My new CX7 is a great vehicle, so far, except for some minor, but annoying glitches found in new models. My CX7 has the Grand Touring Option which of course includes the GPS thingy. On the steering wheel, there is a "mute" button to, what else, mute the Bose system, however, when you press the "mute button, the radio/cd temporarily mutes, comes back on with guess what...the GPS screen and the annoying woman's voice telling me she/it did not understand my voice command. What happens is: the "mute" button is not really a mute button at all, but is an activation for the microphone which allows you to talk to your GPS, if you are inclined to do that sort of thing. The manual, for whatever it is worth, advises the "mute" button is only operational if you have the sound system on (duh), but does not advise you what happens if you also have a GPS system installed. Mazda needs to figure a work around for this and maybe enable a way to turn off the GPS system in order to make the mute button a real mute button.

Now, lets address the "Remote Start" option, which works (kinda) in conjunction with the Advanced Key. What a nightmare this is to figure out. You have buttons on the remote start key, buttons on the advanced key thingymajiggy, buttons on the exterior door handles, and of course buttons on the interior door handles. At any rate, you can remotely, using the advanced key thingmajiggy, lower your windows and open your sun roof as you approach the vehicle (to let the hot air out), then using the remote start (seperate remote) start the vehicle and cool off the hot air, if you remember to leave your AC on and make sure there are no car thieves near by. Now some interesting points. You can turn off the vehicle by again pressing the remote start button, and you will need to use the advanced key thingymajoggy to unlock the doors or use the exterior "Request" buttons on the door handles to unlock. There are certain times you may think there is an entire flock of birds hovering over your vehicle with all the chirping going on. At any rate, after you get in the vehicle, after using the remote starter and determing what unlocks the doors, you cannot step on the brake before turning the keyless ignition to on. If you do, the CX7 stops running. Nothing wrong with that for security purposes (ha ha car thieves). On the dashboard, if you start the CX with the remote starter, a red "KEY" light burns and burns and burns until you either turn the keyless ignition off and restart it by only using the keyless ignition, not the remote start. DON'T BE ALARMED WHEN YOU CHECK YOUR MANUAL ABOUT WHY THE RED KEY LIGHT IS STAYING ON AND THE MANUAL TELLS YOU YOU NEED TO TAKE IT TO A CERTIFIED MAZDA DEALER BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR ADVANCED KEY SYSTEM. To be perfectly honest, the Mazda dealer techs have no idea what is going on because they have no tech manuals yet for the CX7 and Mazda decided to take a 4 day holiday and left no engineers to address questions from the service department. I have always felt that car manufacturers should be required to list the name and home telephone numbers of their engineers in each vehicle. I bet that would cut down on a lot of the complexity of these new vehicles and make a lot of people learn Japaneese. So anyway, good luck on figuring out the advanced key thingmajioggy, the remote start thingmajiggy and the unlock doors Request deal.

All in all, it seems once you can figure out how to unlock the doors, keep the engine running, not use the mute button to mute the sound system, ignore the warning red "KEY" light, the actual drive is great and fun, particulary using the manual shift option. I will give you a further update on gas mileage after the breakin period, but right now it's looking...ah...interesting.

 

Sounds too technilogically advanced for it's own good. the more stuff you havem the more stuff can break. I have remote start, power mirrors, power windows, Cd player, and a power sunroof on my Rx-7, everything else is manual and I like it that way. I hope you get past all those quirks.

 

I HAVE PURCHASED A CX7 GTA, IT IS COPPER RED AND I LOVE IT, ALL ASPECTS OF DRIVING IT EXCEPT FOR ONE ANNOYING CONDITION. THE JERKING/HICKCUPS WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. MINE STARTED AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS. FIRST IT WAS AT 60MPH NOW 2 WEEKS LATER I FEEL FROM 40 TO 60 MPH. I AM NOT TALLKING ABOUT THE SLIGHT HESITATION DUE TO THE TURBO.

 

SNM: I hear ya on the remote start thingy, my staff looks on in amazement when it takes me 30 seconds to look up my spaceship. Worse yet, I didn't even know of the different options available for the windows-etc until I read your post. Haven't seen any directions about it in the bible/owner's manual. Has something been posted on this for instructions? - Thanks

Also, now I know why it cuts off when I step in after remote start (touching the break peddle).


I also have the Nav system, loved it on my trip through (highway construction is normal) Chicago last week, it did save me. It would be nice if this construction was linked live to the nav instead of waiting at a dead stop for 30 minutes until you reach the next exit.

My software seems to be around 3-years behind, I'm parked in the woods for my home location, our street and new houses were built in 2003, I hope the updated nav software is truly "updated".


CX7GTA: I have the same problem, I have been varying my speed for the "break-in" period, on the highway I'll set it for 65 mph for 10 minutes and then drop or increase it by 10mph. My wife noticed this, accusing me of "riding the pedal or break" she could feel it surging, and know I can. Maybe it's just the cheap 93 octane gas that we are paying $3.4999999 for at the pumps. I'll have to look for something better.

GAS MILEAGE: So far, about 18 combined. I'll start a new thread on this to add yours.

Peace all, happy motoring
HEFFAE