2021 MAZDA MODEL CX-9 steering

Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
Avoid sudden braking. It may cause loss of control and result in jackknifing, especially so
on wet or slippery roads.
Shift the selector lever to the D position wh en towing a trailer in hilly terrain or when
heavily loaded.
The D position will allow operating th e 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 th e tow vehicle. Compensate with turns that are
larger than normal.
Passing
Plan well ahead to pass other vehicles, and provide plenty of room before changing lanes.
Crosswinds from passing vehicles, especially larger ones, and the effects of rough roads will
affect handling.
If swaying occurs, firmly grip the steering wheel and reduce speed immediately, but
gradually.
Steer straight ahead. If no extreme correc tion of steering or braking is made, the
combination of less speed and firm steering will result in stability.
Backing up
Backing a vehicle with a trailer requires practice and patience. Back slowly, and have a
helper outside at the rear of the trailer to reduce the risk of an accident.
To turn the trailer, place your hand at the bott om of the steering wheel and turn it in the
direction you want the trailer to go. Make only slight movements to prevent sharp or
prolonged turning.
Ascending a hill
Shift into a lower gear to redu ce the possibility of overloading or overheating the engine, or
both.
Descending a hill
Shift into a lower gear and use engine compression as a braking effect.
Before Driving
To w i n g
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WARNING
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 air conditioner, drive safely to
the side of the road, park off the right-of- way and wait for engine to cool. Refer to
Overheating on page 7-23.
Parking
Always make sure the tires of the trailer and the tow vehicle are 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 all 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 the 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 depress 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.
Fuel consumption
Trailer towing causes higher fuel consumption.
Before Driving
To w i n g
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4When Driving
Information concerning safe driving and stopping.
Start/Stop Engine.............................. 4-4 Ignition Switch........ ..................... 4-4
Starting the Engine....................... 4-5
Turning the Engine Off...............4-10
Instrument Cluster and Display ............
........................................................... 4-11 Instrument Cluster and
Display........................................ 4-11
Instrument Cluster (Type A)....... 4-12
Instrument Cluster (Type B)....... 4-29
Instrument Cluster (Type C)....... 4-44
Active Driving Display
*............. 4-56
Automatic Transaxle....................... 4-59 Automatic Transaxle
Controls...................................... 4-59
Shift-Lock System...................... 4-60
Transaxle Ranges........................4-60
Manual Shift Mode..................... 4-62
Direct Mode
*.............................. 4-68
Driving Tips................................4-69
Switches and Controls..................... 4-70 Lighting Control......................... 4-70
Fog Lights
*................................. 4-76
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals........................................ 4-77
Windshield Wipers and
Washer........................................ 4-78
Rear Window Wiper and
Washer........................................ 4-81
Rear Window Defogg er.............. 4-82
Horn............................................ 4-83
Hazard Warning Flasher............. 4-84
HomeLink Wireless Control System
(Type A)
*.................................... 4-84
HomeLink Wireless Control System
(Type B)
*.................................... 4-88
Brake................................................ 4-92 Brake System.............................. 4-92
AUTOHOLD.............................. 4-96
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)........ 4-100
ABS/TCS/DSC/Trailer Stability
Control (TSC)/Off-Road Traction
Assist............................................... 4-102 Antilock Brake System
(ABS)........................................4-102
Traction Control System
(TCS)........................................ 4-103
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)........................................4-105
Trailer Stability Control
(TSC)........................................ 4-106
Off-Road Traction Assist
*........ 4-107
Drive Selection............................... 4-109 Drive Selection......................... 4-109
i-ACTIV AWD................................4-111 i-ACTIV AWD Operation
*....... 4-111
Power Steering............................... 4-113 Power Steering..........................4-113
*Some models.4-1
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications.
Center of Dashboard
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
Instrument Cluster
▼
Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the us
er of the system operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal Warning Page
Brake System Warning Indication/Warning Light*1*27-28
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu ‐
tion System Wa r n i n g 7-28
ABS warning 7-31
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-28
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-28
High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Indication 7-28
Power Steering Malfunction Indication7-28
Master Warning Indication 7-31
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
4-23
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications.
Instrument Cluster
Center of Dashboard
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
▼Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the user of the system operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal
Warning Page
Brake System Warning Indication/Warning Light*1*27-28
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu ‐
tion System Wa r n i n g 7-28
ABS warning 7-31
Charging System Warning Indication/Warning Light*17-28
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-28
(Red) High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
*17-28
Power Steering Malfun
ction Indication 7-28
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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▼Warning/Indicator Lights
Instrument Cluster varies depending on model and specifications.
Instrument Cluster
Center of Dashboard
Warning lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
▼Warning Indication/Warning Lights
These lights turn on or flash to notify the us
er of the system operation status or a system
malfunction.
Signal Warning Page
Brake System Warning Light*1*27-28
ABS Warning Light*1
Electronic Brake
Force Distribu ‐
tion System Wa r n i n g 7-28
ABS warning 7-31
Charging System Warning Light*17-28
Engine Oil Warning Light*17-28
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light*17-28
Master Warning Light*17-31
Electric Parking Brake (EPB) Warning Light*17-31
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
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Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.

Manual shift mode
indication
Gear position
indication
Manual shift mode
indication
Gear position
indication
Instrument Cluster (Type A)
Instrument Cluster (Type B/C)
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down
when driving at higher speeds, the gear
position indication will flash twice to
signal that the gears cannot be shifted
down (to protect the transaxle).
If the automatic transaxle fluid (ATF)
temperature becomes too high, there is
the possibility that the transaxle will
switch to automatic shift mode,
canceling manual shift mode and
turning off the gear position indication
illumination. This is a normal function
to protect the AT. After the ATF
temperature has decreased, the gear
position indication illumination turns
back on and driving in manual shift
mode is restored.
▼ Manually Shifting Up
You can shift gears up by operating the
selector lever or the steering shift
switches
*.
M1
→ M2 → M3 → M4 → M5 → M6
Using selector lever
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the
selector lever back
once.

Using steering shift switch*
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP switch
(
) toward you once with your
fingers.

UP switch (+/OFF)
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
*Some models.4-63
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WA R N I N G
Keep your hands on the steering wheel rim
when using fingers on the steering shift
switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of the
steering wheel when using the steering
shift switches is dangerous. If the driver's
air bag were to deploy in a collision, your
hands could be impacted causing injury.
NOTE
When driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up.
Do not drive the vehicle with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE
while in manual shift mode. In addition,
manual shift mode switches to automatic
shift mode while the accelerator pedal is
completely depressed.
This function is canceled while the TCS
is turned off. However, if the vehicle is
continuously driven at a high rpm, the
gears may automatically shift up to
protect the engine.
The steering shift switch can be used
temporarily even if the selector lever is
in the D position while driving. In
addition, it returns to automatic shift
mode when the UP switch (
Using selector lever
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the
selector lever forward
once.

Using steering shift switch*
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch
toward you once with your
fingers.

DOWN switch (-)
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.
When Driving
Automatic Transaxle
4-64*Some models.
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