2018 MAZDA MODEL CX-9 tires

Descending a hill
Shift into a lower gear and use engine compression as a braking effect.
WA R N I N G
Always use lower gears to reduce speed:
Holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently is dangerous as it could cause the
brakes to overheat and lose power, resulting in loss of control and a serious accident. Use
lower gears to help reduce speed. Pull off the road and allow brakes to cool down whenever
braking performance feels reduced.
Overheated engine
The extra weight of the trailer may strain the engine on hot days and on long or steep
upgrades.
If the temperature gauge indicates overheating, turn off the ai r conditioner, drive safely to
the side of the road, park off the right-of-way and wait for en gine to cool. Refer to
Overheating on page 7-25.
Parking
Always make sure the tires of the trailer and the tow vehicle a re blocked while parked.
Apply the parking brake firmly and put the transaxle in P.
Avoid parking on an incline, but if you must, follow these instructions:
1. Depress and hold down the brake pedal.
2. Have a helper put wheel blocks against the downhill side of a ll vehicle and trailer tires.
3. Then release the brake pedal slowly until the blocks bear the load.
•If the grade is downhill, turn the steering wheel so that the front of the front tires face
the curb.
•If it is uphill, face the rear of the front tires against the curb.
4. Firmly apply t he parking brake.
5. Shift the transaxle into P, and stop the engine.
To restart after parking on an incline:
1. With the transaxle in P, start the engine. (Be sure to depres s and hold the brake pedal.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also the foot brake) and pull away from the wheel blocks.
Stop; apply the parking brake and shift into P.
4. Have a helper retrieve the wheel blocks.
Before Driving
To w i n g
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▼Manually Shifting Down
You can shift gears down by operating the
selector lever.
M6 → M5 → M4 → M3 → M2→ M1
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward
once.

WA R N I N G
Do not use engine braking on slippery road
surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet, snowy,
or frozen roads, or while driving at high
speeds causes sudden engine braking,
which is dangerous. The sudden change in
tire speed could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control and an
accident.
NOTE
•When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down.
•During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
•When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed. However,
the gears do not kickdown while the TCS
is turned off.
▼ Second Gear Fixed Mode
When the selector lever is moved back
while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h
(6.2 mph) or less, the t
ransaxle is set in the
second gear fixed mode. The gear is fixed
in second while in this mode for easier
acceleration from a stop and driving on
slippery roads such as snow-covered
roads.
If the selector lever is moved back
or
forward
while in the second gear fixed
mode, the mode will be canceled.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
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Antilock Brake System(ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed o f 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 brak e pedal without
pumping the brakes.

The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-32.
WA R N I N G
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 wi ll 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.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC/Trailer St ability Assist (TSA)
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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.

The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-32.
WA R N I N G
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 co uld still have an
accident.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the TCS OFF
switch (page 4-74).
▼ TCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched ON.
If the TCS, DSC or the Trailer Stability
Assist (TSA)
* is operating, the indicator
light flashes.

If the light stays on, the TCS, DSC or the
brake assist system may have a
malfunction and they may not operate
correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
•In addition to the indicator light
flashing, a slight lugging sound will
come from the engine. This indicates
that the TCS/DSC is operating properly.
•On slippery surfaces, such as fresh
snow, it will be impossible to achieve
high rpm when the TCS is on.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC/Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
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Dynamic Stability Control(DSC)
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such as
ABS and TCS to help control side slip
when driving on slippery surfaces, or
during sudden or evasive maneuvering,
enhancing vehicle safety.

Refer to ABS (page 4 -72) and TCS (page
4-73).

DSC operation is possible at speeds
greater than 20 km/h (12 mph).

The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Indication/Warning
Lights on page 4-32.
WA R N I N G
Do not rely on the Dynamic Stability
Control as a substitute for safe driving:
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
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.
CAUTION
 The DSC may not operate correctly
unless the following are observed:
 Use tires of the correct size
specified for
your Mazda on all four wheels.
 Use tires of the same manufacturer,
brand and tread pattern on all four
wheels.
 Do not mix worn tires.
 The DSC may not operate correctly when
tire chains are used or a temporary spare
tire is installed because the tire diameter
changes.
▼ TCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched ON.
If the TCS, DSC or the Trailer Stability
Assist (TSA)
* is operating, the indicator
light flashes.

If the light stays on, the TCS, DSC or the
brake assist system may have a
malfunction and they may not operate
correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC/Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
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Trailer Stability Assist(TSA)
If the vehicle sways while being driven
and towing a trailer, the Trailer Stability
Assist (TSA) automatically controls
braking and engine torque to suppress the
swaying and enhance vehicle stability.
The Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is
operable at a vehicle speed of about 65
km/h (40 mph) or more.
When the Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
operates while driving the vehicle, the
TCS/DSC indicator light flashes.
Refer to TCS/DSC Indicator Light on page
4-75.
WA R N I N G
Do not rely solely on the Trailer Stability
Assist (TSA)
Assured vehicle stability is limited even if
the Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is
operating. Drive carefully to prevent
accidents.
In particular, if the TCS/DSC indicator light
is flashing, drive the vehicle carefully as it is
in a less stable condition and could sway
more easily. Drive with caution and in
accordance with the road, vehicle and
trailer conditions.
CAUTION
The Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) may not
operate correctly unless the following are
observed:
 Use tires of the correct size specified for
your Mazda on all four wheels.
Use tires of the same manufacturer,
brand and tread pattern on all four
wheels.
 Do not mix worn tires.
 The Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) may not
operate correctly when tire chains are
used or a temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
NOTE
•The Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) uses
the TCS/DSC functions. The Trailer
Stability Assist (TSA) does not operate if
there is a malfunction in the TCS/DSC
(the TCS/DSC indicator light turns on).
•When the Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
is operating, the brake lights may turn
on.
•For information regarding trailer
towing, refer to Trailer Towing (U.S.A.
and Canada) on page 3-56.
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC/Trailer St ability Assist (TSA)
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▼Tires and Tire Chains
The condition of the tires plays a large role
in the performance of the vehicle.
Moreover, to prevent adverse effects to the
drive assembly, please note the following:
Tires
•When replacing tires, always replace all
front and rear tires at the same time.
•All tires must be of the same size,
manufacture, brand and tread pattern.
Pay particular attention when equipping
snow or other types of winter tires.
•Do not mix tread-wor
n tires with normal
tires.
•Inspect tire inflation pressures at the
specified periods adjust to the specified
pressures.
NOTE
Check the tire inflation pressure label
attached to driver's door frame for the
correct tire inflation pressure.
•Make sure to equip the vehicle with
genuine wheels of the specified size, on
all wheels. With AWD , the system is
calibrated for all four wheels being of
the same dimensions.
Tire chains
•Install tire chains to the front tires.
•Do not use tire chains on the rear
wheels.
•Do not drive the vehicle faster than 30
km/h (19 mph) with the tire chains
installed.
•Do not drive the vehicle with tire chains
on road conditions other than snow or
ice.
▼ To w i n g
If the vehicle requires towing, have it
towed with all four w
heels completely off
the ground.
Refer to Towing Description on page 7-
27.
When Driving
i-ACTIV AWD
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NOTE
The timing in which the system switches the headlights changes under the following
conditions. If the system does not switch the headlights appropriately, manually switch
between high and low beams according to the visibility as well as road and traffic
conditions.
•When there are sources of light in the area such as street lamps, illuminated signboards,
and traffic signals.
•When there are reflective objects in the surrounding area such as reflective plates and
signs.
•When visibility is reduced under rain, snow and foggy conditions.
•When driving on roads with sharp turn or hilly terrain.
•When the headlights/rear lamps of vehicles in front of you or in the opposite lane are dim
or not illuminated.
•When there is sufficient darkness such as at dawn or dusk.
•When the luggage compartment is loaded with heavy objects or the rear passenger seats
are occupied.
•When visibility is reduced due to a vehicle in front of you spraying water from its tires
onto your windshield.
When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
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