2004 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 transmission

5-11
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transmission will automatically
shift through a 4-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever or steering shift
switches.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-11).

Shift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.

To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Move the shift lever.

Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transmission vehicle by operating
the shift lever or steering shift switches
and allows you to control engine rpm and
torque to the rear wheels much like a
manual transmission when more control is
desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift
the lever from M to D.
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.
Shifting into N while Driving:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury. Do not shift into N when
driving the vehicle.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause
transmission damage.
WARNING
CAUTION
NOTE
•When the ignition switch is in the
LOCK position, the transaxle
cannot be shifted from P.
•To be sure the vehicle is in park,
the ignition key cannot be
removed unless the shift lever is in
P.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 11 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-13
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Manually shifting up
(M1
→M2
→M3
→M4)
To shift up to a higher gear with the shift
lever, tap the shift lever back (+) once.To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, tap either of the
UP switches toward you once with your
fingers.
NOTE
•When driving slowly, the gears may
not shift up depending on vehicle
speed.
•In manual shift mode, gears do not
shift up automatically. Don’t run the
engine with the tachometer needle
in the RED ZONE. If the
tachometer needle enters the RED
ZONE, you may feel engine-
braking because the fuel delivery
will be stopped to protect the
engine. However, this does not
indicate an abnormality.
•Gears may not be shifted from M1
to M2 right after shifting the lever
from D to M. Wait a few seconds
and then shift up to M2.
•When depressing the accelerator
fully, the transmission will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Hand Position When Using Steering
Shift Switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver air bag were to deploy in
a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury. Keep your
hands on the steering wheel rim when
using fingers or thumbs on the
steering shift switches.
UP switches
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 13 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Manually shifting down
(M4
→M3
→M2
→M1)
To shift down to a lower gear with the
shift lever, tap the shift lever forward (-)
once.To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, press either of the
DOWN switches away from you once
with your thumb.
Sudden Engine-Braking:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while
driving at high speeds causes sudden
engine braking, which is dangerous.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident. Do not use sudden
engine braking on slippery road
surfaces or at high speeds.
NOTE
•When driving at high speeds, the
gear may not shift down depending
on vehicle speed.
•During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending
on vehicle speed.
•When depressing the accelerator
fully, the transmission will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
WARNING
Hand Position When Using Steering
Shift Switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver air bag were to deploy in
a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury. Keep your
hands on the steering wheel rim when
using fingers or thumbs on the
steering shift switches.
DOWN switches
WARNING
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 14 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-15
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Shifting specification
Shifting up
If the vehicle speed is lower than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.
Shifting down
If the vehicle speed is higher than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted down to a lower gear.
During deceleration, the gears shift down
automatically when speed is reduced to
the following:
If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:Recommendations for shiftingUpshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade
, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steep downgrade
, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.

Driving Tips
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmission
will shift to a lower gear, depending on
vehicle speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on the
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release all brakes while gradually
accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→
M2You can shift up to M2
whether the vehicle is
stopped or moving.
M2→
M3 20 km/h (12 mph)
M3→
M4 20 km/h (12 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 163 km/h (101 mph)
M3→
M2 112 km/h (70 mph)
M2→
M1 45 km/h (28 mph)
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 31 km/h (19 mph)
M3 or M2→
M1 8 km/h (5 mph)
NOTE
If the vehicle is driven at a low speed
from a standing start while in M2, the
gear may not shift down to M1
automatically.
Gear Vehicle speed
M4→
M3 149 km/h (93 mph)
M4→
M2 56 km/h (35 mph)
M3→
M2 56 km/h (35 mph)
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 15 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-20
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

To Cancel
To turn off the system, use one
of these
methods:
•Press the ON/OFF switch.
•Slightly depress the brake pedal.
•Depress the clutch pedal. (Manual
transmission only)
•Press the CANCEL button.
The system is off when the ignition is off.The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by regulating
engine torque and breaking. When the
TCS detects driving wheel slippage, it
lowers engine torque and operates the
brakes 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.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about
15 km/h (9 mph) below the preset
speed or below 30 km/h (19 mph).
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 tire chains and drive at
reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and snow.
WARNING
*Some models.
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 20 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-31
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Odometer
The odometer records the total distance
the vehicle has been driven.
Tr i p m e t e r
The trip meter can record the total
distance of two trips. One is recorded in
trip meter A, and the other is recorded in
trip meter B.
For instance, trip meter A can record the
distance from the point of origin, and trip
meter B can record the distance from
where the fuel tank is filled.
When trip meter A is selected, pressing
the selector again within one second will
change to trip meter B mode.
When trip meter A is selected, TRIP A
will be displayed. When trip meter B is
selected, TRIP B will be displayed.The trip meter records the total
distance the vehicle is driven until the
meter is again reset. Return it to "0.0"
by holding the selector depressed for
more than 1 second. Use this meter to
measure trip distances and to compute
fuel consumption.
Tachometer
The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
NOTE
When the ignition switch is in the ACC
or LOCK position, the odometer or trip
meters cannot be displayed, however,
pressing the selector button can
inadvertently switch the trip meters or
reset them during an approximate ten-
minute period in the following cases:
•After the ignition switch is turned to
the ACC or LOCK position from
the ON position.
•After any door is opened.
NOTE
•Only the trip meters record tenths of
kilometers (miles).
•The trip record will be erased when:
The power supply is interrupted
(blown fuse or the battery is
disconnected).
The vehicle is driven over
999.9 km (mile).
Red zone Striped zone
Automatic
transmission
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5-32
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C

Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
The engine coolant temperature gauge
shows the temperature of the engine
coolant.
If the needle exceeds normal range toward
H, it indicates overheating. Don’t run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine damage.
NOTE
•The beep sounds to indicate engine
overrev when the tachometer needle
enters the striped zone.
•To protect the engine, when the
engine coolant temperature is low,
the engine does not run at high
speeds. The fuel supply will be cut
at an rpm lower than the red zone.
Red zone Striped zone
Manual transmission
CAUTION
Driving with an overheated engine
can cause serious engine damage
(page 7-18).
CAUTION
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 32 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM

5-36
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beeps
Form No. 8R65-EA-03C
Signal Warning/Indicator Lights Page
Low Fuel Warning Light 5-41
Seat Belt Warning Light 5-41
Door-Ajar Warning Light 5-41
Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light 5-41
Automatic Transmission Warning Light 5-42
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light 5-42
Security Indicator Light 5-43
Headlight High-Beam Indicator Light 5-43
Shift Position Indicator Light 5-44
TCS/DSC Indicator Light 5-44
DSC OFF Indicator Light 5-44
Cruise Main Indicator Light 5-45
Cruise Set Indicator Light 5-45
Light-On Indicator Light 5-45
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light 5-45
Headlight Auto-Leveling Malfunction Indicator Light 5-46
Turn-Signal/Hazard Warning Indicator Lights 5-46
J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 36 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM