2008 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 parking brake

Black plate (133,1)
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then firmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with a greater amount of force than is
required so that the vehicle holds in the
stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
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 8-15).
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 out have your brake
system inspected as soon as possible by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (134,1)
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)
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.
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
lBraking 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.
lThe sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle.
However, it does not indicate a malfunction.
q ABS Warning Light
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition switch is turned
to the ON position.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (137,1)
WARNING
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high
speeds: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.
Be sure to leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake
when leaving the vehicle unattended: Otherwise the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
CAUTION
ØKeep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also,
don't use the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an upgrade. Riding the
clutch will cause needless clutch
wear and damage.
Ø Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is
still moving may damage the
transmission.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
q Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, we recommend
these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 35 km/h (22 mph)
3 to 4 47 km/h (29 mph)
4 to 5 58 km/h (36 mph)
5 to 6 74 km/h (46 mph)
For cruising
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 23 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 34 km/h (21 mph)
3 to 4 45 km/h (28 mph)
4 to 5 56 km/h (35 mph)
5 to 6 68 km/h (42 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
reduces the chance of stalling and gives
better acceleration when you need more
speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (139,1)
qTransmission Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transmission and prevents the
rear 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
ØShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage
your transmission.
Ø Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transmission.
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 4-7).
N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transmission 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
transmission 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 transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-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 5-14).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (163,1)
If the needle on the gauge doesn't move
after starting the engine, follow steps 1
through 3.
If the engine oil pressure gauge moves to
L (low) while you are driving, drive to the
side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Set the parking brake. Then follow
steps 1 through 3.
1. Turn off the engine and inspect theengine oil level (page 8-12). If it's low,
add oil.
2. Start the engine.
3. If the needle still doesn't move, have your vehicle checked at an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
CAUTION
Don't run the engine if the oil
pressure is low. It could result in
extensive engine damage.
NOTE
The Mazda RX-8 requires regular checking of
the engine oil level. The compact, high
performance RENESIS rotary engine in your
vehicle consumes a small amount of engine oil
due to its structural design. An oil pump
optimizes the amount of oil injected to
lubricate the rotor seals in the combustion
cycle. Although your vehicle is equipped with
an engine oil level warning light and an
engine oil pressure gauge, it is best to keep the
engine oil level in the range between full and
low by checking the oil dipstick regularly.
Mazda recommends checking the oil level at
every second fuel filling. The oil consumption
of the engine depends on engine speed and
engine load. Under extreme driving conditions,
oil consumption can be higher.
q Dashboard Illumination
Rotate the thumb wheel to adjust the
brightness of the instrument cluster and
other illuminations in the dashboard.
NOTE
lThe brightness of dashboard illuminations
(except instrument cluster) can be adjusted
when the headlight switch is in the
or
position.lThe brightness of the instrument cluster
illumination can be adjusted when the
headlight switch is in any position.
Bright
Dim
Canceling the illumination dimmer
When the headlight switch is in the
or
position, the illumination of the
instrument cluster and the information
display dims (the instrument cluster
illumination color turns to red).
When driving on snowy or foggy roads,
or in other situations when the instrument
cluster or information display's visibility
is reduced due to glare from surrounding
brightness, cancel the illumination
dimmer and increase the illumination
intensity.
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (167,1)
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 8-15).
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 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.
qABS 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.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (182,1)
qHeadlight High-Low Beam
Push the lever forward for high beam.
Pull back to original position for low
beam.
High beam
Low beam
q Flashing 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 passengers 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.
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Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G

Black plate (250,1)
qAbout the IMS Emergency Flat
Tire Repair Kit
The IMS emergency flat tire repair kit
includes the following items.
Tire sealant
Injection hose Compressor
Case Instruction
Repaired tire
stickerValve core
tool
Spare valve
core
Speed restriction
sticker
WARNING
Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant:Ingestion of tire sealant is dangerous.
In the event tire sealant is
accidentally swallowed, drink large
amounts of water immediately and
seek medical assistance.
Do not allow children to touch the tire
sealant: Tire sealant that comes into contact
with the eyes and skin is dangerous.
If tire sealant enters the eyes or
contacts the skin, flush immediately
with large amounts of water and
seek medical assistance. NOTE
lThe tire sealant cannot be reused. Purchase
new tire sealant at an Authorized Mazda
Dealer.
lThe emergency flat tire repair kit cannot be
used in the following cases.
Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
lThe period of effective use for the tire
sealant has expired. (The period of
effectiveness is indicated on the bottle
label.)
lThe tear or puncture exceeds about
4 mm (0.16 in).
lThe damage has occurred to an area of
the tire other than the tread.
lThe vehicle has been driven with nearly
no air remaining in the tire.
lThe tire has come off the wheel rim.lDamage to the wheel rim has occurred.lThe tire has two or more punctures.
q
Using the IMS Emergency Flat
Tire Repair Kit
1. Park on a level surface off the right-of-
way and set the parking brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transmission in Park (P), a manual
transmission in Reverse (R) or 1, and
turn off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
7-6
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G