2010 MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR brake

Black plate (173,1)
Automatic Transaxle Controls
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition
must be switched to ACC or ON).
Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Various Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transaxle giving the
driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transaxle to shift gears. Even if
you intend to use the automatic transaxle functions as a traditional automatic, you should also be
aware that you can inadvertently shift into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be
retained as the vehicle speed increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the
engine racing, confirm you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 5-16).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (174,1)
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
ØShifting into P, N or R while the
vehicle is moving can damage
your transaxle.
Ø Shifting 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 5-gear sequence.
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 5-16).
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (175,1)
qActive Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transaxle 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 transaxle 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 transaxle in
the optimum gear and the driver may
sense that the transaxle 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 is switched off (LOCK),
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 cannot be switched from ACC
to off (LOCK) when the shift lever is not in
P.
q Shift-Lock Override
If the shift lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped flat head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Move the shift lever.
4. Take the vehicle to an Authorized Mazda Dealer to have the system
checked.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (179,1)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steepupgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
q Driving Tips
WARNING
Do not allow the vehicle to move in
reverse on an up-slope while the
selector lever is in a forward gear
position, or move forward on a down-
slope while the selector lever is in the
reverse position.
Otherwise, the engine will stop,
causing the loss of the power brake
and power steering functions, and
make it difficult to control the vehicle
which could result in an accident.
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The transaxle will
shift to a lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed.
Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to D or M1, depending on theload weight and grade steepness.
3. Release the brake pedal while gradually accelerating.
Descending steep grades
When descending a steep grade, shift to
lower gears, depending on load weight
and grade steepness. Descend slowly,
using the brakes only occasionally to
prevent them from overheating.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (185,1)
Type B
Press the SET - switch and hold it. The
vehicle will gradually slow.
Release the switch at the speed you want.
Your vehicle has a tap-down feature that
allows you to decrease your current speed
in decrements of 1.6 km/h (1 mph) by a
momentary tap of the SET- switch.
Multiple taps will decrease your vehicle
speed 1.6 km/h (1 mph) for each tap.
qTo Resume Cruising Speed at
More Than 32 km/h (20 mph)
If some other method besides the OFF
switch was used to cancel cruising speed
(such as applying the brake pedal) and the
system is still activated, the most recent
set speed will automatically resume when
the RES switch is pressed.
If vehicle speed is below 32 km/h (20
mph), increase the vehicle speed up to 32
km/h (20 mph) or more and press the RES
switch. (Type A)
(Type B)
q
To Cancel
To cancel the system, use oneof these
methods:
lPress the OFF switch.lSlightly depress the brake pedal.lDepress the clutch pedal (Manual
transaxle only).
lPress the CANCEL switch.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (186,1)
(Type A)
(Type B)
The system turns off when the ignition is
off.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about 15 km/h (9
mph) below the preset speed (such as may
happen when climbing a long, steep grade).
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.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the DSC OFF switch
(page 5-28).
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Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (201,1)
Warning/Indicator Lights
Warning/Indicator lights will appear in any of the highlighted areas
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Brake System Warning Light 5-43
Charging System Warning Light5-45
Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light5-45
Check Engine Light5-45
High Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light5-46
ABS Warning Light5-44
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light5-46
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J

Black plate (203,1)
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Lights-On Indicator Light 5-55
Power Steering Malfunction Indicator Light5-55
Turn Signal/Hazard Warning Indicator Lights5-56
qBrake System Warning Light
This warning has the following functions:
Parking brake warning
The light illuminates when the parking
brake is applied with the ignition switched
to START or ON. It turns 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
depress 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, open the
hood and check the brake fluid level
immediately, and then add fluid if
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 turns off 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.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8BG3-EA-09J