Well it seems like it partially worked, cause the heat just started working driving home now. Maybe i didn't sauder well enough. I would do the diagnostics test with the LCD screen but i have a custom nav unit and I'm afraid I can't do that with the Metra kit.

Anyways, it's working better than before... Fingers crossed

 

How do we resolder the ****. I have no experience with this problem?

 

^ Before you do anything do the diagnostic test to make sure the **** is the problem. If the A/C number stays either on 0 or 16 while moving the ****, it's the problem. If the numbers change as you move the **** you have a different problem. You'll need to take out the radio to get to the ****. Then you'll take the **** control apart to get to the back of the circuit board to get to the three posts that will need to be soldered. Look at the pics at the beginning of this thread to see what needs to be soldered.


If you're wondering how to solder, get a gun and some solder. Let the gun get hot and then you will hold the gun on the post and let it get hot. After a couple of seconds touch the solder to the post and it will bead off and cover the old solder making a good conection. Do not just hold the gun over the post and drop hot solder onto the post. You'll want the heat of the post to liquify the solder, not the gun. Also have good ventilation and try not to breathe in the fumes, it is not healthy to do so.

 

You can also just look under the dash on the drivers side. There is a large white plastic device that looks like a large wheel with a small long piece of metal that moves the vent door from cold to hot. You can see it move when you turn the temperature ****. That other procedure works too, this just seemed to make more sense to me.

 

This DIY is so simple. Did this today, took me about an hour and a half. Everything went smoothly. Just dropped a couple drops of new solder on each connection, reassembled, and was good to go. Taking the metal bracket off underneath is a must to get to that hidden bolt. A little tip so you don't lose the bolt, when you loosen the bolt reach in and unscrew it the rest of the way with your fingers. The same thing applies when you put the bolt back in, reach in and start the threads with your fingers. I would recommend this DIY to anybody. One last note, make sure all the connectors are good and tight!! Or else your buttons will be doing crazy things

 

I've been experiencing this problem lately. If I press or nudge the **** in different directions I can sometimes get it to stick on the selected heat setting and then I get heat. Occasionally the vibrations will just send it back to 0, then it gets cold again.

Its a minor nuisance, so I'm waiting until I get an axial flow shifter, since I'll be tearing up the center column anyway, may as well kill two birds and all that.

 

^ Yea, that worked for me for a while. Soon you'll spread the connectors out further so there will be no contact Looks like you're in a great county for not needing the heat

 

Just finished this D.I.Y., and it was a breeze. Took me about 1 and half hours to complete mostly b/c I was searching for that stupid 10mm side bolt. Definitely would recommend removing the metal bracket under the steer column. It makes for easier access and viewing. Also, the bolt is more directly right of the twin bolts than above. Thanks for this; it saved me tons of cash.

 

I did this and it worked.

 

Finally did this DIY today... did the power/scan check and it moves freely 0-16.

THANKS FOR THE DIY!

 

Did this Sunday afternoon worked like a charm.....great DIY.

 

I had no problem performing this heater-control board solder fix besides the delay of searching for a non-existent brass bolt under the dash on the left side of my 05 Shinka's stereo (I guess Mazda stopped installing these at some point...I've had mine since new off the lot, so I know nobody else removed it)....

The only problem now is, the car won't fire up ! Everything works fine...display has no flaky connections, heater display test shows smooth 0-16, and the car cranks just fine....but never fires up. I'm getting gas, because I can smell it at the tailpipe after some seconds of unsuccessful cranking....but this car has never flooded once in all the years I've owned it off the lot brand new...and it was running just fine before taking the radio out for this heater fix.

I've checked every fuse, not just ignition-related...nothing blown....

But I admit I did not disconnect battery before removing radio and soldering control board....so that's the only thing that might be the source of not firing now...except I find no fuses blown.

I've seen posts here before that there's no anti-theft function that activates if you take the stereo out, but that sure does seem like what's going on here.

Any ideas?

 

this was a GREAT deal of help, did this today after work and fixed my a/c problems and also saved me over $300 of what a shop would of charged me..love the "search" button and thx Wingnut!

 

I've found that you can nudge the **** in the right direction by wedging a dime between the **** and the faceplate. Worked for me as a short term fix.

 

It's not worth the nuance of applying these short term solutions that may break your ****. If you can't solder, find a friend that can. Buy him some beer to fix it. You won't regret it.

 

Hey, nice DIY, worked great for me too! I just started having this problem recently, @ 38,000 miles.

I didn't have to remove the metal bracket under the steering column, and never have, each time I have needed to get at the center console. The right lengths of socket extensions makes it pretty easy to access that bolt, really.

 

Thanks so much for this post. It made the job easy and saved me a lot of cash as well.

 

Wingnut, you rock man.

Thanks to you my temp control works now. (and I put in a grom audio box at the same time)

If you were in the nw id buy you beers. Cheers!

 

^ Ditto! Excellent DYI Wingnut!

 

I just did this and it worked! Thanks so much. I feel great now!




Misc Comments:

- I unscrewed the "Secret Bolt" with my hand.

- When I pulled out the radio I accidentally snapped the plastic piece that the **** for the 1,2,3,4 heater power thing is on. I had to use the soldering iron to melt it back together.

- It looked like the circuit board 3 'pins' were soldered perfectly fine when I looked at them. Luckily someone else in the thread made the same observation. So.. i just threw on more solder. (i have very little electronics experience)


SWEEET!

 

Did it today myself. Worked like a charm!! Thanks!

 

Did mine last night works prefect, thanks for this!

 

i just saved 425$ today.. thanks for the excellent thread..thanks guys

 

did this last weekend after running into the heat only problem while installing my metra kit.

solder looked fine on mine too, but discovered a crack under a microscope.

FYI Metra sends a document with this thread pasted into it if you ask them for tech support lol

 

Another happy customer here! Thanks wingnut and SamH for taking the time out to document and help out your fellow 8 owners. This DIY probably saved me the most $ for time spent.

Knowing my luck I thought this wouldn't fix my problem but it sure enough did and perfect timing considering my 8 year old 8 just started doing this since last month and blows nothing but hot air and it's AC time down here. Temp hit 90 today.

For those attempting this - It's really not that difficult taking out your radio and I've never soldered anything in my life prior to this. Just take your time securing the connections and be careful and cover the shifter after you remove the **** as that thing is sharp and put a small scratch on my faceplate. Dumb me considering this is the 4th time I removed the radio.