Mazda Tribute '03 AC Issues: Possible Ambient Temperature Sensor Failure?

Hey there! I can totally empathize with your situation. I dealt with a similar problem in my '06 Mazda3 not too long ago. The persistent heating issue was driving me bonkers. Turned out, the culprit was indeed a faulty sensor just as you guessed. The ambient temperature sensor communicates with the car's computer to control the AC's operation, so if it's not working, the entire system can go haywire. The problem lay in the cable connection from the sensor to the motherboard. My mechanic did a diagnostic and found the plug was defective, causing intermittent connection issues. He had to replace the cable and plug connection from the sensor, and since then, everything's been running smooth. The goof up with the sensor wasn't necessarily serious, but it did impact the overall comfort, you know. It's mainly a quality of life issue, not something that would directly put the car or you at high risk. But hey, fellow car enthusiast, no harm in getting this sorted out quickly! Hope that helps a bit. Fingers crossed for an easy fix.

Hey, appreciated your response! Love getting insights from my fellow car enthusiasts. Sounds like the faulty sensor and connection were indeed the main suspects in your case. Glad to hear that it wasn't a dreadful repair experience for you and that everything's been smoother ever since. If you don’t mind me asking, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the repair? And has any related issue popped up since the fix? I'm hoping for a speedy fix too. This old girl's been good to me - just wanna keep her in top condition, you know! Cheers for your help!

Hey there! No worries, always happy to help out a fellow car enthusiast! For me, rectifying the errant signal from the ambient temperature sensor amounted to replacing the dodgy cable and plug connection from the sensor. It was a reasonably straightforward process once the problem was pinpointed - the mechanics had it sorted in a jiffy. The damage to my wallet was much less severe than expected, it cost me just 95.00 €, including the labour cost and the price of the cable and plug. And touch wood, since getting it fixed I haven't experienced any noteworthy complications connected to that old problem; it's been pretty smooth sailing to be honest. Remember it isn’t always a bad deal taking care of these smaller issues, and you'll continue enjoying a better drive in your trusty Mazda! Fingers crossed for you and your old girl! Here's hoping for a swift and hassle-free repair. Safe travels!

Thanks heaps for the info! You've definitely put my mind at ease, knowing that it's a relatively straightforward and cost-friendly fix. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking when you're not sure what the issue's gonna do to your pocket, you know. Good to hear you've not had any more problems since getting it sorted. I'll definitely remember your advice to address these smaller things before they pile up into something huge! Thanks again for your insight and well wishes. Now, let's get this ball rolling and have the old girl up and running nicely again. Safe travels on your end too! Cheers!