About 3 weeks ago I bought a 2006 Mazda 3 hatchback. Pretty grown-up car for someone who's driven a 1998 Civic CX hatchback for 10 years..."Ooh, look at all those pretty dashboard lights!"

Well, I've discovered that when I turn the headlights to the "on" position, as opposed to the AUTO position, those pretty dashboard lights turn off. Not helpful. I assume it's an electrical or computer programming problem, but wonder if anyone else out there has encountered this and a solution to it? Or will I have to go to a DEALER?? Thanks! Ber

 

I don't have the auto lights myself, though clearly if you're in the US with an '06 that has them you have the GT trim, yes? So assuming your cluster is the same as mine you have a few controls which will affect the dash cluster lights and will do different things depending on what position the light control stalk is in.

Look at the top of the cluster between the speedometer and the tachometer and you should find a button (same type as the trip reset on the other side). This should toggle the cluster lights.

With the headlight switch turned to OFF:
-toggles the red electroluminescent gauges through 6-7 brightness settings

With the headlight switch turned to ON:
-toggles between day mode and night mode
-Day mode will have the red at the same brightness you set it to with the lights off
-Night mode will dim them to a very low setting so as to not blind you and make the blue
show more.

I ran into a similar problem when I first picked up my car. I always drove with my headlights on, and the first time I turned them on I couldn't see the gauges anymore. The salesman didn't know anything about it, however I found it in the manual.

Hope that helps.