Hi everyone. First-time post, looking for some help with a specific problem. I did search the forums (here and elsewhere) for similar issues and didn't find anything obviously related, but if there's an existing thread or resource that might help please point me in the right direction.

2012 Mazda 5 Sport, 6-speed, 2.5L with ~120k miles. I've owned it since ~24k miles and stayed current with all scheduled service.

About a year ago, the a/c started working only intermittently. I could never really identify a pattern, but sometimes it'd blow cold . . . other times not at all . . . sometime sorta coolish. I could always tell when it was working because I'd hear the compressor and feel a momentary lug on the engine. Now, a year later, a/c doesn't work at all: never hear the compressor come on, no momentary lug, no cool air, nothing.

The only other issue I've ever observed with this vehicle is a check engine light for "insufficient coolant temp" that seems to surface on trips of more than a few hours. I assumed this was a balky thermostat and never addressed it, but for what it's worth I don't think I ever saw this code before the a/c started acting wonky.

Here's the thing: the nearest Mazda dealer is about ~2 hours away. So I took it to my local shop for diagnostics, and here's what they found:

I took this report to another shop and they said the same thing: looks like the system is plugged or blocked somewhere, and they don't want to touch it. Both shops have basically said they'd be chasing the problem one component of the a/c system at a time, racking up thousands of dollars of labor, with no clear picture of the problem or resolution going in. To their credit, both shops are directing me to a dealer instead of trying to take my money.

Here are my questions for folks of the mazdaforum who know far more about these things than I ever will . . .

1. Before I consider the logistics of working with a dealer 2 hours away, is there anything I could or should try investigating or replacing myself? Keep in mind that I'm reasonably mechanically inclined and can follow a service manual, but I don't generally work on my own cars. I'm not looking to tear out the entire dash chasing a hunch, but if other people have encountered these symptoms and can with some confidence point to a specific resolution . . . I'm game to try it.

2. Is it reasonable to think a Mazda dealer could to diagnose and fix this problem at considerably less expense than my local shops? Doing this through a dealer means time off work, lodgings in the town with the dealer, finding someone to watch my dog if I can't bring her with me, etc. etc. If it's reasonable to think a dealer can wrangle this more efficiently than a general shop, I'm willing to figure out the logistics. But if a dealer isn't going to be significantly less expensive (paradox, I know), it's not worth the trouble.

I appreciate any feedback. I've absolutely loved this car--stripped out all the rear seats, installed a wood deck, and have van-camped it all over the western US with a mountain bike fork-mounted in the back and a kayak on the roof--and I've wanted to keep it to at least ~180k miles before considering a replacement . . . but . . . I'm not keen on putting half the car's resale value (or more) into fixing the a/c.

Thanks in advance,

--Matt
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My experience on another brand of car with minor AC issue, cost me $800! I think all dealers won't let you out of the door with a bill less than that a $1000. Right now, parts are in short supply during covid and people claim they have been waiting for months for Mazda engine parts to come in. Next time, buy a car that has a local dealer near you. Mazda by the look of it does not keep a warehouse of parts in Canada.