Orange steering wheel indicator light (2023 CX-5)

[smartblonde]

While I drove home in my new 2023 CX-5 Preferred Trim I noticed an ORANGE steering wheel indicator light pop up on the right multi-information display, then it disappears. What is that indicating? I'm just reading thru the manual.... The wheel doesn't stay on but a few seconds. Thanks

 

[cz5gt]

I think you probably saw the assisted steering. Basically the car steers you (slightly) in the opposite direction to help you when you are near the white lines on the road or if there is a small road curve. At that moment an icon appears between the marked white lines on the screen and the headup display if you have one.
Its enabled in the infotainment car safety menu. Lane keep assisted or something like that.

 

[smartblonde]

okay, thanks. I read in the online manual it would be white or green (I think) so I was a little worried that it displayed orange.

 

[cz5gt]

is this it?

 

[smartblonde]

Yep, that is what I was seeing. Thanks again!

 

[BWJ]

Also known as the backseat driving instructor

 

[smartblonde]

Also known as the backseat driving instructor

 

[wlong01]

This must be new. Never saw that on our 19, if you cross the line usually the line on the display you're crossing will turn red.

 

[Boland01]

If you wander too close to the line our shows the orange steering wheel too on our 2023 Turbo.

 

[Rakenroler]

I wonder who's the big shot dumbass thought of a creepy name like "Backseat Driving Instructor" at Mazda? I wouldn't want to enable that at all if I had no clue what it is.

 

[RedBaron]

I wonder who's the big shot dumbass thought of a creepy name like "Backseat Driving Instructor" at Mazda? I wouldn't want to enable that at all if I had no clue what it is.

Err, I think you might find he was joking? <faceplant>

 

[181962]

okay, thanks. I read in the online manual it would be white or green (I think) so I was a little worried that it displayed orange.

I agree, the orange wheel is not described in the manual. The white and green wheel indicators are described in the Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) section starting on page 4-161. I believe TJA is something new for 2023, differentiated from Lane Keep Assist (LAS) and Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) functions included in both prior and current year models.

Per 4-161, "[TJA] performs headway control to maintain a constant distance between your vehicle and a vehicle ahead at a preset vehicle speed without you having to use the accelerator or brake pedal. Even further, with the steering assist function, when vehicle lane lines are detected, the function assists the driver in keeping the vehicle within the lane lines. If lane lines are not detected, the function provides the driver driving assistance in keeping the vehicle along the motion path with the vehicle ahead."

This sounds a lot like using radar cruise along with LAS and LDWS except for the bolded passage above, which could be the blind leading the blind. It may operate at different speeds than radar cruise or its doing the same thing under another name--somebody else can get into that.

So what's with the orange wheel? I believe it is "amber" in the parlance of the manual, a malfunction warning of some type like other amber lights? Perhaps it means the TJA is not able to perform its function for some reason--see all the warnings about when it might not work properly.

PS: There were mutterings about Mazda adding lane centering for 2023. This does not sound like that but somebody who drives one of these would know better.

 

[cz5gt]

Yes. Its on 2022- models. A bit more active lane keep/centering feature. It has 2 stages. It is different than TJA which is only on Signature trims.

Unfortunately in US only the "late" stage is present which triggers near the lane markers or helps when there is curve. EU gets the "early" stage as well and can select between both. "Early" is almost perfect lane centering. US option is more like helping you just a bit.
When the system triggers you get the orange steering wheel icon.
It does not use the radar, its the front cam and the electric steering module only.
The other new thing for 2022- that I see is that if there is only 1 lane marker, it still works. In the previous models it needed at least 2 markers to get lane departure warning and assist.

 

[RedBaron]

OK, I can tell you exactly how TJA works on my CX-50 (I assume it's the same on the newer CX-5's)

When enabled the 'steering wheel' icon shows green. If you do not hold the steering wheel for a period of time, the indicator turns orange and then fairly soon after that, you get an audible warning and shortly after that, the TJA is disabled and you get all sorts on warning flashes and noises

While enabled (the 'steering wheel' icon is green AND radar cruise is enabled AND you travelling under 45mph) the radar cruise will keep your car in sync with the car in front and the TJA will steer within the lines PROVIDED the road does not curve too much and you have your hands on the wheel (as above).

I used this recently on a congested and fairly straight road, and tried keeping my hands in my lap, only reaching up to give a slight tug on the wheel when I saw the icon go orange, or when I got the first sound warning. Worked fairly well, but not sure it's much more use than the radar cruise, especailly as you are supposed to keep your hands on the wheel anyway.

 

[181962]

...especailly as you are supposed to keep your hands on the wheel anyway.

Every car ever made and every car that will be made for the foreseeable future requires your hands on the wheel...if you're smart.

 

[RedBaron]

Every car ever made and every car that will be made for the foreseeable future requires your hands on the wheel...if you're smart.

Thank you, I didn't know that.