mpv 2000 please help lady in distress

[tracyv]

been reading posts in forum to see if i could get help with some problems. I plan on taking my mazda mpv to the shop but am new to area and have not found a mechanic yet that i feel comfortable with and would rather have some ideas when i take it in.
1. smelled burning plastic smell from drivers side and then started to have problems with the dim headlights. They go off and on and when they go off the brightlight icon on the dash comes on. Sometimes will turn the headlights on and the dim lights will not come on and the icon is on once again, when i turn it to brights the bright lights do come on but i can't drive around like that.
2. funny whistleing noise from engine. had oil change back in october and cel came on after leaving shop took it right back and unfortunately did not get the code number. they cleared it and light has not come back on but once it got cold enough to use the heater found that the heater in the back or (cab?) just blows non-heated air.
now i noticed from reading the posts that there are some pretty common problems with the mpv and i bought this a year ago next month. I have been doing regular oils changes and fixing anything that comes up during those oil changes.
so far this is what i came up with from reading the posts. Someone else had the exact same problem with the burning smell and the headlights but didn't post how or if they fixed it. The whistling noise seems to be a leak in the pvc hose (is there a recall i should know about)(warranty on my car expires next month). and on the heater thing someone had a p0031 code that had to do with the heater sensor could that be my problem? I would really appreciate any help you could give as i had planned on having this car for many years to come but am now nervous after all the posts and the different problems with the mpv. and don't want to be taking it back and forth to the shop till they find the problems. the few places i have tried here so far seem to be guessing and then hoping they have the fix and then i have to take my car back in. So i would really appreciate any help so i can just tell them what to look for. Thanks in advance. Tracy in Arizona

[eccs19]

Not sure about all of the problems, but when I got our MPV, the headlights were not working properly. It turned out that the sockets that plug into the bulbs were all corroded, and had melted the plastic housing. I ended up just getting replacement sockets, and splicing them into the harness. They have been fine after I did that.