Black plate (125,1)
5Driving Your Mazda
Explanation of instruments and controls.
Starting and Driving ..................................................................... 5-2Ignition Switch .......................................................................... 5-2
Starting the Engine .................................................................... 5-4
Brake System ............................................................................ 5-5
Manual Transaxle Operation ..................................................... 5-9
Automatic Transaxle Controls ................................................ 5-12
Power Steering ........................................................................ 5-19
Cruise Control
í...................................................................... 5-20
Traction Control System (TCS)í........................................... 5-23
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)í........................................ 5-24
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systemí......................................... 5-27
Instrument Cluster and Indicators ............................................ 5-33 Meters and Gauges .................................................................. 5-33
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds ............................ 5-38 Warning/Indicator Lights ........................................................ 5-38
Beep Sounds ........................................................................... 5-50
Switches and Controls ................................................................ 5-51 Lighting Control ..................................................................... 5-51
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ............................................... 5-54
Fog Lights
í............................................................................ 5-55
Windshield Wipers and Washer .............................................. 5-55
Rear Window Wiper and Washer (5 Door) ............................. 5-59
Rear Window Defroster ........................................................... 5-60
Horn ........................................................................................ 5-61
Hazard Warning Flasher .......................................................... 5-61
5-1íSome models.
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (183,1)
qWindshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you and hold it to
spray washer fluid.
OFF
Washer
NOTE
With the wiper lever in the OFF or INT (Type
A)/AUTO (Type B) position, the wipers will
operate continuously until the lever is
released.
If the washer does not work, inspect the
fluid level (page 8-27). If it's normal,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Rear Window Wiper and
Washer (5 Door)
The ignition switch must be in the ON
position.
q Rear Window Wiper
Turn the wiper on by turning the rear
wiper/washer switch.
ON ―Normal
INT ―Intermittent
qRear Window Washer
To spray washer fluid, turn the rear wiper/
washer switch to the
position. After
the switch is released, the washer will
stop.
If the washer doesn't work, inspect the
fluid level (page 8-27). If it's OK and the
washer still doesn't work, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
5-59
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (184,1)
Rear Window Defroster
The rear window defroster clears frost,
fog, and thin ice from the rear window.
The ignition switch must be in the ON
position.
Press the switch to turn on the rear
window defroster. The rear window
defroster operates for about 10―15
minutes and turns off automatically.
The indicator light illuminates during
operation.
To turn off the rear window defroster
before the 10 ―15 minutes has elapsed,
press the switch again.
Manual Type Air-Conditioning
Indicator light
Fully Automatic Type Air-Conditioning
Indicator light
CAUTION
Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaners with abrasives to
clean the inside of the rear window
surface. They may damage the
defroster grid inside the window.
NOTE
This defroster is not designed for melting snow.
If there is an accumulation of snow on the rear
window, remove it before using the defroster.
q Mirror Defrosterí
To turn on the mirror defrosters, turn the
ignition switch to the ON position and
press the rear window defroster switch
(page 5-60).
5-60
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
Mazda3_8Z87-EA-08F_Edition2 Page184
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (188,1)
Operating Tips
qOperating the Climate Control
System
Operate the climate control system with
the engine running.
NOTE
To prevent the battery from being discharged,
do not leave the fan control dial on for a long
period of time with the ignition switch in the
ON position when the engine is not running.
qClearing the Air Inlet
Clear all obstructions such as leaves,
snow and ice from the hood and the air
inlet in the cowl grille to improve the
system efficiency.
qFoggy Windows
The windows may fog up easily in humid
weather. Use the climate control system to
defog the windows.
To help defog the windows, operate the
air conditioner to dehumidify the air.
NOTE
The air conditioner may be used along with the
heater to dehumidify the air.
qOutside/Recirculated Air Position
Use the outside air position in normal
conditions. The recirculated air position
should be used only when driving on
dusty roads or for quick cooling of the
interior.
qParking in Direct Sunlight
If the vehicle has been parked in direct
sunlight during hot weather, open the
windows to let warm air escape, then run
the climate control system.
qNot Using for a Long Period
Run the air conditioner about 10 minutes
at least once a month to keep internal
parts lubricated.
qCheck the Refrigerant before the
Weather Gets Hot
Have the air conditioner checked before
the weather gets hot. Lack of refrigerant
may make the air conditioner less
efficient. Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer for refrigerant inspection.
The air conditioner is filled with
HFC134a (R134a), a refrigerant that will
not damage the ozone layer.
If the air conditioner is low on refrigerant
or has a malfunction, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qReplacement of the Cabin Air
Filterí
If your vehicle is equipped with an air
filter for the air conditioner, it is necessary
to change the filter periodically as
indicated in scheduled maintenance (page
8-3). Consult an Authorized Mazda
Dealer for replacement of the cabin air
filter.
6-2
Interior Comfort
íSome models.
Climate Control System
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (194,1)
Recirculated air mode (indicator light
illuminated)
Outside air is shut off. Air within the
vehicle is recirculated.
This mode can be used when driving on a
dusty road or in similar conditions. It also
helps to provide quicker cooling of the
interior.
WARNING
Do not use the recirculated air mode in
cold or rainy weather:Using the recirculated air mode in
cold or rainy weather is dangerous as
it will cause the windows to fog up.
Your vision will be hampered, which
could lead to a serious accident.
qHeating
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the temperature control dial to the hot position.
3. Set the fan control dial to the desired speed. NOTE
lIf the windshield fogs up easily, set the
mode selector dial to the
position.lIf cooler air is desired at face level, set the
mode selector dial at the
position and
adjust the temperature control dial to
maintain maximum comfort.
lThe air to the floor is warmer than air to
the face (except when the temperature
control dial is set at the extreme hot or cold
position).
lIn the,,orposition, the air
conditioner is automatically turned on
(however, the indicator light does not
illuminate) and the outside air mode is
automatically selected to defrost the
windshield.
In the
orposition, the outside air
mode cannot be changed to the recirculated
air mode.
q Cooling (With Air Conditioner)
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
position.
2. Set the temperature control dial to the cold position.
3. Set the fan control dial to the desired speed.
4. Turn on the air conditioner by pressing the A/C switch.
5. Adjust the fan control dial and temperature control dial to maintain
maximum comfort.
6-8
Interior Comfort
Climate Control System
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (196,1)
qDehumidifying (With Air
Conditioner)
Operate the air conditioner in cool or cold
weather to help defog the windshield and
side windows.
1. Set the mode selector dial to the
desired position.
2. Set the air intake selector to the outside air mode.
3. Set the temperature control dial to the desired position.
4. Set the fan control dial to the desired speed.
5. Turn on the air conditioner by pressing the A/C switch.
NOTE
One of the functions of the air conditioner is
dehumidifying the air and, to use this function,
the temperature does not have to be set to cold.
Therefore, set the temperature control dial to
the desired position (hot or cold) and turn on
the air conditioner when you want to
dehumidify the cabin air.
6-10
Interior Comfort
Climate Control System
Mazda3_8Z87-EA-08F_Edition2 Page196
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (199,1)
Air intake selector
Outside or recirculated air positions can
be selected. Press the switch to select
outside/recirculated air positions.
Recirculated air position (indicator
light illuminated)
Use this position when going through
tunnels, driving in congested traffic (high
engine exhaust areas), high ambient
humidity conditions, or when quick
cooling is desired.
Outside air position (indicator light
turned off)
Use this position for normal conditions
and defogging.
WARNING
Do not use theposition in cold or
rainy weather: Using the
position in cold or
rainy weather is dangerous as it will
cause the windows to fog up. Your
vision will be hampered, which could
lead to a serious accident.
AMB (Ambient Temperature) switch
Press the AMB switch to display the
ambient temperature.
NOTE
lThe displayed ambient temperature may
vary from the actual ambient temperature
depending on the surrounding area and
vehicle conditions.
lPress the AMB switch again to switch the
display from ambient temperature to the
temperature set for the air conditioner.
Windshield defroster switch
Press the switch to defrost the windshield
and front door windows.
Interior Comfort
Climate Control System
6-13
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Form No.8Z87-EA-08F
Black plate (200,1)
qOperation of Automatic Air
Conditioning
1. Press the AUTO switch. Selection of
the airflow mode, air intake selector
and amount of airflow will be
automatically controlled.
2. Use the temperature control dial toselect a desired temperature.
Cold Hot
To turn off the system, press the OFF
switch.
NOTE
lSetting the temperature to maximum high
or low will not provide the desired
temperature at a faster rate.
lWhen selecting heat, the system will restrict
airflow until it has warmed to prevent cold
air from blowing out of the vents.
qWindshield Defrosting and Defogging
Press the windshield defroster switch.
In this position, the outside air position is
automatically selected, and the air
conditioner automatically turns on. The
air conditioner will directly dehumidify
the air to the front windshield and side
windows (page 6-4). Airflow amount will
be increased.
WARNING
Set the temperature control to the hot
or warm position when defogging (
position):
Using the
position with the
temperature control set to the cold
position is dangerous as it will cause
the outside of the windshield to fog
up. Your vision will be hampered,
which could lead to a serious
accident.
NOTE
Use the temperature control dial to increase
the air flow temperature and defog the
windshield more quickly.
6-14
Interior Comfort
Climate Control System
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