2012 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR transaxle

Black plate (182,1)
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.
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 (Except M2 →
M1).
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
)
while the vehicle is stopped or driven at
the following speeds, the transaxle is set
in the second gear fixed mode.
SKYACTIV-G 2.0 model:
10.1 km/h (6.27 mph) or less
MZR 2.0, MZR 2.5 model:
12 km/h (7.5 mph) or less
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.
(MZR 2.0)
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 →M2 You can shift up to M2 whether the
vehicle is stopped or moving.
M2 →M3 20.5 km/h (12.8 mph)
M3 →M4
37 km/h (23 mph)
M4 →M5
(SKYACTIV-G 2.0) Gear Vehicle speed
M1 →M2 10.1 km/h (6.28 mph)
M2 →M3 25.6 km/h (16.0 mph)
M3 →M4 35.2 km/h (21.9 mph)
M4 →M5 55 km/h (35 mph)
M5 →M6 70 km/h (44 mph)
(MZR 2.5) Gear Vehicle speed
M1 →M2 You can shift up to M2 whether the
vehicle is stopped or moving.
M2 →M3 20.5 km/h (12.8 mph)
M3 →M4
34 km/h (22 mph)
M4 →M5
Shifting down
If the vehicle speed is higher than the
speed specified for each gear, the gear
cannot be shifted to a lower gear so as to
protect the transaxle.
(MZR 2.0)
Gear Vehicle speed
M5 →M4 213 km/h (132 mph)
M4 →M3 153 km/h (95 mph)
M3 →M2 100 km/h (62 mph)
M2 →M1 40 km/h (24 mph)
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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Mazda3_8BY6-EA-11F_Edition3 Page182
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (184,1)
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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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (190,1)
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.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (212,1)
SignalWarning/Indicator Lights Page
Air Bag/Front Seat Belt Pretensioner System Warning Light 5-53
Low Fuel Warning Light5-53
Check Fuel Cap Warning Light5-53
Seat Belt Warning Light5-54
Door-Ajar Warning Light5-54
Low Washer Fluid Level Warning Light5-54
Automatic Transaxle Warning Light5-54
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Warning Light5-55
KEY Warning Light (Red)/KEY Indicator Light (Green)5-57
Security Indicator Light5-58
Headlight High-Beam Indicator Light5-59
Shift Position Indicator Light5-59
Low Engine Coolant Temperature Indicator Light (Blue) 5-59
TCS/DSC Indicator Light5-59
DSC OFF Indicator Light5-60
AFS OFF Indicator Light5-60
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Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (218,1)
qSeat Belt Warning Light
With warning light for front
passenger's seat
The seat belt warning light illuminates if
the driver or front passenger's seat belt is
not fastened (only when the front
passenger seat is occupied) when the
ignition is switched ON.
Without warning light for front
passenger's seat
The seat belt warning light illuminates if
the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the ignition is switched ON.
qDoor-Ajar Warning Light
This warning light illuminates when any
door, trunk, or liftgate is not securely
closed.
Close the door, trunk, or liftgate securely
before driving the vehicle.
qLow Washer Fluid Level
Warning Lightí
This warning light indicates that little
washer fluid remains. Add fluid (page
8-27).
qAutomatic Transaxle Warning
Light (Automatic Transaxle)
This warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
The light illuminates when the transaxle
has a problem.
CAUTION
If the automatic transaxle warning
light illuminates, the transaxle has
an electrical problem. Continuing to
drive your Mazda in this condition
could cause damage to your
transaxle. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible.
5-54
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (222,1)
lUnder the following conditions, the
KEY warning light (red) will flash
continuously when the push button
start has not been pressed off to notify
the driver that the advanced key has
been removed. The KEY warning light
(red) will stop flashing when the
advanced key is back inside the
vehicle:
lThe push button start has not been
pressed off, the driver's door is
open, and the advanced key is
removed from the vehicle.
lThe push button start has not been
pressed off and all the doors are
closed after removing the advanced
key from the vehicle.
NOTE
Because the advanced key utilizes low-intensity
radio waves, the Advanced Key Removed From
Vehicle Warning may activate if the advanced
key is carried together with a metal object or it
is placed in a poor signal reception area.
KEY Indicator Light (Green)
When illuminated
When the brake pedal is depressed with
an automatic transaxle or the clutch pedal
is depressed with a manual transaxle, the
system confirms that the correct advanced
key is inside the vehicle, the KEY
indicator light (green) illuminates, and the
push button start can be pressed to ACC
(page 3-12).
When flashing
When the push button start is pressed off
from ON, the KEY indicator light (green)
flashes for approximately 30 seconds
indicating that the remaining battery
power is low. Replace with a new battery
before the advanced key becomes
unusable. Refer to Service on page 3-7.
NOTE
The advanced key can be set so that the KEY
indicator light (green) does not flash even if
the battery power is low.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
10-12.
q
Security Indicator Light
This indicator light starts flashing every 2
seconds when the ignition is switched
from ON to ACC and the immobilizer
system is armed.
The light stops flashing when the ignition
is switched ON with the correct ignition
key.
At this time, the immobilizer system is
disarmed and the light illuminates for
about 3 seconds and then turns off.
If the engine does not start with the
correct ignition key, and the security
indicator light keeps illuminating or
flashing, the system may have a
malfunction. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
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Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (223,1)
qHeadlight High-Beam Indicator
Light
This light indicates one of two things:lThe high-beam headlights are on.lThe turn signal lever is in the flash-to-
pass position.
qShift Position Indicator Light
(Automatic Transaxle)
This indicates the selected shift position.
Gear position indicator
In manual mode, the “M ”of the shift
position indicator illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear displays in
the gear position indicator.
qLow Engine Coolant Temperature
Indicator Light (Blue)
When the ignition is switched ON, the
light illuminates momentarily and then
turns off.
The light illuminates continuously when
the engine coolant temperature is low and
turns off after the engine is warm.
NOTE
If the low engine coolant temperature indicator
light remains illuminated after the engine has
been sufficiently warmed up, the temperature
sensor could have a malfunction. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
q TCS/DSC Indicator Lightí
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.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
5-59íSome models.
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F

Black plate (368,1)
NOTElMake sure the jack is well lubricated before
using it.
(With Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
lBe sure to register the tire pressure sensor
ID signal code whenever tires or wheels are
changed (page 5-35).
1. Park on a level surface off the right-of- way and firmly set the parking brake.
2. Put a vehicle with an automatic transaxle in Park (P), a manual
transaxle in Reverse (R) or 1, and turn
off the engine.
3. Turn on the hazard warning flasher.
4. Have everyone get out of the vehicle and away from the vehicle and traffic.
5. Remove the jack, tool, and spare tire (page 7-3).
6. Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tire. When blocking a wheel,
place a tire block both in front and
behind the tire.
NOTE
When blocking a tire, use rocks or wood blocks
of sufficient size if possible to hold the tire in
place.
qRemoving a Flat Tire
1. If your vehicle is equipped with a
wheel cover, pry off the wheel cover
with the beveled end of the lug wrench.
NOTE
Force the end of the lug wrench firmly between
wheel and cover, or removal will be difficult.
CAUTION
There is a valve-stem mark inside the
wheel cover. When installing the
wheel cover, align this mark with the
tire's valve stem.
Damage could occur during
installation if the wheel cover is not
properly aligned.
7-10
In Case of an Emergency
Flat Tire
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Form No.8BY6-EA-11F