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Mazda 626 Electrical Issues

31 messages,  Last post on Apr 29, 2013 at 1:49 PM

You are in the Mazda 626 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mazda 626, Lights, Auto Repair, Electrical, Sedan

Messages Page 1 of 3

#1 of 31 right headlight out, left headlight flickers, headlight relay clicks or buz by d0s4d1

May 21, 2007 (2:18 pm)

Hi, I'm new to this forum, looking to fix a really nasty problem on my 1999 Mazda 626 and I'm way over my head. I don't have money to take this to the shop, but my headlights are out so I can't drive at night, as a musician that ruins everything! (I'm only up at night!!!!!!)
 
Symptoms:
 
* right headlight is out
 
* left headlight flickers
 
* clicking or buzzing sound coming from the "headlight relay" which is in the main (engine compartment) fuse box
 
If the car is running you hear a buzzing sound coming from the relay and it flickers really really fast, but if the car is off when you turn on the headlights then it clicks instead of buzzing in that fuse compartment and the headlight flickers about 5-10 times a second in time with the clicking coming from the relay.
 
I checked the fuses in the main fuse box, and they're all fine. I switched the relay with the horn relay (same type) and the other relay did the same thing, so the relay is ok and it's just getting fed some bad electrocity i thinks. I switched light bulbs and the symptoms remained the same; the lights are not burned out. I also tried unhooking the hazard switch and dimmer from the dash but no effect (a n00b move i'm sure).
 
At this point, the only things I can see in the Haynes manual's diagrams shows me that it could be a short circuit somewhere in the wiring, (lots of wires to trace unfortunately) or the headlight switch could be bad (mounted on steering column) or maybe the CPU is bad. I don't really know how to test these with my multimeter.
 
No other systems appear to be affected; other lights work and I can drive the car in the daytime.
 
I should also mention that I just got done getting a new transmission, and then I took the dash apart and replaced burned out bulbs in the dash and also I rewired a new circuit from the battery through a 30 amp inline fuse and a 10-ga cable through the firewall to a new cigarette lighter receptacle and hard-wired battery chargers for my phones and laptop to that as well. Oh and I installed a new stereo and rewired the speakers. I just pulled out the 30-amp fuse to kill that new cig lighter circuit I had put in and nothing changed, and I'm pretty sure I did that right. Things worked for about a month after all that work I did, and just last night this new issue started.
 
I'm really over my head. I'm a musician and computer haxx0r and I fix my car when it breaks but I'm kind of a hacker here too and not really sure what I'm doing. I wish I could take this to a shop but I have a feeling it could cost $500 and I'm literally broke, so broke that now I can't go to sit in with some natinoally known musicians tomorrow and the next night because I can't drive and anyway I couldn't pay cover to get into the sessions. so I'm looking for advice to get these headlights working myself! I have plenty of electrical wiring and a multimeter and a soldering iron
 
can anyone help or point me in the right direction to troubleshoot this? thanks in advance for your help.
 
Nicole
www.nicole-sherburne.com

#2 of 31 VICTORY IS MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 by d0s4d1

May 22, 2007 (12:01 pm)

Crew Chief at Green Flag Auto's forums suggested I needed to check the grounds. Lesson to be learned's short version: always check the grounds first.
 
Well, it didn't just ground from the light to the frame. But I could tell I had a ground problem since putting an ohm meter between the ground post on the battery and the ground wires showed 55 ohms of resistance for the right light and 12 ohms on the left. That seemed not good to me, even with my limited experience.
 
I figured out that the grounds to the headlights are definitely switched. The hot wire is also switched, and determines whether the lights are on at all. Then there is a ground to high beam and a ground to low beam that are switched between to control high versus low, and so I couldn't just ground to the frame.
 
So I ran heavy gauge speaker wire (best I had since the other wire I had was 22ga) from the high-beam ground on the left light to the high-beam ground on the right, and the same for the low beams. the headlights now work 100% correctly and everything is ok.
 
I have no idea where those grounds eventually end up, since it goes through the switch on the steering column, so I didn't go to the trouble of making sure the rest of that is ok. If the left headlight's grounds fail then they'll go out again. But I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, the one good ground is handling everything just fine.
 
I swear I will never forget the ground again
 
Nikki the Invincable

#3 of 31 Re: VICTORY IS MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 [d0s4d1] by pat

May 23, 2007 (5:21 am)

Replying to: d0s4d1 (May 22, 2007 12:01 pm)
Congratulations! Thanks for letting us know what happened.

#4 of 31 Thermostat fluctuating to C by debra6

Nov 17, 2007 (12:16 pm)

My 2001 Mazda 626's thermostat has been fluctuating down to C for the last three days. I noticed it 4 days ago. I turned the car on in the evening (in the 50s out) and the needle sat on C for several miles (longer than ususal) and then slowly came up to just below the half way mark. I looked down several minutes later and it fluctuated down toward the C and then came back up. First thing the next morning I took it to my mechanic. He checked the fluids which were fine and said it was probably an electrical short and as long as it didn't go above the a half way point not to worry. I've had a lot of work done on this car. Most recently replaced the radiator and thermostat and brakes. Today it started doing it again. Anybody have this problem? Could it be something more than just an electrical short?

#5 of 31 Re: Thermostat fluctuating to C [debra6] by anaknicole

Dec 16, 2007 (12:45 pm)

Replying to: debra6 (Nov 17, 2007 12:16 pm)
did u ever figure out what happened to your electrical system? i have an 89 mazda 626 and all of the sudden it wont show what my temp is. or how much gas i have or my rpms or if im in drive park reverse. nothing. the only thing it will show is how fast im going. its strange but if you could help it would be greatly appreciated.

#6 of 31 Flickering lghts with a buzzing by renem

Feb 11, 2008 (5:13 pm)

I have a 1998 Mazda 626
  
Symptoms:
  
* right headlight is out
  
* left headlight flickers
  
* clicking or buzzing sound coming from somewhere
  
If the car is running you hear a buzzing sound and it flickers really really fast and the headlight flickers about 5-10 times a second in time with the clicking coming from the relay. It doesn't happen when only the parking lights are on

#7 of 31 Charge & Rear lights come on when I turn the wheel by askperry

Sep 11, 2008 (9:12 am)

I have a 1990 Mazda 626 (still). Whenever I turn on the A/C or turn the steering wheel,
 
1. the "charge" light and "rear" light come on.
2. Power steering is lost.
 
After I cleaned the battery terminal, this problem only exist when I turn the steering wheel.
 
I get 12V when the engine is off and 13.3V when the engine is on. I've taken the battery and alternator out of the car and had them tested at AutoZone. They are both good.
 
Thanks in advance.

#8 of 31 2001 626 4cyl. electric fuel pump controls by budb

Oct 24, 2008 (9:01 am)

#9 of 31 regarding message 8 - continuation by budb

Oct 25, 2008 (4:15 pm)

I have no shop manuals. Was having to turn on key and wait for 10-15 seconds before car would start, leading me to believe a weak fuel pump had to catch up. Was running fine once started. After a 2 hour drive pulled in to stop and car would no longer start. Had good fire and no fuel. Replaced fuel pump, still will not start. Checked wires from relay to pump, has continuity. You can hear the new pump running but only for a couple of seconds right after operating the starter. Suspect the fuel pump relay or whatever triggers the relay is faulty.
 
Is the fuel pump supposed to be running constantly when the ignition is on and the engine is running?
     
Any suggestions as to what I should check next? I am considering bypassing the relay if the pump is supposed to operate anytime the ignition is on anyway. Good idea???? Please help

#10 of 31 Re: regarding message 8 - continuation [budb] by packerbacker1

Oct 31, 2008 (9:12 am)

Replying to: budb (Oct 25, 2008 4:15 pm)
I have a similar problem bodb. Mine starts sometimes on first try, then other times on 2nd or 3rd try and yet other times, I need to use starting fluid. I've read that some folks needed to replace the distributer (pricey) and others replaced the Crankshaft Positioning Sensor. Good luck

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