Mazda CX-9 Owners Manual: 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, find a safe place to stop: Coasting with the engine stalled or turned off is dangerous. Braking will require more effort, and the brake's power-assist could be depleted if you pump the brake. This will cause longer stopping distances or even an accident.

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 affected.

CAUTION

• Do not drive with your foot held on the brake pedal. Doing so could result in the following:
  • The brake parts will wear out more quickly.
  • The brakes can overheat and adversely affect brake performance.
• Always depress the brake pedal with the right foot. Applying the brakes with the unaccustomed left foot could slow your reaction time to an emergency situation resulting in insufficient braking operation.

• Wear shoes appropriate for driving in order to avoid your shoe contacting the brake pedal when depressing the accelerator pedal.

Electric Parking Brake (EPB)

The EPB equipment applies the parking brake using an electric motor. When the parking brake is applied, the EPB switch indicator light turns on.

WARNING

Do not drive the vehicle with the parking brake applied: If the vehicle is driven with the parking brake applied, the brake parts may generate heat and the brake system may not operate, leading to an accident.

Before driving, release the parking brake and verify that the brake system warning light is turned off.

NOTE

• The parking brake cannot be applied or released while the vehicle battery is dead.
• If the EPB is repeatedly applied and released it may stop operating to prevent overheating of the motor. If this occurs, wait approx. 1 minute before operating the EPB switch again.
• An operation sound occurs when applying or releasing the parking brake, however, this does not indicate a malfunction.
• If the EPB is not used for long periods, an automatic inspection of the system is performed while the vehicle is parked.

  An operation sound can be heard, however, this does not indicate a problem.

• When the parking brake is applied and the ignition is switched OFF, an operation sound can be heard, however, this does not indicate a problem.
• The brake pedal may move while the parking brake is being applied or released, however, this does not indicate a problem.
• If the EPB switch is continually pulled while driving the vehicle, the parking brake will be applied and the EPB warning beep will be activated. When the switch is released, the parking brake is released and the beep stops.
• If the parking brake is applied with the ignition switched off or in ACC, the brake system warning light in the instrument cluster and the indicator light in the switch may turn on for 15 seconds.
• When running the vehicle through an automatic car wash, it may be necessary to switch the ignition off with the parking brake released depending on the type of automatic car wash.

When applying the parking brake

The parking brake can be applied regardless of the ignition switch position.

Securely depress the brake pedal and pull up the EPB switch.

The parking brake is applied and the brake system warning light and the EPB switch indicator light turn on.

When releasing the parking brake

The parking brake can be released while the ignition is switched ON or the engine is running. When the parking brake is released, the brake system warning light and the EPB switch indicator light turn off.

Parking brake manual release

Firmly depress the brake pedal and press the EPB switch.

If the EPB switch is pressed without depressing the brake pedal, the display in the instrument cluster notifies the driver that the brake is not depressed.

(Type A/B instrument cluster) A message is displayed on the multi-information display in the instrument cluster.

(Type C instrument cluster) The brake pedal operation demand indicator light in the instrument cluster turns on.

Parking brake automatic release

If the accelerator pedal is depressed with the parking brake applied and all of the following conditions met, the parking brake is released automatically.

• The engine is running.
• The driver's door is closed.
• The driver's seat belt is fastened.
• Selector lever is in the D, M, or R position

NOTE If something such as the driver's foot contacts the accelerator pedal with the engine running and the parking brake applied, the parking brake may be released automatically. If you do not intend to drive immediately, shift the selector lever to the P or N position.

Warning Light

The warning light turns on when the system has a malfunction.

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.

WARNING

Do not drive with worn disc pads: Driving with worn disc pads is dangerous.

NOTE In high humidity weather conditions, brake noises, such as brake squeak or brake squeal can be heard. It does not indicate a malfunction.

Brake Assist

During emergency braking situations when it is necessary to depress the brake pedal with greater force, the brake assist system provides braking assistance, thus enhancing braking performance.

When the brake pedal is depressed hard or depressed more quickly, the brakes apply more firmly.

NOTE

• When the brake pedal is depressed hard or depressed more quickly, the pedal will feel softer but the brakes will apply more firmly. This is a normal effect of the brake assist operation and does not indicate a malfunction.
• When the brake pedal is depressed hard or depressed more quickly, a motor/ pump operation noise may be heard.

  This is a normal effect of the brake assist and does not indicate a malfunction.

• The brake assist equipment does not supersede the functionality of the vehicle's main braking system.

Hill Launch Assist (HLA)

HLA is a function which assists the driver in accelerating from a stop while on a slope. When the driver releases the brake pedal and depresses the accelerator pedal while on a slope, the function prevents the vehicle from rolling. The braking force is maintained automatically after the brake pedal is released on a steep grade.

HLA operates on a downward slope when the selector lever is in the reverse (R) position, and on an upward slope when the selector lever is in a forward gear.

WARNING

Do not rely completely on HLA : HLA is an auxiliary device for accelerating from a stop on a slope. The system only operates for about 2 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.

Always confirm the safety around the vehicle before starting to drive the vehicle.

NOTE

• 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.

• HLA does not operate if the parking brake is applied, or if the vehicle has not stopped completely.
• HLA is operating, the brake pedal may feel stiff and vibrate, however, this does not indicate a malfunction.
• HLA does not operate while the TCS/DSC indicator light is illuminated.
• HLA does not turn off even if the TCS OFF switch is pressed to turn off the TCS.