light MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR 2015 Manual Online

4–64
When Driving
Radar Sensor
Radar Sensor
Your vehicle is equipped with a radar sensor.
The following systems also use the radar sensor.
 y Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) y Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW)
The radar sensor functions by detecting the radio waves refl ected off a vehicle ahead or an
obstruction sent from the radar sensor.
The radar sensor is mounted behind the front emblem.
Radar Sensor
If the Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW) warning light (amber) is illuminated, the area
around the radar sensor may be dirty. Refer to “Warning Guidance” in the center display
(Type B audio).
Refer to If a Warning Light Turns On or Flashes on page 7-24 .
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4–66
When Driving
Radar Sensor
NOTE
 y In the following cases, the radar sensor may not be able to detect vehic\
les ahead or
obstructions.
 y The rear surface of a vehicle ahead does not refl ect radio waves effectively, such as
an unloaded trailer or an automobile with a loading platform covered by a soft top,
vehicles with a hard plastic tailgate, and round-shaped vehicles.
 y Vehicles ahead with low vehicle height and thus less area for refl ecting radio waves. y Visibility is reduced due to a vehicle ahead casting off water, snow, or sand from its
tires and onto your windshield.
 y The trunk/luggage compartment is loaded with heavy objects or the rear passenger
seats are occupied.
 y Ice, snow, or soiling is on the front surface of the front emblem. y During inclement weather such as rain, snow, or sand storms. y When driving near facilities or objects emitting strong radio waves.
 y In the following cases, the radar sensor may detect vehicles in the oppo\
site lane or
surrounding obstructions, or it may not be able to detect vehicles ahead or \
obstructions.
 y The beginning and end of a curve. y Roads with continuous curves. y Narrow lane roads due to road construction or lane closures. y The vehicle ahead enters the radar sensor's blind spot. y The vehicle ahead is running abnormally due to accident or vehicle damag\
e.  y Roads with repeated up and down slopes y Driving on poor roads or unpaved roads. y The distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead is extremely short. y A vehicle suddenly comes close such as by cutting into the lane.
 y To prevent incorrect operation of the system, use tires of the same specifi ed size,
manufacturer, brand, and tread pattern on all four wheels. In addition, do not use tires
with signifi cantly different wear patterns or tire pressures on the same vehicle. (Including
the temporary spare tire)
 y If the battery power is weak, the system may not operate correctly. y When driving on roads with little traffi c and few vehicles ahead or obstructions for the
radar sensor to detect, Forward Obstruction Warning/Smart City Brake Support (FOW/
SCBS) warning light (amber) temporarily illuminates, however, this does not indicate a
problem.
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4–67
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 , fi nd a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more eff ort, 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 aff ected.
CAUTION


4–68
When Driving
Brake
Parking Brake
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on
will cause excessive wear of the brake
parts.
NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter
Driving (page 3-47 ) regarding parking
brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then fi rmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with suffi cient force to hold the vehicle in
a stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-21 .
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.
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4–70
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 confi rm the safety around the
vehicle before starting to drive the
vehicle.
NOTE
 y 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.
 y 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.
 y While Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is
operating, the brake pedal may feel
stiff and vibrate, however, this does not
indicate a malfunction.
 y Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate while the TCS/DSC indicator
light is illuminated.
 Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-20 .
 y 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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*Some models.4–74
When Driving
Brake
 y Under the following conditions, the Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) sy\
stem may not
operate normally.
 y Heavy luggage is loaded in the luggage compartment or on the rear seat. y If there is the possibility of partial contact with a vehicle ahead. y When driving on continuously curving roads, and entering and exiting exits. y Elongated luggage or cargo is loaded onto installed roof rails and covers the laser
sensor.
 y Exhaust gas from the vehicle in front, sand, snow, and water vapor rising from
manholes and grating, and water splashed into the air.
 y When towing a malfunctioning vehicle.
 y In the following cases, the laser sensor may inadvertently determine tha\
t there is a vehicle
ahead and the Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) system may operate.
 y Objects on the road at the entrance to a curve. y Vehicles passing in the opposite lane while making a curve. y Metal objects, bumps, or protruding objects on the road. y When passing through a toll gate. y When passing under a vinyl curtain or fl ag. y Plastic objects such as pylons. y Two-wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, animals or standing trees. y Vehicle is driven with some of the tires having signifi cant wear.
 y When the system operates, the user is notifi ed by the fl ashing Smart City Brake Support
(SCBS) indicator light (red) and the active driving display * . y The Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) warning light (amber) turns on w\
hen the system
has a malfunction.
 Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-21 .
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4–77
When Driving
Brake
Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) Indicator Light (Red)
If the Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) is
operating, the indicator light (red) fl ashes.
Deactivating The Smart City
Brake Support (SCBS) System
Operation
The Smart City Brake Support (SCBS)
system can be temporarily deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
9-12 .
When the Smart City Brake Support
(SCBS) system is turned off, the Smart
City Brake Support (SCBS) OFF indicator
light turns on.
When the engine is restarted, the system
becomes operational.
NOTE
When the DSC OFF switch is pressed to
stop the DSC operation, the Smart City
Brake Support (SCBS) system operation
also stops and the Smart City Brake
Support (SCBS) OFF indicator light turns
on.
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4–78
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 Lights on page 4-21 .
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
 y 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.
 y 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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4–79
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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 Lights on page 4-21 .
WARNING
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 could still
have an accident.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the DSC OFF
switch (page 4-81 ).
TCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON. If the TCS or DSC is operating, the
indicator light fl ashes.
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
 y  In addition to the indicator light
fl ashing, a slight lugging sound will
come from the engine. This indicates
that the TCS/DSC is operating properly.
 y On slippery surfaces, such as fresh
snow, it will be impossible to achieve
high rpm when the TCS is on.
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4–80
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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 4-78 ) and TCS (page
4-79 ).
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 Lights on page 4-21 .
WARNING
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