Page 114 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Protecting Your Mazda4-8
Q034-3BE
After Getting In
• Are all doors closed and locked?
• Are the inside and outside mirrors
adjusted?
• Is everyone’ s seat belt fastened?
• Do all the lights work?
• Check all gauges.
• Check all warning lights when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position. •
Release the parking brake and
make sure the brake warning light
goes off.
Always be thoroughly familiar with
your Mazda.
035-1AE
Break-In PeriodNo special break-in is necessary, but a
few precautions in the first 1,000 km
(600 miles) may add to the
performance, economy, and life of
your Mazda.
• Don’ t race the engine.
• Don’ t maintain one constant speed
for long periods.
• Avoid unnecessary hard stops.
• Avoid full-throttle starts.
Page 116 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Protecting Your Mazda4-10
037-1CE
Special Driving Conditions Hazardous Driving
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazard:
• Be cautious and allow extra
distance for braking.
• Avoid sudden braking and quick
steering.
• Brake with the pedal by using a
light up-down motion. Don’ t hold
the pedal down constantly.
• If you get stuck, shift to 1 or 2 and
accelerate slowly. Don’ t spin the
front wheels. •
For more traction in starting, use
sand, rock salt, chains, carpeting, or
other nonslip material under the
front wheels.
037-3A1E
WARNING
!
Downshifting on SlipperySurfaces:Downshifting into first gear with
a manual transaxle or into low
with an automatic transaxle while
driving on slippery surfaces could
be dangerous. The sudden change
in tire speed could cause the tires
to skid. This could lead to loss of
vehicle control and an accident. If
it is necessary to downshift on
slippery surfaces, be very careful.
Page 117 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Protecting Your Mazda
4-11
037-4A1E
Rocking the Vehicle
If you must rock the vehicle to free it
from snow, sand, or mud, depress the
accelerator slightly and...
(Automatic transaxle)
Slowly move the shift lever back and
forth from D to R.
(Manual transaxle)
Slowly move the shift lever back and
forth from 1 to R.
037-6A1E
WARNING
!
Spinning the Wheels:When the vehicle is stuck,
spinning the wheels at high speed
could be dangerous. The
spinning tire could overheat and
explode. This could cause serious
injuries. Don’ t spin the wheels at
more than 56 km/h (35 mph), and
don’ t allow anyone to stand
behind a wheel when pushing the
vehicle.
CAUTION
!
Too much rocking may cause
engine overheating, transaxle
failure, and tire damage.
Page 121 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Protecting Your Mazda
4-15
WARNING
!
Driving with Wet Brakes:Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to
one side when braking could
result in a serious accident. Light
braking will indicate whether the
brakes have been affected. Dry
the brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly
until brake performance returns
to normal.
037-11AE
Trailer Towing
Never tow a trailer with your Mazda.
038-1AE
Overloading
WARNING
!
Vehicle Load Weight:The gross axle weight rating
(GAWR) and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) of your
vehicle are on the Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard Label on the
driver ’s door frame. Exceeding
these ratings can cause an
accident or vehicle damage. You
can estimate the weight of your
load by weighing the items (or
people) before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to overload
your vehicle.
Page 125 of 365

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your MazdaOperating your vehicle requires a good understanding of the many controls you must know and use. Section 5
describes all this in step-by-step information from use of the ignition switch to cruise control and braking.
Also highlighted are the gearshift and shifting modes, power steering, instruments and gaug\
es, warnings and
indicators, windshield wipers, and interior features. You’ll find complete details about the advanced audio
system too.Ignition Switch Positions 5- 2Starting the Engine 5- 4
Manual Transaxle Operation 5- 7 Automatic Transaxle 5- 9
Traction Control System (TCS) 5- 16 Brake System 5- 19
Power Steering 5- 24 Cruise Control 5- 24
Instrument Cluster 5- 30 Gauges 5- 31
Dashboard Illumination 5- 35 Warning Lights/Beeps 5- 35
Lighting Control and Turn Signals 5- 44 Windshield Wipers and Washer 5- 47 Rear Window Defroster 5- 49 Clock 5- 51
Accessory Socket 5- 51 Glove Box 5- 55
Cup Holders 5- 56
Storage Compartments 5- 57 Sunvisors 5- 59
Vanity Mirrors 5- 60
Climate Control System 5- 60
Radio Reception 5- 75
Safety Certification 5- 80
AM/FM Radio with Compact Disc Player 5- 82 AM/FM Radio with Cassette Tape
and Compact Disc Player/Changer (In-Dash CD Changer) 5- 83 Antenna 5-123
5
5-1
Q041-1B1E
Page 126 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda5-2
042-1CE
Ignition Switch PositionsWithout immobilizer
system
J94A4001A
ON
This is the normal running position
after the engine is started. The warning
lights (except brakes) should be
inspected before the engine is started
(page 5-35).
With immobilizer
system
J94S5001
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key;
then it returns to the ON position. The
brake warning light can be checked
after the engine is started (page 5-35).
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. Only in this position can
the key be removed.
Page 135 of 365

Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-11
045-4AE
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete
stop before shifting from R, except as
explained under Rocking the Vehicle
(page 4-11).
Q045-5AE
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle are not
locked. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless the
parking brake or brakes are on.
WARNING
!
Shifting from N or P:It’ s dangerous to shift from N or
P into a driving gear when the
engine is running faster than idle.
If this is done, the vehicle could
move suddenly, causing an
accident or serious injury. If the
engine is running faster than idle,
don’ t shift from N or P into a
driving gear. D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From
a stop, the transaxle will automatically
shift through a 4-gear sequence.
045-14A1E
2 (Second)
The 2 position is helpful when driving
in heavy, slow-moving traffic and
climbing hills; for braking assist when
going down hills; or for starting on
slick surfaces and other situations
where gentle acceleration may be
necessary. Do not exceed 116 km/h
(72 mph)
*1 or 104 km/h (65 mph)
*2 in
the 2 position.
*1
2.0-liter engine
*2
2.5-liter engine
Page 141 of 365
Form No. 8P95-EA-00G
Driving Your Mazda
5-17
114 –2B1E
J94A4010
Traction Control Indicators
Traction control system (TCS)
warning light
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is
turned to the ON position. It flashes when the system regulates
engine torque. If the light stays on,
take your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer. The traction control
system may have a malfunction.
NOTE•
In addition to the TCS warning
light flashing, a slight lugging
sound will come from the
engine. This indicates that the
traction control system is
operating properly.
• On slippery surfaces, such as
fresh snow, it will be
impossible to achieve high rpm
when the traction control
system is on.