Black plate (175,1)
qWarning Light
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
qTransaxle Ranges
lThe shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on
page 4-22.
lThe 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 3-41).
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.
When Driving
Transaxle
4-47
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page175
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (181,1)
Mexico
Gear Vehicle speed*1
M6→M5 245.9 km/h (152.7 mph)
M5→M4 171.1 km/h (106.3 mph)
M4→M3 115 km/h (71.4 mph)
M3→M2 79.4 km/h (49.3 mph)
M2→M1 29.7 km/h (18.4 mph)
*1: Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Recommendations for shifting (U.S.A.
and Canada)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed*1
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M6 81 km/h (50 mph)
*1: Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steepupgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
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.
NOTE
The accelerator pedal feels heavy as it is being
depressed, but then lightens as it is fully
depressed. This change in pedal force aids the
engine control system in determining how
much the accelerator pedal has been
depressed for performing kickdown, and
functions to control whether or not kickdown
should be performed.
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.
When Driving
Transaxle
4-53
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page181
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (183,1)
Lighting Control
qHeadlights
lTurn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
lFor vehicles with the type A instrument cluster, check the vehicle condition or have the
vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer according to the indication.
lA system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-22.
NOTE
lIf the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off (if equipped) approximately 30
seconds after switching the ignition off.
The time setting can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-10.
lTo prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless safety
requires them.
Without auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF
Headlights Off Off Off Off On On
Daytime running lights On Off On Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illuminationOff Off On On On On
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-55
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page183
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (184,1)
With auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF
Headlights Off Off Auto*Off Off Off On On
Daytime running lights On Off Auto*Off On Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illuminationOff Off Auto
*OffOnOnOnOn
* The headlight and other light settings switch automatically depending on the surrounding brightness detected by
the sensor.
4-56
When Driving
Switches and Controls
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page184
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (185,1)
Auto-light control
When the headlight switch is in the
position and the ignition is switched ON, the
light sensor senses the surrounding lightness or darkness and automatically turns the
headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination on or off (see chart above).
CAUTION
ØDo not shade the light sensor by adhering a sticker or a label on the windshield.
Otherwise the light sensor will not operate correctly.
Light sensor
ØThe light sensor also works as a rain sensor for the auto-wiper control. Keep
hands and scrapers clear of the windshield when the wiper lever is in the
position and the ignition is switched ON as fingers could be pinched or the wipers
and wiper blades damaged when the wipers activate automatically. If you are
going to clean the windshield, be sure the wipers are turned off completely―this
is particularly important when clearing ice and snow―when it is particularly
tempting to leave the engine running.
NOTE
lThe headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination may not turn off immediately
even if the surrounding area becomes well-lit because the light sensor determines that it is
nighttime if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several minutes such as inside long
tunnels, traffic jams inside tunnels, or in indoor parking lots.
In this case, the lights turn off if the light switch is turned to the
position.lWhen the headlight switch is in theposition and the ignition is switched to ACC or the
ignition is switched off, the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination will turn
off.
lThe dashboard illumination can be adjusted by rotating the knob in the instrument cluster. Also,
the day/night mode can be changed by rotating the knob until a beep sound is heard. To adjust the
brightness of the dashboard illumination:
Refer to Dashboard Illumination on page 4-13.
lThe sensitivity of the AUTO lights may be changed by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-10.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-57
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page185
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (186,1)
Xenon fusion headlight bulbsí
The low-beam bulbs of the headlights have xenon fusion bulbs that produce a bright white
beam over a wide area.
WARNING
Do not replace the xenon fusion bulbs yourself
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs yourself is dangerous. Because the xenon fusion
bulbs require high voltage, you could receive an electric shock if the bulbs are
handled incorrectly. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer when the replacement is
necessary.
NOTE
If the headlights flicker, or the brightness weakens, the bulb-life may be depleted and a replacement is
necessary. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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
4-58
When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page186
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (187,1)
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
4-22.
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
4-22.
AFS OFF switch
Pressing the AFS OFF switch turns off the
AFS. The AFS OFF indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Pressing the AFS OFF switch again turns
off the switch illumination and turns on
the AFS operation. The AFS OFF
indicator light turns off.
qDaytime Running Lights
Some countries require moving vehicles
to have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.
Daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the ignition is
switched ON.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to the
P position (automatic transaxle vehicle).
NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-10.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-59íSome models. CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page187
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K
Black plate (188,1)
Fog Lightsí
Use this switch to turn on the fog lights.
The fog lights will improve visibility at
night and during foggy conditions.
To turn the fog lights on, rotate the fog
light switch to the
position.
The headlight switch must be in the
position before turning on the fog lights.
Fog light switch
To turn the fog lights off, rotate the fog
light switch to the
position or turn
the headlight switch to the
or
position.
NOTE
lThe fog lights will turn off when the
headlights are set at high beams.
l(With auto-light control)
If the fog light switch is in the
position
and the headlight switch is in the
position, the fog lights will turn on when
the headlights, the exterior lights and
dashboard illumination turn on.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
NOTElIf an indicator light stays on without
flashing or if it flashes abnormally, one of
the turn signal bulbs may be burned out.
lA personalized function is available to
change the turn indicator sound volume.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-10.
qTurn Signals
Move the signal lever down (for a left
turn) or up (for a right turn) to the stop
position. The signal will self-cancel after
the turn is completed.
If the indicator light continues to flash
after a turn, manually return the lever to
its original position.
Right turn
Left turn Right lane change
Left lane changeOFF
Green indicators on the dashboard show
which signal is working.
4-60
When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
CX-5_8CT5-EA-12K_Edition1 Page188
Friday, October 19 2012 3:11 PM
Form No.8CT5-EA-12K