Black plate (116,1)
qBrake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a loud screeching
noise to warn that the pads should be
replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Manual Transaxle Operation
qManual Transaxle Shift Pattern
Neutral position
The shift pattern of the transaxle is
conventional, as shown.
Depress the clutch pedal all the way down
while shifting; then release it slowly.
A safety feature prevents accidental
shifting from 5 to R (reverse). The shift
lever must be put in neutral before being
shifted to R.
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WARNING
Do not use sudden 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.
Be sure to leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake
when leaving the vehicle unattended: Otherwise the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
CAUTION
ØKeep your foot off the clutch pedal
except when shifting gears. Also,
do not use the clutch to hold the
vehicle on an upgrade. Riding the
clutch will cause needless clutch
wear and damage.
Ø Do not apply any excessive lateral
force to the gear lever when
changing from 5th to 4th gear.
This could lead to the accidental
selection of 2nd gear, which can
result in damage to the transaxle.
Ø Make sure the vehicle comes to a
complete stop before shifting to R.
Shifting to R while the vehicle is
still moving may damage the
transaxle.
NOTE
If shifting to R is difficult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.
q Recommendations for Shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, we recommend
these shift points.
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 21 km/h (13 mph)
2 to 3 39 km/h (24 mph)
3 to 4 55 km/h (34 mph)
4 to 5 78 km/h (49 mph)
For cruising
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 18 km/h (11 mph)
2 to 3 29 km/h (18 mph)
3 to 4 47 km/h (29 mph)
4 to 5 68 km/h (42 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy
traffic or on a steep upgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
reduces the chance of stalling and gives
better acceleration when you need more
speed.
On a steep downgrade , downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
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Automatic Transaxle Controls
Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift.
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ACC or ON).
Various Lockouts:
Lock-release button
qTransaxle Ranges
The shift lever must be in P or N to
operate the starter.
P (Park)
P locks the transaxle and prevents the
front 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 transaxle.
Ø Shifting into a driving gear or
reverse when the engine is running
faster than idle can damage the
transaxle.
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).
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N (Neutral)
In N, the wheels and transaxle 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 transaxle
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 transaxle will automatically shift
through a 4-gear sequence.
2 (Second)
The 2 position is helpful when driving in
heavy, slow-moving traffic and climbing
hills, for engine braking assist when going
down hills, or for starting on slick
surfaces and other situations where gentle
acceleration may be necessary.
Do not exceed 98 km/h (60 mph) in the 2
position.
1 (Low)
Use the 1 position for maximum power in
hard-pulling situations, or for climbing
and descending very steep grades.
Do not exceed 43 km/h (26 mph) in the 1
position.
WARNING
Do not use sudden 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.
qShift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the shift lever.
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NOTElWhen the ignition is switched off, the shift
lever cannot be shifted from P.
lTo be sure the vehicle is in park,the
ignition key cannot be removed unless the
shift lever is in P.
q Overdrive
Overdrive operation
In D, the transaxle automatically shifts to
overdrive, which improves fuel economy
and reduces noise.
To allow engine braking when going
down a steep grade, make sure the
overdrive button is in the off position.
Overdrive button
And for a smoother ride with less shifting,
don't use it when:
lGoing up a steep grade.lDriving in stop-and-go traffic.lPulling heavy loads.
To turn off the overdrive, push the
button.
The transaxle will then shift through a 3-
gear sequence in D.
Shift patterns without overdrive:
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd
2 = 2nd
1 = 1st To turn it on, push the button again.
Shift patterns with overdrive:
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th
2 = 2nd
1 = 1st
O/D OFF indicator light
This light illuminates when the overdrive
has been turned off.
CAUTION
If the overdrive-off indicator light
flashes, 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.
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.
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NOTElThe power steering system is inoperable
when the power steering malfunction
indicator light illuminates or flashes.
Steering is possible, but requires more
physical effort.
lRepeatedly jerking the steering wheel left
and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving at slow speeds 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.
Cruise Controlí
With cruise control, you can set and
automatically maintain any speed of more
than about 30 km/h (19 mph).
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control under the
following conditions:Using the cruise control under the
following conditions is dangerous
and could result in loss of vehicle
control.
ØHilly terrain
Ø Steep inclines
Ø Heavy or unsteady traffic
Ø Slippery or winding roads
Ø Similar restrictions that require
inconsistent speed
qCruise Main Indicator Light
(Amber)/Cruise Set Indicator
Light (Green)
The indicator light has two colors.
Cruise Main Indicator Light (Amber)
The indicator light illuminates amber
when the ON switch is pressed and the
cruise control system is activated.
Cruise Set Indicator Light (Green)
The indicator light illuminates green when
a cruising speed has been set.
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qActivation/Deactivation
To activate the system, press the ON
switch.
To deactivate the system, press the OFF
switch.
WARNING
Always turn off the cruise control
system when it is not in use:
Leaving the cruise control system in
an activation-ready state while the
cruise control is not in use is
dangerous as the cruise control could
unexpectedly activate if the
activation button is accidentally
pressed, and result in loss of vehicle
control and an accident.
qTo Set Speed
1. Activate the cruise control system by
pressing the ON switch.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed, which must be more than 30 km/h (19 mph). 3. Set the cruise control by pressing the
cruise control SET
/SET - switch up
or down at the desired speed. The
cruise control is set at the moment the
cruise control SET
/SET - switch is
pressed up or down. Release the
accelerator pedal simultaneously.
NOTElRelease the cruise control switch at the
desired speed, otherwise the speed will
continue increasing while the switch is
pressed up, and continue decreasing while
it is pressed down (except when the
accelerator pedal is depressed).
lOn a steep grade, the vehicle may
momentarily slow down while ascending,
or speed up while descending.
lCruise control will turn off if the vehicle
speed decreases below 25 km/h (16 mph)
when cruise is activated, such as when
climbing a steep grade.
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Traction Control System
(TCS)
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
When the TCS detects driving wheel
slippage, it lowers engine torque and
operates the brakes to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels,
limiting wheel spin and loss of traction.
WARNING
Do not rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe driving:The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident.
Use snow tires or tire chains and drive
at reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and/or snow: Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and/or ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the DSC OFF switch
(page 5-22).
q TCS/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.
NOTE
lIn addition to the indicator light flashing, a
slight lugging sound will come from the
engine. This indicates that the TCS is
operating properly.
lOn slippery surfaces, such as fresh snow, it
will be impossible to achieve high rpm
when the TCS is on.
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