I am new to the Mazda scene, I have a 04 Mazda 3s and when the parking/head lights are off the stereo and A/C lights are on, then when the parking and head lights are turned on the radio and A/C lights turn off while the radio is still on?

Any ideas

 

There is a wire to the radio that dims the radio face lights when you turn the lights on so the radio does not blind you. Sounds like it is possibly wired wrong or something related to that circuit.

 

agreed!

 

Thank you soo much for the info, I will try to find the circuit. If there is a place to get wiring diagram and/or service manual please let me know.

 

Vetteboy,
Scroll through the setting on the radio. Y'know, ACL, Bass, Mid, Treble, etc.... One of them near the end is called "Illumination." The owner before you must have had it set to off. Set it to on and you should be good to go.

 

waiiiit so if you turn of illumination then it doesnt show the red lighting?

 

try it, but I dont tihnk it will work by the way you describe the problem...

 

Yeah. Thinking twice about it, it may work, but may not too.
Perhaps someone had played around w/parts of the car they didn't know enough about and screwed up wiring trying to power something else, such as: 1. another amp (which would also require a power source, or 2. accessory interior lighting, or 3. a cellphone charger, iPod input, etc... But of course I'm only guessing.
The stereo is pretty easy to remove. Perhaps that will tell you if someone else tried to tap power from one of it's wire leads?

 

It's not the radio illumination, been there done that. The car did have an aftermarket radio installed when I bought itso I bought the exact model # radio that came with the car and installed it, extremely easy as you said (does anyone know where to buy the radio display bezel because Mazda wants $124) it has worked for about 4 months and suddenly a few days agowhen the headlights are turned on the radio illumination turns off. When you turn the headlights off the radio illumination comes back on.

Do you guys suggest pulling the radio back out and searching fortapped wires from the previous install?

 

the 'illumination' option controls those three little lights to either side of the power/volume **** for when you turn it on or off or when you increase or decrease volume.