Many Mazda Owners Don’t Know This: How to Unlock Hidden Features

Most drivers understand that vehicles are sold in different trim levels, with features added—or removed—depending on what you’re willing to pay. But here’s something many Mazda owners don’t realize: in some cases, the equipment for certain features is already installed at the factory. The only thing missing is activation.

Model doesn’t always matter, but technicians say owners of the Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-9, Mazda3, and Mazda6 ask about this most often.

Take a 2019 Mazda CX-5 in the Supreme trim as an example. It comes equipped with an FSC camera mounted on the windshield and factory parking sensors—but not all of the camera’s capabilities are enabled.

In this configuration, the FSC camera only supports Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), Mazda’s low-speed automatic emergency braking system designed to help prevent minor collisions in city traffic. The system uses the front-facing camera to detect obstacles or vehicles ahead.

However, in higher trims like the Executive version, that same camera also enables additional features—such as lane-keeping assistance and automatic high-beam control. The good news? In many cases, those functions can also be activated in mid-level trims like Supreme.

Here are some of the features that may be unlocked, depending on the vehicle’s hardware:

• Lane Keep Assist (LKA) + Lane Departure Warning (LDWS): Helps keep the vehicle centered in its lane and provides steering feedback if you begin to drift.

• High Beam Control (HBC): Automatically switches between high and low beams based on oncoming traffic and road conditions.

• SCBS-R: Automatic emergency braking when reversing.

• Driver Attention Alert (DAA): Monitors driver behavior and warns if signs of fatigue are detected.

• Speed Limiter (LIM): Prevents the vehicle from exceeding a preset speed.

There are also smaller convenience features that can be activated. For example, you can enable a “find my car” function in parking lots—the vehicle will honk if you press the lock button on the key fob twice.

Another option: configuring the doors to lock while the engine is running. From the factory, only the driver’s door locks in this situation, but the system can be set to lock all doors at once.

For newer models (2020 and later), Mazda introduced an Off-Road mode—essentially enhanced traction assistance for hills and rough terrain. Press the button (it shows a vehicle climbing a slope), and the all-wheel-drive system becomes more proactive.

If your AWD model has a TCS OFF button instead of a dedicated off-road button, it may still be possible to activate this feature through software.

And it works both ways. Just as some features can be enabled, others can be turned off.

Some owners dislike Mazda’s i-Stop system, which shuts the engine off at traffic lights when you press firmly on the brake pedal. That function can be permanently disabled.

Seatbelt warning chimes and icy-road alerts (the snowflake symbol) can also be deactivated, depending on local regulations.

The bottom line: before assuming your car “doesn’t have” a certain feature, it may be worth checking whether the hardware is already there—just waiting to be switched on.