2010 Mazda 3 A/C Issues

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The Critic

The Critic

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Drove the '10 Mazda 3 today in warmer weather (mid-80s) and I found the A/C to be totally inadequate. Fresh air or recirculate, fan speed 2 or 4, it did not matter-- I was ready to melt. The A/C barely blew cold air. In fact, my sorta-broken Saturn A/C blows ice cubes in comparison.

Is this normal? I had the car at the dealer for an oil change EARLY this morning (when it was 55F out) and they tested the vent temperature of the A/C and found out it to be normal...of course. I mean, when it's 55F outside of course the vent temperature is going to be cold.

Ideas? The A/C warning light isn't on. I'm thinking about booking an afternoon appointment for a very, very hot day and taking a tech on a test drive with me so that we can sweat together, so that he cannot say no problem found.
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Certainly that can't be normal...especially on that new of a vehicle. I would take it in during the afternoon so the tech can sweat with you! I feel for you..had the same experience years ago..the garage testing it in the cool of the morning and saying its "fine"...Not.. I wonder if in the heat, when the unit is running hard to cool, if it might be freezing-up on you" ? Coil-wise that is..
 
Get it checked under warranty! While visiting my daughter in Phoenix, we drove a 2010 Mazda3 rental car from Phoenix, AZ to Blythe, CA to visit my nephew who is a Border Patrol Officer, about a 2 hour drive, in 112-115 deg F with the A/C on and it was great.
 
My condenser used to freeze up on longer trips in my 2000 Protege in 2003-2005 before I solid it, for whatever that's worth 10 years ago.

Sound like low refrigerant perhaps?
 
I bought a brand new 1989 Mazda 626 in late 1988 and I always felt the a/c was 'underpowered'. I loved the 2.2 and the 5 speed but sold it in 1992 because the wife didn't drive a stick shift.
 
A lot of cars have slightly inadequate AC. Either clammy or leaves warmspots in the cabin.

You could check pressure, but I bet it will be "within spec", even if it isnt cooling that great on a hot day. Id do a true evacuation, vacuum and addition by mass if trying anything, but it should NOT be necessary...
 
I have an '08 Mazdaspeed 3 that when new, the A/C was horrible.
I elected to put half a can of 134a in it and problem solved!

My car was under warranty at the time but just did it myself to save all that "normal vehicle function" or "they all do that" nonsense from the dealer.

The A/C will "hang meat" as we say here in southeast Texas now ( for over 35k miles). Just my experience.

I sometimes wonder if manufacturers short charge the A/C to save refrgerant costs per vehicle and/or post better fuel mileage numbers. Don't believe in conspiricy theories but...
 
Seems like it should work fine in the mid-80's, especially when moving. I can't think of a car I've been in that couldn't keep up in that temperature, even older cars retrofitted to R-134a due to the good old R-12 leaking out.

The only problems I've really seen with any modern car's I've been in are when idling in the 90's or above... but even then, changing to recirculate normally gives acceptable performance.
 
It actually might be overcharged a bit. R134a likes the correct pressure, or a bit low.
But this is a dealer problem. Don't offer advice! Just tell exactly what the problem is!

Do all of those cars have lousy AC? It happens.
 
Originally Posted By: double vanos
I have an '08 Mazdaspeed 3 that when new, the A/C was horrible.
I elected to put half a can of 134a in it and problem solved!


So was there a good basis to this? Read the pressures with gauges and determine that it needed some?


I just did some oil changes, noted that my wife's rabbit takes 525g of R134a... Now, my w123 Mercedes cars, which generally are said to have weak AC (Id agree compared to a domestic car), is filled with 2.2lb of what many consider to be better, R12.

HVAC is all about working fluid - having enough to move as much heat as you can without getting an evaporator temp too low that you freeze up the evaporator and the system doesnt work. It is kind of amazing how the newer systems do a lot more with a lot less, but it surely leaves less margin for error.

I suppose one thing that one may consider is how much liquid is in the static system. You can determine on a static system if you have any liquid present in there via a temperature/pressure chart. Once you get fully saturated gas, then the rest is liquid, but no guarantee of how much liquid is in there. I suppose the more the better for a system that can move more heat (energy) in its cycle.

These new AC systems seem awful small in capacity, that may well be part of the issue...
 
It is pretty clear that the r134a is NOT nearly effective as r12 was. I think it is known in the industry to be a problem.
 
My daughters 06 Mazda3 has been working fine thus now that she will have owned if for a year at the end of Aug. Especially this summer when it's been very hot/humid.
 
Vizzy - That's the reasoning behind vehicles like my Jeep having an AC condenser the size of the radiator to get rid of the heat.
 
Originally Posted By: Vizzy
It is pretty clear that the r134a is NOT nearly effective as r12 was. I think it is known in the industry to be a problem.


That is a big myth put out by the old grumpy HVAC people, kinda like the ol' Pennzoil myths constantly reiterated by old mechanics.

R134a is as effective if in a new system, retrofit an older system that used R12 and you are better off using FR-12.

Newer A/C systems have highly efficient condensers with such a high fin count they dissipate heat super fast so less working fluid is needed. They also run at much higher pressures. Older systems(look at any older car/window unit) have such widely spaced fins and run at lower pressure so more refrigerant is needed to effectively transport the heat. Compressor technology has also advanced quite a bit as well, better strength materials and now variable displacement.

Just blindly adding 134a to a system is the most stupidest thing in the world especially if it is new and under warranty.

You bought a new car and the A/C doesn't work, take it back to the dealer on a super hot day and have them test the pressure. If they are fine but it still fails to cool make your case and have it vac'd and refilled. Perhaps the refrigerant was contaminated at the factory.
 
Last edited:
Thermo,

How well does the A/C work on your 3? Is it "blowing cubes" or is it barely adequate?

One dealer told me that I should only expect a 20 deg drop in the air vent temperature compared to the outside temperature. Let's just say I hung up as quickly as possible.

The dealer that did the oil change on Sat and looked at the A/C told me to bring it back on a warmer day. I think I'll wait until we have a heat wave and then I'll bring it back.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Thermo,

How well does the A/C work on your 3? Is it "blowing cubes" or is it barely adequate?

One dealer told me that I should only expect a 20 deg drop in the air vent temperature compared to the outside temperature. Let's just say I hung up as quickly as possible.

The dealer that did the oil change on Sat and looked at the A/C told me to bring it back on a warmer day. I think I'll wait until we have a heat wave and then I'll bring it back.


I think it would "blow cubes" if my wife couldn't reach the controls.
lol.gif
It is auto control if that matters(shouldn't really). It does seem to cool adequate to the outside climate.

My test is that if a car that sat in 90F+ all day can be brought down well into comfort range within 5mins of idling on high w/ recirc on. It gets my stamp. Her car seems to do that a shade better than mine does at times.

The Subaru seemed like after 5 years it was a little low on refrigerant fill. It would cycle even on the highway and you'd feel these periods of warm air blast you than back to cold. The hottest day we had yet I was ready to go buy some gauges and see what was the issue except that day it worked great. A big measure better than before.

So ya I would have hung up to, 20F drop haha ya might as well drive with the windows down.
 
Mazda simply doesn't make great A/C systems. Father-in-law is executive with them, and as such I've taken a spin in all their new cars. The Tribute was the worst. In fact, my first car was an 83 Mazda GLC and that was colder than the Tribute.

Their gas mileage is underwhelming also...the newest 3 is catching up, but it's barely better than a 6.
 
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