Page 182 of 532
Black plate (182,1)
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.
4-54
When Driving
Transaxle
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page182
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 199 of 532

Black plate (199,1)
Brake System
qFoot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if you
pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills: Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long
distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances or even
total brake failure. This could cause
loss of vehicle control and a serious
accident. Avoid continuous
application of the brakes.
Dry off brakes that have become wet
by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to normal: Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
When Driving
Brake
4-71
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page199
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 200 of 532

Black plate (200,1)
CAUTION
ØDo not drive with your foot held
on the clutch pedal or brake pedal,
or hold the clutch pedal depressed
halfway unnecessarily. Doing so
could result in the following:
ØThe clutch and brake parts will
wear out more quickly.
ØThe brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake
performance.
Ø Always depress the brake pedal
with the right foot. Applying the
brakes with the unaccustomed left
foot could slow your reaction time
to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
ØWear shoes appropriate for driving
in order to avoid your shoe
contacting the brake pedal when
depressing the accelerator pedal.
qParking Brake
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on
will cause excessive wear of the brake
parts. NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter Driving
(page 3-41) regarding parking brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then firmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with sufficient force to hold the vehicle in
a stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
4-72
When Driving
Brake
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page200
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 201 of 532

Black plate (201,1)
qDisplay Indication
For 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.
qWarning Light
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
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.
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 a
malfunction.
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 a malfunction.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the vehicle's
main braking system.
When Driving
Brake
4-73
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page201
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 204 of 532

Black plate (204,1)
Smart City Brake Support (SCBS)í
lThe Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) system is designed to reduce damage in the
event of a collision by operating the brake control (SCBS brake) when the system's laser
sensor detects a vehicle ahead and determines that a collision with the vehicle ahead is
unavoidable. It may also be possible to avoid a collision if the relative speed between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead is less than about 15 km/h (9.3 mph).
In addition, when the driver depresses the brake pedal while the system is in the
operation range at about 4 to 30 km/h (2 to 18 mph), the brakes are applied firmly and
quickly to assist. (Brake Assist (SCBS brake assist))
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.
Laser sensor
WARNING
Do not rely on the Smart City Brake Support System (SCBS) as a substitute for safe
driving: The Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) system cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed, tailgating (following another vehicle too closely),
and driving on slippery roads such as wet, snowy, and icy roads (reduced tire friction
and road contact because of water on the road surface). You can still have an
accident.
4-76
When Driving
íSome models.
Brake
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page204
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 210 of 532

Black plate (210,1)
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
wheel is about to lock up, the ABS
responds by automatically releasing and
reapplying that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal ABS system operation. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident. NOTE
lBraking distances may be longer on loose
surfaces (snow or gravel, for example)
which usually have a hard foundation. A
vehicle with a normal braking system may
require less distance to stop under these
conditions because the tires will build up a
wedge of surface layer when the wheels
skid.
lThe sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle,
however, it does not indicate a malfunction.
4-82
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page210
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 211 of 532

Black plate (211,1)
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,
limiting wheel spin and loss of traction.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
WARNING
Do not rely on the Traction Control
System (TCS) 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.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the TCS OFF switch
(page 4-84).
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
4-83
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page211
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A
Page 214 of 532

Black plate (214,1)
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 4-22.
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.
4-86
When Driving
AW D
CX-5_8DR2-EA-14A_Edition1 Page214
Thursday, November 21 2013 8:48 AM
Form No.8DR2-EA-14A