2017 MAZDA MX5 MIATA Owners Manual

4 –87 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
In the following cases, the activation of the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights
and the warning beep 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) 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 lights may turn on in reaction to stationary
objects on the road or the roadside such as guardrails, tunnels, sidewalls, and parked
vehicles. 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 light may flash 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.
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4 –88 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE 
In the following cases, it may be difficult to view the illumina tion/flashing of the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights equipped on the door mirrors. 
Snow or ice is adhering to the door mirrors. 
The door glass is fogged or covered in snow, frost or dirt. 
The system switches to the Rear Cross Traffic Alert function when the shift lever (manual
transmission) or the selector lever (automatic transmission) is shifted to the reverse (R)
position.
Refer to Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) on page 4-92 .
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) Warning Lights/Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Warning BeepThe Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) or Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system notifies the
driver of the presence of vehicles in adjacent lanes to the rear of your vehicle using the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights and the warning beep while the systems are
operational.
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights are equipped on the left and right door
mirrors. The warning lights turn on when a vehicle approaching from the rear in an adjacent
lane is detected.
When the ignition is switched ON, the malfunction warning light turns on momentarily and
then turns off after a few seconds.
Forward driving (Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system operation)
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system detects vehicles approac hing from the rear and
turns on the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights equippe d on the door mirrors
according to the conditions. Additionally, while a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning
light is illuminated, if the turn signal lever is operated to signal a turn in the direction
in which the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning light is illum inated, the Blind Spot
Monitoring (BSM) warning light flashes.
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4 –89 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSEReverse driving (Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system operation)
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system detects vehicles approaching from the left and
right of your vehicle and flashes the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM ) warning lights.
Function for cancelling illumination dimmer
If the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights turn on when the parking lights are
turned on, the brightness of the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) wa rning lights is dimmed.
If the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights are difficult to see due to glare from
surrounding brightness when traveling on snow-covered roads or under foggy conditions,
press the dimmer cancellation button to cancel the dimmer and increase the brightness of
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights when they turn on.
Refer to Dashboard Illumination on page 4-15 .
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning beep
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning beep is activated simul taneously with the
flashing of a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning light.
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4 –90 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF
Indicator Light 
When the ignition is switched ON, the
malfunction warning light turns on
momentarily and then turns off after a
few seconds. 
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF
indicator light illuminates when the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) switch
is pressed to turn off the Blind Spot
Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross
Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems. 
A malfunction in the system may
be indicated under the following
conditions. Have your vehicle inspected
at an Authorized Mazda Dealer. 
The light does not turn on when the
ignition is switched ON. 
The light remains turned on even if the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) switch
is operated. 
It turns on while driving the vehicle. Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Switch
When the Blind Spot Monitoring
(BSM) switch is pressed, the Blind Spot
Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA) systems are turned off
and the BSM OFF Indicator Light in the
instrument cluster turns on.
If the switch is pressed again, the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross
Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems become
operable and the BSM OFF Indicator
Light turns off.
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4 –91 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSENOTE 
When the ignition is switched off, the
condition before the system was turned
off is maintained. For example, if the
ignition is switched OFF while the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear
Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems are
operational, the Blind Spot Monitoring
(BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
(RCTA) systems remain operational the
next time the ignition is switched ON. 
The Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems
are turned off when the battery is
disconnected such as when the battery
terminals or fuses have been removed
and re-installed. To turn the Blind Spot
Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross
Traffic Alert (RCTA) systems back on,
press the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
switch.
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4 –92 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
*Some models.Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) *
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system is designed to assist the driver in checking the
area to the rear of the vehicle on both sides while the vehicle is reversing by alerting the
driver to the presence of vehicles approaching the rear of the vehicle.
The Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system detects vehicles approaching from the left and
right sides of the vehicle while the vehicle is being reversed out of a parking space, and
notifies the driver of possible danger using the Blind Spot Moni toring (BSM) warning lights
and the warning buzzer.
Detection areas Your vehicle
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) operation
1. The Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system operates when the shift lever (manual
transmission) or the selector lever (automatic transmission) is shifted to the reverse (R)
position.
2. If there is the possibility of a collision with an approaching vehicle, the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning light flashes and the warning beep is activated
simultaneously.
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4 –93 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
WARNING Always check the surrounding area visually before actually putting the vehicle in
reverse:
The system is only designed to assist you in checking for vehicles at the rear when putting
the vehicle in reverse. Due to certain limitations with the operation of this system, the
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning light may not flash or it might be delayed even
though a vehicle is behind your vehicle. Always make it your responsibility as a driver to
check the rear.
NOTE 
In the following cases, the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF indicator light turns on and
operation of the system is stopped. If the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) OFF indicator
light remains illuminated, have the vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible. 
Some problem with the system including the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning
lights has occurred. 
A large deviation in the installation position of a radar sensor (rear) on the vehicle has
occurred. 
There is a large accumulation of snow or ice on the rear bumper near a radar sensor
(rear). 
Driving on snow-covered roads for long periods. 
The temperature near the radar sensors becomes extremely hot due to driving for long
periods on slopes during the summer. 
The battery voltage has decreased.
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4 –94 When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE 
Under the following conditions, the radar sensors (rear) cannot detect target objects or it
may be difficult to detect them. 
The vehicle speed when reversing is about 10 km/h (6.3 mph) or faster. 
The radar sensor (rear) detection area is obstructed by a nearby wall or parked
vehicle. (Reverse the vehicle to a position where the radar sensor detection area is no
longer obstructed.) Your vehicle
A vehicle is approaching directly from the rear of your vehicle. Your vehicle
The vehicle is parked on a slant.
Your vehicle
Directly after pressing the Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) switch and the system
becomes operable. 
In the following cases, it may be difficult to view the illumina tion/flashing of the Blind
Spot Monitoring (BSM) warning lights equipped on the door mirrors. 
Snow or ice adheres to the door mirrors. 
The door glass is fogged or covered in snow, frost or dirt. 
Turn off the Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system while pulling a trailer or while an
accessory such as a bicycle carrier is installed to the rear of the vehicle. Otherwise,
the radio waves emitted by the radar will be blocked causing the system to not operate
normally.
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