2011 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 steering

Black plate (147,1)
6. After starting the engine, let it idle for
about 15 seconds. Then perform the
shift operation.
NOTE
lIn extremely cold weather (below 0°C
(32°F)) or after the vehicle has not been
driven in several days, let the engine warm
up without operating the accelerator.
lWhether the engine is cold or warm, it
should be started without use of the
accelerator.
lThe display of the variable red zone in the
tachometer changes according to the
temperature of the engine coolant. To
protect the engine, when the engine coolant
temperature is low, the engine does not run
at high speeds. The fuel supply will be cut
at an rpm lower than the red zone.
Refer to Tachometer on page 5-38.
lIf the engine does not start the first time,
refer to Starting a Flooded Engine under
Emergency Starting. If the engine still does
not start, have your vehicle inspected by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer (page 7-19).
Turning the Engine Off
1. Stop the vehicle completely.
2.(Manual transmission)
Shift into neutral.
(Automatic transmission)
Shift the shift lever to the P position.
3. Switch the ignition from ON to OFF/
LOCK.
WARNING
Do not stop the engine while the
vehicle is moving:
Stopping the engine while the vehicle
is moving for any reason other than
in an emergency is dangerous.
Stopping the engine while the vehicle
is moving will result in reduced
maneuverability and braking ability
due to the loss of power steering and
power braking, which could cause an
accident and serious injury.
CAUTION
When leaving the vehicle, make sure
the ignition is switched off.
NOTE
The electrical fan in the engine compartment
could turn on for a few minutes after the
ignition is switched from ON to OFF, whether
or not the A/C is on or off, to cool the engine
compartment quickly.
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Black plate (157,1)
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.
ØShifting 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 4-8).
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.
Temporary use of the direct mode is
possible.
Refer to Direct Mode on page 5-20.
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 5-16).
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Form No.8BQ7-EA-10H

Black plate (159,1)
NOTElIf you change to manual shift mode when
the vehicle is stopped, the gear will shift to
M1.
lIf you change to manual shift mode without
depressing the accelerator pedal when
driving in D range, 5th gear, the gear will
shift to M4.
lIf you change to manual shift mode without
depressing the accelerator pedal when
driving in D range, 6th gear, the gear will
shift to M5.
Indicators
Shift position indicator
In manual shift mode, the“M”of the shift
position indicator in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indicator
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.
Shift position
indicator Gear position
indicator
NOTE
If the gears cannot be shifted down when
driving at higher speeds, the gear position
indicator will flash twice to signal that the
gears cannot be shifted down (to protect the
transmission).
Shifting
You can shift gears up and down by
operating the shift lever or the steering
shift switches.
NOTE
lIf the steering shift switches on both sides
(left and right) are operated simultaneously,
the gear will shift once.
lThe gear will not shift if the UP switch and
DOWN switch are operated simultaneously.
Manually Shifting up
(M1→M2→M3→M4→M5→M6)
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back (
) once.
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, tap either of the
UP switches toward you once with your
fingers.
UP switches
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Black plate (160,1)
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's 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.
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
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's air bag were to deploy
in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
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Black plate (162,1)
If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:
Gear Vehicle speed
M6→M5 210 km/h (130 mph)
M6→M4 175 km/h (108 mph)
M5→M4 175 km/h (108 mph)
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 19 km/h (12 mph)
M2 to M3 35 km/h (22 mph)
M3 to M4 47 km/h (29 mph)
M4 to M5 58 km/h (36 mph)
M5 to M6 78 km/h (49 mph)
For cruising
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 5 km/h (3 mph)
M2 to M3 30 km/h (19 mph)
M3 to M4 40 km/h (25 mph)
M4 to M5 50 km/h (31 mph)
M5 to M6 67 km/h (42 mph)
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 steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
qDirect Mode
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, the D and M
indicator lights illuminate and the gear
position in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
lThe vehicle is driven at a constant
speed.
lThe needle in the tachometer
approaches the red zone.
lThe vehicle is driven at a constant
speed and the accelerator pedal is
heavily depressed.
lThe vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indicator Direct mode indicator
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Black plate (163,1)
NOTE
Shifting up and down while in direct mode may
not be possible depending on the vehicle
speed. In addition, because direct mode is
canceled (released) depending on the rate of
acceleration or if the accelerator is fully
depressed, use of the manual shift mode is
recommended if you need to drive the vehicle
in a particular gear for long periods.
qDriving 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 transmission 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 the
load 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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Black plate (164,1)
Power Steering
Power steering is only operable when the
engine is running. If the engine is off or if
the power steering system is inoperable,
you can still steer, but it requires more
physical effort.
If the steering feels stiffer than usual
during normal driving, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qPower Steering Malfunction
Indicator Light
This indicator light illuminates when the
ignition is switched ON, and turns off
when the engine is started.
If the light remains illuminated after the
engine is started, or illuminates while
driving, turn off the engine after parking
in a safe place, and then start the engine
again.
If the light does not illuminate after
restarting the engine, this indicates that
the power steering is restored and normal
steering is possible.
If the light remains illuminated, the power
steering is still inoperable. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.NOTE
lThe power steering system is inoperable
when the power steering malfunction
indicator light illuminates. Steering is
possible, but requires more physical effort.
lRepeatedly jerking the steering wheel left
and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the
power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steering feel
heavy, but this does not indicate a
malfunction. If this occurs, park the vehicle
safely and wait a few minutes for the system
to return to normal.
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Black plate (170,1)
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.
ØThe DSC may not operate correctly
when tire chains are used or a
temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
ØIf 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 is switched
ON. 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 is switched
ON.
It also illuminates when the DSC OFF
switch is pressed and TCS/DSC is
switched off (page 5-29).
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. Switch the ignition ON.
2. Turn the steering clockwise fully, then turn
it counterclockwise fully.
3. Make sure the DSC OFF indicator turn off.
4. Switch the ignition off, then switch the
ignition to ON again.
5. Make sure the TCS/DSC indicator light
turns off.
If the TCS/DSC indicator light and the DSC
OFF indicator light remain illuminated even
after switching the ignition from ON to OFF,
and back to ON, attempt the procedure again.
If this still does not resolve the issue, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
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