Black plate (122,1)
The three main causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed, and
improper trailer loading.
Before driving
lHave your cooling and braking system checked by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.lBefore starting out, inspect the operation of all vehicle and trailer lights and all vehicle-
to-trailer connections. Stop and re-inspect all lights and connections after driving a short
distance.
Driving
lYour Mazda will handle differently with a trailer in tow, so practice turning, backing,
and stopping in a traffic-free area.
lTake time to get accustomed to the extra weight and length.lAllow more room between your vehicle and the one in front because braking distance
increases with a trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of speed, allow at least one vehicle
and trailer length between your Mazda and the vehicle ahead.
lAvoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.lAvoid sudden braking. It may cause loss of control and result in jackknifing, especially
so on wet or slippery roads.
lShift the shift lever to the D position when towing a trailer in hilly terrain or when
heavily loaded.
The D position will allow operating the vehicle without frequent shifting.
Lane changes and turning
Avoid quick lane changes, sudden turns, and tight turns. Slow down before turning to
avoid the need of sudden braking.
A turning trailer will make a tighter arc than the tow vehicle. Compensate with turns that
are larger than normal.
Passing
Plan well ahead to pass other vehicles, and provide plenty of room before changing lanes.
Crosswinds from passing vehicles, especially larger ones, and the effects of rough roads
will affect handling.
If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and reduce speed immediately, but
gradually.
Steer straight ahead. If no extreme correction of steering or braking is made, the
combination of less speed and firm steering will result in stability.
Backing up
Backing a vehicle with a trailer requires practice and patience. Back slowly, and have a
helper outside at the rear of the trailer to reduce the risk of an accident.
To turn the trailer, place your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn it in the
direction you want the trailer to go. Make only slight movements to prevent sharp or
prolonged turning.
3-50
Before Driving
Towing
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page122
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (123,1)
Ascending a hill
Shift into a lower gear to reduce the possibility of overloading or overheating the engine, or
both.
Descending a hill
Shift into a lower gear and use engine compression as a braking effect.
WARNING
Always use lower gears to reduce speed:
Holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently is dangerous as it could
cause the brakes to overheat and lose power, resulting in loss of control and a
serious accident. Use lower gears to help reduce speed. Pull off the road and allow
brakes to cool down whenever braking performance feels reduced.
Overheated engine
The extra weight of the trailer may strain the engine on hot days and on long or steep
upgrades.
If the temperature gauge indicates overheating, turn off the air conditioner, drive safely to
the side of the road, park off the right-of-way and wait for engine to cool. Refer to
Overheating (page 7-18).
Parking
Always make sure the tires of the trailer and the tow vehicle are blocked while parked.
Apply the parking brake firmly and put the transaxle in P.
Avoid parking on an incline, but if you must, follow these instructions:
1. Depress and hold down the brake pedal.
2. Have a helper put wheel blocks against the downhill side of all vehicle and trailer tires.
3. Then release the brake pedal slowly until the blocks bear the load.
lIf the grade is downhill, turn the steering wheel so that the front of the front tires face
the curb.
lIf it is uphill, face the rear of the front tires against the curb.
4. Firmly apply the parking brake.
5. Shift the transaxle into P, and stop the engine.
To restart after parking on an incline:
1. With the transaxle in P, start the engine. (Be sure to depress and hold the brake pedal.)
2. Shift into gear.
Before Driving
Towing
3-51
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (125,1)
4When Driving
Information concerning safe driving and stopping.
Start/Stop Engine .................................... 4-2
Ignition Switch .................................... 4-2
Starting the Engine
í........................... 4-3
Turning the Engine Off ....................... 4-8
Instrument Cluster and Display ............. 4-9
Meters and Gauges .............................. 4-9
Warning/Indicator Lights .................. 4-15
Transaxle ................................................ 4-31
Manual Transaxle Operation ............. 4-31
Automatic Transaxle Controls .......... 4-33
Switches and Controls ........................... 4-40
Lighting Control ............................... 4-40
Fog Lights
í...................................... 4-45
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ......... 4-46
Windshield Wipers and Washer ........ 4-47
Rear Window Wiper and Washer ...... 4-51
Rear Window Defroster ..................... 4-51
Horn .................................................. 4-52
Hazard Warning Flasher .................... 4-53
HomeLink Wireless Control
System
í............................................ 4-53
Brake ...................................................... 4-57
Brake System .................................... 4-57
ABS/TCS/DSC ....................................... 4-62
Antilock Brake System (ABS) .......... 4-62
Traction Control System (TCS) ........ 4-63
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) ..... 4-64
AWD ....................................................... 4-65
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Operation... 4-65Power Steering ....................................... 4-67
Power Steering .................................. 4-67
Cruise Control ....................................... 4-68
Cruise Control ................................... 4-68
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ........ 4-71
Tire Pressure Monitoring System ...... 4-71
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
System .................................................... 4-75
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
System
í............................................ 4-75
Rear View Monitor ................................ 4-79
Rear View Monitor
í........................ 4-79
4-1íSome models.
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page125
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (140,1)
Signal Warning/Indicator Lights Page
AWD Warning Light 4-21
Automatic Transaxle Warning Light 4-21
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light 4-22
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light 4-22
Low Fuel Warning Light 4-18
Check Fuel Cap Warning Light 4-23
Seat Belt Warning Light 4-23
Door-Ajar Warning Light 4-24
Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light 4-25
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light 4-25
KEY Warning Light (Red)/Indicator Light (Green) 4-26
Traction Control System (TCS)/Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) Indicator
Light4-27
Traction Control System (TCS) OFF Indicator Light 4-28
Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) OFF Indicator Light 4-28
Low Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator Light (Blue) 4-28
Shift Position Indicator Light 4-28
4-16
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (146,1)
qPower Steering Malfunction
Indicator Light
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition is switched ON, and turns off
when the engine is started.
The power steering malfunction indicator
light illuminates if there is a malfunction
with the power steering while the engine
is running.
If the indicator light illuminates, park the
vehicle in a safe place immediately and
stop the engine.
If the indicator light does not turn off even
if the engine is restarted afterwards,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
lIf the indicator light illuminates, the power
steering will not operate normally. If this
happens, the steering wheel can still be
operated, however, the operation may feel
heavy compared to normal, and the
steering wheel could vibrate when turning.
lRepeatedly jerking the steering wheel left
and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the
power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steering feel
heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and
wait a few seconds for the system to return
to normal.
qAir Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner
system is working properly, the warning
light illuminates when the ignition is
switched ON or after the engine is
cranked. The warning light turns off after
a specified period of time.
A system malfunction is indicated if the
warning light constantly flashes,
constantly illuminates or does not
illuminate at all when the ignition is
switched ON. If any of these occur,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible. The system may not
operate in an accident.
WARNING
Never tamper with the air bag/
pretensioner systems and always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer perform
all servicing and repairs:
Self-servicing or tampering with the
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.
4-22
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page146
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (163,1)
On a steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
qDriving Tips
WARNING
Do not allow the vehicle to move in
reverse on an up-slope while the
selector lever is in a forward gear
position, or move forward on a down-
slope while the selector lever is in the
reverse position:
Otherwise, the engine will stop,
causing the loss of the power brake
and power steering functions, and
make it difficult to control the vehicle
which could result in an accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while
gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
When Driving
Transaxle
4-39
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page163
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (168,1)
qHeadlight High-Low Beam
Press the lever forward to turn on the high
beams.
Pull the lever back to its original position
for the low beams.
The headlight high-beam indicator light in
the instrument cluster illuminates while
the high beams are turned on.
High beam
Low beam
qFlashing the Headlights
To flash the headlights, pull the lever fully
towards you (the headlight switch does
not need to be on). The headlight high-
beam indicator light in the instrument
cluster illuminates simultaneously. The
lever will return to the normal position
when released.
OFF
Flashing
qHeadlight Levelingí
The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.
The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-15.
qAdaptive Front Lighting System
(AFS)í
The adaptive front lighting system (AFS)
automatically adjusts the headlight beams
to the left or right in conjunction with the
operation of the steering wheel after the
headlights have been turned on and the
vehicle speed is about 2 km/h (2 mph) or
higher.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-15.
4-44
When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page168
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (176,1)
Manual Type Climate Control
Indicator light
CAUTION
Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaners with abrasives to
clean the inside of the rear window
surface. They may damage the
defroster grid inside the window.
NOTE
This defroster is not designed for melting snow.
If there is an accumulation of snow on the rear
window, remove it before using the defroster.
qMirror Defrosterí
To turn on the mirror defrosters, switch
the ignition ON and press the rear window
defroster switch (page 4-51).
Horn
To sound the horn, press themark on
the steering wheel.
4-52
When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page176
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L