THE CONTROLS ESSENTIAL FOR VEHICLE OPERATION (SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, TRANSMISSION GEAR PLACEMENT), OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE CENTER "CLUSTER" CONTROLS ARE ILLUMINATED REGARDLESS IF HEADLIGHTS ARE ON OR OFF. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS, THUS MAKING THIS ISSUE MORE PRESSING. WHEN THE DASH CONTROLS ARE ILLUMINATED, YOU FORGET TO TURN ON YOUR HEAD LAMPS TO MAKE YOURSELF VISIBLE TO OTHER VEHICLES. MAZDA STATED THAT THE DASH CONTROLS ARE ILLUMINATED IN ORDER TO MAKE GAUGES MORE VISIBLE. MY WHOLE ARGUMENT HAS BEEN THAT IF I AM HAVING EVEN THE SLIGHTEST DIFFICULTY SEEING MY DASHBOARD DUE TO POOR LIGHTING (WHETHER IT BE CLOUDY, DARK, DUSK, ETC.) MY HEAD LAMPS SHOULD BE ON. IF THE DASH IS ILLUMINATED, YOU WILL FORGET TO TURN ON YOUR HEAD LAMPS. THIS HAS ALREADY CAUSED ONE ACCIDENT, AND I AM AFRAID THAT IT MAY LEAD TO MORE IN THE FUTURE.
NHTSA ODI 10417325