Driver Information System?

[Lazy Glen]

A buddy of mine has a Mazda 3 and just discovered how to unlock the Driver Information System so he can display fuel economy on the radio display. With all the similarities between the 3 and the 5 we tried to do it on my 5 with no luck. Some searching shows that the UK 5s have it.

Anyone have any info on unlocking this? With the 06 and later 3's you hold the CD and AM/FM button down, turn the car on, hold for 5 seconds, turn car off and there you have it.

Lazy Glen

 

[jandree22]

Unfortunately, this very point has been discussed before... and so far no dice. I bet it's there, but no one has yet found the secret code. (gossip)

 

[Benfolio]

Does your buddy have a Grand Touring 3?

 

[bstad1]

I've tried the same thing with no luck. People are even getting CX7s to work. I sure wish there was a way to unlock it on the MZ5. And, BTW, there's no reason to unlock it on a GT MZ3 because it comes unlocked. People are unlocking it on non-GT models.

 

[jandree22]

Something to consider, is that sometimes factory systems are notoriously inaccurate. Our Solara's computer usually read about 2MPG Avg too high.

Alternatively, you could invest in one of these. Yeah, they're $170... not cheap. But the plus is it's plug-n-play in any car you have ('96 or later) via the OBD-II connector, it has oodles of information that you can pull from your engine(besides MPG), and you can even calibrate it to make it more accurate.

ScanGuage II

 

[snax]

$159 Shipped from several vendors.

I just installed mine yesterday and it works great. With the OBD connector above the cubby hole under the left side of the dash, there's only about 4" of wire exposed until it disappears and wraps around the column behind the dash before emerging just to the right of the guage, which rests comfortably without the sticky tape on top of the column.

 

[starlightmica]

I'd like one of these along with a heads-up display, so you don't even have to look down at the data. This looks like a unit that doesn't do anywhere as much as the ScanGauge, but can't find any reviews on it.

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)