Traiko

The back light for my gauges is also connected with the backlight for the buttons on the air unit and the cig lighter. When I'm driving at night and have my lights on the backlights tend to get dim and bright, and flicker on/off. At first it didn't seem too bad, but now it's to the point that more then half the time, it's not even on at all, and I can't see my Tach at all.

I thought that it could possibly be a loose wire? When it happened right when I got the car I thought it might of been my stereo system drawing too much power, but even with the stereo totally off, I still have the problem. And the dimming and on/off isn't in sync with the music either. I'm pretty sure that when those lights are dimming and going on/off that none of the other lights are affected, but I haven't throughly checked.

I also have another electrical problem with the passenger window. The window switch on the passenger door can get the window up, but not down. I know it isnt a blown motor or anything, because I can control the passenger window fine from the control on the driver seat. I breifly took the door pannel off the passenger side door the other night to look for obvious loose connections or faulty wiring. I didn't see anything. Is there a quick solution to this, or do I have to get out my little meter and spot check everywhere along that switch back to see where the break is?


Any and all help/suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

JoelChicago

Sounds like a lightly corroded connector or cold solder joint on the backlighting. I have that problem with my clock currently - on, flickers, off, whatever.

On the window switch, pull the control panel from the door panel. You'll have to crack the switch open. I suspect you'll find the contact is just too gummed up and black. If not, you'll have to do some tracing. I had a similar problem and found my driver's door switch had a broken trace on the circuit board. Just soldered a thick wire in place.

Traiko

pjhrad: The headlight harness on the left of the dash? I'm not sure i know what you're talking about...
Joel: control pannel on the door pannel? Do you mean the switch? or is there some sort of circuit board somewhere in the passenger door that I didnt see the other day?

I'm on AIM right now if anyone wants to help me via a realtime medium... sn: jdellen05

BlackRx7

WHat Pjhrad means is you have to unscrew the instrument cluster and then on the Left you will see the gang plug that goes into the headlight switch. If your problem is the same as mine you will see some burnt plastic around the white and black wire, just cut the burnt plastic off and pull the white and black wire out of it, if you have a poker you can take the metal connector out with the wire. then make sure the conection is good (i had to resolder mine) and put it back in the gang plug and that should do it.

Traiko

ok... so
the surround of the tach is off (blinker switch, hazards, all that stuff.....
i took the screws off the tach...
but i can't get the tach out....
i turned it to one side a bit... just enough to see all of the cords connected to it. But do i need to take it out the whole way to access this thing you speak of?
I noticed the back of the tach is one big circuit board. Is that what you're talking about. I'm very new with cars, so you might have to elaborate more-so then you do with other people... please reply asap.. i want to get everything back together befor nightfall. Thanks!

Stepdaddy

i have the same problem, i listen for the buzz and carry a mag-light for help also

Traiko

im going out to my car. someone PLEASE reply soon. you can send messages shorter then 150 characters to my phone by sending an email to mobile@mazdasource.com. If you have TXT messaging for your phone, my # is 7179174642. I need help asap, especially if it affects my back lights, because I need to drive somewhere tonight.

Traiko

ok, got the instrument pannel out. checked the back. no char marks, no loose connections. everything looks good. so now what could it be?

Traiko

!bumpity!

Traiko

!

SonicRaT

iTrader: (6)

I have a similar problem, my switch looks clean, yet my interior lights go on/off whenever it feels like it, sometimes if I kick my kick panel (irony there?) they come back on, I'm wondering if I have a short where it plugs in behind the pick panel. I'll let you know what I find later tonight.

Traiko

I just took everything apart again, still no idea. Sigh.

ianbell

I have the same problem exactly, and my take is that it is the light switch itself that is is the problem - reason I think this is that ALL the panel lights right down to the one on the cigarette lighter and the logicon are effected. I just got another light switch from a wrecker and will see if changing it does the job - will let you know.

MaxRX7

I had the same problem.

you have to resolder the headlight switch, all the contacts just to be sure.

you guys may also want to resolder the CPU (next to the fuse box under the kick panel) while you are at it