Modern Mazda vehicles love throwing error messages and making you think there is a problem with software or control modules. Some messages are very misleading and are accompanied by weird behavior of the vehicle.
If you see the “Safety and Driver Support System Temporarily Disabled” message in your Mazda, you should know that the cruise control is deactivated along with some other safety features. You should immediately take every aspect of driving under your control!
This happens with post-2017 models equipped with MRCC (Mazda Radar Cruise Control) and advanced safety systems that use the front radar and the camera for advanced automatic cruise control.
What happens when you get this message?
Usually, you can get this error message absolutely unexpectedly when nothing is wrong with the weather and nothing blocks the radar or camera. Once you see this on your dash, the infotainment system may also say something like “Remove dirt on the front radar sensor” or “Front Radar Obscured. Drive Safely”.
Also, the cruise control feature will be completely deactivated. Your Mazda won’t be controlling the speed, the lanes, the road signs, or other vehicles on the road. Almost all camera-based safety features will be deactivated, so be careful!
The problem is very common for the CX-50, CX-5, Mazda 3, and CX-30.
What are the reasons for this issue?
If you see the “Safety and Driver Support System Temporarily Disabled”, there are several things that may have triggered it in your Mazda:
1) Direct sunbeams
Your camera that’s located on the windshield, takes part in almost all smart cruise control features, collision prevention, and many other systems. When the sun shines directly into the camera, you will get this annoying message for one-two minutes.
After that, when the sun doesn’t cover the entire view of the camera, the message will be gone and all the functions will resume working as they should.
2) Front radar is blocked
The front radar is usually located behind the front grille and it may get dirty or blocked by snow, dust, mud, water, etc. If the radar area is blocked, the system won’t be able to work properly and the majority of smart safety functions will be immediately deactivated.
After cleaning the radar area, you should drive several miles to let the system recalibrate. You may still see the message for some time. And while the message is active, the cruise control and other features won’t be working.
3) The front radar is faulty
There was a service bulletin #SA-003/21 issued by Mazda in 2021. In this bulletin, they mentioned the “Safety and Driver Support System Temporarily Disabled” error message and instructed the dealership mechanics to replace the faulty radar sensor.
You should check if your vehicle is under this bulletin since non-warranty radar replacement will cost you a fortune.
4) Software or electronics glitch
If there are no reasons for the problem but you still see this message, you should restart the engine to let the system clear the errors. Maybe, there is a glitch in some sensor and this prevents the entire safety system from properly working.
Some DIY fixes for the problem
In most cases, this message will be gone in several minutes after the sun stops blinding the camera. So, no worries, you should just wait. But remember that you shouldn’t rely on automatic braking or smart cruise control at this time.
If the message stays on the dash and doesn’t want to disappear, there are some things you may try doing:
- Turn the engine off and on
Stop the vehicle, turn the engine off, and let it sit for a minute or two. Then turn the engine on and see if the problem disappeared.
- Check the camera view
There were situations when the camera lens was fogged. Clean the area in front of the camera, defog the window, and clean all the snow or ice on the windshield. Make sure nothing blocks the camera view.
- Check the front radar sensor
Check if there is dirt or snow in the area of the front radar sensor. Clean it if possible. Remember that it will take some time for the sensor to recalibrate and start working after that.
- Disconnect the battery
If nothing helps, you may try disconnecting the battery and cutting off the power for some time. This may help you reset the control modules and eventually get the system to work properly. Disconnect the negative terminal first. Wait 5-7 minutes before reconnecting it.
What to do if nothing helps?
If you tried everything but the error message stays on for hours and nothing helps, this means that the front radar sensor or the camera may be broken. To replace the malfunctioning unit, you should go to the dealership or choose a good independent repair shop.
I should tell you that the prices are very high, so if your vehicle is still under warranty, head directly to the dealership and insist on warranty repairs. Don’t forget to mention the TSB number I wrote about in the article.
Do you want to add something or share your experience? Just write the comment below!