2002 MAZDA MODEL MILLENIA warning light

5-2
Driving Your Mazda
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Starting and Driving

Ignition Switch Positions
LOCK
The steering wheel locks to protect
against theft. Only in this position can the
key be removed.ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
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 5-22).
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 5-22).

Ignition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position, a beep will sound when the
driver’s door is opened.
Ignition Switch
Removing the Key:
It’s dangerous to remove the key from
the ignition switch while the vehicle is
moving. Removing the key allows the
steering wheel to lock. You will lose
steering control and a serious
accident could occur.
Remove the key only when the vehicle
is parked.
Not Setting the Parking Brake:
Leaving the driver’s seat without
setting the parking brake is
dangerous. Unexpected vehicle
movement could occur if the parking
brake is not set. This could cause an
accident. Before leaving the driver’s
seat, always set the parking brake and
make sure the shift lever is in P.
WARNING
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, jiggle the
steering wheel from side to side.
J76Y.book Page 2 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-4
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F

Foot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.

Parking Brake
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then pull the
brake handle fully upward.
Brake System
Driving with the Engine Off:
Continuing to drive when the engine
is stalled or turned off is dangerous.
Braking will require more effort, and
the brake’s power-assist could be
depleted if you pump the brake. This
will cause longer stopping distances
or even an accident. Don’t continue
driving when the engine is stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop.
Riding the Brakes:
Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long distances
is dangerous. This causes overheated
brakes, resulting in longer stopping
distances or even total brake failure.
This could cause loss of vehicle
control and a serious accident. Avoid
continuous application of the brakes.
Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep hills.
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 is
normal.
Driving with the parking brake on will
cause excessive wear of the brake
linings or pads.
WARNING
CAUTION
J76Y.book Page 4 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-5
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then pull the
handle up and press the button. Lower the
handle to the release position while
holding in the button.

Brake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:Parking brake warning
The light comes on when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switch
in the START or ON position. It goes off
when the parking brake is fully released.
Low brake fluid level warning/
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the light stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, you may have a brake
problem.
Drive to the side of the road and park off
the right-of-way.
Low brake fluid level warning
You may notice that the pedal is harder to
push or that it may go closer to the floor.
In either case, it will take longer to stop
the vehicle.
1. With the engine stopped, check the
brake fluid level immediately and add
fluid as required (page 8-15).
2. After adding fluid, check the light
again.
If the warning light remains on, or if the
brakes do not operate properly, do not
drive the vehicle. Have it towed to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Even if the light goes off, have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible.
NOTE
The drum-in disc parking brake system
in your vehicle needs to be bedded by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer whenever
the parking brake shoes or drums are
changed, or there is a reduction in
parking brake performance.
J76Y.book Page 5 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-6
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Electronic brake force distribution
system warning
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may turn the brake system
warning light on.
In this case, the ABS warning light comes
on at the same time (page 5-27).
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
is about to lock up, the ABS responds by
automatically releasing and reapplying
that wheel’s brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal when the ABS operates. Don’t
pump the brakes, continue to press down
on the brake pedal.
Brake Warning Light:
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous. It
indicates that your brakes may not
work at all or that they could
completely fail at any time. If this
light remains on, have the brakes
inspected immediately. Don’t drive
with this light on, and contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible.
ABS Warning Light and Brake
Warning Light on at the Same Time:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are on at the same time is dangerous.
When both lights are on, the rear
wheels could lock more quickly in an
emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
Don’t drive with both lights on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
WARNING
ABS:
The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident. So don’t rely on ABS as a
substitute for safe driving.
NOTE
Braking distances may be longer on
loose surfaces (snow or gravel, for
example) which usually have a hard
foundation. A vehicle with a normal
braking system may require less
distance to stop under these conditions
because the tires will build up a wedge
of surface layer when the wheels skid.
WARNING
J76Y.book Page 6 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-7
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F

ABS Warning Light
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
If the ABS warning light stays on while
you’re driving, the ABS control unit has
detected a system malfunction. If this
occurs, your brakes will function
normally as if the vehicle had no ABS.
Should this happen, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
ABS Warning Light and Brake
Warning Light on at the Same Time:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are on at the same time is dangerous.
When both lights are on, the rear
wheels could lock more quickly in an
emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
Don’t drive with both lights on, and
contact an Authorized Mazda Dealer
to have the brakes inspected as soon
as possible.
WARNING
NOTE
When the engine is jump-started to
charge the battery, uneven rpm occurs
and the ABS warning light comes on.
This is due to a weak battery, not a
malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
Driving with Worn Disc Pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
J76Y.book Page 7 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-8
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Various Lockouts:

Transaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front wheels from rotating.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except as
explained under Rocking the Vehicle
(page 4-7) .
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.
Automatic Transaxle
Controls
Indicates that you must depress the
brake pedal and hold in the lock-
release button to shift (The ignition
switch must be in the ON position).
Indicates the shift lever can be
shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the
lock-release button to shift.
Lock-release button
To prevent unsafe
shifting
Shift pattern
indicator
Shows shift lever
position Hold button
Pushing this button
activates the hold
mode.
Pushing this again
deactivates this mode.
Holding the Vehicle with P:
Setting the shift lever to the P position
without using the parking brake to
hold the vehicle is dangerous. If P
fails to hold, the vehicle could move
and cause an accident. To hold the
vehicle, set the shift lever to P AND
set the parking brake.
•Shifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your
transaxle.
•Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
WARNING
CAUTION
J76Y.book Page 8 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-12
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
Power steering is only operable when the
engine is running. If the engine is off or if
the power steering system is inoperable,
you can still steer, but it requires more
physical effort.
If the steering feels rigid during normal
driving, consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.With cruise control, you can set and
automatically maintain any speed of more
than about 40 km/h (25 mph).

Cruise Set Indicator Light
This light comes on when a cruising speed
is set.
Power Steering
Never hold the steering wheel to the
extreme left or right for more than five
seconds with the engine running.
This could damage the power steering
system.
CAUTION
Cruise Control
Cruise Control Use:
Using cruise control in the following
conditions could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle:
•Heavy or unsteady traffic
•Slippery or winding roads
•Similar restrictions that require
inconsistent speed
Don’t use cruise control in these
situations.
WARNING
J76Y.book Page 12 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM

5-16
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8Q47-EA-01F
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by regulating
engine torque. When the TCS detects
driving wheel slippage, it lowers engine
torque to prevent loss of traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels
without causing them to spin and lose
traction.

TCS Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. If the TCS is
operating, the indicator light flashes.
If the light stays on, the TCS may have a
malfunction and it may not operate
correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Traction Control System
(TCS)
TCS and Unsafe Driving:
The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident. So don’t rely on the traction
control system as a substitute for safe
driving.
TCS and Snow and Ice:
Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident. Use snow
tires or tires chains and drive at
reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and snow.
WARNING
NOTE
•In addition to the indicator light
flashing, a slight lugging sound will
come from the engine. This
indicates that the TCS is operating
properly.
•On slippery surfaces, such as fresh
snow, it will be impossible to
achieve high rpm when the TCS is
on.
J76Y.book Page 16 Wednesday, March 27, 2002 5:04 PM