TSB 07-005/03, "A/C Intermittient with fan @ #2 pos."
 

Hi all...have a real stinker of an issue here with the climate control, a TSB, a dealership part ($$$), and a variable labor rate.

It's a Mazda Protege LX 4 dr 2.0, loaded.

TSB 07-005/03 describes the issue, and I'm going to try and upload it here. Now:

The dealership is quoting me $379 for the part (the whole climate control) and a bit less than 2 hrs labor @ $175/hr or around $739 including tax.

A local shop I trust is offering up the part for the same (they get it wholesale, natch) and 2 hrs labor @$100/hr for a total, including tax, of about $600.

Now, for an intermittent malfunction (A/C sometimes won't stay engaged with fan in #2 position), even $600 is a lot of dough, especially since I just sunk $2000+ into the thing this year. (Yeah, they're great cars, but at 240,000, it needed a lot.)

Questions:

1. Since the problem seems to be that the Climate Control is not sending enough signal voltage to the right place (1.0V, upped to 2.0V in the replacement unit) has anyone found a workaround for this? Or is an R&R of the Climate Control (which involves ripping the dashboard apart and putting back together) the only fix?

2. The TSB lists .4 hours labor...I guess this is before and after they get to it...right?

Thanks in advance!

I guess it depends on how "handy" you are.

This guy fixed his by soldering in a pair of resistors.

Thanks!!
 

...a million, Saudade! Wish I'd seen this had been around years ago when it showed up...bought it new.! I'm "handy", or was until arthritis got me...well, maybe I can find an auto-electrical specialist shop that will do the job as indicated in the video for less $$ than $600...heck, I may get the parts and try it myself if it ever cools off again around here. At my age, doing this in a hot garage (it's always hot here) streaming sweat just ain't my cuppa any more. :eek:

Also have to look in the shop manual for R&R'ing the entertainment center...THAT looks like fun!

But THANK YOU for pointing the way to getting rid of the Protege's most annoying issue! Mazda should have fixed this at no charge as a factory defect, but by the time it started acting up, it was (of course) out of warranty.! Grrrrr. :mad: