Black plate (95,1)
qEngine Exhaust (Carbon monoxide)
WARNING
Do not drive your vehicle if you smell exhaust gas inside the vehicle:
Engine exhaust gas is dangerous. This gas contains carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless, odorless, and poisonous. When inhaled, it can cause loss of consciousness
and death. If you smell exhaust gas inside your vehicle, keep all windows fully open
and contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer immediately.
Do not run the engine when inside an enclosed area:
Running the engine inside an enclosed area, such as a garage, is dangerous. Exhaust
gas, which contains poisonous carbon monoxide, could easily enter the cabin. Loss
of consciousness or even death could occur.
Open the windows or adjust the heating or cooling system to draw fresh air when
idling the engine:
Exhaust gas is dangerous. When your vehicle is stopped with the windows closed
and the engine running for a long time even in an open area, exhaust gas, which
contains poisonous carbon monoxide, could enter the cabin. Loss of consciousness or
even death could occur.
Clear snow from underneath and around your vehicle, particularly the tail pipe,
before starting the engine:
Running the engine when a vehicle is stopped in deep snow is dangerous. The
exhaust pipe could be blocked by the snow, allowing exhaust gas to enter the cabin.
Because exhaust gas contains poisonous carbon monoxide, it could cause loss of
consciousness or even death to occupants in the cabin.
Before Driving
Fuel and Emission
3-23
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page95
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (113,1)
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at more than 56
km/h (35 mph), and do not allow
anyone to stand behind a wheel when
pushing the vehicle:
When the vehicle is stuck, spinning
the wheels at high speed is
dangerous. The spinning tire could
overheat and explode. This could
cause serious injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transaxle failure, and
tire damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the
accelerator slightly and slowly move the
shift lever from 1 (D) to R.
Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to
perform the following precautions:
lHave the proper ratio of antifreeze in
the radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page 6-23.
lInspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
lUse an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-21).
lInspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
lUse washer fluid made with
antifreeze―but do not use engine
coolant antifreeze for washer fluid
(page 6-26).
lDo not use the parking brake in
freezing weather as it may freeze.
Instead, shift to P with an automatic
transaxle and to 1 or R with a manual
transaxle. Block the rear wheels.
lSnow left on the windshield is
dangerous as it could obstruct vision.
Remove snow before driving.
lDo not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
lNever use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows
and mirrors as it could result in the
glass cracking.
Before Driving
Driving Tips
3-41
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page113
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
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
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page123
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (145,1)
Illuminated light
This indicates the possibility of
overheating. Park the vehicle in a safe
place immediately and stop the engine.
Refer to Overheating (page 7-18).
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle with the high
engine coolant temperature warning
light illuminated. Otherwise, it could
result in damage to the engine.
qAWD Warning Light
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
The warning light will illuminate or flash
under the following conditions:
lIlluminates when there is an
abnormality with the AWD system.
lIlluminates if there is too much
difference in tire radius between the
front and rear wheels.
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.
When illuminated
If the AWD warning light illuminates,
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
When flashing
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.
qAutomatic Transaxle Warning Light
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
The light illuminates when the transaxle
has a problem.
CAUTION
If the automatic transaxle warning
light illuminates, the transaxle has
an electrical problem. Continuing to
drive your Mazda in this condition
could cause damage to your
transaxle. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
4-21
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page145
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
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (171,1)
Windshield Wipers and
Washer
The ignition must be switched ON.
WARNING
Use only windshield washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the
windshield, affect your visibility, and
could result in an accident.
Only use windshield washer fluid
mixed with anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions:
Using windshield washer fluid
without anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions is
dangerous as it could freeze on the
windshield and block your vision
which could cause an accident.
In addition, make sure the
windshield is sufficiently warmed
using the defroster before spraying
the washer fluid.NOTE
Because heavy ice and snow can jam the wiper
blades, the wiper motor is protected from
motor breakdown, overheating and possible
fire by a circuit breaker. This mechanism will
automatically stop operation of the blades, but
only for about 5 minutes.
If this happens, turn off the wiper switch and
park off the right-of-way, and remove the snow
and ice.
After 5 minutes, turn on the switch and the
blades should operate normally. If they do not
resume functioning, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. Drive to
the side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Wait until the weather clears before trying
to drive with the wipers inoperative.
qWindshield Wipers
Turn the wipers on by pressing the lever
up or down.
With intermittent wiper
Switch
PositionWiper operation
MIST Single wipe cycle (mist)
INT Intermittent
LO Low speed
HI High speed
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-47
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page171
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (179,1)
NOTE
If the HomeLink indicator light does not
change to a rapidly blinking light, contact
HomeLink atwww.homelink.comor call1-
800-355-3515for assistance.
4. Firmly press and hold the programmed
HomeLink button for five seconds, and
then release it. Perform this operation
two times to activate the door. If the
door does not activate, press and hold
the just-trained HomeLink button and
observe the indicator light.
If the indicator lightstays on constantly,
programming is completeand your
device should activate when the
HomeLink button is pressed and released.
NOTE
To program the remaining two HomeLink
buttons, begin with“Programming”―step 1.
If the indicator light blinksrapidly for
two seconds and then turns to a
constant light, continue with
“Programming”steps 5―7to complete
the programming of a rolling code
equipped device (most commonly a
garage door opener).
5. At the garage door opener receiver
(motor-head unit) in the garage, locate
the“learn”or“smart”button. This can
usually be found where the hanging
antenna wire is attached to the motor-
head unit.
6. Firmly press and release the“learn”or
“smart”button. (The name and color of
the button may vary by manufacturer.)
NOTE
There are 30 seconds in which to initiate step
7.
7. Return to the vehicle and firmlypress,
hold for two seconds and releasethe
programmed HomeLink button. Repeat
the“press/hold/release”sequence a
second time, and, depending on the
brand of the garage door opener (or
other rolling code equipped device),
repeat this sequence a third time to
complete the programming process.
HomeLink should now activate your
rolling code equipped device.
NOTE
To program the remaining two HomeLink
buttons, begin with“Programming”―step 1.
For questions or comments, please contact
HomeLink atwww.homelink.comor1-
800-355-3515.
qGate operator/Canadian
Programming
Canadian radio-frequency laws require
transmitter signals to“time-out”(or quit)
after several seconds of transmission―
which may not be long enough for
HomeLink to pick up the signal during
programming. Similar to this Canadian
law, some U.S. gate operators are
designed to“time-out”in the same
manner.
If you live in Canada or you are having
difficulties programming a gate operator
by using the“Programming”procedures
(regardless of where you live),replace
“Programming HomeLink”step 2with
the following:
NOTE
If programming a garage door opener or gate
operator, it is advised to unplug the device
during the“cycling”process to prevent
possible overheating.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-55
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page179
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Black plate (189,1)
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Operation
lAWD provides excellent drivability on
snow-covered and ice-packed roads,
sand and mud, as well as on steep
slopes and other slippery surfaces.
lA system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on
page 4-15.
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.
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.
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.
When Driving
AW D
4-65
CX-5_8CA5-EA-11L_Edition3 Page189
Friday, June 22 2012 3:45 PM
Form No.8CA5-EA-11L