Black plate (128,1)
qBrake 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
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.
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 8-23).
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 out have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
Having to add brake fluid is sometimes
an indicator of leakage. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible even if the brake light is no
longer illuminated.
WARNING
Do not drive with the brake system
warning light illuminated. Contact an
Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the
brakes inspected as soon as possible:
Driving with the brake system warning
light illuminated 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 illuminated, after checking
that the parking brake is fully
released, have the brakes inspected
immediately.
qAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)í
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.
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WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident.
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.
qABS Warning Lightí
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.
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.
qElectronic Brake Force
Distribution System Warningí
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 and the ABS warning light
on at the same time. The problem is likely
to be an electronic brake force distribution
system.
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F
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WARNING
Do not drive with both the ABS
warning light and brake warning light
illuminated. Have the vehicle towed to
an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have
the brakes inspected as soon as
possible:
Driving when the brake system
warning light and ABS warning light
are illuminated at the same time is
dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the
rear wheels could lock more quickly in
an emergency stop than under normal
circumstances.
qBrake Assistí
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, the
pedal will feel softer but the brakes
will apply more firmly. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate an
abnormality.
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed
hard or depressed more quickly, a
clicking noise from the brake booster
may be heard. This is a normal effect
of the brake assist and does not
indicate an abnormality.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the
vehicle's main braking system.
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Form No.8V66-EA-06F
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qTransaxle 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.
WARNING
Always set the shift lever to P AND set
the parking brake:
Only 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.
CAUTION
lShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage your
transaxle.
lShifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
R (Reverse)
In position R, the vehicle moves only
backward. You must be at a complete stop
before shifting to or from R, except under
rare circumstances as explained in
Rocking the Vehicle (page 4-9).
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
If the engine is running faster than
idle, do not shift from N or P into a
driving gear:
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.
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle:
Shifting into N while driving is
dangerous. Engine braking cannot be
applied when decelerating which
could lead to an accident or serious
injury.
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.
NOTE
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the shift
lever from N to prevent the vehicle
from moving unexpectedly.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear/5-gear
*sequence.
* 2.3-liter engine model
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M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position.
Gears can be shifted up or down by
operating the shift lever.
Refer to Manual Shift Mode (page 5-13).
qShift-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.
NOTE
lWhen the ignition switch is in the
ACC or LOCK position, the shift
lever cannot be shifted from P.
lTo be sure the vehicle is in park,the
ignition key cannot be removed
unless the shift lever is in P.
qShift-Lock Override
If the shift lever won't move from P using
the proper shift procedure, continue to
hold down the pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
with a screwdriver.2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Take the vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the system
checked.
qManual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transaxle vehicle by operating the
shift lever and allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the front wheels
much like a manual transaxle 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.
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Power Steering
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 stiffer than usual
during normal driving, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Never hold the steering wheel to the
extreme left or right for more than 5
seconds with the engine running.
This could damage the power steering
system.
qPower Steering Malfunction
Indicator Lightí
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition switch is turned to the ON
position and goes off when the engine is
started.If the light stays illuminated after the
engine is started or illuminates while
driving, turn off the engine after parking
in a safe place, and then start the engine
again.
If the light does not illuminate after
restarting the engine, this indicates that
the power steering is restored and normal
steering is possible.
If the light remains illuminated, the power
steering is still inoperable. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
The power steering system is inoperable
when the power steering malfunction
indicator light illuminates. Steering is
possible, but requires more physical
effort.
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lPress the CANCEL button.
The system is off when the ignition is off.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about 15
km/h (9 mph) below the preset speed or
below 25 km/h (16 mph).
Traction Control System
(TCS)
í
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
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.
WARNING
Do not rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe 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.
Use snow tires or tire chains and drive
at reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and/or snow:
Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and/or ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident.
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CAUTION
lThe DSC may not operate correctly
unless the following are observed:
lUse tires of the correct size
specified for your Mazda on all
four wheels.
lUse tires of the same
manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
lDo not mix worn tires.
lThe DSC may not operate correctly
when tire chains are used or a
temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
NOTE
After turning the ignition switch to the
ON position, a clicking sound may be
heard behind the dashboard. This sound
is the result of the DSC system self-
check operation and does not indicate
an abnormality.
qTCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position. If the TCS or DSC is
operating, the indicator light flashes.If the light stays on, the TCS or DSC may
have a malfunction and they may not
operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qDSC OFF Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
It also comes on when the DSC OFF
switch is pressed and TCS/DSC is
switched off (page 5-24).
If the light stays on when the TCS/DSC is
not switched off, take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. The dynamic
stability control may have a malfunction.
qDSC OFF Switch
To turn off the TCS/DSC, press and hold
the DSC OFF switch until the DSC OFF
indicator light illuminates.
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