How to: Instantaneous MPG on a Mazda3

[seventynine]

I found out about this neat trick so I'm spreading the word.  It may not work on all cars, but it is known to work on 06+ Mazda3's with a 6-cd Player. My car is the Touring trim. A Trip Computer function is available on Grand Touring trim.  It seems that the functionality in "lesser" models exists in the electronics, but is disabled. Use the following steps to enable it!

1. Get in car and close door.
2. Put key into ignition (DO NOT TURN YET!)
3. Hold down the AM/FM button AND the CD button.
4. With your other hand (while still holding the buttons) turn your key to the ACC position.  The "Hello" message will appear on your display, and as soon as it goes away it will be replaced by DIS ON.
5. You may now let go of the AM/FM button and CD button.
6. Turn ignition off.

Now consult your owner's manual for how to use, but substitute the "Set" button in place of the "Info" button.  Pressing "Set" toggles through the functions and is also used to reset. Press "Clock" to go back to clock mode.

The functions are:

    * Current MPG, updated every 2 seconds
    * Average MPG
    * Approximate distance to empty, based on current avg mileage
    * Average speed

Ok, it won't change your life, but the Instant MPG is good to know, and you can see how conditions and driving habits alter the MPG. Naturally, it is zero when you are sitting still, but jumps to 99mpg when you are coasting in gear. All cars should have such a simple device, just to make people aware of what they're using and how their driving affects how much they're using.

Hopefully I've helped a few readers save some gas and save some money!

Bill

Found this on consumerreports.com forum. My sincere apologies if it has already been posted before.

[ryukensfj]

It had been posted here already, but thanks for trying. It works on 06-07 no matter what trim or cd player you have. For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

[astrob0y]

For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

Damn that sucks

[seventynine]

It had been posted here already, but thanks for trying. It works on 06-07 no matter what trim or cd player you have. For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

I attempted on my 2.0i Touring 2007. Single CD player. Didn't work !?!

1. Entered and closed door.
2. Put in key.
3. Held CD + AM/FM.
4. Turn key to ACC. Then released CD + AM/FM once "Hello" came up.
"Hello" came up and everything went normal.
5. Turned ignition off.

6. Turned ignition on.
7. Pressed SET several times.
Still saw the clock and everrything as usual.

What did I miss?

[cromus]

darn i had high hopes that this thread would give me a few more MPG. it failed to deliver

[John_in_the_LBC]

It had been posted here already, but thanks for trying. It works on 06-07 no matter what trim or cd player you have. For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

I attempted on my 2.0i Touring 2007. Single CD player. Didn't work !?!

1. Entered and closed door.
2. Put in key.
3. Held CD + AM/FM.
4. Turn key to ACC. Then released CD + AM/FM once "Hello" came up.
"Hello" came up and everything went normal.
5. Turned ignition off.

6. Turned ignition on.
7. Pressed SET several times.
Still saw the clock and everrything as usual.

What did I miss?

you need to see "DIS ON" before releasing the buttons.

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=69347.0

[makballer]

i think this should be a sticky somewhere

i just did this to my car but had to use a diff method

NOTICE: 2008 MODELS

to unlock the trip computer on the 2008 model you must...
1. pop yo hood and disconnect the NEGATIVE battery thingy
2. leave it off for 2-3 mins
3. reconnect the thingy to the battery
4. turn your key to "ON"
5. turn on your radio
6. now to cycle through your trip computer modes press the ":00" button
7. give yourself a pat on the back

[oredith]

i think this should be a sticky somewhere

i just did this to my car but had to use a diff method

NOTICE: 2008 MODELS

to unlock the trip computer on the 2008 model you must...
1. pop yo trunk and disconnect the NEGATIVE battery thingy
2. leave it off for 2-3 mins
3. reconnect the thingy to the battery
4. turn your key to "ON"
5. turn on your radio
6. first, to enable the auto power window function, roll your driver's side window all the way down
7. roll it all the way up and once it reaches the top hold "up" for 3 seconds
8. now to cycle through your trip computer modes press the ":00" button
9. give yourself a pat on the back

is this serious? it sounds like one of those "i can't believe you actually fell for that" type of deals.

[ryukensfj]

This is stickied. John gave the link to it above.

i think this should be a sticky somewhere

i just did this to my car but had to use a diff method

NOTICE: 2008 MODELS

to unlock the trip computer on the 2008 model you must...
1. pop yo trunk and disconnect the NEGATIVE battery thingy
2. leave it off for 2-3 mins
3. reconnect the thingy to the battery
4. turn your key to "ON"
5. turn on your radio
6. first, to enable the auto power window function, roll your driver's side window all the way down
7. roll it all the way up and once it reaches the top hold "up" for 3 seconds
8. now to cycle through your trip computer modes press the ":00" button
9. give yourself a pat on the back

Pop the trunk and discconect the negative battery terminal? Never knew we had the battery in the trunk. What is with this step? Don't we already have the auto down power window function?

[bustednutz]

I used the original posters method.
Works just fine for me.

pretty cool

[makballer]

This is stickied. John gave the link to it above.

i think this should be a sticky somewhere

i just did this to my car but had to use a diff method

NOTICE: 2008 MODELS

to unlock the trip computer on the 2008 model you must...
1. pop yo trunk and disconnect the NEGATIVE battery thingy
2. leave it off for 2-3 mins
3. reconnect the thingy to the battery
4. turn your key to "ON"
5. turn on your radio
6. first, to enable the auto power window function, roll your driver's side window all the way down
7. roll it all the way up and once it reaches the top hold "up" for 3 seconds
8. now to cycle through your trip computer modes press the ":00" button
9. give yourself a pat on the back

Pop the trunk and discconect the negative battery terminal? Never knew we had the battery in the trunk. What is with this step? Don't we already have the auto down power window function?

good catch lol i made the edit.

disconnecting the battery i guess resets the auto window function and doing steps 6-7 supposedly reprograms it.

i had tried the original posters method and got the DIS ON but when i restarted the car i didn't have the trip comp on so i did some further research and found this method on another website. it worked so i figured i'd share it!

[ryukensfj]

When I reset mine, my auto power windows still work.

[makballer]

When I reset mine, my auto power windows still work.

alright then i'll take out steps 6-7

[khoi]

When I reset mine, my auto power windows still work.

alright then i'll take out steps 6-7

Do you have 2008 with 6disk CD player? or single disk CD player?

[makballer]

6cd. i have read somewhere that on the 2008 models it only works on the 6cd player but idk if whether has been confirmed or not.

[khoi]

6cd. i have read somewhere that on the 2008 models it only works on the 6cd player but idk if whether has been confirmed or not.

Yeah, that's what I read also.

[frankh21]

Has anyone tried this on an '05 model yet or is this just for '06 and up?

[ryukensfj]

Has anyone tried this on an '05 model yet or is this just for '06 and up?

Only works for 06+ I tried it on an 05 and it does not work.

[astrob0y]

This is stickied. John gave the link to it above.

i think this should be a sticky somewhere

i just did this to my car but had to use a diff method

NOTICE: 2008 MODELS

to unlock the trip computer on the 2008 model you must...
1. pop yo trunk and disconnect the NEGATIVE battery thingy
2. leave it off for 2-3 mins
3. reconnect the thingy to the battery
4. turn your key to "ON"
5. turn on your radio
6. first, to enable the auto power window function, roll your driver's side window all the way down
7. roll it all the way up and once it reaches the top hold "up" for 3 seconds
8. now to cycle through your trip computer modes press the ":00" button
9. give yourself a pat on the back

Pop the trunk and discconect the negative battery terminal? Never knew we had the battery in the trunk. What is with this step? Don't we already have the auto down power window function?

good catch lol i made the edit.

disconnecting the battery i guess resets the auto window function and doing steps 6-7 supposedly reprograms it.

i had tried the original posters method and got the DIS ON but when i restarted the car i didn't have the trip comp on so i did some further research and found this method on another website. it worked so i figured i'd share it!

So is there really a battery in the trunk? o.o

[Jabooh1]

Worked on my 06 with a 6 disc changer.

[blinkbcrbass]

This is confirmed on my 2007 M3 5-Door 2.3 AT

[lordkosc]

My 2008.5 came with the trip computer stock, just press the info button next to the clock button.

[phoenix249422]

Does anyone know if this different process works with the 2008 M3 Single Disk?

[makballer]

can't be done on an 08 w/o the 6 disc

[John_in_the_LBC]

For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

Damn that sucks

that's what they say...i don't know firsthand

[danielj]

For 08 you need to have the 6-cd player in order for this to work.

Damn that sucks

that's what they say...i don't know firsthand

That's weird. GT's have the trip computer regardless of the optional 6 disc.

[seventynine]

Well....I turned mine off after just 3 days. It was a constant distraction and I was paying a lot more attention to it than I should've. Though it's not the guage's fault that I was getting distracted. But I turned it off and went back to calculating MPGs at gas fillups - which gives a better overall picture anyway.

[Punktual]

Bump for a great little trick. Have the '08 5 door MTX and had to do the 2 minute battery disconnect, but that little display works great and sure is helpful!...but distracting

[vipz]

So for those with an 08 single-disc (like me), what are the options for getting the trip computer?

What about trip computer + MP3 capability in the CD player?

[colnagordr]

I have a 06 5 door with the single CD and this did NOT work for me.