Seeking Advice on Dimming Lights and Weak Battery in 2017 Mazda Atenza Gasoline Engine, Suspected Battery Sensor Issue

Hey there! Your hunch isn't far off. I had a peg similar to that on my 2015 Mazda6, almost twins with yours. Now, I'm no expert mechanic but I've been around the block some. Took mine to my local garage when the lights started behaving like a moody disco ball and the engine struggled to wake up. Turns out, I had a wonky microprocessor on my battery sensor. The blokes at the garage replaced it and the issue was sorted. Ran me about 315 Euro, but it had my old girl running smooth again. Double check with your mechanic, have them look at that battery sensor and the microprocessor. Oh, and could you share more info on your car's specifics? Mileage, any recent service, any other wonky behaviors? More detail will help us pin it down better. Good luck!

Hey, thanks for the quick reply! That's super helpful and it's a relief to know I might be on the right track. I wondered about the microprocessor too, you might be spot on. My Atenza's done 87234KM, no major recent services or anything like that, just the usual maintenance. Apart from the weird light show and the grumpy morning starts, she's been running fine. No other funky behaviors as such. I'll definitely ask my mechanic to dig into the battery sensor and the microprocessor! Cheers for the help!

No worries, happy to help out. The mileage you've got on your Atenza seems pretty standard, and without any major recent services or habitual oddities, I'm willing to bet what fixed my Mazda6 will sort yours out too. When it comes to sensor problems, symptoms aren't always as clear as we'd like 'em. They can cause all sorts of erratic behavior—not just in your lights but also in your engine performance, which is probably why your girl's acting up in the mornings. So yeah, have your mechanic inspect the battery sensor and check the microprocessor for sure. Alternatively, if your battery's old or worn out, it may not be holding a charge properly, causing both the dim lights and the weak start. Might be worth checking that while you're at it. Give us a shout if there's any more info you need. Always here to help a fellow Mazda guy out. Best of luck!

Hey again! That's some spot-on advice and I appreciate it. The battery is a couple of years old, so getting that checked as well won't hurt. It's been quite an adventure figuring this out but your insight could really make a difference. Can't thank you enough, really. I'll drop a line after getting these checks done and will let you know how it all pans out. Motor on!