2010 MAZDA MODEL CX-7 warning

Black plate (167,1)
WARNING
Remove the key only when the vehicle
is parked:
Removing the key from the ignition
switch while the vehicle is moving is
dangerous. Removing the key allows
the steering wheel to lock. You will
lose steering control and a serious
accident could occur. (For vehicles
equipped with the advanced key, the
steering wheel locks when the starter
knob is turned to the LOCK position.)
Before leaving the driver's seat, always
put the key or start knob to LOCK
position, set the parking brake and
make sure the shift lever is in P:
It is important to place the key or
start knob in the LOCK position even
if you are not removing the key from
the ignition or leaving the vehicle.
Leaving the key in other positions
will disable some of the vehicle
security systems and run the battery
down.
Leaving the driver's seat without
putting the ignition switch in LOCK
position, setting the parking brake
and shifting the shift lever to P is
dangerous. Unexpected vehicle
movement could occur. This could
cause an accident.
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, jiggle the steering
wheel from side to side.
Leaving the key or start knob in any position
but LOCK position also disables some of the
security features and may run the battery
down.
ACC (Accessory)
The steering wheel unlocks and some
electrical accessories will operate.
ON
This is the normal running position after
the engine is started. Some indicator
lights/warning lights should be inspected
before the engine is started (page 5-43).
NOTE
When the ignition switch is turned to the ON
position, the sound of the fuel pump motor
operating near the fuel tank can be heard. This
does not indicate an abnormality.
START
The engine is started in this position. It
will crank until you release the key. It
then returns to the ON position.
qIgnition Key Reminder
If the ignition switch is in the LOCK or
ACC position with the key inserted, a
continuous beep sound will be heard
when the driver's door is opened.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Friday, June 5 2009 2:25 PM
Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (169,1)
Brake System
qFoot Brake
Your Mazda has power-assisted brakes
that adjust automatically through normal
use.
Should power-assist fail, you can stop by
applying greater force than normal to the
brake pedal. But the distance required to
stop will be greater than usual.
WARNING
Do not coast with the engine stalled or
turned off, find a safe place to stop:
Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more effort, and the brake's
power-assist could be depleted if you
pump the brake. This will cause
longer stopping distances or even an
accident.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep hills:
Driving with your foot continuously
on the brake pedal or steadily
applying the brakes for long
distances is dangerous. This causes
overheated brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances or even
total brake failure. This could cause
loss of vehicle control and a serious
accident. Avoid continuous
application of the brakes.
Dry brakes that have become wet by
driving very slowly and applying the
brakes lightly until brake performance
is normal:
Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (170,1)
qParking Brake
WARNING
Before leaving the driver's seat, always
put the key or start knob to LOCK
position, set the parking brake and
make sure the shift lever is in P:
It is important to place the key or
start knob in the LOCK position even
if you are not removing the key from
the ignition or leaving the vehicle.
Leaving the key in other positions
will disable some of the vehicle
security systems and run the battery
down.
Leaving the driver's seat without
putting the ignition switch in LOCK
position, setting the parking brake
and shifting the shift lever to P is
dangerous. Unexpected vehicle
movement could occur. This could
cause an accident.
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on
will cause excessive wear of the brake
linings or pads.
NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter Driving
(page 4-10) regarding parking brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then depress the
parking brake pedal fully.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal, then depress the
parking brake pedal until it releases.
Gradually let up on the parking brake
pedal.
NOTE
Release the parking brake pedal once before
trying to reapply it.
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (171,1)
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 switch
in the START or ON position. 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 8-24).
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.
qParking Brake Reminder
If the parking brake has not been
completely released and the vehicle is
driven at about 5 km/h (3 mph) or faster, a
continuous beep sound will be heard to
notify the driver that the parking brake
has not been released.
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. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (172,1)
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.
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.
NOTE
lWhen the engine is jump-started to charge
the battery, uneven rpm occurs and the ABS
warning light may illuminate. If this occurs,
it is the result of the weak battery and does
not indicate an ABS malfunction.
Recharge the battery.
lThe brake assist system does not operate
while the ABS warning light is illuminated.
qElectronic Brake Force
Distribution System Warning
If the electronic brake force distribution
control unit determines that some
components are operating incorrectly, the
control unit may illuminate the brake
system warning light and the ABS
warning light on simultaneously. The
problem is likely to be the electronic
brake force distribution system.
5-8
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (173,1)
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 simultaneously is
dangerous.
When both lights are illuminated, the
rear wheels could lock more quickly
in an emergency stop than under
normal circumstances.
qBrake Assist
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 motor/pump
operation noise 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.
qBrake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (175,1)
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.
ØShifting 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/6-gear
*sequence.
* 2.3-liter engine model
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 5-12).
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E

Black plate (178,1)
NOTElWhen driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up depending on vehicle speed.
lIn manual shift mode, gears do not shift up
automatically. Do not 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
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Manually Shifting down
(M6
í→M5→M4→M3→M2→
M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward (
) once.
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.NOTE
lWhen driving at high speeds, the gear may
not shift down depending on vehicle speed.
lDuring deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
lWhen depressing the accelerator fully, the
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
)
while the vehicle is stopped, the transaxle
is set in the second gear fixed mode. The
gear is fixed in second while in this mode
for easier starting and driving on slippery
roads. If the shift lever is tapped back (
)
or forward (
) while in the second gear
fixed mode, the mode will be canceled.
Shifting specification
Shifting up
If the vehicle speed is lower than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted up to a higher gear.
(2.5-liter engine model)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→M2You can shift up to M2 whether the
vehicle is stopped or moving.
M2→M3 21 km/h (13 mph)
M3 or M4→
M538 km/h (24 mph)
(2.3-liter engine model)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→M2You can shift up to M2 whether the
vehicle is stopped or moving.
M2→M3 9 km/h (6 mph)
M3→M4 26 km/h (16 mph)
M4→M5 36 km/h (22 mph)
M5→M6 53 km/h (33 mph)
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Form No.8AS7-EA-09E