Ok, new here and need some advice please. Something of a long story so please bare with me:
Couple months ago I bought a used 2014 Mazda 6 Grand Touring with the technology package from a dealership. Came with about 39k miles. After about a week of driving I got a warning: Battery management system inspection required. I had just bought it so I figured it should be ok, I went ahead and disconnected the negative terminal on the battery for a minute then reconnected it, warning was gone.
Over the next week or so the warning came and went a few times until I went to start my car and the battery was dead. I went ahead and hooked a charger up to it and after a few hours it started up and everything was fine. Over the next few days it kept happening, especially when left over night so I took the battery out, check the water levels, left it on a 2 amp charge for 24 hours and put it back in. Went to try and start it and it wouldn't turn over. I had to have the charger hooked up while I tried to start it to give it enough power to start one more time, after that it wouldn't start with that battery no matter what.
So I went ahead and bought a new Optima Yellowtop and put it in (it should be noted that this was the first time I read up on how to disconnect the battery in the manual and up until now I had not disconnected the wire hooked up to the negative terminal, the one that powers some sensors?, before disconnecting the negative terminal). Car started right up, however, several warning lights on the instrument cluster were on and the speedometer no longer worked.
Here are the exact lights that are on on the instrument cluster:
On the right information screen I get check engine, Brake system inspection required, TPMS inspection, Keyless system inspection, SCBS inspections, power steering failure (the wheel is indeed slightly harder to turn now), and FOW inspection
The warning lights to the left: Check engine, traction control (regular warning light and the one with the "OFF" below the symbol are both on), AFS off (blinking), BSM off (blinking unless I push the button, then it stays solid), air bag, tire pressure, ABS, Brake (!), and the Master warning light.
I grabbed an alternator tester and sure enough, the alternator was in the process of failing. I ordered a new alternator and installed it. Testing this new alternator comes up just fine, working as it should be, but all the lights listed above are still on.
Now at some point after all those lights came on there ended up being a real (I'm guessing) check engine issue. I hooked up an OBDII and I'm getting the error code U0121: Lost communication with anti-lock brake system control module. Now before this issue with the battery and the alternator happened I did (well, still do) have an issue with the brakes OCCASIONALLY making a grinding sound. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Sometimes its somewhat loud, sometimes it's rather quiet. I went ahead and changed the rear brake pads, even though they appeared to still be in good shape. I figured I already bought new ones and I have them off, might as well just put the new ones in. I also had a close look at the front pads, and they are fine also but I didn't change them.
So that's about where I am right now. The only thing I can really think it would be is either some kind of sensor for the brakes is either broken or dirty (about to check all four after I post this message), or that Optima Yellowtop battery doesn't like the i-Eloop braking system and I have to fork out $400 for a Q85 battery from Mazda.
Any input at all is very much appreciated, thank you.
Edit: I also thought I should add that the i-Eloop is working, when I switch to the info screen for it it appears to be running normally. And I also did try to clear the check engine code with my OBD, doesn't go away. And I don't know if it's relevant but I have to do the emergency shut off (pushing start/stop button several times) to turn my car off since the instrument cluster went crazy.
Couple months ago I bought a used 2014 Mazda 6 Grand Touring with the technology package from a dealership. Came with about 39k miles. After about a week of driving I got a warning: Battery management system inspection required. I had just bought it so I figured it should be ok, I went ahead and disconnected the negative terminal on the battery for a minute then reconnected it, warning was gone.
Over the next week or so the warning came and went a few times until I went to start my car and the battery was dead. I went ahead and hooked a charger up to it and after a few hours it started up and everything was fine. Over the next few days it kept happening, especially when left over night so I took the battery out, check the water levels, left it on a 2 amp charge for 24 hours and put it back in. Went to try and start it and it wouldn't turn over. I had to have the charger hooked up while I tried to start it to give it enough power to start one more time, after that it wouldn't start with that battery no matter what.
So I went ahead and bought a new Optima Yellowtop and put it in (it should be noted that this was the first time I read up on how to disconnect the battery in the manual and up until now I had not disconnected the wire hooked up to the negative terminal, the one that powers some sensors?, before disconnecting the negative terminal). Car started right up, however, several warning lights on the instrument cluster were on and the speedometer no longer worked.
Here are the exact lights that are on on the instrument cluster:
On the right information screen I get check engine, Brake system inspection required, TPMS inspection, Keyless system inspection, SCBS inspections, power steering failure (the wheel is indeed slightly harder to turn now), and FOW inspection
The warning lights to the left: Check engine, traction control (regular warning light and the one with the "OFF" below the symbol are both on), AFS off (blinking), BSM off (blinking unless I push the button, then it stays solid), air bag, tire pressure, ABS, Brake (!), and the Master warning light.
I grabbed an alternator tester and sure enough, the alternator was in the process of failing. I ordered a new alternator and installed it. Testing this new alternator comes up just fine, working as it should be, but all the lights listed above are still on.
Now at some point after all those lights came on there ended up being a real (I'm guessing) check engine issue. I hooked up an OBDII and I'm getting the error code U0121: Lost communication with anti-lock brake system control module. Now before this issue with the battery and the alternator happened I did (well, still do) have an issue with the brakes OCCASIONALLY making a grinding sound. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Sometimes its somewhat loud, sometimes it's rather quiet. I went ahead and changed the rear brake pads, even though they appeared to still be in good shape. I figured I already bought new ones and I have them off, might as well just put the new ones in. I also had a close look at the front pads, and they are fine also but I didn't change them.
So that's about where I am right now. The only thing I can really think it would be is either some kind of sensor for the brakes is either broken or dirty (about to check all four after I post this message), or that Optima Yellowtop battery doesn't like the i-Eloop braking system and I have to fork out $400 for a Q85 battery from Mazda.
Any input at all is very much appreciated, thank you.
Edit: I also thought I should add that the i-Eloop is working, when I switch to the info screen for it it appears to be running normally. And I also did try to clear the check engine code with my OBD, doesn't go away. And I don't know if it's relevant but I have to do the emergency shut off (pushing start/stop button several times) to turn my car off since the instrument cluster went crazy.
