Q: Electrical problem

Electrical concerns can often times be difficult to narrow down. It appears that your Mazda may have corrosion issues with its battery cables. It is not uncommon for the battery cables to develop corrosion near the battery terminals. Corrosion tends to spread rather quickly and can travel down inside the wires insulation and create resistance which prevents adequate power from reaching the components the battery powers. When this happens, symptoms such as the ones you describe with your Mazda 6 can definitely be duplicated. One thing you can try yourself is, while wearing safety gloves, opening the hood of your vehicle and locating the battery. Visually inspect the battery terminals and the wires coming off of them. If you see corrosion, then this is likely the reason your lights and gauges are not functioning properly. I recommend enlisting the assistance of a certified mechanic to come by and inspect your vehicle’s electrical system. They will have the experience and tools needed to identify the exact cause of your electrical issues. In most cases, they will simply be able to clean the battery posts and terminals so proper battery voltage can reach everything that requires power. If the problem is more severe, such as replacing bad battery cables or a faulty control module, they will be able to make the repairs needed to restore proper function all of your vehicle’s systems.