2013 Mazda Mazda3 Lighting Problems

When driving at highway speeds and applying brakes, the headlights will pulse bright to dim for the duration of braking. I have seen this problem reported online by several dealers and it has a known software update to fix the problem, but it is not listed under the recalls for this vehicle. A similar problem exists on the 2014 Mazda's and a recall does exist for that vehicle.

ONGOING PROBLEM - REPORTED BY OTHERS IN MANY FORUMS. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED. DURING BREAKING HEADLIGHTS PULSE BRIGHTER AND DIMMER

DESCRIPTION THIS VEHICLE EXHIBITS THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DECELERATING (BY APPLYING THE BRAKES) WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. THIS CONCERN IS CAUSED BY INADEQUATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT (CONTROLLED BY THE PCM) WHEN THE BATTERY IS UNDER HEAVY LOAD. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED. MAZDA WILL NOT UPDATE THE PCM WITHOUT CHARGING CUSTOMERS A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPROGRAMMING FEE IN THE US.

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE DECELERATING. ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN BRAKING. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME, JUST DECIDED NOW TO REPORT IT. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE.

LIGHTING:WHEN APPLYING BREAKS, HEADLIGHTS FLICKER. WINDSHIELD: LEAKS. ADHESIVE EXPANDED, CAUSING SEAL TO BREAK. WATER POURS IN ON DASH FROM SIDE DURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS OR CAR WASH. ADHESIVE ALSO EXPANDED ON GAUGE PANEL, CAUSING DISPLAY WINDOW TO LIFT. WAS THIS WAY WHEN PURCHASED. DID NOT NOTICE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDOW SEAL AT TIME OF PURCHASE.

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS FLICKER/PULSE. OVER THE LAST 6-12 MONTHS THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED SO THAT IT HAS BEGUN REDUCING VISIBILITY. PLUS, NEARBY CARS ARE DISTRACTED, EVIDENTLY THINKING WE ARE IN DISTRESS. WE BELIEVE THIS CREATES AN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC HAZARD. NOTE: INITIALLY, THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHEN SLOWING FROM AN INITIAL SPEED OF ABOUT 25-40MPH. NOW IT SEEMS TO HAVE ADVANCED TO HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED ABOVE ABOUT 25MPH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 20-60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED SMITH HAVEN MAZDA (827 JERICHO TURNPIKE, ST JAMES, NY 11780, 631) 724-4070) AND MAZDA 112 (2112 NY-112, MEDFORD, NY 11763, (631) 256-1074), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED REFERENCE NUMBER: 1-2451813550 THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKING.

WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, THE LIGHT FLASH ALMOST AS IF IT FLASHING MY BRIGHT LIGHT, NO MATTER WHERE OR HOW FAST OR SLOW I'M DRIVING.

THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKING OR IN PARKED. DRIVERS SEAT WOBBLES/ROCKS/SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DANGEROUS.

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES CARS THINK I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM SO THEY WILL TURN THEIR BRIGHT LIGHTS ON. ONCE I ALMOST DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF A WINDING ROAD BECAUSE WHEN THE FLICKERING LIGHTS BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL REFLECTORS, IT WAS DISORIENTING

THE HEADLIGHTS ON A NEWLY PURCHASED USED 2013 MAZDA 3 FLICKERING WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING ON UNLIT STREETS AT NIGHT. TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A COVERED MANUFACTURED ISSUE. THIS IS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND BEING DRIVEN.

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY KEEPS COLLECTING WATER WHICH SHORTS OUT THE HEADLIGHTS AND BALLAST. I KEEP FINDING THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WHEN RESEARCHING IT ONLINE. I CAN'T FIND ANY OBVIOUS WORN SEALS OR CRACKS. I'VE CHANGED MY LIGHTBULB 3 TIMES SO FAR IN SIX MONTHS. I FIND WATER EVERY TIME. MY LIGHT WILL MAGICALLY JUST GO OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING USUALLY AT NIGHT.

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND I BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN, WHETHER COASTING OR USING THE BRAKE, MY HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER REALLY BAD. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME. THERE ARE TIMES THEY FLICKER BAD ENOUGH THAT IT LOOKS LIKE I AM FLASHING MY HIGHBEAMS. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF HOW HARD IT MADE IT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE SURROUNDING AREA. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT ITS LIKE FOR SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME OR DRIVING TOWARDS ME. SOMETIMES THEY WILL ALSO FLASH A FEW TIMES WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY CONTINUE TO SAY NOTHING IS WRONG. SO IT IS STILL AN ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT.

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER OR PULSE. THE FLASHING HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN FOLLOWING BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MANY MONTHS.

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AND FLICKER UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. NIGHTTIME VIABILITY IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIMINISHED WHEN APPLYING THE BREAKS AND FLICKERING SEAMS TO SEND A SIGNAL TO OTHER VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THIS DEFECT OCCURS 100% OF THE TIME WHEN APPLYING THE BEAKS AT NIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (MAZDA KNOXVILLE, 8814 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN (BRAKING OR JUST DECELERATING) THE LIGHTS FLICKER. THIS HAPPENS WITH HIGH OR LOW BEAMS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY, BUT AFTER REPLACEMENT THIS CONTINUED.

2013 MAZDA 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HEADLIGHT CONDENSATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS

WHILE BRAKING THE FRONT LIGHTS ARE PULSING FROM REGULAR TO DIM AND BACK AND FORTH. THEY RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED WHILE EXITING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO A DOWN RAMP.THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM MAZDA ON THIS, #13-21. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE TO MY VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE IN MY OPINION.