If the temperature here drops into the single digits, I can't get the inside of my car very warm, and my feet don't warm up at all. I've tried all the settings on the controls without any luck. Anyone else have this problem?

Also, I notice that pulling up on the parking brake bends up the housing over the transmission tunnel on that side; I'm concerned that this may split the silver plastic in the cold. I want to try in on an 8 in the showroom to see if "they all do that" or if something is out of whack with mine.

 

I think the engineering of the heating-cooling system was very badly done. It's too loud, not enough air gets to the feet and the air is NEVER hot down on the floor. This could be the one single thing that bugs me the most with my car. But don't ever try to take it away from me !!! :-)

 

The heat on the floor is cut way down when you have the vents set to floor only and run the fan. This is because the A/C compressor runs at the same time. (Try it - you can hear the relay cycle on and off at idle.) The manual confirms this. When I want warmth I set the vents to bi-level and run the fan. When I run on the highway, I set the vents to floor only, but I do not run the fan. Otherwise the compressor comes on too.

In the summer, the floor only really keeps your feet cool when you run the fan.

I think that Mazda is afraid you won't run the compressor enough during the winter - the manual says to cycle it regularly.

 

there are vents undr the front seats for the back seats. block those off to keep more of the heated air up front.

 

I was getting marginally warm when using the "floor only" or "floor and windows mode". Based on the ideas above, I tried these setting in 15-20 F weather today:
- Hot/cold, set to hot
- Fan, set to 2
- Outputs, dash+floor

I started in recirculate mode, but switched to fresh air mode when the windows started to show fog, and then back to recirc when they cleared. After 10-15 minutes, maybe more, the cabin became too warm (even in fresh air mode), and eventually I had to turn the fan down to 1 and redirect the vents away. I didn't need to blow air on the windows to keep them clear, just fresh air.

 

I was out this moring at 4 degrees and it was too hot very quickly. I do set mine for bi-level and it works great.

 

Maybe this doesn't go here, but my brain is going "ding, ding ding". Could it be that some of the mileage complaints relate to running the AC along with the heat? Sorry if I'm off thread.

 

That's what I figured. I can feel the car dragging a bit with the compressor running. I really can't understand why the heat should be set up to have the compressor run on the "floor only" setting.


When I asked a dealer about it, they said I was imagining the compressor running - but I did actually find it in the manual, in fairly obscure print.

 

I appreciate all the input; I'll try the bi-level on the cold days, and maybe block the rear floor vents when I won't have rear-seat passengers for a while. Thanks, everyone!!

 

you guys need to try a 93-95 rx-7. the rx8 is heads and shoulders above that. The rx-7's engine generates enormous heat, yet the heat is just warm and you only get the heat from the floor, it blows cold if in your face.

I dont have any complaints about the rx-8's heating.

 

hmmm... wish I had the same prob cause I find my legs are cooking from the transmissional tunnel/engine heat whenever I'm stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for more than 30 mins and I have to turn on the AC cold with feet only ...
but then again temp haven't fallen below -2C in my area since I got it :p

 

Ha

A rotary Mazda with a poor heating system..........???

That would be the day..........

 

I'm having a somewhat different ventilation problem. My problem is that the interior gets too hot and I have to keep the **** it the 8 o'clock position (the lowest of the four cool ranges). If the outside temperature is 50 degrees F and I have the fan on with fresh air coming through the dash, I have to turn the **** to the lowest of the four blue bands or it gets too hot in the compartment.

When the outside temperature is 68 degrees F, I have to run the air conditioner or it gets WAY too hot. If I turn off the fan and roll down the windows the compartment cools down immediately, but I don’t want to have to drive with the windows down. Much of my driving is freeway driving and it's too loud to run with the windows down.

I took my car into my dealer and asked them to check to see if the heater valve is remaining open when the control **** is in the cool range. I was told that ALL RX-8s do this and that it cannot be helped. I am of the opinion that no heat should emanate from the vents when the control **** is in the cool range. Furthermore, it wastes gasoline and diminishes performance to have to run the air conditioner – and there should be no need to run the air conditioner when it’s not hot outside.

I live in San Francisco so it rarely gets below 50, but I've NEVER kept the temperature control above the lowest cool range. The only time I have it set to the warm range is when the car is warming up - then I have to turn it back down to about the 8 o'clock position. Was my Mazda dealer being truthful when he told me that all RX-8s do this? Is there anybody out there that is able to keep the windows rolled up when it's 68 degrees outside, without having to turn on the air conditioner?

 

It never happen with me, but once with my brother happen this after we get a miner problem it's ventilation system. I think your ventilation system does not fitted properly.
Thanks for sharing this.

 

you can always pull the fuse for the AC relay. If your not needing to run it just make sure you re install it and run the AC once a month in the winter.

 

yea, I dont get it if they gonna have a AC button, why activate compressor when at floor mode? weird Mazda.
if they were gonna have a manual AC, make it fully manual.

 

hi. this thread is almost 7 years old

 

to keep the windshield from fogging.

 

I know but if they were gonna put a AC button on it, make it mean something. there are times when outside air is dry enough just to defog the windshield, no need for AC.
even the auto AC on my old Maxima could run without AC on in any mode at any speed at any temperature.
they made a manual control without fully manual function? its like having a manual transmission and a clutch pedal but you dont get to shift.

 

just to aggravate you about something else, it probably came with a flash:P

 

several companion sdo it this way. Nissan you have to select. Hinda looks like you can select it separately but it still operates when you choose certain combinations. Ford works this way. not sure what toyota does now but I have seen it with a seperate selector and without.

besides which NONE of those other has an engine which is sitting where the renesis is. that adds difficulty in respect to the HVAC routing which adds to the possibility of a fogged window without it.