Air Conditioning compressor siezed

[Scaredycrow]

Some fun reading for your Monday morning

At the end of a free way trip over the weekend smoke started pouring out of the bonnet of my car... Looks like the air conditioning compressors clutch pack has disintegrated spewing grease and metal around the engine bay.

Been on the phone to Tom Kerr's this morning, they've seen this a couple of times before.

Symptoms:
- The pulley at the bottom of the engine nearest the radiator has no paint left on it, its discoloured to a rusty red colour from the phenomenal heat
- Air con obviously doesn't cool
- grease and metal obvious on the pulley as well as in front / behind it
- Smell similar to burning brakes but more pungent and with a definite "burning" or "hot" smell
- noise from the bearing (I assume the pulley bearing)
- smoke in the engine bay

I'm just over a year out of warranty, but hoping for Mazda to come to the party on this. I know for a fact that this same issue happens and is warranted outside the warranty period on Renault Megan's.

Anyone else seen / had this problem?

[Grajy]

That rusty red color is normal when compressors fail. Not a helpful post but, oh well.

Honestly, I don't see Mazda helping you out. Expect no less than $1000 for a compressor + labour and re-gassing...

[Scaredycrow]

That rusty red color is normal when compressors fail. Not a helpful post but, oh well.

Honestly, I don't see Mazda helping you out. Expect no less than $1000 for a compressor + labour and re-gassing...

Doesn't hurt to try, at worst they say no. I do feel that this is likely to be a case of a faulty part and not due to wear and tear. Plenty of cars on this forum with many more km's than mine, if they've had this issue a forum search didn't turn it up

[lup15]

do you use the aircon often? particularly in winter, i've head (and practise) turning on the a/c to keep the seals lubricated or something like that. Just wondering how this could be avoided or prolonged

good luck with mazda tho, my car is under warranty and they struggle to come to the party at times....

[Scaredycrow]

Yeah it's used pretty regularly...

Mazda decided it wasn't warranty (not a surprise but given I have a slightly unfortunate history with Mazda dealers, I thought somebody might have at least thought about it twice..) and came back with a quote that was designed to tell me to go away... Which I did, and got the new parts and replaced my self for about 40% of what they wanted to charge...

Hopefully others experiences are more promising...

[Jmac]

Yeah it's used pretty regularly...

Mazda decided it wasn't warranty (not a surprise but given I have a slightly unfortunate history with Mazda dealers, I thought somebody might have at least thought about it twice..) and came back with a quote that was designed to tell me to go away... Which I did, and got the new parts and replaced my self for about 40% of what they wanted to charge...

Hopefully others experiences are more promising...

What did the quote come to, and what did you manage to do it for if you dont mind me asking.
My aircon was on struggle street this morning and was accompanied by a burning smell - so this may be it....

[Scaredycrow]

What did the quote come to, and what did you manage to do it for if you don't mind me asking.
My aircon was on struggle street this morning and was accompanied by a burning smell - so this may be it....

Mazda wanted $2000+ for the part... I sourced an identical alternative (literally the same unit from the same manufacturer, mazda dont make these parts themselves) for ~$600 through an auto electrician mate of mine. I believe he would normally sell it for something like $900-1000 depending on exchange rates and the like.

[RadiantKnackers]

What did the quote come to, and what did you manage to do it for if you dont mind me asking.
My aircon was on struggle street this morning and was accompanied by a burning smell - so this may be it....

Dont say I didnt warn you Justin

[Lardman]

Yeah it's used pretty regularly...

Mazda decided it wasn't warranty (not a surprise but given I have a slightly unfortunate history with Mazda dealers, I thought somebody might have at least thought about it twice..) and came back with a quote that was designed to tell me to go away... Which I did, and got the new parts and replaced my self for about 40% of what they wanted to charge...

Hopefully others experiences are more promising...

Funny that - My cousin came down from Sydney not this weekend and had theirs go as well - from Tom Kerr Mazda as well. CX7 Diesel.

Perhaps something in Australian Consumer Law might help you?

The Australian Consumer Law - Legislation

[Jmac]

Funny that - My cousin came down from Sydney not this weekend and had theirs go as well - from Tom Kerr Mazda as well. CX7 Diesel.

Perhaps something in Australian Consumer Law might help you?

The Australian Consumer Law - Legislation

Really?
Tom Kerr are pretty damn good...

[Scaredycrow]

Really?
Tom Kerr are pretty damn good...

I have no problems with Tom Kerr, my understanding is that Mazda parts (at any dealer) source their parts through Mazda (probably globally). Thus its the manufacturer setting the pricing, not the dealer themselves. If the dealer can't get a good deal, they can't pass it on... If dealers we're running around sourcing non-genuine parts I'd be more worried about that (as I'd rather source them myself so I can assure myself that its the correct part) then some ridiculous pricing on genuine parts.