JDM AC Controls, will they work?
 

I tried searching and came up with some results but nothing that would specify that this will work....

So, my brother's going overseas to Japan next weekend and he knows that I'm obsessed with my 8. I showed him the Japanese version of the 8 and it had the digital auto climate thing. He said that he'll buy it for me when he's over there. The only problem is... would it work on the USDM versions of the car? If I swap out my AC controls and put in the JDM ones, will it work? Does it need a compatible ECU or is it just plug and play?

JDM Version:
https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1190155302

USDM (Our) Version:
https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1190155302

See the difference?

Anybody?

good question
 

i envy those who have them
wonder if it'll work for us
someone reply!

If minor things are needed to change it out then I'll definitely go for it. Someone please shed light on this matter.

I saw a thread a few years ago that there is more to the electronic therostat than the buttons. You would need to buy a kit ( I believe) that has the sensor wires that are placed in various parts of the car. So it might be a more difficult project than you thought.

I would try a search, if you haven't already.

Good luck/

Really? I tried searching but irrelevant results came up so that's why I started this thread. That sorta blows to know that it requires a lot of electronic sensors... I'm guessing it's all the thermostats that's needed throughout the car.... can someone verify this?

If it's anything similar to what I've got on my Subaru, it will have multiple sensors for themerature, plus a sensor for sunlight hidden on top of the dash. Try and get a service manual from Japan, see the wiring diagrams.

Ah, I see. That would make sense because the car needs to get the average temperature of all the zones in the car. I'll still go for it if the AC Controls are independent, meaning they don't require a connection to a ECU or something. The sensors should be really easy to install.

i am interested in this too. i know the mazdaspeed 3 comes with auto temp controls in the US. So I would guess that all the appropriate parts can be ordered through the local mazda dealer. Getting it to work could be another story.

I have my stock radio out, and it is made by Sanyo. If the mazdaspeed 3's stock radio is the same, or we can find another mazda with the same radio that has auto temp controls this should be easy.

If anyone has links to the European or Japanese service manuals they would help. Although I don't know if the Japanese one would help me. Might not need to read it just see diagrams, but if the index is in Japanese that could become a chore.

I really want to do this. I would buy the temperature sensors, sunlight sensors, wiring, and auto thermostat. This type of stuff drives me nuts about Mazda. Like the only Mazda that you can order with Bluetooth right now is the CX-9 from my research. And that was looking at the 2008 catalogs. How can this be? Mazda needs to keep up with other brands. At least have the option for the techie / gadget people. To top that off they make adding things aftermarket very difficult.

I love my RX-8, but I want to give it these cool features. It isn't about spending the $, it is that it is extra work to figure out ways to do it. I guess that's part of the fun if you want to look on the bright side.

Honestly, I would try to ask people from your local Mazda dealerships. I'm sure they'd know.

I remember reading about this. Don't bother. The automatic climate control is only activated from the ECU. North American ECU's will not have this function turned on from what I have read. How much truth there is to that, I don't know.

i am very happy to own a jdm :P sorry guys..

That totally shattered my dreams.... Damn! I wish that our cars had automatic climate controls like all the other new cars, I wonder if there's a way to reflash our ECU's with the JDM one? Anyone here know if that might cause a problem?

Has anyone confirmed the result of this thread yet? Odd thing is the car already has an electronic temp knob, and the center console display unit still has the "auto" and temp displays in it. Are we sure the wiring is more complicated than just pluggin the unit in?

The '08 or '09 (whichever year this spring's model is going to be) will have auto climate control just like what is already offered in a few of Mazda's model lineup. Whether that can be purchased separately and fitted onto earlier model RX-8s is a good a guess as any.

man even if it doesnt work you could probably cut your "losses" and resell it to some chump for three times as much on ebay right?

you would need the headunit (with the controls) at the very least.
we do have the blank for the sunlight sensor on the dash (i don't know if the sensor is in there or not); and i've got no idea on any other sensors.

my only 'valuable' comment is that the Canadian rx-8's do have auto climate in some trim level (i think) so a part swap might be closer than you think.

if it were me, i'd look for the euro spec HU because it also does teh radio text thingie, which is cool (Just need to make sure it has full US band coverage).

the ? is have you ever replaced a wiring harness?

if you have not my guess is that you wont want to learn...


beers :beer:

Thank God i already have em in my JDM 8......hehehehe...... The USDM version a/c controlls looks pretty bad...... Plus ya'll don get Climate Controll.....

And yea..... there's a heat sensor on the dash........

i haven't laughed this hard in a while:lol2:

Most the world uses teh standard 87.5 MHz to 108.0 MHz w/ 200 KHz offset increments, some radio tuners tune in 100 KHz offset increments to tune into an amplitude sideband if its clearer in an area, but stations can only buy plots in 200 KHz incriments (sortve impertinent sorry).
Japan on the other hand, I believe they use 76 MHz to 90 MHz (+/- some, im not positive on the numbers). Sooooo the radio you get from Japan may be programmed to those frequencies and require reprogramming, also the radio from Japan could have an entirely different specifically placed diode or other internal component.
In theory, if you were to install your Japan spec radio, the only things you would hear would be network news and kids shows during the day because you would be tuned into our television frequency range :lol: .
So I guess you can get your climate control from Japan, but if you end up needing to replace the radio get it from Europe or whatnot. I hope this helped out on that idea.

i think they are one piece which is why i'd go for the Euro or Canada spec parts...

Anyone tried 09's climate control on earlier model ?

The US model AC control has an extra socket to control the fan speed, where the socket is direct connect to the blower fan. JDM model should be control by the PCM. I'm having a problem to convert the JDM to USDM for the metra kit at the moment. Now got a USDM AC control on but need to modify the wiring.