2017 CX5 - dash light always off

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Mazda 5
It seems that the light for the right most dial (fuel gauge, odometer etc) is always off or very dim. I just can't seem to find a setting where it'll be lit or bright enough to read. I can turn it on easily enough, but i shouldn't have to everytime i get in the car. Any ideas?
 
Try turning off your headlights.

and/or locate the odometer reset push stick thingy and rotate clockwise
 
Clicking the brightness adjustment stick in the cluster also has some sortof override function associated with it. The owners manual uses confusing wording to describe it so I'm not certain, but it has a function that is related to cluster brightness.
 
The adjustment stalk functions only when the headlights are on, and it controls all three pods synchronously.
If you have auto light control, the override keeps the illumination bright in bright ambient light.

What you're describing is not normal. You should have the dealer look at it.
 
Try turning off your headlights.

and/or locate the odometer reset push stick thingy and rotate clockwise

The reset thingy is how I turn the dial light on, and it only brightens the darkened one (gas/temp/odometer). I really don't think I should have to do that every time I get in the car. Interesting about the headlights though. I'll have to experiment with that. I have taken to leaving them on because when they are off, more often than not, I find myself forgetting to turn them on at night and end up driving with only the daytime driving lights on. Which means of course I don't have tail lights, and that's problematic at night. I figure they turn off automatically so why not just leave them on all the time. It would seem a bit odd that the headlights might have an effect on the dial wouldn't it?

Soon after I got the car I bumped the display brightness up. Perhaps I should reset to original settings? I never got a manual, so what is the preferred setting - auto, daytime or night? The night seems to dim everything.

Strange thing this car. I find myself forgetting to do simple things, like get gas! Well.. I let it get much farther down that I ever used to with any other vehical. I guess I'm just distracted by the ride.
 
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The reset thingy is how I turn the dial light on. I really don't think I should have to do that every time I get in the car. Interesting about the headlights though. I have taken to leaving them on because when they are off, more often than not, I find myself forgetting to turn them on at night and end up driving with only the daytime driving lights on. Which means of course I don't have tail lights, and that's problematic at night. I figure they turn off automatically so why not just leave them on all the time. It would seem a bit odd that the headlights might have an effect on the dial wouldn't it?

Soon after I got the car I bumped the display brightness up. Perhaps I should reset to original settings? I never got a manual, so what is the preferred setting - auto, daytime or night? The night seems to dim everything.

Strange thing this car. I find myself forgetting to do simple things, like get gas! Well.. I let it get much farther down that I ever used to with any other vehical. I guess I'm just distracted by the ride.

How come you didn't get an owners manual (uhm)

Here's a link to 2018 owners manual (should only be minor differences between 2017 & 2018):

https://www.mazdausa.com/siteassets/pdf/owners-optimized/2018/cx5/2018-cx-5-owners-manual.pdf

Here's an extract from your owners manual:

11m7urm.jpg
 
The adjustment stalk functions only when the headlights are on, and it controls all three pods synchronously.
If you have auto light control, the override keeps the illumination bright in bright ambient light.

What you're describing is not normal. You should have the dealer look at it.

The reset thingy is how I turn the dial light on, and it only brightens the darkened one (gas/temp/odometer). I really don't think I should have to do that every time I get in the car. Interesting about the headlights though. I'll have to experiment with that. I have taken to leaving them on because when they are off, more often than not, I find myself forgetting to turn them on at night and end up driving with only the daytime driving lights on. Which means of course I don't have tail lights, and that's problematic at night. I figure they turn off automatically so why not just leave them on all the time. It would seem a bit odd that the headlights might have an effect on the dial wouldn't it?

Soon after I got the car I bumped the display brightness up. Perhaps I should reset to original settings? I never got a manual, so what is the preferred setting - auto, daytime or night? The night seems to dim everything.

Strange thing this car. I find myself forgetting to do simple things, like get gas! Well.. I let it get much farther down that I ever used to with any other vehical. I guess I'm just distracted by the ride.

Yes you have to adjust your settings. Try resetting back to factory settings. Then select Auto in the infotainment screen. Also select Auto on your left steering wheel stalk. I think that is my setting.

In auto mode, the sensor in your windshield detects if its dark outside therefore turns your headlights on and readjusts the brightness of your dash...I think dims it? We only need stronger light output during the day under sunlight. Ever try watching a youtube vid on your laptop outside on a sunny day? Can't really.

So perhaps when you manually turn on your headlights ("On" on stalk?) during the day it thinks its night time outside therefore dims the dash. Solution could be just use Auto.
 
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My car doesn't have the auto setting on the turn signal stalk - Just Off - something intermediate - On. According to the manual the intermediate setting will turn on the daytime running lights and the tail lights, but will leave off the headlights, where as with the full on setting the daytime running lights are switched to the headlights.


Perhaps a stupid question, but can someone explain to me what the actual physical difference is between the day time running lights and the headlights? Are they not the same lights? they appear to be, that is, what I believe to be the headlights are on. That is what has caused the issue in the first place, as I was taking them as the headlights.
 
My car doesn't have the auto setting on the turn signal stalk - Just Off - something intermediate - On. According to the manual the intermediate setting will turn on the daytime running lights and the tail lights, but will leave off the headlights, where as with the full on setting the daytime running lights are switched to the headlights.


Perhaps a stupid question, but can someone explain to me what the actual physical difference is between the day time running lights and the headlights? Are they not the same lights? they appear to be, that is, what I believe to be the headlights are on. That is what has caused the issue in the first place, as I was taking them as the headlights.

Over here no. DRL is halo+ led bulb underneath. LED headlight(s) are a different bulb. See below (red arrows):

2ewjxid.png


In the case of Mazda North America, your DRL is basically halo + LED headlights. See below (red arrow):

1zexoj8.jpg
 
My car doesn't have the auto setting on the turn signal stalk - Just Off - something intermediate - On. According to the manual the intermediate setting will turn on the daytime running lights and the tail lights, but will leave off the headlights, where as with the full on setting the daytime running lights are switched to the headlights.

Perhaps a stupid question, but can someone explain to me what the actual physical difference is between the day time running lights and the headlights? Are they not the same lights? they appear to be, that is, what I believe to be the headlights are on. That is what has caused the issue in the first place, as I was taking them as the headlights.
The intermediate position on headlight switch is for parking lights. And your gen-2 Touring has different DRL setup from GT.

Although 2017 CX-5 owner's manual says the front turn signal/parking light uses dual-filament 7444NA bulb, but the pictures I took earlier on a 2017 CX-5 GT suggests otherwise:

Light switch at parking light position:
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Light switch at headlight on position (low beam):
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LED Signature accent strips added on GT partially block turn signal and LED DRL location on Touring/Sport. And you can see how small and dim the turn signal is on GT comparing to Touring/Sport when the headlights are on!

The LED DRL space on Touring/Sport between headlight and amber parking/turn signal looks like unused on GT.

View attachment 217137 View attachment 217136

Here are some pictures from 2017 CX-5 Touring showing whenever DRL function is on, both LED DRLs and LED low-beam headlights are simultaneously on! You can imagine how GT DRLs work by replacing Touring LED DRLs with GT's LED Signature DRLs.

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Here's what the front lights look like when light switch is at parking light position without DRL function when car is in stationary:
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Here's what the front lights look like when light switch is at headlight-on position without DRL function when car is in stationary:
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Finally for 2017 CX-5 Touring the high-beam is from the same LED cell for the low beam in the projector, and use a shutter to control them like 2015 bi-xenon HID. For 2016 LED headlights we have a separate LED cell at inner side of the low beam LED dedicated for high beam only.


View attachment 216512 View attachment 216513 View attachment 216515 View attachment 216514
 
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