[masterwares]

Or is there a button I have to press to turn it on?

Just asking because I've never seen the light on my dash turn on.

 

[st3v3cx-3]

Anchorman is the one who will have a more definitive answer. I believe the 4wd CX-3 always starts off in 4wd and then disengages the rear wheels once it senses there is no slip from the front wheels. It will then re-engage the rear wheels under various conditions.

Not seeing a dash on you light is a good sign. If you check out section 7-39 of the Owner's Manual it describes the circumstances when the 4wd warning light will light up or flash, namely :-

When the light is turned on

If the 4WD warning light illuminates, contact an expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer.

- Illuminates when there is an abnormality with the 4WD system.
- Illuminates if there is too much difference in tyre radius between the front and rear wheels.

When the light is flashing

Park the vehicle in a safe place. After a few moments, if the warning light stops flashing, you can resume driving. If the light does not stop flashing, contact an expert repairer, we recommend an Authorised Mazda Repairer.

- Flashes when the differential oil temperature is abnormally high.
- Flashes when there is a continuous large difference between front and rear wheel rotation, such as when trying to pull away from an icy surface or when trying to remove the vehicle from mud, sand or similar conditions.

 

[jtonline]

Yes, i-ACTIV AWD is fully automatic and uses 27 sensors including speed, steering angle, accelerator position, brake pressure, windscreen-wiper activation, outside temperature & gradient of the road to anticipate when driving all four wheels is needed.

On a flat dry road, torgue split is typically 99:1 (front:rear), rising to 95:5 or more for cornering stability, whereas a snowy hill start may be a 60:40 split to start, then 50:50 as slip is detected.