JSG

I'm in Japan and we're just entering summer, which must mean you've just been through one. Now I know Aussie summers are as hot as ours or hotter & I know you have the same "climate control" as us in Japan. So how did you make it? I've had the car since the first week it came out and last summer I almost died and consequently thinking of not using the car this summer.

Sorry to harp on about "A/C issues" but I'm interested if you guys found any tips to make it cold or any mods that have proved effective? The dealers here say there is nothing wrong with mine so I thought I was going mental until I found two other guys who feel the same way.

The only stuff I've read about is heat insulation under the carpet in the footwells and around the A/C pipes on the engine bulkhead.

All I can think of is driving in speedos with a sponge under each arm and a towel on my seat - but some people may stare. :D
Maybe after market A/C shops can do something?

Thanks,
John

dbb

I think the air conditioner works fine. I've driven from Adelaide to Renmark (about 300 k) on a 45C day with the air conditioner on and actually turned it down occasionally because it was too cold.

It's not as good as the Toyota Nippondenso air conditioner, but it isn't terrible either.

mysql101

I'm not in AU, but it's gotten close to 100 degrees here in FL. The car AC works so well that I have yet to bother going to the third setting for more than a few minutes (to clear the head out).

Have you considered getting your windows tinted?

Has anyone here tried out both the climate control and NA version to see if there is a difference?

JSG

In Japan the rear screen and back door windows come tinted. Doing the front screen or front side windows is illegal (and you end up looking like the mafia).

The only difference I can think of that may come into it is I'm spending most of the time at idle in traffic jams. There have been suggestions here that the A/C only really functions above 3000rpm which may suggest why on a 300km trip it feels fine.

Noddy

Driving around Adelaide last summer I found the temperature in the car high but not unbearable. But then I'm used to driving with the aircon blowing on my hands to keep me cool.

I tried using the climate control and it was not uncommon to leave work and get home (~30 minutes city driving) and have had the aircon cranking hard all the time. So I gave up on that and just tune manually to keep me slightly cool.

Would I have bought the car even if I knew this first? Yes, but I'd still prefer that it was otherwise (and don't get me started on how hot the boot/trunk gets in summer!)

Maybe city/highway makes a difference?

Noddy

mysql101

ahhh -- if you're in traffic that could be why. My AC is very weak unless the car is moving.

guy321

Jason, did you get the AC amp fixed?? Mine works fine..

From the title of this thread, I was thinking he ment How did you guys survive the neucclear fallout.. You know like in Road Warrior.. WHen did that happen anyway.., did they rebuild any of the cities in Australia yet???

mysql101

ac amp?

dbb

Road Warrior was a glimpse into the future. All the RX8s don't work because of the EMP pulse effects from the explosions. That's why the most advanced cars were old muscle V8s.

I think it all started when this Texan got elected (sic) in the US ... Don't worry, the US cities went first. You won't feel a thing ;-)

guy321

Ac Amplifier.. like in the TSB

guy321

What? It hasn't happened yet? I thought those movies were historical.

thew

YES AFTER I HAD THE AC FIX. MY AC WAS MUCH BETTER
sorry about shouting . anyway 2 weeks ago it was about 98 deg here and the a/c worked great !! as long as i was on the freeway.

it does seem that the car needs some rpms to get good a/c

skc

There is a lot of heat transfer from the engine to the cabin...something thet Mazda needs to remidy.

One hot day I had 2 passangers and temp down to 18 degrees with the fan at full speed but I was still sweating.

The trip included a bit of stopping, parking the car in 35 degree heat and starting again on another trip. The air con could not handle this situation.

I have found other vehicles to adequately handle similar situations before though.

skc

JSG

Exactly my case skc - my friends Civic handles the above situation. My MX5 and S2000 both coped.

The TSB only applies to US cars so there is no fix for Aussie or Japanese cars - the climate control is regulated by the ECU, for which we don't get all the flashes like you do in the states.

There will be nuclear fallout if I can't get this resolved this summer....I'm thinking of selling. Then I don't know how I'll survive as I love the car. But not much point having it if I can't face sitting it!

pepe

I think it's just an issue with having a rotary engine mounted so far back, it's actually right down next to your feet, only so much they can do. When mine gets hot, which happens in any season if it's idling for a while or moving slowly, I turn the fan down, rather than up, because all you're doing is moving hot air over you, it won't cool the car down one bit.

I've never had it cook me on the highway, the AC works fine for me there

timbo

No problem either, although the centre console areas get very hot when you stop or slow down after highway driving. Not the place to leave chocolate.

On the other hand, one of the pleasant by-products of the Hymee cat-back is a substantial reduction in heat in the trunk area.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

JSG,

Do you only get this when the car has been parked in the sun, and the cabin is hot inside anyway?

Do you wind the windows down to help pump the heat out, until it is bearable?

I normally just cruise around with mine set to 24 degrees on "Auto" and wind it down to 20 or below if I need a quick cooldown, like after being parked in the sun.

Tinted windows help, but unfortuneately it sounds like it is not an option for you.

Cheers,
Hymee.

JSG

I get it totally consistently. It's not to do with it being parked and getting hot. It's being exposed to the sun while driving. I have mine set to "Auto" and 24 like you do (auto hence recirc & air coming out of dash vents only). The vents all point at me except the passenger side one which is shut. After an hour driving the fan will still be on 6/6. Means you can't even hear the stereo without really turning it up to unpleasant levels.

It just cannot cool the car and the dealer says there is nothing he can do. I'm at my wits end. I just find it very odd that in a similar climate you guys mostly find it fine whereas the 3 foreign guys I know here with 8's all find it diabolical.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

No - It is fine here, but I do have 35% tint on my rear glass, and the 4 side windows. I wonder if there is any difference in the specs?

Cheers,
Hymee.

Lock & Load

JSG

Try re gassing your A/C , while it does get hot here on the goldcoast in summer its not unberable to sit in the car .

Maybe the earlier japanese cars had a smaller air conditioning unit installed ???

cheers
michael

timbo

That could be a clue. Is there any chance the gas used in Japanese spec cars might be different to that used in Australia ... we being politically less committed to ozone depletion?

NickG

From my limited observations in Sydney last summer I agree the major weakness seems to be at idle, when there is very little AC effect at all. As long as you are on the move it's absolutely fine. I doubt there is an easy software fix, as probably larger compressor or condensor etc is required.

BVD

I've had no trouble in the West Australian summer. The a/c seems to work very well, and we get plenty of hot weather here. However, my car is one of the lighter colours, and I don't do any stop/start city driving.

There is a known problem with the air conditioners - which a couple of other posters did mention. Did the dealer check for this issue?

The service bulletin can be read here, at Rosenthal Mazda's US site:

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...07-002-04.html

JSG

Thanks for your feedback guys. To answer a couple of points that came up:
- The TSB only applies to cars without climate control - there is no such part number in Japan (A/C amp) - the A/C brain for us is in the ECU
- I had my gas recharged the first time I complained last summer
- Full window tinting must help

Interesting point about the potential for the gas being different. It would also be interesting if a different A/C unit were fitted in different regions but I find that unlikely. I don't know where to look to find what mine is.

I can only conclude that it's due to idling and that I spend 90% of my time in traffic whereas for you guys its the opposite (so you don't notice a problem). Maybe I have to hold my foot on the gas so I'm at 5000rpm in jams?!

I'm going to try to find an independent A/C specialist to check it out.

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

Off the top of my head we use R134a as the gas/refrigerant. You sure you didn't get a stone though your A/C Condensor? That made mine not work You might need a Hymee Grill. You know, you really have to watch out for all those loose, low flying stones in Tokyo traffic jams.

Cheers,
Hymee.