Black plate (63,1)
3Knowing Your Mazda
Explanation of basic operations and controls; opening/closing and adjustment
of various parts.
Advanced Keyless Entry and Start System ................................ 3-2Advanced Keysí...................................................................... 3-2
Operation Using Advanced Keyless Functions ......................... 3-7
Operation Using Advanced Key Functions ............................. 3-13
Advanced Key Suspend Function ........................................... 3-16
Warning and Beep Sounds ...................................................... 3-16
Setting Change (Function Customization) .............................. 3-19
When Warning Indicator/Beep is Activated ............................ 3-20
Doors and Locks ......................................................................... 3-21 Keys (without Advanced Key) ................................................ 3-21
Keyless Entry System (with Retractable Type Key) ............... 3-22
Door Locks ............................................................................. 3-26
Trunk Lid ................................................................................ 3-31
Inside Trunk Release Lever ..................................................... 3-33
Power Windows ...................................................................... 3-34
Rear Quarter Windows ............................................................ 3-36
Fuel-Filler Lid and Cap ........................................................... 3-37
Hood ....................................................................................... 3-38
Moonroof
í............................................................................. 3-39
Security System ........................................................................... 3-41 Immobilizer System (with Advanced Key) ............................. 3-41
Immobilizer System (without Advanced Key) ........................ 3-43
Theft-Deterrent System
í........................................................ 3-46
Steering Wheel and Mirrors ...................................................... 3-48 Steering Wheel ........................................................................ 3-48
Mirrors .................................................................................... 3-48
3-1íSome models.
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (110,1)
Steering Wheel
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel while
the vehicle is moving:Adjusting the steering wheel while
the vehicle is moving is dangerous.
Moving it can very easily cause the
driver to abruptly turn to the left or
right. This can lead to loss of control
or an accident.
qTilt Steering Wheel
To change the angle of the steering wheel,
stop the vehicle, pull the tilt wheel release
lever under the steering column down,
adjust the wheel, then push the release
lever up to lock the column.
Tilt wheel release
lever
After adjusting, push the wheel up and
down to be certain it's locked before
driving.
Mirrors
qOutside Mirrors
Check the mirror angles before driving.
Mirror type
Flat type (driver's side)
Flat surface mirror.
Convex type (front passenger side)
The mirror has single curvature on its
surface.
WARNING
Be sure to look over your shoulder
before changing lanes:
Changing lanes without taking into
account the actual distance of the
vehicle in the convex mirror is
dangerous. You could have a serious
accident. What you see in the convex
mirror is closer than it appears.
Power mirror
The ignition switch must be in the ACC
or ON position.
To adjust:
1. Press the left or right side of the
selector switch to choose the left or
right side mirror.
3-48
Knowing Your Mazda
Steering Wheel and Mirrors
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (121,1)
Hazardous Driving
WARNING
Be extremely careful if it is necessary to
downshift on slippery surfaces:Downshifting into lower gear while
driving on slippery surfaces 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 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.
When driving on ice or in water, snow,
mud, sand, or similar hazards:
lBe cautious and allow extra distance
for braking.
lAvoid sudden braking and sudden
maneuvering.
lDo not pump the brakes. Continue to
press down on the brake pedal.
Refer to Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS) on page 5-8.
lIf you get stuck, select a lower gear and
accelerate slowly. Do not spin the rear
wheels.
lFor more traction in starting on
slippery surfaces such as ice or packed
snow, use sand, rock salt, chains,
carpeting, or other nonslip material
under the rear wheels.
NOTE
Use snow chains only on the rear wheels.
Rocking the Vehicle
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at more than 56
km/h (35 mph), and do not allow
anyone to stand behind a wheel when
pushing the vehicle: When the vehicle is stuck, spinning
the wheels at high speed is
dangerous. The spinning tire could
overheat and explode. This could
cause serious injuries.
CAUTION
Too much rocking may cause engine
overheating, transmission failure,
and tire damage.
If you must rock the vehicle to free it from
snow, sand or mud, depress the
accelerator slightly and slowly move the
shift lever from 1 (D) to R.
Before Driving Your Mazda
Driving Tips
4-7
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (140,1)
qActive Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This optimizes engine
performance and improves driving
comfort. When cornering the vehicle,
AAS mode will hold the transmission in
the gear the vehicle was in before entering
the curve, allowing the vehicle to be
accelerated from the same gear after
exiting the curve.
If the driver accelerates rapidly, or
accelerates and decelerates rapidly by
operating the accelerator and brake pedal
for a certain period of time while the
selector lever is in the D position, AAS
mode could activate. When this occurs,
AAS mode will maintain the transmission
in the optimum gear and the driver may
sense that the transmission is not shifting,
however this does not indicate an
abnormality.
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 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.
l(With Advanced Key)
The ignition switch cannot be turned from
the ACC position to the LOCK position
when the shift lever is not in P.
q Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transmission vehicle by operating
the shift lever 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.
NOTE
If you change to manual shift mode when the
vehicle is stopped, the gear will shift to M1.
5-14
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (142,1)
WARNING
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers or thumbs on
the 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.
NOTE
lWhen driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up depending on vehicle speed.
lIn 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.
lWhen depressing the accelerator fully, the
transmission will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Manually Shifting down
(M6 →M5 →M4 →M3 →M2 →M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, 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.
DOWN switches
WARNING
Do not use 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.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers or thumbs on
the 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.
5-16
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (151,1)
CAUTION
ØThe DSC may not operate correctly
unless the following are observed:
ØUse tires of the correct size
specified for your Mazda on all
four wheels.
ØUse tires of the same
manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
ØDo not mix worn tires.
Ø The DSC may not operate correctly
when tire chains are used or a
temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
Ø If repair or replacement of the
steering or other surrounding
equipment is necessary, have it
done at an Authorized Mazda
Dealer. If the center position of the
steering deviates, the DSC may not
operate correctly because there is
a sensor in the steering which
detects driving conditions.
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 5-26).
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.
NOTE
If the battery is disconnected or a fuse is
replaced, the DSC will be inoperable. In this
case, the DSC OFF indicator light flashes and
the TCS/DSC indicator light illuminates.
To make the DSC operable, do the following
procedure with the battery connected.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position.
2. Turn the steering clockwise fully, then turn
it counterclockwise fully.
3. Make sure the DSC OFF indicator goes off.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then turn it to the ON position
again.
5. Make sure the TCS/DSC indicator light goes off.
If the TCS/DSC indicator light and the DSC
OFF indicator light remain illuminated even
after turning the ignition switch to the ON
position, consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-25
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (153,1)
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systemí
The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors the pressure for each tire.
If tire pressure is too low in one or more tires, the system will inform the driver via the
warning light in the instrument panel and by the warning beep sound.
The tire pressure sensors installed on each wheel send tire pressure data by radio signal to
the receiver unit in the vehicle.
Tire pressure sensors
NOTE
When the ambient temperature is low due to seasonal changes, tire temperatures are also lower.
When the tire temperature decreases, the air pressure decreases as well. The TPMS warning light
may illuminate more frequently. Visually inspect the tires daily before driving, and check tire
pressures monthly with a tire pressure gauge. When checking tire pressures, use of a digital tire
pressure gauge is recommended.
TPMS does not alleviate your need to check the pressure and condition of all four tires
regularly.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-27íSome models.
RX-8_8X44-EA-07G_Edition1 Page153
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Form No.8X44-EA-07G
Black plate (157,1)
lWhen a metallic device such as a non-
genuine navigation system is equipped
near the center of the dashboard, which
may block radio signals from the tire
pressure sensor to the receiver unit.
lWhen using the following devices in
the vehicle that may cause radio
interference with the receiver unit.
lA digital device such as a personal
computer.
lA current converter device such as a
DC-AC converter.
lWhen excess snow or ice adheres to
the vehicle, especially around the
wheels.
lWhen the tire pressure sensor batteries
are exhausted.
lWhen using a wheel with no tire
pressure sensor installed.
lWhen using tires with steel wire
reinforcement in the side walls.
lWhen using tire chains.
qTires and Wheels
CAUTION
When inspecting or adjusting the tire
air pressures, do not apply excessive
force to the stem part of the wheel
unit. The stem part could be
damaged.
Changing tires and wheels
The following procedure allows the
TPMS to recognize a tire pressure sensor's
unique ID signal code whenever tires or
wheels are changed, such as changing to
and from winter tires. NOTE
Each tire pressure sensor has a unique ID
signal code. The signal code must be
registered with the TPMS before it can work.
The easiest way to do it is to have an
Authorized Mazda Dealer change your tire and
complete ID signal code registration.
When having tires changed at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer
Tire pressure sensor ID signal code
registration is completed when an
Authorized Mazda Dealer changes your
vehicle's tires.
When changing tires yourself
If you or someone else changes tires, you
or someone else can also undertake the
steps for the TPMS to complete the ID
signal code registration.
1. After tires have been changed, turn the
ignition switch to the ON position, then
turn it back to the ACC or LOCK
position.
2. Wait for about 15 minutes.
3. After about 15 minutes, drive the vehicle at a speed of at least 25 km/h
(16 mph) for 10 minutes and the tire
pressure sensor ID signal code will be
registered automatically.
NOTE
If the vehicle is driven within about 15 minutes
of changing tires, the tire pressure monitoring
system warning light will flash because the
sensor ID signal code would not have been
registered. If this happens, park the vehicle for
about 15 minutes, after which the sensor ID
signal code will register upon driving the
vehicle for 10 minutes.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-31
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