Page 169 of 434
Black plate (169,1)
Signal Warning/Indicator Lights Page
Door-Ajar Warning Light 5-45
Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light 5-45
Automatic Transmission Warning Light 5-45
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light 5-45
KEY Warning Light (Red)/KEY Indicator Light (Green) 5-47
Security Indicator Light 5-48
Headlight High-Beam Indicator Light 5-49
Shift Position Indicator Light 5-49
TCS/DSC Indicator Light 5-50
DSC OFF Indicator Light 5-50
Cruise Main Indicator Light (Amber)/Cruise Set Indicator Light (Green) 5-50
Light-On Indicator Light 5-51
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light 5-51
Headlight Auto-Leveling Malfunction Indicator Light 5-51
Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Indicator Lights 5-51
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
5-39
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 179 of 434

Black plate (179,1)
The light stops flashing when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position with
the correct ignition key.
At this time, the immobilizer system is
disarmed and the light illuminates for
about 3 seconds and then goes out.
If the engine doesn't start with the correct
ignition key, and the security indicator
light keeps illuminating or flashing, the
system may have a malfunction. Consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qHeadlight High-Beam Indicator
Light
This light indicates one of two things:
lThe high-beam headlights are on.
lThe turn signal lever is in the flash-to-
pass position.
qShift Position Indicator Light
(Automatic Transmission)
This indicates the selected shift position
when the ignition switch is in the ON
position.
Gear position indicator
Gear position indicator
When the shift lever is in the D or M
position, the numeral for the selected gear
displays.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
5-49
RX-8_8U58-EA-05J_Edition1 Page179
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 184 of 434

Black plate (184,1)
Lighting Control
qHeadlights
To turn on the lights, turn the headlight
switch on the end of the control lever.
Switch Position
Headlights Off Off On
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard
illuminationOff On On
NOTE
To prevent discharging the battery, don't
leave the lights on while the engine is
off unless safety requires them.
Xenon fusion headlight bulbsí
The low-beam bulbs of the headlights
have xenon fusion bulbs that produce a
bright white beam over a wide area.
WARNING
Xenon Fusion Bulb Replacement:
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs by
yourself is dangerous. Because the
xenon fusion bulbs require high
voltage, you could receive an electric
shock if the bulbs are handled
incorrectly. Do not replace the xenon
fusion bulbs by yourself. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer when the
replacement is necessary.
NOTE
If the headlights flash, or the brightness
weakens, the bulb-life may be depleted
and a replacement is necessary. Consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qLights-On Reminder
If lights are on and the key is removed
from the ignition switch, a continuous
beep sound will be heard when the
driver's door is opened.
NOTE
When the advanced keyless function is
used and the start knob is in the ACC
position, the“Start Knob Not in LOCK
Warning Beep”(page 3-18) overrides
the lights-on reminder.
5-54
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
RX-8_8U58-EA-05J_Edition1 Page184
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 185 of 434

Black plate (185,1)
qHeadlight High-Low Beam
Push the lever forward for high beam.
Pull back to original position for low
beam.
High beam
Low beam
qFlashing the Headlights
To flash the headlights, pull the lever fully
toward you. The headlight switch does
not need to be on, and the lever will return
to the normal position when released.
qHeadlight Levelingí
The number of riders and weight of cargo
in the luggage compartment change the
angle of the headlights.
The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
Headlight auto-leveling malfunction
indicator light
This indicator light stays on far a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
Thereafter, the indicator light will
illuminate when the headlight auto-
leveling system has a malfunction.
If the indicator light illuminates, contact
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qDaytime Running Lights (Canada)
In Canada, vehicles must be driven with
the headlights on during daytime
operation.
For that reason, the daytime running lights
automatically turn on when the ignition
switch is turned to the ON position.
NOTE
The Daytime Running Lights turn off
when the parking brake is applied.
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
5-55íSome models. RX-8_8U58-EA-05J_Edition1 Page185
Thursday, August 25 2005 4:56 PM
Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 186 of 434

Black plate (186,1)
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
qTurn Signal
Move the signal lever down (for a left
turn) or up (for a right turn) to the stop
position. The signal will self-cancel after
the turn is completed.
If the indicator light continues to flash
after a turn, manually return the lever to
its original position.
Right turn
Left turnOFFRight lane
change
Left lane
change
Green indicators on the dashboard show
which signal is working.
Lane-change signals
Move the lever slightly toward the
direction of the change―until the
indicator flashes―and hold it there. It
will return to the off position when
released.
NOTE
If an indicator light stays on without
flashing or if it flashes abnormally, one
of the turn signal bulbs may be burned
out.
Fog Lightsí
Use this switch to turn on the fog lights.
They help you to see as well as to be seen.
To turn the front fog lights on, rotate the
fog light switch to the
position.
The headlight switch must be in the
position to turn on the front fog lights.
Fog light switch
To turn them off, rotate the fog light
switch to the OFF position or turn the
headlight switch to the
or OFF
position.
NOTE
The fog lights will turn off when the
headlights are set at high beam.
5-56
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
RX-8_8U58-EA-05J_Edition1 Page186
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 207 of 434

Black plate (207,1)
qRadio Reception
AM characteristics
AM signals bend around such things as
buildings or mountains and bounce off the
ionosphere. Therefore, they can reach
longer distances than FM signals. Because
of this, two stations may sometimes be
picked up on the same frequency at the
same time.
Station 2 Station 1Ionosphere
FM characteristics
An FM broadcast range is usually about
40―50 km (25―30 miles) from the
source. Because of extra coding needed to
break the sound into two channels, stereo
FM has even less range than monaural
(non-stereo) FM.
(25—30 miles)40—50 kmFM Station
Signals from an FM transmitter are similar
to beams of light because they do not
bend around corners, but they do reflect.
Unlike AM signals, FM signals cannot
travel beyond the horizon. Therefore, FM
stations cannot be received at the great
distances possible with AM reception.
AM wave FM wave
FM wave
100—200 km (60—120 miles)Ionosphere
Atmospheric conditions can also affect
FM reception. High humidity will cause
poor reception. However, cloudy days
may provide better reception than clear
days.
Multipath noise
Since FM signals can be reflected by
obstructions, it is possible to receive both
the direct signal and the reflected signal at
the same time. This causes a slight delay
in reception and may be heard as a broken
sound or a distortion. This problem may
also be encountered when in close
proximity to the transmitter.
Reflected wave
Direct
Interior Comfort
Audio System
6-11
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 306 of 434
Black plate (306,1)
Light Bulbs
Headlights (High-beam)Front side-marker lights
Front turn signal lights
Headlights (Low-beam)
Fog lights
Parking lights Overhead light/Map lights (Front)
Vanity mirror lights
Courtesy lights
Overhead light (Rear)
Trunk light
High-mount brake light
License plate light
Brake lights/Taillights
Reverse lights
Rear side-marker lights
Rear turn signal lights
Some models.
8-32
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
RX-8_8U58-EA-05J_Edition1 Page306
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J
Page 307 of 434

Black plate (307,1)
WARNING
Xenon Fusion Bulb Replacement:
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself is dangerous. Because the
xenon fusion bulbs require high
voltage, you could receive an electric
shock if the bulbs are handled
incorrectly. Do not replace the xenon
fusion bulbs yourself. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer when the
replacement is necessary.
Handling Halogen Bulbs:
When a halogen bulb breaks, it is
dangerous. These bulbs contain
pressurized gas. If one is broken, it
will explode and serious injuries could
be caused by the flying glass.
If the glass portion is touched with
bare hands, body oil could cause the
bulb to overheat and explode when lit.
Never touch the glass portion of the
bulb with your bare hands and always
wear eye protection when handling or
working around halogen bulbs.
Children and Halogen Bulbs:
Playing with a halogen bulb is
dangerous. Serious injuries could be
caused by dropping a halogen bulb or
breaking it some other way.
Always keep halogen bulbs out of the
reach of children.
qReplacing a Headlight Bulb
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turned
off and the headlight switch is off.
2. Lift the hood and find the high and low
beam bulbs in the rear of the headlight
unit.
The outboard bulb is the LOW beam,
and the inboard one is the HIGH beam.
Refer to Light Bulbs on page 8-32.
3. If you are changing the right headlight
bulb, start the engine, turn the steering
wheel all the way to the right, and turn
off engine. If you are changing the left
headlight bulb, turn the steering wheel
to the left.
4. Turn the center section of the plastic
retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-33
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Form No.8U58-EA-05J