Black plate (126,1)
Ignition Switch
qIgnition Switch Positions
The engraved mark (LOCK) indicated in
the illustration may differ from that
indicated on the actual vehicle (it may
read OFF).
OFF/LOCK
The power supply to electrical devices is
turned off. Only in this position can the
key be removed.
WARNING
Remove the key only when the vehicle
is parked (with steering lock
mechanism):
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.
Before leaving the driver's seat, always
switch the ignition to OFF/LOCK, set the
parking brake and make sure the shift
lever is in P (automatic transaxle) or in
1st gear or R (manual transaxle): It is important to switch the ignition
to OFF/LOCK 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
switching the ignition to OFF/LOCK,
setting the parking brake and
shifting the shift lever to P
(automatic transaxle) or to 1st gear
or R (manual transaxle) is dangerous.
Unexpected vehicle movement could
occur. This could cause an accident.
NOTE
If turning the key is difficult, move the steering
wheel left and right.
Leaving the key in any position but the OFF/
LOCK position also disables some of the
security features and may run the battery
down.
ACC (Accessory)
In this position, some electrical
accessories will operate.
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Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Black plate (127,1)
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 5-36).
NOTE
When the ignition is switched ON, 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 is switched off or the
ignition is switched to ACC with the key
inserted, a continuous beep sound will be
heard when the driver's door is opened.
NOTE
A personalized function is available to change
the sound volume for the ignition key reminder.
Refer to Personalization Features on page
10-8.
Starting the Engine
NOTE
Engine-starting is controlled by the spark
ignition system.
This system meets all Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment Standard requirements
regulating the impulse electrical field strength
of radio noise.
1. Occupants should fasten their seat
belts.
2. Make sure the parking brake is on.
3. Depress the brake pedal.
4. (Manual transaxle)
Depress the clutch pedal all the way
and shift into neutral.
Keep the clutch pedal depressed while
cranking the engine.
(Automatic transaxle)
Put the vehicle in park (P). If you must
restart the engine while the vehicle is
moving, shift into neutral (N).
NOTE
(Manual transaxle)
The starter will not operate unless the clutch is
depressed sufficiently.
(Automatic transaxle)
The starter will not operate if the shift lever is
not in P or N.
5. Switch the ignition to START and hold
(up to 10 seconds at a time) until the
engine starts.
CAUTION
Do not try the starter for more than
10 seconds at a time. If the engine
stalls or fails to start, wait 10 seconds
before trying again. Otherwise, you
may damage the starter and drain
the battery.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-3
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Form No.8BR9-EA-10J
Black plate (130,1)
CAUTION
ØDo not drive with your foot held
on the clutch pedal or brake pedal,
or hold the clutch pedal depressed
halfway unnecessarily. Doing so
could result in the following:
ØThe clutch and brake parts will
wear out more quickly.
ØThe brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake
performance.
Ø Always depress the brake pedal
with the right foot. Applying the
brakes with the unaccustomed left
foot could slow your reaction time
to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
ØWear shoes appropriate for driving
in order to avoid your shoe
contacting the brake pedal when
depressing the accelerator pedal.
qParking Brake
WARNING
Before leaving the driver's seat, always
switch the ignition to OFF/LOCK, set the
parking brake and make sure the shift
lever is in P (automatic transaxle) or in
1st gear or R (manual transaxle):
It is important to switch the ignition
to OFF/LOCK 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
switching the ignition to OFF/LOCK,
setting the parking brake and
shifting the shift lever to P
(automatic transaxle) or to 1st gear
or R (manual transaxle) 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 4-8) regarding parking brake use.
5-6
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8BR9-EA-10J
Black plate (133,1)
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
When 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.
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.
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.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-9
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For instance, trip meter A can record the
distance from the point of origin, and trip
meter B can record the distance from
where the fuel tank is filled.
When trip meter A is selected, pressing
the selector again within one second will
change to trip meter B mode.
When trip meter A is selected, TRIP A
will be displayed. When trip meter B is
selected, TRIP B will be displayed.
The trip meter records the total distance
the vehicle is driven until the meter is
again reset. Return it to“0.0 ”by holding
the selector depressed for 1 second or
more. Use this meter to measure trip
distances and to compute fuel
consumption.
NOTE
lOnly the trip meters record tenths of
kilometers (miles).
lThe trip record will be erased when:lThe power supply is interrupted (blown
fuse or the battery is disconnected).
lThe vehicle is driven over 999.9 km
(mile).
q Tachometer
The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute
(rpm).
Red zone
CAUTION
Do not run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE.
This may cause severe engine
damage.
qFuel Gauge
The fuel gauge shows approximately how
much fuel is remaining in the tank when
the ignition is switched ON.
We recommend keeping the tank over 1/4
full.
Full
1/4 Full
5-34
Driving Your Mazda
Instrument Cluster and Indicators
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Form No.8BR9-EA-10J
Black plate (163,1)
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.
qMalfunction Warning Lightí
When the ignition is switched ON, the
malfunction warning light illuminates and
then turns off after a few seconds.
The light stays on if the brake switch has
a malfunction. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
malfunction warning light illuminated.
Driving the vehicle with the light
illuminated is dangerous as it could
result in the loss of brake power and
cause an accident. In addition, loss of
brake power could occur when
stopping the vehicle. Have your
vehicle inspected by an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
qABS Warning Light
The warning light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
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
When 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.
Driving Your Mazda
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds
5-39íSome models.
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Lighting Control
qHeadlights
Turn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
NOTE
To prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless safety
requires them.
Without AUTO position
Switch Position
Headlights OffOff On
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illumination Off
OnOn
With AUTO position
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
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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 switched ON
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 mode for ventilation or
windshield defrosting. The recirculate
mode should be used when the air inside
tunnels or while in traffic jams is polluted,
or you would like to shut off outside air
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 Filter
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
Climate Control System
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Form No.8BR9-EA-10J