The grid lines on Mazda’s backup camera help you measure distances between your rear bumper and obstructive obstacles.

Guide Lines on Mazda Backup Camera Explained

Although you might find that many vehicle features are nice amenities that you could live without, many drivers find that once they drive a vehicle with a rearview camera, it’s tough to go back to one without it. Backup cameras can make backing out of your driveway or parking spot easy, and help you avoid obstacles that you might have otherwise not seen. The rearview camera found on Mazda models like the Mazda 3 has a series of lines to assist you, so in order to use the camera probably, you’ll want to have the guide lines on the Mazda backup camera explained to you.

How to Use the Mazda Rearview Camera

For this explanation, we will focus on the details for the 2016 Mazda 3 model, though these instructions may also pertain to other modern Mazda models that you might own. To pull up the rearview camera, simply shift into reverse, and wait for the image to appear on the infotainment display.

Like we said, in addition to a view behind you, the backup camera will also display yellow and red lines to help assist you. What do the lines mean?

• Yellow vertical lines: Indicate the approximate width of your vehicle, and are located on the right and left side of the backup grid.
• Top (furthest) yellow line: Measures a distance of 8.9 feet from the rear bumper.
• Middle (second) yellow line: Measures a distance of 3.3 feet from the rear bumper.
• Bottom red line: Measures a distance of 1.6 feet from the rear bumper.

Remember that these guidelines are best used as approximations to help ensure safety. If you should need to know the exact width of your vehicle or distance from objects, it’s best to have someone outside the vehicle assist you with the reversing process.

[Read more: How to send a text message using the Mazda Connect infotainment display]

How to Adjust Mazda Rearview Camera Brightness

Don’t forget that you can also adjust the picture quality displayed from your backup camera. Simply press the “slide down” icon (indicated by an arrow) to open up the backup camera settings. Here, you can adjust the brightness, contrast, tint and color of the video displayed, or reset everything back to the original settings.

Now that we have the guide lines on the Mazda backup camera explained, be sure to head on over to view other Mazda tips and tricks on the Mazda of Lodi blog.