The car: a 2015 Mazda6. I can’t turn up anything specifying GT, et cetera (without a VIN search, I guess), but she’s a sedan and seems to have the default engine specs…?
The problem: She won’t start; just clicks (once) as everything lights up.
The time frame: Since I dropped a new battery in a few days ago, stone-ignorant of the need to drain the ECU. I also tried, initially, to put the battery in backwards, frying fuses (which I’ve since replaced).
Yes, in hindsight, I KNOW that was stupid! I’d assumed that Western batteries and Japanese would have terminals on the same side. Go ahead and laugh. :laugh2:
The location: Arkansas (the mid South).
The notes: I don’t begrudge dealership employees a living (at all), but taking her in now could take a painful bite out of the family Christmas. That—and conviction that I made a mess of my wife’s car, so I need to clean it up—is why I’m desperately hoping to fix it myself.
A check-power-steering dash icon lights up at start now, too (and wasn’t before). Not certain why it’s appearing, but I suspect that it’s a clue.
Research suggests possible ECU damage, but I don’t see anything that clearly looks like an OEM ECU under the hood. I haven’t found much that’s helpful on the Web, either (after multiple attempts). Is it in the interior, maybe on the driver’s side? How much would I have to take apart to reach it?
I did read where someone pulled an ECU fuse and replaced it, but I can’t find one labeled “ECU” in the hood or interior fuse boxes’ lid diagrams…?
Any/all constructive suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading this far!
The problem: She won’t start; just clicks (once) as everything lights up.
The time frame: Since I dropped a new battery in a few days ago, stone-ignorant of the need to drain the ECU. I also tried, initially, to put the battery in backwards, frying fuses (which I’ve since replaced).
Yes, in hindsight, I KNOW that was stupid! I’d assumed that Western batteries and Japanese would have terminals on the same side. Go ahead and laugh. :laugh2:
The location: Arkansas (the mid South).
The notes: I don’t begrudge dealership employees a living (at all), but taking her in now could take a painful bite out of the family Christmas. That—and conviction that I made a mess of my wife’s car, so I need to clean it up—is why I’m desperately hoping to fix it myself.
A check-power-steering dash icon lights up at start now, too (and wasn’t before). Not certain why it’s appearing, but I suspect that it’s a clue.
Research suggests possible ECU damage, but I don’t see anything that clearly looks like an OEM ECU under the hood. I haven’t found much that’s helpful on the Web, either (after multiple attempts). Is it in the interior, maybe on the driver’s side? How much would I have to take apart to reach it?
I did read where someone pulled an ECU fuse and replaced it, but I can’t find one labeled “ECU” in the hood or interior fuse boxes’ lid diagrams…?
Any/all constructive suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading this far!