Imagine yourself driving quietly aboard your Mazda 5 and suddenly an engine light shows up on your dashboard ! The most common reaction is the fear of risking a major problem. To know what precisely this light corresponds to, you will have to learn how to read an Mazda 5 fault codes, you may have already heard about OBD system, this is precisely what we are going to discuss. Our writers have chosen to write this article content to enable you quickly locate the source of this default code and to give you peace of mind. To achieve this, we will first take a look at the nature of a fault code on Mazda 5, then how to read an Mazda 5 fault code, and finally how to erase this fault code in order to turn off the light on your dashboard.

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What is a Mazda 5 fault code?

A fault code is a generic or standard code which is identical to all manufacturers , they are also named DTC (Data Trouble Code), the point is to make sure that any diagnostic OBD can interpret them. They will be represented by a standard format, like for example: P0255. Each info will have a particular meaning. Default codes are codes issued by the calculators of your Mazda 5. These ECUs will constantly monitor your vehicle’s exhausts, pressures, mixtures and when the values exceed the limits set by the vehicle’s ECU, the fault code will show up. The advantage of knowing how to read a fault code on your Mazda 5 is that you will have access to precise data about your vehicle which will let you to understand what trouble you are struggling with.

How to read a fault code on my Mazda 5?

In this second section we will now focus specifically on what brings you on this site, how to read a fault code on Mazda 5. To access this useful info you will need to to purchase a diagnostic tool, also called OBD 2, named after the socket on your Mazda 5 to which you will have to connect. These diagnostic tools are freely obtainable, you will be able to find some in Bluetooth version which connects to your phone and some standard versions with a reader associated to the socket, as far as price is concerned, you will be able to find models between 30 and 100 euros. Once you have obtained an OBD2 diagnostic reader, you will have to identify the diagnostic plug on your Mazda 5, it is found on the left side of your steering column on the lower part of your dashboard, behind a hatch. It is easy to locate because it is triangular shaped and has 16 pins. All you have to do is connect with your diagnostic tool to read the fault code of your Mazda 5.

How to erase the fault code Mazda 5

Finally, to finish this document, we are going to demonstrate you the process to perform to erase a fault code on your Mazda 5. Once you have navigated through the menus, you will access the list of active fault codes on your car. But, you will have to ask yourself an important question, is it really advantageous to erase this fault code on Mazda 5? Indeed, erasing a fault code without solving the problem corresponds to closing its eyes to the fact. Furthermore, the computer of your Mazda 5 is made to take decisions depending to the data it collects, if a vital fault code is present, it will likely adapt the engine general performance to preserve it. So if you delete the fault code, remember to solve the problem to which it is linked. Some OBD diagnostic tools do not allow you to do this. You have a dedicated navigation menu on most diagnostic tools that should allow you to clear this fault code on Mazda 5.

To discover more tips on the Mazda 5, take a look at the Mazda 5 category.