2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Update 5: A New Top and Cold Air

The long-term 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata is sitting in the #MTGarage with a new top and an air conditioner that works again. I mentioned the soft-top issue in a previous update, but A/C troubles surfaced during a recent road trip from Los Angeles to Canada and back down the beautiful Oregon Coast. The 2,800-mile trip was close to perfect until the A/C stopped blowing cold air when I needed it the most—during a six-hour leg through Central California in triple-digit heat.

A trip to the dealership revealed a busted weld connecting a pipe to the compressor. The service techs couldn’t determine what caused the failure, but our ever-mindful associate road test editor Benson Kong speculates it could be collateral damage from a recent fender bender. Either way, Mazda completed the repair under warranty and the A/C is once again blowing cold air.

This visit also addressed the issue with the soft top, which was showing premature wear and fraying in multiple spots due to the fabric rubbing against the frame when the top is down. The fix required a replacement fabric soft top (including the rear glass) and a completely new frame that’s been redesigned to prevent the rubbing. There’s no noticeable difference between the old and new top, though the new one does appear to sit a tad higher in the down position. On the upside, the new top pops up higher when unlatched from the down position, which makes it easier to reach from the driver’s seat and close. Hopefully this resolves the issue because the repair wasn’t cheap—the invoice noted that the new soft top (fabric, glass, and frame) totaled $6,396, thankfully covered under warranty.

According to my service advisor, Mazda hasn’t issued a service bulletin for this issue, though other owners might be experiencing it as well (it’s a popular topic on Miata forums). Some owners have reported fraying caused by the top rubbing against the roll hoops and others have reported failing support straps, though it appears the automaker has largely solved both problems.

More on our long-term Mazda MX-5 Miata Club: 

• Arrival
• Update 1: Rats, Road Trips, and Real MPG
• Update 2: Getting Fired Up at the Track
• Update 3: How the Miata Performs in the Snow
• Update 4: Tearing Up the Top

The post 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club Update 5: A New Top and Cold Air appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2eKZK5o