Page 161 of 488

Black plate (161,1)
Shifting
Manually Shifting up
(M1→M2→M3→M4→M5→M6)
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back (
) once.
NOTElWhen driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up.
lIn manual shift mode, do not run the engine
with the tachometer needle in the RED
ZONE. When the engine rpm is high, a gear
may shift up automatically to protect the
engine.
lWhen depressing the accelerator fully, the
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed (Except M2→
M1).
Manually Shifting down
(M6→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.
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).
When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
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Black plate (162,1)
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
)
while the vehicle is stopped or driven at
about 9.3 km/h (5.7 mph) or less, 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.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1→M2 9.3 km/h (5.8 mph)
M2→M3 22.5 km/h (14.0 mph)
M3→M4 31.2 km/h (19.4 mph)
M4→M5 43.8 km/h (27.3 mph)
M5→M6 53.5 km/h (33.3 mph)
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.
Gear Vehicle speed
M6→M5 237.5 km/h (147.5 mph)
M5→M4 167.3 km/h (103.9 mph)
M4→M3 115.2 km/h (71.58 mph)
M3→M2 81.3 km/h (50.5 mph)
M2→M1 42.7 km/h (26.5 mph)
NOTE
Regarding the vehicle speed at the highest
gear indicated above, achieving this speed
may not actually be possible depending on
various driving conditions such as the wind,
upslope, and road surface.
During deceleration, the gears shift down
automatically when speed is reduced to
the following:
Gear Vehicle speed
M6→M5 47 km/h (29 mph)
M5→M4 39.8 km/h (24.7 mph)
M4→M3 28.2 km/h (17.5 mph)
M3→M2 11.9 km/h (7.39 mph)
M2→M1 6.3 km/h (3.9 mph)
NOTE
The gear does not shift down to M1
automatically while in the second gear fixed
mode.
If the vehicle is kicked down at the
following speeds or lower, the gears shift
down automatically:
Gear Vehicle speed
M6→M5 216.1 km/h (134.2 mph)
M5→M4 139.3 km/h (86.5 mph)
M4→M3 57.6 km/h (35.7 mph)
M3→M2 41.4 km/h (25.7 mph)
Recommendations for shifting (U.S.A.
and Canada)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed
M1 to M2 24 km/h (15 mph)
M2 to M3 40 km/h (25 mph)
M3 to M4 65 km/h (40 mph)
M4 to M5 73 km/h (45 mph)
M5 to M6 81 km/h (50 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.
4-38
When Driving
Transaxle
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Page 163 of 488

Black plate (163,1)
On a steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
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 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 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.
When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
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Black plate (164,1)
Lighting Control
qHeadlights
lTurn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
lA system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-15.
NOTE
lIf the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off (if equipped) approximately 30
seconds after switching the ignition off.
The time setting can be changed.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.
lTo prevent discharging the battery, do not leave the lights on while the engine is off unless safety
requires them.
Without auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF
Headlights Off Off Off Off On On
Daytime running lights On Off On Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illuminationOff Off On On On On
4-40
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
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Black plate (166,1)
Auto-light control
When the headlight switch is in the
position and the ignition is switched ON, the
light sensor senses the surrounding lightness or darkness and automatically turns the
headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination on or off (see chart above).
CAUTION
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
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.
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When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Page 173 of 488

Black plate (173,1)
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.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Page 181 of 488

Black plate (181,1)
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 off brakes that have become wet
by driving slowly, releasing the
accelerator pedal and lightly applying
the brakes several times until the brake
performance returns to 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.
When Driving
Brake
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L
Page 186 of 488

Black plate (186,1)
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
wheel 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 ABS system operation. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-15.
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.
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When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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Form No.8CA5-EA-11L