Mazda 323 A/c Problem

[dinesh_gd2003]

Guys, i am having a very strange problem with my car A/C.

It works fine most of the time, but suddenly, it just goes dead, as in, there is no cool air coming in at all. After i park the car for a few hours, and start driving again, the A/C works fine!

There is no pattern to this problem, as in, it works fine for a few days, and then all of a sudden this happens. I have noticed that when it happens, it is usually after about a good hour of driving with the A/C on.

My initial suspicion was with the Alternator, since the car cuts off the A/C compressor, if the alternator output voltage is low.

But the problem does not happen at night when i drive with the lights on etc..

Any ideas. my guess is that the problem is with either the A/C compressor or the alternator..

[CJ5]

Few things to check from my own experience.

1. The filter (the bottle like thingy)

2. Cabin air filter - whether it's clogged

3. Gas pressure.

I am no expert but had similar issues from time to time and these were the culprits.

[dinesh_gd2003]

Thanks, i think i will start by eliminating those possibilities first.

[Rumesh88]

  On 4/3/2013 at 4:48 AM, dinesh_gd2003 said:

Thanks, i think i will start by eliminating those possibilities first.

While you are at it check if your compressor has a refrigerant temperature switch (two terminal device mounted on the compressor itself) and if there is a dual pressure switch mounted on the receiver assembly (bottle like thing called filter by CJ5 above). Culprit could be one of them operating prematurely. However, just because they operate and cut off AC does not mean they are faulty. If you do not find these protection switches in your car model then please ignore this comment.

[H.C]

Sometimes this may be due to bad AC switch contact or faulty AC switch in the dashboard. If you are good at DIY stuff , just remove the AC control pannel according to service manual and spray bit of contact cleaner to the related wireharness clip and switch contacts. Similar story happened to my collegues FB14 and its due to this reason.

Edited April 3, 2013 by H.C

[The Don]

  On 4/3/2013 at 3:40 AM, dinesh_gd2003 said:

Guys, i am having a very strange problem with my car A/C.

It works fine most of the time, but suddenly, it just goes dead, as in, there is no cool air coming in at all. After i park the car for a few hours, and start driving again, the A/C works fine!

There is no pattern to this problem, as in, it works fine for a few days, and then all of a sudden this happens. I have noticed that when it happens, it is usually after about a good hour of driving with the A/C on.

My initial suspicion was with the Alternator, since the car cuts off the A/C compressor, if the alternator output voltage is low.

But the problem does not happen at night when i drive with the lights on etc..

Any ideas. my guess is that the problem is with either the A/C compressor or the alternator..

Check the cooling fans. If the compressor is engaged (and you can feel it due to the way the engine behaves when the compressor is engaged) if the cooling fans on the condenser or the radiator stop working, the AC efficiency drops to a minimum to a point you can't feel it.

It's just a possibility to eliminate.

Also if the AC was recently serviced check gas pressure (high will cause the high pressure cut off to come on and stop the AC).

[Nimz77]

i also had same issue.there will AC realy which is inside your dashboard.(under the dashboard ).please check its working...or not

[TheClutch]

is your blower motor is working fine????

[dinesh_gd2003]

Guys, thanks for all your valuable inputs. So based on all of the comments, i have come up with a list of possible issues:

• Bad A/C switch in the dashboard (simplest problem first)
• The cooling fan operation when the compressor is engaged
• Check the gas pressure
• Check if the compressor has a refrigerant temperature switch and also if there is a dual pressure switch mounted on the receiver assembly (Providing the the Mazda A/C system has all these components).

As for the latest update. The A/C failed twice yesterday, while driving back at night. when i revved the engine and turned the A/C back on again, the compressor engaged and it worked for a few minutes before failing once more.

In the morning today while coming to work, there were no issues, and it worked perfectly.. I think it has a mind of its own..

btw "TheClutch", the blower fan is working fine

[H.C]

Seems like a electrical issue to me. (Check switch, AC relay, thermo sensor in the evoporator, )

Edited April 4, 2013 by H.C

[The Don]

  On 4/4/2013 at 5:03 AM, dinesh_gd2003 said:

Guys, thanks for all your valuable inputs. So based on all of the comments, i have come up with a list of possible issues:

• Bad A/C switch in the dashboard (simplest problem first)
• The cooling fan operation when the compressor is engaged
• Check the gas pressure
• Check if the compressor has a refrigerant temperature switch and also if there is a dual pressure switch mounted on the receiver assembly (Providing the the Mazda A/C system has all these components).

As for the latest update. The A/C failed twice yesterday, while driving back at night. when i revved the engine and turned the A/C back on again, the compressor engaged and it worked for a few minutes before failing once more.

In the morning today while coming to work, there were no issues, and it worked perfectly.. I think it has a mind of its own..

btw "TheClutch", the blower fan is working fine

Dinesh, define failed

When you say failed, is it just a case of the AC compressor is engaged but there is no cooling or does the compressor disengage and there is no cooling

[dinesh_gd2003]

  On 4/4/2013 at 10:24 AM, The Don said:

Dinesh, define failed

When you say failed, is it just a case of the AC compressor is engaged but there is no cooling or does the compressor disengage and there is no cooling

The compressor disengages and there is no cooling

[The Don]

  On 4/4/2013 at 10:54 AM, dinesh_gd2003 said:

The compressor disengages and there is no cooling

Ok, if the compressor disengages, then it's not the cooling fans.

It could be a faulty pressure cut off which is either erroneously detecting low or high pressure or the thermostat shutting down the AC to prevent frost on the evaporator.

Does your car have an automatic climate control system (where you set the temperature)

[dinesh_gd2003]

No it does not have climate control.

[MV-5]

mate, just try to do a small test. recreate the problem first, now you know that cabin is warm enough and AC should work, but it doesn't. open all windows and drive and try to see that whether it starts after 15 -20 secs.???