3–36
Before Driving
Mirrors
NOTE
Do not use glass cleaner or suspend
objects on or around the light sensor.
Otherwise, light sensor sensitivity
will be affected and may not operate
normally.
(With Homelink wireless control
system)
Light sensor
(Without Homelink wireless control
system)
Light sensor
(With Homelink wireless control
system)
For information regarding the 3 buttons
(
, , ) on the auto-dimming
mirror.
Refer to HomeLink Wireless Control
System on page 4-62 .
The auto-dimming function is canceled
when the ignition is switched ON and
the shift lever is in reverse (R).
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3–52
Before Driving
Driving Tips
Winter Driving
Carry emergency gear, including tire
chains, window scraper, fl ares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, and a small bag of
sand or salt.
Ask an Authorized Mazda Dealer to check
the following:
Have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the
radiator.
Refer to Engine Coolant on page
6-29 .
Inspect the battery and its cables. Cold
reduces battery capacity.
Use an engine oil appropriate for the
lowest ambient temperatures that the
vehicle will be driven in (page 6-26 ).
Inspect the ignition system for damage
and loose connections.
Use washer fl uid made with antifreeze—
but do not use engine coolant antifreeze
for washer fl uid (page 6-31 ).
NOTE
Remove snow before driving. Snow left
on the windshield is dangerous as it
could obstruct vision.
Do not apply excessive force to a
window scraper when removing ice or
frozen snow on the mirror glass and
windshield.
Never use warm or hot water for
removing snow or ice from windows and
mirrors as it could result in the glass
cracking.
Drive slowly. Braking performance
can be adversely affected if snow or
ice adheres to the brake components. If
this situation occurs, drive the vehicle
slowly, releasing the accelerator pedal
and lightly applying the brakes several
times until the brake performance
returns to normal.
Snow Tires
Use snow tires on all four wheels
Do not go faster than 120 km/h (75 mph)
while driving with snow tires. Infl ate snow
tires 30 kPa (0.3 kgf/cm
2 , 4.3 psi) more
than recommended on the tire pressure
label (driver's door frame), but never
more than the maximum cold-tire pressure
shown on the tires.
The vehicle is originally equipped with
all season radials designed to be used all
year around. In some extreme climates you
may fi nd it necessary to replace them with
snow tires during the winter months to
further improve traction on snow and ice
covered roads.
WARNING
Use only the same size and type tires
(snow, radial, or non-radial) on all four
wheels:
Using tires diff erent in size or type is
dangerous. Your vehicle's handling
could be greatly aff ected and result in
an accident.
CAUTION
Check local regulations before using
studded tires.
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3–62
Before Driving
Towing
Trailer Towing Tips
Verify that your Mazda maintains a near-normal attitude when a loaded or unloaded trailer
is connected. Do not drive if it has an abnormal front-up or front-down position. Inspect
for incorrect tongue load, worn suspension parts, and trailer overloading.
Make sure the trailer is properly loaded and the cargo is secure to prevent it from shifting.
Make sure the mirrors conform to all government regulations. If they do not, install
required rear view mirrors appropriate for towing purposes.
The three main causes of vehicle-trailer accidents are driver error, excessive speed, and
improper trailer loading.
Before driving
Have your cooling and braking system checked by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Before 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
Your Mazda will handle differently with a trailer in tow, so practice turning, backing, and
stopping in a traffi c-free area.
Take time to get accustomed to the extra weight and length.
Allow 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.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
Avoid sudden braking. It may cause loss of control and result in jackknifi ng, especially so
on wet or slippery roads.
Shift 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.
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4–60
When Driving
Switches and Controls
*Some models.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger clears fog from
the rear window.
The ignition must be switched ON to use
the defogger.
Press the switch to turn on the rear
window defogger. The rear window
defogger operates for about 15 minutes
and then turns off automatically.
The indicator light illuminates when the
defogger is operating.
To turn off the rear window defogger
before the 15 minutes has elapsed, press
the switch again.
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
defogger grid inside the window.
NOTE
This defogger is not designed for melting
snow. If there is an accumulation of snow
on the rear window, remove it before using
the defogger.
Mirror Defogger *
The mirror defoggers defrost the outside
mirrors.
The mirror defoggers operate in
conjunction with the rear window
defogger.
To turn on the mirror defoggers, switch
the ignition ON and press the rear window
defogger switch (page 4-60 ).
Indicator light
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4–62
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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4–65
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Gate 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
diffi culties programming a gate operator
by using the “Programming” procedures
(regardless of where you live), replace
“Programming HomeLink” step 3 with
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.
Continue to press and hold the HomeLink
button while you press and release
— every two seconds (“cycle”) your
hand-held transmitter until the frequency
signal has successfully been accepted by
HomeLink. (The indicator light will fl ash
slowly and then rapidly.)
Proceed with “Programming” step 4 to
complete.
Operating the HomeLink System
Press the programmed HomeLink button
to operate a programmed device. The
code will continue being transmitted for a
maximum of 20 seconds.
Reprogramming the HomeLink
system
To program a device to HomeLink using
a HomeLink button previously trained,
follow these steps:
1. Press and hold the desired HomeLink
button. DO NOT release the button.
2. The indicator light will begin to fl ash
after 20 seconds. Without releasing
the HomeLink button, proceed with
“Programming” - step 1.
Erasing Programmed HomeLink
Buttons
To erase the existing programming from
all three operating channels, press and
hold the two outside buttons (
, ) on
the auto-dimming mirror until the
HomeLink indicator light begins to fl ash
after approximately 10 seconds.
Verify that the programming has been
erased when you resell the vehicle.
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4–85
When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
Pre-Crash Safety Technology
Pre-crash safety technology is designed to assist the driver in averting collisions or reduce
their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided.
Collision damage reduction in low vehicle speed range
Forward driving
Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) ................................................................................... 4-128
Collision damage reduction in medium/high speed range
Smart Brake Support (SBS) .............................................................................................. 4-133
Camera and Sensors
Forward sensing camera (FSC)
The Forward Sensing Camera (FSC) determines the conditions ahead of the vehicle while
traveling at night and detects traffi c lanes. The following systems also use the Forward
Sensing Camera (FSC).
High Beam Control system (HBC)
Lane-keep Assist System (LAS) & Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)
Smart Brake Support (SBS)
The Forward Sensing Camera (FSC) is installed at the top of the windshield near the
rearview mirror.
Refer to Forward Sensing Camera (FSC) on page 4-136 .
Radar sensor (front)
The radar sensor (front) functions by detecting the radio waves refl ected off a vehicle ahead
sent from the radar sensor. The following systems also use the radar sensor (front).
Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC)
Distance Recognition Support System (DRSS)
Smart Brake Support (SBS)
The radar sensor (front) is mounted behind the radiator grille.
Refer to Radar Sensor (Front) on page 4-139 .
Laser sensor (front)
The laser sensor (front) emits a near-infrared laser beam and receives the beam refl ected
off the refl ective surface of a vehicle in front, and the detected beam is then used for
measurement. The following systems also use the laser sensor (front).
Smart City Brake Support (SCBS)
Smart Brake Support (SBS)
The laser sensor (front) is installed at the top of the windshield near the rearview mirror.
Refer to Laser Sensor (Front) on page 4-142 .
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4–93
When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
In the following case, the fl ashing of the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning indicator
light, and the activation of the warning sound and the warning screen indicator display
may not occur or they may be delayed.
A vehicle makes a lane change from a driving lane two lanes over to an adjacent lane.
Driving on steep slopes.
Crossing the summit of a hill or mountain pass.
The turning radius is small (making a sharp turn, turning at intersections).
When there is a difference in the height between your driving lane and the adjacent
lane.
Directly after pressing the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF switch and the system
becomes operable.
If the road width is extremely narrow, vehicles two lanes over may be detected.
The detection area of the radar sensors (rear) is set according to the road width of
expressways.
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning indicator light may turn on and the vehicle
detection screen may be displayed in the display in reaction to stationary objects
(guardrails, tunnels, sidewalls, and parked vehicles) on the road or the roadside.
Objects such as guardrails and concrete walls
running alongside the vehicle.Places where the width between guardrails or
walls on each side of the vehicle narrows.
The walls at the entrance and exits of tunnels,
turnouts.
A Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning indicator light may fl ash or the warning beep
may be activated several times when making a turn at a city intersection.
Turn off the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) while pulling a trailer or while an accessory
such as a bicycle carrier is installed to the rear of the vehicle. Otherwise, the radar’s
radio waves will be blocked causing the system to not operate normally.
In the following cases, it may be diffi cult to view the illumination/fl ashing of the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning indicator lights equipped on the door mirrors.
Snow or ice is adhering to the door mirrors.
The front door glass is fogged or covered in snow, frost or dirt.
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