Replacement LED headlights aren't running correctly on a 2011 Mazda BT-50 ute

The smart money here suggests that there’s something your car’s electrical system and body computer don’t like about replacement LED lights. That’s assuming you’ve installed them correctly, of course. The first thing you should do is replace the standard globes and see if that restores the lights’ operation. If it does, you can be reasonably sure there’s a problem with the way the car reacts to the LED replacements. Not all cars appreciate the conversion to LEDs. These newer lights draw a lot less current than conventional globes and, while that sounds like a good thing, the lack of current-draw detected by the body computer can cause problems. Another common problem with LEDs is that the low current-draw makes the car’s computer think that there’s a blown globe at which point it can trigger a warning light on the dashboard.

What tow vehicle or hybrid camper should I consider for after retirement?

The last decade of dual-cab four-wheel-drive utes have emerged as the tow-vehicles of choice, and you see them everywhere filling roles exactly like the one you have planned. Popular models include the Ford Ranger you’ve nominated, Toyota HiLux, Mazda BT-50, VW Amarok, Mitsubishi Triton, Nissan Navara and Isuzu D-Max. But there are also cheaper alternatives including makes like the South-Korean made Ssangyong and various Chinese brands like LDV and Great Wall. Just make sure you know exactly how much you need to tow before making a decision as some of the cheaper models don’t have the same outright towing capacity and even if they do, some of them don’t have the engine performance to make towing as easy as it should be. For parts availability, the Toyota would be king in really remote areas, but any of the major brands are pretty well covered in Australia. Meantime, don’t rule out ute-based wagons such as the Ford Everest, Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Fortuna. These offer better ride comfort when unladen thanks to more sophisticated rear suspensions and most have as much or almost as much towing capacity as their ute brethren.

My Mazda BT-50 went into limp mode after normal towing

There are many reasons for a vehicle to enter limp-home mode. One of them, of course is transmission temperature, but there are lots of things being monitored, from the temperature of the engine oil, coolant temperature, oil level and even the operating temperature of the EGR valve (which is often water-cooled in vehicles like the Mazda). The point being that even though the transmission entered limp-home mode, the actual problem may have been elsewhere, but the vehicle’s computer believed that shutting down much of the transmission’s functions would preserve and protect the rest of the driveline. Don’t forget, either, that there are many things – a failed solenoid, low fluid level, even a faulty wiring connection or earth – that can cause a transmission limp-home event beyond actual overheating.

The alternator in my 2021 Mazda BT-50 isn't fully charging the battery

There’s a very simple check you can do to see whether the battery or the charging system (alternator, regulator and wiring) is at fault here. With the engine running, place the probes of a multi-meter (switched to measure voltage) on the relevant battery terminals. If you see a figure of anywhere between 13.2 and 14.7 volts, the charging system is doing its job. You might need to rev the engine slightly off idle to see these numbers, but the voltage going into the battery should be in that range. At this point, the battery becomes the main suspect, and a worn out battery will often neither hold a charge nor accept one.

Should I repair my Mazda BT-50's solenoids?

You should be guided by your mechanic’s quote for either outcome. In some cases, solenoids are relatively cheap to buy and don’t require too much labour to replace. But, depending on the vehicle, they can also be very expensive and require more or less a full transmission strip-down to remove and replace. You also need to assess the condition of the whole transmission as putting new parts into a worn gearbox will only delay the inevitable.

Circuit issues on 2013 Mazda BT-50 fuel injector

An open circuit on a fuel injector is usually caused by either a broken wire to the injector, a loose terminal somewhere in the electrical circuit that drives the injector or a burned-out coil in the injector itself. Changing the suspect injector will tell you if the coil is the problem, but if that doesn’t fix it, you’ve got to work backwards from the injector until you find the fault. Bear in mind that if the injector itself is at fault, the other three injectors might be ready to go out in sympathy. Modern common-rail engines can be hard on injectors and they sometimes need replacing before they’ve done 100,000km.

2008 Mazda BT-50 overheating

This is a really common problem with this model (and the Ford Ranger with which it shared its mechanicals). Many buyers avoid this model for this very reason. Even though many fixes have been tried it seems that this car, shown a hill and a hot day, will often overheat. Several theories exist including that the EGR valve is the problem, as it fails and allows coolant to escape (usually into the engine cylinders). But even when the EGR valve is working properly, this engine is prone to running too hot. Some other theories hold that the thermal management of the engine itself was just underdone and there’s no real fix for it. That’s borne out by the number of people who have tried different radiators, thermostats and cooling fans and still have a vehicle that overheats. But you could try reverse flushing the radiator and making sure than every part of the cooling system is working efficiently and properly. That will maximise your chances of not having the engine overheat but, in this case, there are no promises.

Steering locking up in my 2013 Mazda BT-50

Rather than the steering completely locking up, it’s more likely you’re feeling steering that has lost is power-assistance. It can make the wheel extremely heavy and could feel as though the car won’t steer at all. This is linked to the engine stalling, because the power-steering on this vehicle is driven by a belt from the engine. No engine means no power-assistance. The other questions, of course, are why is the engine stalling and why only on left-hand turns. There are plenty of things that can cause a modern engine to stall from a dirty fuel filter to a blocked injector or an electronic fault. And about a million things in between. An electronic scan of the vehicle might throw up a fault code that will help a mechanic unravel what’s going on.

Mazda BT-50 2007 Problems

No car is perfect, but we've gathered everything relating to the Mazda BT-50 2007 reliability here to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Mazda BT-50 2007: Vibration problems after clutch replacement

Answered by CarsGuide 15 Nov 2019

Many owners have changed from a dual-mass flywheel when changing the clutch in their utes, and none have reported a major vibration problem after the change. I would doubt it is the flywheel that’s the problem, look elsewhere in the driveline.

Transmission

Mazda BT-50 2007: Noisy clutch

Answered by CarsGuide 7 Sep 2018

I’d be checking the clutch to see if it could be worn out or close to.

Transmission

BMW, Mazda, FCA, Citroen and Peugeot models recalled

14 Sep 2017 · by Robbie Wallis

Manufacturers including BMW, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Peugeot and Citroen have issued recalls via the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Deadly Takata airbag recall nears 1.2 million in Australia

17 May 2016 · by Joshua Dowling

Only a fraction of the 1.2 million cars on Australia roads with airbags that can spray shrapnel have been fixed, new figures show.

Mazda BT-50: Strange engine noise

Answered by CarsGuide 12 Nov 2015

It's a diesel, so it's not pinging. I suspect it's the injectors rattling. Have a diesel mechanic check them for you.

Engine

Mazda BT-50 2007: Smelly clutch

Answered by CarsGuide 6 Mar 2015

The clutch might be smelly, but is it slipping or doing anything else untoward. Clutches are a regularly reported problem on one-tonne utes, which suggests most are borderline in capacity. If there is a problem with the functioning of the clutch, approach Mazda again about replacing it. If there isn't a problem think about replacing the clutch with a heavy-duty one that's more capable of handling your towing needs.

Transmission

Mazda BT-50 2007: Loose injector

Answered by CarsGuide 7 Mar 2014

I wouldn't bother contacting Mazda, the car is seven years old and there's no proof that anything was amiss with it from new.

Mazda BT-50: Constant engine light

Answered by CarsGuide 24 Aug 2012

It could be the diesel particulate filter alerting you that it's doing its thing. DPFs regularly go through a regeneration process, and most do it while you're driving along without any real impact on the performance of the car.

Used Mazda BT-50 review: 2006-2009

21 Jan 2011 · by Graham Smith

Mazda shunned the notion that a ute had to look like a car to appeal to recreational users who were buying one-tonne utes like the BT-50 in increasing numbers for their weekend getaways.The company ...

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