2009 MAZDA MODEL CX-9 warning

Black plate (175,1)
WARNING
Do not drive with both the ABS warning
light and brake warning light
illuminated. Have the vehicle towed to
an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have
the brakes inspected as soon as
possible:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are illuminated simultaneously is
dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the
rear wheels could lock more quickly
in an emergency stop than under
normal circumstances.
qBrake Assist
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the pedal will feel
softer but the brakes will apply more firmly.
This is a normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate an
abnormality.
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, a motor/pump
operation noise may be heard. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist and does
not indicate an abnormality.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the vehicle's
main braking system.
qBrake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-9
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page175
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (177,1)
qTransaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
WARNING
Always set the shift lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the shift lever to the P
position without using the parking
brake to hold the vehicle is
dangerous. If P fails to hold, the
vehicle could move and cause an
accident.
CAUTION
ØShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage
your transaxle.
ØShifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except under
rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 4-9).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely even
on the slightest incline unless the parking
brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
If the engine is running faster than idle,
do not shift from N or P into a driving
gear:
It's dangerous to shift from N or P
into a driving gear when the engine
is running faster than idle. If this is
done, the vehicle could move
suddenly, causing an accident or
serious injury.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the brake
pedal before moving the shift lever from N to
prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-12).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-11
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page177
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (180,1)
Manually Shifting down
(M6→M5→M4→M3→M2→
M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward (
) once.
WARNING
Do not use engine braking on slippery
road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while
driving at high speeds causes sudden
engine braking, which is dangerous.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
NOTE
lWhen driving at high speeds, the gear may
not shift down depending on vehicle speed.
lDuring deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
lWhen depressing the accelerator fully, the
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
)
while the vehicle is stopped, the transaxle
is set in the second gear fixed mode. The
gear is fixed in second while in this mode
for easier starting and driving on slippery
roads. If the shift lever is tapped back (
)
or forward (
) while in the second gear
fixed mode, the mode will be canceled.
Shifting specification
Shifting up
If the vehicle speed is lower than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→M2You can shift up to M2 whether the
vehicle is stopped or moving.
M2→M3 15 km/h (10 mph)
M3→M4 29 km/h (19 mph)
M4→M5 40 km/h (25 mph)
M5→M6 50 km/h (32 mph)
Shifting down
If the vehicle speed is higher than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted to a lower gear so as to
protect the transaxle.
Gear Vehicle speed
M6→M5 230 km/h (142 mph)
M5→M4 201 km/h (124 mph)
M4→M3 150 km/h (93 mph)
M3→M2 96 km/h (59 mph)
M2→M1 49 km/h (30 mph)
5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page180
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (183,1)
qAWD Driving
WARNING
Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and
abrupt maneuvers when driving this
vehicle:
Sharp turns, excessive speed and
abrupt maneuvering of this vehicle is
dangerous as it could result in the
increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle roll-over, personal
injury or death.
This vehicle has a higher center of
gravity. Vehicles with a higher center
of gravity such as utility and AWD
vehicles handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of
gravity.
Utility and AWD vehicles are not
designed for cornering at high speeds
any more than low profile sports cars
are designed to perform satisfactorily
under off-road conditions. In
addition, utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
RSC might help if you get into
trouble, but then it might not be able
to allow you to fully recover, always
drive carefully with the vehicle's
height in mind.
Drive carefully when the vehicle is
loaded by lowering vehicle speed and
applying the brakes earlier:
Abrupt maneuvering and sudden
braking when driving a loaded
vehicle is dangerous as the driving
behavior of a vehicle with a high
center of gravity is different when it is
loaded compared to when it is not,
and could result in the loss of vehicle
control and an accident.
qAWD Warning Light
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
Thereafter, the warning light will
illuminate or flash under the following
conditions:
lIlluminates when there is an
abnormality with the AWD system.
lFlashes when the differential oil
temperature is abnormally high.
lFlashes when there are continually
large differences between front and rear
wheel rotation, such as when trying to
pull away from an icy surface, or when
trying to extricate the vehicle from
mud, sand or similar conditions.
If the AWD warning light illuminates:
If the AWD warning light illuminates,
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
If the AWD warning light flashes:
Park the vehicle in a safe place. After a
few moments, if the warning light stops
flashing, you can resume driving. If the
light does not stop flashing, contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-17
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page183
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (184,1)
WARNING
Never spin a wheel that is off the
ground:
Spinning a wheel that is off the
ground as a result of the vehicle
being stuck or in a ditch is
dangerous. The drive assembly could
be seriously damaged which could
lead to an accident or could even
lead to overheating, oil leakage, and
a fire.
qTires and Tire Chains
The condition of the tires plays a large
role in the performance of the vehicle.
Moreover, to prevent adverse effects to
the drive assembly, please note the
following:
Tires
lWhen replacing tires, always replace
all front and rear tires at the same time.
lAll tires must be of the same size,
manufacture, brand and tread pattern.
Pay particular attention when
equipping snow or other types of
winter tires.
lDo not mix tread-worn tires with
normal tires.
lInspect tire inflation pressures at the
specified periods and adjust to the
specified pressures.
NOTE
Check the tire inflation pressure label attached
to driver's door frame for the correct tire
inflation pressure.
lMake sure to equip the vehicle with
genuine wheels of the specified size,
on all wheels. With AWD, the system
is calibrated for all four wheels being
of the same dimensions.
Tire chains
lInstall tire chains to the front tires.lDo not use tire chains on the rear
wheels.
lDo not drive the vehicle faster than 30
km/h (19 mph) with the tire chains
installed.
lDo not drive the vehicle with tire
chains on road conditions other than
snow or ice.
qTowing
If the vehicle requires towing, have it
towed with all four wheels completely off
the ground(page 7-19).
5-18
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page184
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (185,1)
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can set and
automatically maintain any speed of more
than about 30 km/h (19 mph).
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under the
following conditions:
Using the cruise control under the
following conditions is dangerous
and could result in loss of vehicle
control.
ØHilly terrain
ØSteep inclines
ØHeavy or unsteady traffic
ØSlippery or winding roads
ØSimilar restrictions that require
inconsistent speed
qCruise Main Indicator Light
(Amber)/Cruise Set Indicator
Light (Green)
The indicator light has two colors.
Cruise Main Indicator Light (Amber)
The indicator light illuminates amber
when the ON/OFF switch is pressed up
and the cruise control system is activated.
Cruise Set Indicator Light (Green)
The indicator light illuminates green when
a cruising speed has been set.
qActivation/Deactivation
To activate the system, press up on the
ON/OFF switch.
The cruise main indicator light
illuminates.
To deactivate the system, press down on
the ON/OFF switch.
The cruise main indicator light turns off.
WARNING
Keep the ON/OFF switch off when
cruise control is not in use:
Leaving the ON/OFF switch on when
not using the cruise control is
dangerous as you may hit one of the
other buttons and put the vehicle in
cruise control unexpectedly. This
could result in loss of vehicle control.
qTo Set Speed
1. Activate the cruise control system by
momentarily pressing up the ON/OFF
switch.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed, which
must be more than 30 km/h (19 mph).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-19
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page185
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (188,1)
lPress the CANCEL switch.
The system turns off when the ignition is
switched off.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about 15 km/h (9
mph) below the preset speed (such as may
happen when climbing a long, steep grade).
Traction Control System
(TCS)
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
When the TCS detects driving wheel
slippage, it lowers engine torque and
operates the brakes to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels
without causing them to spin and lose
traction.
WARNING
Do not rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe driving:
The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident.
Use snow tires or tire chains and drive
at reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and/or snow:
Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and/or ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident.
5-22
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page188
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F

Black plate (191,1)
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)/Roll Stability
Control (RSC)
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such
as ABS and TCS to help control side slip
when driving on slippery surfaces or
during sudden or evasive maneuvering,
enhancing vehicle safety.
The Roll Stability Control (RSC)
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such
as ABS and TCS to help control rolling
when cornering at a higher speed or
during sudden or evasive maneuvering,
enhancing vehicle safety.
Refer to ABS (page 5-7) and TCS (page
5-22).
DSC/RSC operation is possible at speeds
greater than 15 km/h (9 mph).
WARNING
Do not rely on the dynamic stability
control as a substitute for safe driving:
The dynamic stability control (DSC)/
Roll Stability Control (RSC) cannot
compensate for unsafe and reckless
driving, excessive speed, tailgating
(following another vehicle too
closely), and hydroplaning (reduced
tire friction and road contact because
of water on the road surface). You
can still have an accident.
When driving under bad road
conditions, lower the vehicle speed and
drive carefully:
Reckless driving and excessive speed
under any road conditions is
dangerous as it reduces vehicle
stability and operability which could
result in an accident.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-25
CX-9_8Z66-EA-08F_Edition3 Page191
Tuesday, March 31 2009 1:52 PM
Form No.8Z66-EA-08F