2017 MAZDA MODEL 6 warning light

4–65
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Horn
To sound the horn, press the mark on
the steering wheel.
Hazard Warning Flasher
The hazard warning lights should always
be used when you stop on or near a
roadway in an emergency.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffic hazard
and that they must take extreme caution
when near it.
Depress the hazard warning flasher and
all the turn signals will flash. The hazard
warning indicator lights in the instrument
cluster flash simultaneously.
NOTE
 The turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning lights are on.
 Check local regulations about the use of
hazard warning lights while the vehicle
is being towed to verify that it is not in
violation of the law.
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4–66
When Driving
Switches and Controls
*Some models.
HomeLink Wireless
Control System
*
NOTE
HomeLink and HomeLink house icon
are registered trademarks of Gentex
Corporation.
The HomeLink system replaces up to
3 hand-held transmitters with a single
built-in component in the auto-dimming
mirror. Pressing the HomeLink button on
the auto-dimming mirror activates garage
doors, gates and other devices surrounding
your home.
HomeLink button
Indicator light
WARNING
Do not use the HomeLink system with
any garage door opener that lacks the
safety stop and reverse feature:
Using the HomeLink system with any
garage door opener that lacks the
safety stop and reverse feature as
required by federal safety standards
is dangerous. (This includes garage
doors manufactured before April 1,
1982.)
Using these garage door openers can
increase the risk of serious injury or
death. For further information, contact
HomeLink at 1-800-355-3515 or www.
homelink.com or an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
Always check the areas surrounding
garage doors and gates for people
or obstructions before programming
or during operation of the HomeLink
system: Programming or operating the
HomeLink system without verifying
the safety of areas surrounding garage
doors and gates is dangerous and
could result in an unexpected accident
and serious injury if someone were to
be hit.
NOTE
The programming will not be erased even
if the battery is disconnected.
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4–70
When Driving
Brake
Brake System
Foot Brake
This vehicle 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.
CAUTION
 Do 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:
 The clutch and brake parts will wear
out more quickly.
 The brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake performance.
 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.

 Wear shoes appropriate for driving in
order to avoid your shoe contacting
the brake pedal when depressing the
accelerator pedal.
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4–71
When Driving
Brake
Electric Parking Brake
The electric parking brake equipment
applies the parking brake using an electric
motor. When the electric parking brake is
applied, the electric parking brake switch
indicator light turns on.
Indicator light
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the electric
parking brake applied:
If the vehicle is driven with the parking
brake applied, the brake parts may
generate heat and the brake system
may not operate, leading to an
accident.
Before driving, release the electric
parking brake and verify that the brake
system warning light is turned off.
NOTE
 The electric parking brake cannot be
applied or released while the vehicle
battery is dead.
 An operation sound occurs when
applying or releasing the electric
parking brake, however, this does not
indicate a malfunction.
 If the electric parking brake is not
used for long periods, an automatic
inspection of the system is performed
while the vehicle is parked. An
operation sound can be heard, however,
this does not indicate a problem.
 When the electric parking brake is
applied and the ignition is switched
OFF, an operation sound can be heard,
however, this does not indicate a
problem.
 The brake pedal may move while the
electric parking brake is being applied
or released, however, this does not
indicate a problem.
 If the electric parking brake switch is
continually pulled while driving the
vehicle, the electric parking brake will
be applied and the electric parking
brake warning beep will be activated.
When the switch is released, the electric
parking brake is released and the beep
stops.
 If the electric parking brake is applied
with the ignition switched off or in ACC,
the brake system warning light in the
instrument cluster and the indicator
light in the switch may turn on for 15
seconds.
 When running the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, it may be necessary
to switch the ignition off with the
parking brake released depending on
the type of automatic car wash.
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4–72
When Driving
Brake
When applying the electric parking
brake
The electric parking brake can be applied
regardless of the ignition switch position.
Securely depress the brake pedal and pull
up the electric parking brake switch.
The electric parking brake is applied and
the brake system warning light and the
electric parking brake switch indicator
light turn on.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-32.
When releasing the electric parking
brake
The electric parking brake can be released
while the ignition is switched ON or
the engine is running. When the electric
parking brake is released, the brake system
warning light and the electric parking
brake switch indicator light turn off.Electric parking brake manual release
Securely depress the brake pedal and press
down the electric parking brake switch.
Firmly depress the brake pedal and press
the electric parking brake switch.
If the electric parking brake switch is
pressed without depressing the brake
pedal, the display or indicator light in the
instrument cluster notifies the driver that
the brake is not depressed.
(Type A instrument cluster)
A message is displayed on the multi-
information display in the instrument
cluster.
Refer to Message Indicated in Multi-
information Display on page 7-35.
(Type B instrument cluster)
The brake pedal operation demand
indicator light in the instrument cluster
turns on.
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4–73
When Driving
Brake
Electric parking brake automatic
release
If the accelerator pedal is depressed with
the electric parking brake applied and
all of the following conditions met, the
parking brake is released automatically.
 The engine is running. The driver's door is closed. The driver's seat belt is fastened.
(Manual transaxle)
 The change lever is in a position other
than neutral.
 The clutch pedal is depressed halfway
(Automatic transaxle)
 Selector lever is in the D, M, or R
position
NOTE
If something such as the driver's foot
contacts the accelerator pedal with the
engine running and the electric parking
brake applied, the parking brake may
be released automatically. If you do not
intend to drive immediately, shift the
change lever (manual transaxle) to the
neutral position, or shift the selector
lever (automatic transaxle) to the P or N
position.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-33.
Brake 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.
Brake 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.
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4–75
When Driving
Brake
WARNING
Do not rely completely on Hill Launch
Assist (HLA):Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is an auxiliary
device for accelerating from a stop
on a slope. The system only operates
for about two seconds and therefore,
relying only on the system, when
accelerating from a stop is dangerous
because the vehicle may move (roll)
unexpectedly and cause an accident.
The vehicle could roll depending on
the vehicle's load or if it is towing
something. In addition, for vehicles
with a manual transaxle, the vehicle
could still roll depending on how the
clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal is
operated.
Always confirm the safety around the
vehicle before starting to drive the
vehicle.
NOTE
 Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate on a gentle slope. In addition,
the gradient of the slope on which the
system will operate changes depending
on the vehicle's load.
 Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate if the parking brake is applied,
the vehicle has not stopped completely,
or the clutch pedal is released.
 While Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is
operating, the brake pedal may feel
stiff and vibrate, however, this does not
indicate a malfunction.
 Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate while the TCS/DSC indicator
light is illuminated.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on
page 4-32.
 Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
turn off even if the DSC OFF switch is
pressed to turn off the TCS/DSC.
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4–76
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-33.
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
 Braking 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.
 The 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.
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