robertdot

I installed the shock sensor upgrade today. Everything seemed to go well, and the upgrade worked. The problem is that when I went for a drive later in the day the AC didn't work!

Since the sensor works and sets off the alarm, I assume that I wired it correctly. That means that I spliced into the correct wires, and didn't mess anything up that way.

The only "open ended" part of the install was in the "splice into any one of these ground wires" part. The only thing that I can guess is that I spliced into the A/C ground, or some part of the A/C controlling part of the head unit. Basically, the LCD shows CD / Radio and Clock information, but not the AC (or the temperature, I think). The radio / cd player works, and all the back lights work. When I turn the air ****, nothing happens.

I haven't had time to investigate the issue yet, as it was dark by the time I had time to look. I'm going to poke around with it tomorrow. It is possible, too, that I may have pulled something loose that can be clipped back in.

So, I was wondering if anyone else had this problem. If so (or if you are familiar with the wiring), I'm all ears when it comes to suggestions on what to look at when I pop the kick panel off tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.

Mikelikes2drive

i have the shock sensor upgrade and my air conditioning is perfect, but the dealership installed the shock sensor for me when i got the car. Actually when i got the car, it was already installed and they said if i didnt want it, they could remove it.

bureau13

Check your fuses....you may have shorted something out and blown a fuse.

jds

rx8cited

I installed my shock sensor myself and did not have this issue.

As mentioned, by bureau13, I'd check the fuses.

Specifically, from the owner's manual page 8-36, engine compartment fuse block: #2 (Heater), #18 (A/C). Also on page 8-38, in car driver's side fuse panel: #4(A/C). I think those are all related to the air climate control heating/cooling system.

rx8cited

robertdot

Yeah. I'm stupid. It was a fuse problem. I didn't realize there was a pin out of the fuses on the back of the fuse box cover. It'd have been nice if they put some sort of color instead of raised black plastic that blends in incredibly well. Seeing that really helped when it came to figuring things out. Problems solved, and I feel like a total ***.

rx8cited

We forgive you - now forgive yourself :D. Which fuse was it? Glad you got it figured out.

rx8cited

robertdot

It turns out it really had NOTHING to do with the shock sensor. The A/C just decided to stop working AFTER the shock sensor install. Above that, other things got weird, too. Fuses that weren't there two days ago suddenly needed to be there.

Anyway, as you can see on the pin out behind the interior fuse box cover, the third fuse down is the A/C, which I had a fuse adapter plugged into for a hardwire install radar detector. I had the fuse in the wrong place on the adapter. Again, the A/C worked fine for several days after the install. Then, suddenly, the shock sensor install made it quit working. Then places where there was no fuse (at least to my knowledge) needed a fuse (e.g. power windows and / or radio stuff).

I'm pretty sure this sounds totally insane, but I promise I'm not a head case. If I am a head case, I truly believe I am not. I guess that is the paradox that makes crazy people seem crazy.

Edmonton s/silv

Where can i get a shock sensor from, the dealership is not aware off this. Is this sensor after the recall sensor?????...i am in Canada

robertdot

Trussville Mazda has them. You can go to their parts store website.

rx8cited

That's odd - it's listed right in the Canadian RX-8 Accessories Brochure : Alarm shock sensor upgrade P/N 0000-8F-K01. Make sure you buy P/N 0000-8F-K01A (note the "A" on the end indicating the revised diode fix).

You must own a Canadian GT, since the GS does not come with an anti-theft alarm system which the shock sensor supplements.

I got mine from Trussville Mazda and highly recommend them. They list the fixed 0000-8F-K01A on their web site.

rx8cited

robertdot

Shock sensor is one of the few mods you'll make that you DON'T want to use. Basically, you hope you are wasting the 40$ when you buy it. It's fun like that.

rx8cited

What are you trying to say here?

Not everyone had the frustrating experience you did when you messed your fuses up.

Messing with the fuses is not even part of the shock sensor upgrade install .

As you said previously:

robertdot

Yeah. I didn't revive the thread. I was going to delete it but had several replies before I got the chance. I would have rather this one dissapeared.

Anyway, you mis interpreted what I said. The reason you DON'T want to use your shock sensor is that your car must be jolted to make use of it. That means either someone or something is banging your car while the alarm is on (which generally means you are not around). I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't want my '8 to suffer enough of a jolt to set off the alarm via the shock sensor unless I'm making the jolt. Therefore, I hope I wasted $40 installing it, because I never want it to have to do its job (though if it does, I hope it does it well).

I was saying nothing about the install process or the problems I had. The shock sensor is a cheap mod, easy to install, and worth every penny if it keeps some ******* from breaking / breaking into your car. EVERYONE should have one. I just hope no one ever NEEDS one (though people have already posted about break ins).

rx8cited

Oh, right. :D As in: "I hope I'm wasting hundreds of dollars a year paying for auto insurance that I hope to never use".

BTW, "Does a tree falling in the forest make any noise if no one is there to hear it?"

My shock sensor is constantly in use monitoring to see if the car's being shocked when the anti-theft alarm is armed. It will become useless and I will have wasted $40+ if it fails to keep monitoring for shocks or gives me false alarms.

robertdot

As in the former. The latter is a technicality.

If by "noise" you use the definition "the auditory experience of sound that lacks musical quality," the tree does not make noise, as there is no one to have an auditory experience. If by "noise" you mean "a waveform that, if heard, would be identified as noise," then yes noise would be made, as a crashing tree would make a waveform upon impact, even if no one is there to perceive the waveform. It's an issue of semantics. Clarify your question to receive an exact answer.