NOT care about loyality. But, of course, there will always be the hardcore enthusiasts or the naive that think otherwise.
... or those of us who after many years have yet to experience a problem. I empathize with your case but like others here have said I would recommend Mazda to others based on my experience.
My wife commented this morning about the poor service she received when she took the M3 for service last week . She said she was also talking to the next door neighbours who own a 2007-Camry and a 2006-Accord. They, commented how great the service was on both cars so far. Their son drives a Chev 2006 Impala and just loves the car and feels it is as good as the Camry and Accord..
99% of the time we are working with the dealership - that is who we buy the car from and where we take it for warranty work (maybe maintenance also)
But its the manufacturer who is responsible for the warranty.
You can have a poorly built car (manufacturer's problem) a very good dealership can still make it right
You can have a pretty good car (only a few small issues) and a poor dealership can make you want to pull out your hair.
A dealership normally must get approval from the car company before they do warranty work (if they want to get paid). I do not claim to know the exact Mazda procedure - but I think for minor things - were a TSB has been issued - approval is just about automatic. If the issue is major (as in costs more to fix) approval is still easy for the dealership to get when a TSB has been issued - but sometimes the manufacturer will want the dealership to send the defective parts in - or may even send someone out to look at the problem - kind of like an audit - just to keep the dealership honest.
If you have a major problem (lets say an engine failure) and it is not a known problem - then the approval process will sometimes take a little longer - and will get looked at closer before the repair is approved.
So when you look at a problem like a weak AC system - the dealerships hands are somewhat tied - Mazda will not authorize them to just start replacing parts - plus I do not think this issue can be solved by just replacing the compressor or evaperator - its more complex than that. So even if you have a top notch dealer that really wants to solve your problem - they can not.
My problem is not with the dealership - but with Mazda -
I am 99.9999% sure that Mazda knows exactly what the problem is with the AC system - and they have made a decision to not solve the problem - to not stand behind the cars that they sell - I can only assume that it is a decision that is based on $$.
While it's true the dealership's is bound by the manufacturer's warranty and all the red tape associated with it, the dealership knows the "loops holes" on how to get a warranty claim put through. All too often, it may be too much hassle, but why since since it would benefit them? I dunno, but I overhead the service manager at a Mazda dealership tell a mechanic that he can NOT repair an item because the customer did NOT complain about it even though the mechanic found something else wrong. Maybe they are afraid of Mazda for some reason? In any case, that's totally unacceptable.
The difference between a good dealership and a bad one is one that admits there is a problem and then tells you that there is nothing they can do about it if it's an inhernt defect without a known fix as opposed to lying to your face or saying "we can't find anything wrong", or "it's within spec."
Care to guess which category the majority of Mazda dealerships fall into? Let me give you a hint, it's not the good one.
I am sure now that the bait has been set, all those pro Mazda drivers and Mazda employees on Edmunds will try even harder to flame us for writing how it really is. :lemon:
Mind you, financially it was not a very smart move and I do miss the driving feel of the car. Do I still wish I had my mz3, not really considering the problems that I was encountering plus the fact that I feel bad for whoever bought i since it is no longer at the dealer that i traded it in to. I probably wouldn't buy another mazda either. I luv the feel of my wife's 05 Saturn vue's honda supplied V6 that I might go Honda next time around. my 2 cents.
We've all learned some good tips here, especially testing out the A/C system in the sunshine in the middle of summer, preferrably on the warmest summer day.
Oh, just so you khow, Mazda did come up with a TSB on the squeaky brakes and shifting. This also applies to the Canadian models too.
They STILL do not have a TSB on the intermittent car dying. This is definitely a safety issue and reaks of a lawsuit when somebody gets killed because they get rear-ended when their Mazda3 dies.
I tried another dealer and was asked to bring the car in for inspection. I replied what will you do to determine that my brakes squeal. They said we will test drive it. What, what can you tell by just test driving the car? Did not get a reply, so no help at all..
I use the rule of 3: go to three different dealers (ensuring it's not owned by the same owner). One of them is bound to replace your pads.
It's also a good idea to build a relationship with a particular dealer, even though the chances are slim to none that they are going to go to bat for your if something is iffy.
The part i found interesting was not only do high revs cost money but so does prolonged motoring in lower gears. Moral of the story, get up to speed quickly and then get the RPM down to a lower level.