mx5cartalk.com

Looking to hear if anyone already knows about this issue before I start crawling over the car checking relays, switches, wiring, etc.

This is a bit intermttent now, but it's getting worse. The headlights don't pop up when you turn them on at the light switch, although the headlight bulbs always light up, whether they pop up or stay down. They do pop up and go down normally when you use the up/down switch in the centre of the dash.

Phil, same & similar issue has come up before - resolution is sometimes a replacement stalk & collar, but sometimes also seemingly elusive: viewtopic.php?f=55&t=74659

Thanks Paul. As I thought, it's a bit of a can of worms, isn't it? At least all my wiring is stock.

There's a second link within the one you posted to anther discussion about pop-ups. This contained a really useful piece of advice from Peter C:

pcmx5 wrote:I think you will find if you read the manual the Mazda advises using the pop up light switch rather than the headlight control to raise the lights.Not sure why it makes any difference but apparently enough to warrant a mention.Hope all goes well,

Peter.

I think I'll happily obey that until after Xmas. The only problem is that I won't be able to flash my lights. I'll just have to wave a bit more obviously instead or maybe drop it back to 2nd to make enough noise to signal that I'm going to overtake.

Later on I'll probably do the usual manga fix-everything procedure and take the switch out, flood it with circuit board cleaner and flow silver solder over any worn contacts.

manga_blue wrote:The only problem is that I won't be able to flash my lights.

Indeed, Phil it will require two hands for the two movements to flash, which is not as swift or as safe depending on circumstances.
Btw, recall an NA owner whose headlight switch contacts were so compromised that the headlights were coming on when the pop-ups were down & car was parked, thus draining the battery.

That NA owner would be me. Thought that my 13 year old panasonic battery had finally gone belly up.

I found that if I pushed the stalk slightly foward the lights would stay off until I turned them on. Never did fix it.

Three NAs later I have not (touch wood) had that issue again.

J

Good to hear from you Juffa.

I've had the same issue, pretty sure it will be this lil bugger... open it up & it'll probably smell fryed

Trade it in on an NB