2004 Mazda3 AC flickering
 

I have a 2004 Mazda 3. For years my AC has been flickering on and off. Usually I notice because the cold air stops, I look down at the AC light and its off, then it will either go back on by itself, or I can turn the dial and it will turn back on. Happens on all speeds, 1-4. The compressor just recently went bad, so everything is starting new and fresh. Flickering problem still happens. Mechanics have no idea and never seem to believe its a real issue. :fu:

Anyone have the same issue recently?
Do these solutions work?
https://www.mazda3club.com/mazda-service-info-111/air-conditioning-problem-47206/
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showt...eed-2-Or-3-A-c

Thanks!

yea it works but the switch issue depends on how the switch was made and the mating connector. In my 2007 mazda 3 case the switch was the problem and not the mating connector. look at the bottom of this link to see my issues and results that i just added

https://www.mazda3club.com/showthread.php?t=47206

I've been having the same issue for years as well on my '05. My compressor just seized up last week, and now that I have a new working one (and a full fresh charge) the AC works great....... until it turns itself off that is. At one point I went to start disassembling that panel to try cleaning it out as some threads have directed. Then planned on replacing it if it didn't work. However I've never been able to get those freaking control cables loose to get the panel out so my repair has always stopped before it started.

ICspots: Yes the mechanical control cables are hard to get off. You have to turn the dials to make the cables retract first. then remove the two c clips off first and disconnect the two electrical wire connectors so you are free to flip the unit upward to make that L turn needed to clear the wire rod holes.

Put a rag below the console when you put the clips back with a long nose plier or you will drop them down and never find them again under the carpet. I also found wrapping a piece of thin wire solder with a length hanging so you can hold that around the clip so it wont fly away when it pops off or drops down helps. when the clip is in place just pull hard on the solder and it will break off and you are done.

Does rotating your blower switch make the green light flicker on and off? If not then you dont have to remove that and you need to check/fix the evaporator sensor

This is the most informative post I've ever read on the topic. Seriously, every other person who's posted about it has just said "It was a big PITA but I got it done". It's one of those things I wish someone had done a pictoral walkthrough at some point since so many of us have this issue..... and mostly just deal with it.

I am able to get my AC back on by wiggling the knob. Sometimes just back and forth, sometimes just very slightly off position and back in. It definitely sounds more likely to be contamination of the switch contacts vs. a sensor issue.

icspots: I forgot to mention on my 2007 mazda 3 I had to remove the radio above and the ciggarete lighter and ashtr below the console to get the AC control unit out. I not sure if you knew that or not. otherwise you cant flip it upward to get the wire rods out of the holes. I would also use the long nose plier to pull on the rod to get it to the hole while the control panel is flipped up for both cables then flip it down to allow the rods to make the L turn . then put the electrical connectors back before seating back in the console. use the long nose to slide the rod jacket in the retaining slots and put the clips back just before seating the unit in all the way.

In my case the switch went intermittent after 4 years or so, the compressor conked out at about 7 years and 130k miles. When i put the new compressor and dehydrator in I found the unit worked intermittently and thought it was the pressure switch or the wrong amount of freon when i got it working at all. SO i did the rotary switch issue first and the compressor would still cut out in hot weather and sometimes work in cool weather. I had to go to the alldata website to find enough trouble shooting info and the temperature curve for the evap temp sensor and some youtube video to show how to take the dash apart to show how hard the evap sensor was the replace that caused the AC to stop working and also to figure out that also was a problem. I later found that the evap temp sensor is a problem on many cars as I think the large temperature swings causes the part to drift or actually open up at times as was in my case. If you read the 47206 thread link above i had posted you would find info no one else on any mazda blog website ever posted that I could find or even any similar ford product as they share a lot of hardware. Trust me i looked really hard since i wasnt going to pay to get the dash out to change that POS sensor to make the AC work. ;)

Oh yes, the last time I tried to get it out I had asthray and stereo out. I may even have pulled the center console, but it's been awhile.

My light started going out after about 4-5 years as well, and my compressor also just seized up around 130k miles. :)

Just did the above noted fix for my flickering AC. I finally learned the trick to removing those damn control cables and now it's pretty easy. Working well after a few minute test run and rotating the knob a bunch of times. I'll be writing up a short walkthrough soon.

And Voila!

http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthre...57#post9509857