Mazda 3 Mystery Warning

[Paperdoc]

I have a 2014 Mazda 3 sedan with the larger-screen Type B audio display screen at front centre. In that the clock time is displayed at upper right corner. Today right beside it I see a new item. It looks like an outline of an AA battery with small red lines at each end. I know that's not a warning for the main engine battery - that would be different on the main instrument cluster. But is it a battery warning at all, or something else? Anybody recognize this?

 

[Steltek]

Is your cell phone connected to the car via Bluetooth? If so, maybe it is a phone battery life indicator?

 

[Viper GTS]

Is your cell phone connected to the car via Bluetooth? If so, maybe it is a phone battery life indicator?

I think this is the winner:

Battery Symbol on infotainment screen (Top right)

www.mazda3forums.com

Viper GTS

 

[Paperdoc]

You may be right. I saw this late in the evening after I had NOT plugged the cell phone in the previous night, so its battery may well have been lower than normal. I'll keep an eye on this. Thanks for the answer.

 

[Paperdoc]

Now I know you're right! Today when I got into the car with my cell phone fully charged, the icon at upper right had changed. Instead of an empty battery with red lines, it had a battery filled with white. Mystery solved.

Now I'm wondering about the item next to it, between the battery indicator and the clock time numbers. It looks like a "bar chart" of increasing line heights - maybe some kind of signal strength indicator?

 

[Viper GTS]

Now I know you're right! Today when I got into the car with my cell phone fully charged, the icon at upper right had changed. Instead of an empty battery with red lines, it had a battery filled with white. Mystery solved.

Now I'm wondering about the item next to it, between the battery indicator and the clock time numbers. It looks like a "bar chart" of increasing line heights - maybe some kind of signal strength indicator?

It’s your phone’s cellular signal.

Viper GTS

 

[Paperdoc]

That was my first guess. Thanks for settling the question!

By the way, I confirm some posts I saw on this topic: I find NO mention of these indicator icons anywhere in the huge Owner's Manual that came with the car.

 

[BoomerD]

How long have you had this car?

 

[Paperdoc]

It's a 2014 model I bought used in 2018, so 4 years and a bit. Never really paid attention to those indicators until my grandson asked what the red lines on the screen were? A warning of what? Thanks to a couple of you, now I know.

 

[sdifox]

LoL

 

[BoomerD]

It's a 2014 model I bought used in 2018, so 4 years and a bit. Never really paid attention to those indicators until my grandson asked what the red lines on the screen were? A warning of what? Thanks to a couple of you, now I know.

Farkin grandkids...

 

[zinfamous]

It's a 2014 model I bought used in 2018, so 4 years and a bit. Never really paid attention to those indicators until my grandson asked what the red lines on the screen were? A warning of what? Thanks to a couple of you, now I know.

Ah, I was going to mention this weeks ago--RTFM --but yeah you bought it used. IME, the instructions for the display consoles are usually in their own separate booklet and not part of the user manual for the car. I think it's because these are usually aftermarket devices that the manufacturers just plug into the console and whoever makes the unit just sends their own manual to be included with the package that the manufacturers purchase.

If you bought it used, it's more likely that this got lost somewhere from the original owner.

 

[Paperdoc]

That's am interesting idea, Zinfamous. I had hypothesized that the SOFTWARE for the display had been updated after the manual went to press, and no update info was added in as an extra sheet.