Black plate (161,1)
5Driving Your Mazda
Explanation of instruments and controls.
Starting and Driving ..................................................................... 5-2
Ignition Switch .......................................................................... 5-2
Starting the Engine .................................................................... 5-4
Turning the Engine Off ............................................................. 5-5
Brake System ............................................................................ 5-5
Automatic Transaxle Controls ................................................ 5-12
Power Steering ........................................................................ 5-18
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Operation
í..................................... 5-19
Cruise Control ......................................................................... 5-21
Traction Control System (TCS) .............................................. 5-25
Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) ........................................... 5-28
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
í......................................... 5-29
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) Systemí................................. 5-35
Instrument Cluster and Indicators ............................................ 5-40
Meters and Gauges .................................................................. 5-40
Warning/Indicator Lights and Beep Sounds ............................ 5-45
Warning/Indicator Lights ........................................................ 5-45
Beep Sounds ........................................................................... 5-60
Switches and Controls ................................................................ 5-62
Lighting Control ..................................................................... 5-62
Turn and Lane-Change Signals ............................................... 5-68
Fog Lights
í............................................................................ 5-68
Windshield Wipers and Washer .............................................. 5-69
Rear Window Wiper and Washer ............................................ 5-73
Rear Window Defroster ........................................................... 5-73
Horn ........................................................................................ 5-74
Hazard Warning Flasher .......................................................... 5-75
HomeLink Wireless Control System
í.................................... 5-75
5-1íSome models.
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (222,1)
Lighting Control
qHeadlights
CAUTION
(With AUTO position)
ØDo not shade the light sensor by adhering a sticker or a label on the windshield.
Otherwise the light sensor will not operate correctly.
Light sensor
ØThe light sensor also works as a rain sensor for the auto-wiper control. Keep
hands and scrapers clear of the windshield when the wiper lever is in the AUTO
position and the ignition is switched ON as fingers could be pinched or the wipers
and wiper blades damaged when the wipers activate automatically. If you are
going to clean the windshield, be sure the wipers are turned off completely - this is
particularly important when clearing ice and snow - when it is particularly
tempting to leave the engine running.
NOTE
lIf the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off approximately 30 seconds after
switching the ignition to ACC or switching the ignition off.
lTo prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless safety
requires them.
(With AUTO position)lThe headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination may not turn off
immediately even if the surrounding area becomes well-lit because the light sensor
determines that it is nighttime if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several
minutes such as inside long tunnels, traffic jams inside tunnels, or in indoor parking lots.
In this case, the light turns off if the light switch is turned to the OFF position.
lThe timing for turning on the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination can be delayed by adjusting the sensitivity of the light sensor. Consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer regarding sensor adjustment.
5-62
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (229,1)
Windshield Wipers and
Washer
The ignition must be switched ON.
WARNING
Use only windshield washer fluid or
plain water in the reservoir:
Using radiator antifreeze as washer
fluid is dangerous. If sprayed on the
windshield, it will dirty the
windshield, affect your visibility, and
could result in an accident.
Only use windshield washer fluid
mixed with anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions:
Using windshield washer fluid
without anti-freeze protection in
freezing weather conditions is
dangerous as it could freeze on the
windshield and block your vision
which could cause an accident.
In addition, make sure the
windshield is sufficiently warmed
using the defroster before spraying
the washer fluid.NOTE
Because heavy ice and snow can jam the wiper
blades, the wiper motor is protected from
motor breakdown, overheating and possible
fire by a circuit breaker. This mechanism will
automatically stop operation of the blades, but
only for about 5 minutes.
If this happens, turn off the wiper switch and
park off the right-of-way, and remove the snow
and ice.
After 5 minutes, turn on the switch and the
blades should operate normally. If they do not
resume functioning, consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer as soon as possible. Drive to
the side of the road and park off the right-of-
way. Wait until the weather clears before trying
to drive with the wipers inoperative.
qWindshield Wipers
Turn the wipers on by pressing the lever
up or down.
With INT position
Switch
PositionWiper operation
Single wipe cycle (mist)
Intermittent
Low speed
High speed
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
5-69
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (230,1)
With AUTO position
Switch
PositionWiper operation
Single wipe cycle (mist)
Auto control
Low speed
High speed
Variable-speed intermittent wipers
Set the lever to the intermittent position
and choose the interval timing by rotating
the ring.
INT ring
AUTO (Auto-wiper control)
When the wiper lever is in the AUTO
position, the rain sensor senses the
amount of rainfall on the windshield and
turns the wipers on or off automatically
(off―intermittent―low speed―high
speed).
The sensitivity of the rain sensor can be
adjusted by turning the switch on the
wiper lever.
From the center position (normal), rotate
the switch downward for higher
sensitivity (faster response) or rotate it
upward for less sensitivity (slower
response).
Higher sensitivity
Less sensitivity
Switch
Center
position
5-70
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (231,1)
CAUTION
ØDo not shade the rain sensor by
adhering a sticker or a label on
the windshield. Otherwise the rain
sensor will not operate correctly.
Rain sensor
ØWhen the wiper lever is in the
AUTO position and the ignition is
switched ON, the wipers may
move automatically in the
following cases:
ØIf the windshield above the rain
sensor is touched or wiped with
a cloth.
ØIf the windshield is struck with
a hand or other object from
either outside or inside the
vehicle.
Keep hands and scrapers clear of
the windshield when the wiper
lever is in the AUTO position and
the ignition is switched ON as
fingers could be pinched or the
wipers and wiper blades damaged
when the wipers activate
automatically.
If you are going to clean the
windshield, be sure the wipers are
turned off completely―this is
particularly important when
clearing ice and snow―when it is
most likely that the engine is left
running.
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
5-71
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (232,1)
NOTElSwitching the auto-wiper lever from the
OFF to the AUTO position while driving at
a vehicle speed of 4 km/h (2 mph) or higher
(or after driving the vehicle) activates the
windshield wipers once, after which they
operate according to the rainfall amount.
lThe auto-wiper control may not operate
when the rain sensor temperature is about
_
10 °C (14 °F) or lower, or about 85 °C
(185 °F) or higher.
lIf the windshield is coated with water
repellent, the rain sensor may not be able to
sense the amount of rainfall correctly and
auto-wiper control may not operate
properly.
lIf dirt or foreign matter (Such as ice or
matter containing salt water) adheres to the
windshield above the rain sensor or if the
windshield is iced, it could cause the wipers
to move automatically. However, if the
wipers cannot remove this ice, dirt or
foreign matter, the auto-wiper control will
stop operation. In this case, set the wiper
lever to the low speed position or high
speed position for manual operation, or
remove the ice, dirt or foreign matter by
hand to restore the auto-wiper operation.
lIf the auto-wiper lever is left in the AUTO
position, the wipers could operate
automatically from the effect of strong light
sources, electromagnetic waves, or infrared
light because the rain sensor uses an
optical sensor. It is recommended that the
auto-wiper lever be switched to the OFF
position other than when driving the vehicle
under rainy conditions.
qWindshield Washer
Pull the lever toward you and hold it to
spray washer fluid.
Washer OFF
NOTE
With the wiper lever in the OFF or INT (Type
A)/AUTO (Type B) position, the wipers will
operate continuously until the lever is
released.
If the washer does not work, inspect the
fluid level (page 8-29). If it's normal,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
5-72
Driving Your Mazda
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (422,1)
Body Lubrication
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
Wiper Blades
CAUTION
ØHot waxes applied by automatic
car washers have been known to
affect the wiper's ability to clean
windows.
ØTo prevent damage to the wiper
blades, do not use gasoline,
kerosene, paint thinner, or other
solvents on or near them.
ØWhen the wiper lever is in the
AUTO position and the ignition is
switched ON, the wipers may
move automatically in the
following cases:
ØIf the windshield above the rain
sensor is touched.
ØIf the windshield above the rain
sensor is wiped with a cloth.
ØIf the windshield is struck with
a hand or other object.
ØIf the rain sensor is struck with
a hand or other object from
inside the vehicle.
Be careful not to pinch hands or
fingers as it may cause injury, or
damage the wipers. When
washing or servicing your Mazda,
make sure the wiper lever is in the
OFF position.
Contamination of either the windshield or
the blades with foreign matter can reduce
wiper effectiveness. Common sources are
insects, tree sap, and hot wax treatments
used by some commercial car washes.
If the blades are not wiping properly,
clean the window and blades with a good
cleaner or mild detergent; then rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if
necessary.
8-30
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J
Black plate (423,1)
qReplacing Windshield Wiper Blades
When the wipers no longer clean well, the
blades are probably worn or cracked.
Replace them.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the wiper arms
and other components, don't try to
sweep the wiper arm by hand.
NOTE
To prevent damage to the wiper arm blades
when raising both the driver and passenger
side wiper arms, raise the driver side wiper
arm first. Conversely, when setting down the
wiper arms, set the passenger side wiper arm
down first.
1. Raise the wiper arm.
2. Open the clip and slide the blade
assembly in the direction of the arrow.
3. Tilt the blade assembly and remove it
from the arm.
CAUTION
To prevent damage to the windshield
let the wiper arm down easily, don't
let it slap down on the windshield.
4. Pull down the blade rubber and slide it
out of blade holder.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
8-31
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Form No.8CG3-EA-11J