2009 Mazda 6: Automatic Headlights Possibly on the Fritz

This is why automatic everything can be more trouble than it's worth.

If this was my car, I would be somewhat unhappy with it. The reliability on this thing has not been anything special.

did jaguar engineers from the 70's & 80's design the electronics for this car?

Not good at all. I'm sure CX-7lover will be along presently to tell us it's not Mazda's fault, but the headlight supplier - or some such. But this is really not good.

My mother's 2004 C320 had this happen a few years back and my wife's 2004 SL600 also had a similar issue. The headlights simply never turned off despite being in Auto. Turned out that the sensor had to be replaced entirely. It wasn't expensive in either case, but irritating nonetheless.

Actually, in many ways this new 6 is a lot like a MY2004 Mercedes. Mechanically very well built, but electrically disappointing. It really is a shame because the 1st generation was a workhorse.

This is just a guess but have you checked to make sure the sensor is clean?

The auto-headlights on my car acted up like this. I took it in to the dealer, and they said it was operating normally. Since then they've gotten better about turning on and off at the correct times. They may be a bit unreliable, but auto-headlights aren't as over-the-top unnecessary as some electronic toys in modern cars, and can be pretty convenient. I think they're worth it. Besides, when you live in Southern California (LA-LA Land, with all the amazing features wrinklebump so kindly pointed out) the amount of people you see driving around at night without headlights and oblivious to that fact is simply astonishing. If we're going to continue licensing any talentless, air-headed fool, these things are simply necessary.

Hybris- in mazdas with rain sensing wipers the dusk sensor is inside the rain sensor, so if the windshield above that was obstructed the wipers would turn on thinking there was water on the windshield.

I have no idea who posted it but there was once a comment saying if your electric toothbrush breaks it's still a toothbrush. The same holds true for the headlights if the auto function isn't working, they are just manual head lights like most cars have. But of course JRiz can't be bothered to turn the switch because he needs to hurry home to iron on the EVO wing (That was a great picture) .

@jaeger1 - I'm also waiting for cx7lover's comment because when he told me he didn't like my Tribeca I told him I got it because the plastics in the CX-9 felt like crap. But it's not Mazda's fault its the plastic suppliers fault.

@stovt001

trust me, there are plenty of talentless, air-headed fools driving at night sans headlights in North Carolina, too.

"But of course JRiz can't be bothered to turn the switch because he needs to hurry home to iron on the EVO wing"

Actually, I did just turn the lights off. Doing so allowed me to see the electroluminescent gauges and the audio screen.

Is this the reincarnation of "Lucas Prince of Darkness", "Buy Two Jaguars (one's always in the shop) and "Your MG Needs a Nappy 'Cause the Oil Pan Always Leaks".

Hey, if the Nav is right, call us when you reach Hawaii?

JRiz I hope you knew it, but I was kidding about the comment. I'm starting to figure that sarcasm doesn't really work in words as much as it does in person.

Jriz: isn't there a stalk in the cluster to turn off the cluster dimmer while your lights are on during the day? There's one on my 3. Does it change the dim-ness of the navi too?

What Redliner said.

I maybe wrong but I think the fail safe mode for auto headlights when there is a malfunction is to have the lights on all the time. It is designed that way to keep the lights from turning off suddenly at night when you need them most. Actually no one I know has problems with their auto headlights. This is a pretty reliable system in just about all vehicles that have them. My Mom's friend has an old (don't know exactly but more than 10 years) Caddy and the auto lights work perfectly on it.

The Tribeca is an epic failure, get over it. If you want to predict what I'm h

Maybe whoever replaced the navi system also messed with the light sensor wire harness

If you want to predict what I'm going to say you should use common sense

@mercedesfan:

The first generation was a great car, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it a workhorse. In 2 years of owning it, my cousin had leaky door seals and a completely broken transmission that needed to be replaced. Not to mention the fact the windows would freeze shut in the winter and the car incurred massive damage in a minor accident that was equivalent to half its KBB value (this was long after the other problems though).

IThen again, I always felt like my '95 S was built like a tank but the repair bills also proved otherwise. It depends on what lens we put on when we look at a car and its history.

The person who thought up of automatic headlights should be shot, along with the clowns who thought up of keyless entry systems, rain sensing wipers, lane departure warning signals and for all the other "convenience" for people who are too lazy to move their fingertips. What was wrong with using a good old key to open doors, turning on your headlight and wipers with the flick of the fingers and a twist of the wrist?

What happened to the good old days when the word 'luxury' meant a leather interior, a decent sound system, air bags and if one really wanted live extravagantly, a DVD player with navigation?

I shudder to think what will happen in about ten years. One probably has to get in the car and speak out the destination, then lie back in a seat the size of a bed while the seat belt will fasten itself around the person(one can't be called a driver when that happens) and the car will take him away.

And I suppose we should all hand-crank our engines to start them as well. Darn lazy people using these extravagant keys and starter motors instead of the strong arms the good Lord gave them.

^^ Comprehension issues? I said a key was good enough.

Altghough if they did crank start a car, they probably wouldn't be overweight and need bigger seats and more legroom. I suppose you are one of those people who think an automatic headlight is the "Good Lords" gift to men?

CX7Lover: news flash - you are fairly predictable.

CX7Lover, were you serious or being sarcastic when you wrote that "whoever replaced the navi system also messed with the light sensor wire harness"?

Are you kidding? And....do you think you really have any credibility left?

dragonflight...

I'm assuming you just loved Lord of the Rings...

You posted:

The first generation was a great car, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it a workhorse. In 2 years of owning it, my cousin had leaky door seals and a completely broken transmission that needed to be replaced. Not to mention the fact the windows would freeze shut in the winter and the car incurred massive damage in a minor accident that was equivalent to half its KBB value (this was long after the other problems though)."

My 2003 6 has really been a very good, but hot GREAT, car. There were some recall issues, but my only ongoing concern is the tranny...THE ONLY JAPANESE PART OF THE CAR.

Don't know about the cold winters because I can afford to live in California :) so...

But I had a tire smash my front end, an Explorer smash my back end, and the thing is still quiet as can be after the repairs...and it has never left me stranded...which is more than I can say for the GM cars I've owned.