hey all ,

so im driving tonight and all a sudden my gauge lights and hvac lights start to dim then jump back on and dim n jump back on , seems to me there is a short somewhere , but i recently installed a new deck and im thinkin it has somethin to do with that cause my last deck didnt make any problems like that at all, now is there some sort of way to find out about this ? maybe take the deck out and wiggle around wires n such to see what it is ?

iirc, those are signs the alt is on it's way out. only problem, I've no idea as I've been awake to long to know for sure.

if you have a parts store or something around that is able to test it for free, do that. if it is that, shoot me a PM.

+1 to what Brad said....typically the culprit will be an alternator on the way out. Is there a way you can get enough access to the alternator to see what kind of voltage, and current it is producing?


2004 Mazda6s MTX
Canadian Eh!

If its just the gauge and hvac lights its not the alt. check the wiring for the radio. there is a illumination wire that goes to the radio to light it up, it sounds like either the radio is causing the short or you have a bare wire grounding out. im not sure of the color, It will be 12v only when the lights are on and changes voltage when you adjust the dimmer to the left of the steering wheel.


01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e