Hi All!

I own a 93 Mazda 626 and a few day back, the check "Back Lights" lit up on my panel. My headlights and brake lights seem to be working fine. I don't know anything about cars. Does this warning indicate that the bulbs in my tail lights need replacing? What do I need to look for? Is it safe to drive my car with this check "Back Lights" on?

Thanks for your help and advice.

 

Hi msting77 and welcome as I see this is your first post and just joined today.

First off it is safe to drive your car unless your local police like to ticket for inoperative lights. [:@]

Does this light come on all the time, only when braking, or only when lights are on? Your car is equipped with a sensor that measures the amount of electrical current flowing to the rear tail and stop bulbs. If one burns out then current flow decreases and the checker turns on that light to warn you that a bulb is out. Check to make sure that all four brake/tail lights are operating. There are two in the trunk lamp assemblies and two in the body combination lamps. Also make sure that all of the tail lights are of equal brightness and same with the brake lights.
If you want to be extra safe then just replace all four rear bulbs with bulb trade #3496. Don't worry, the parts store will know what you need if you just ask them for four #3496 bulbs. They are similar in wattage use to a #1157 bulb but only a little skinnier.

The parts store might even install them for you but if not and you need some help in getting to them give a post back.

 

Thank you very much for the informative details. Managed to get the tail-light issue rectified.

I have another small or major problem. Whilst I was driving a few days back, the clutch pedal went all the way down and had to get the car towed. The clutch was replaced in 2004. A friend told me that, it may be a cable problem or simply ran out of "clutch" fluid. Can I replace the fluid on my own? Do you know were the fluid cap is located? I have limited knowledge of cars and would greatly appreciate you advice.

Thank you

 

 

You do not have a clutch cable but instead uses hydralulics to operate the clutch. Your clutch system is probably out of fluid as your friend suggested. Your clutch hydraulic system shares the same resevoir with the brake system. Brake/clutch resevoir is located in the drivers rear corner of the engine compartment. First drawing below shows what it looks like. The clutch portion of the resevoir is in approx the rearmost 1 inch of this resevoir. If you can not see any fluid in that part by shining a flashlight thru one side and looking at the other then the clutch hydralulic system is out of fluid and is the reason for clutch pedal siinking to the floor. Adding fluid at this point will not help as there is now air in the system and a leak from somewhere, most probably from the clutch release cylinlder. This part is bolted to the engine down below the drivers side of the exhaust manifold area and behind the radiator. Second drawing below shows what it will look like. You will notice that one end of this cylinder has a black rubber accordioned boot. Pull this boot back from the metal cylinder part. If fluid runs out then the internal seals have failed and it will need to be replaced.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1377/C36E9312070E4D66A6CAC70D7C2C3FB5.gif[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/1377/4D402212F4FC4CDFA8DA5291D5A524A0.gif[/IMG]

 

Thanks a lot for the information.

Keep up the good advice!