2014 MAZDA MODEL 3 4-DOOR brake

4–27
When Driving
Transaxle
Manual Transaxle
Operation
Manual 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.
Your vehicle is equipped with a device to
prevent shifting to R (reverse) by mistake.
Push the shift lever downward and shift
to R.
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.

Always 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


4–29
When Driving
Transaxle
Recommendations for Shifting (for Vehicles without Gear Shift
Indication)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 24 km/h (15 mph)
2 to 3 42 km/h (26 mph)
3 to 4 60 km/h (37 mph)
4 to 5 75 km/h (46 mph)
5 to 6 79 km/h (49 mph)
For cruising, Mazda recommends these shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 13 km/h (8 mph)
2 to 3 29 km/h (18 mph)
3 to 4 49 km/h (30 mph)
4 to 5 63 km/h (39 mph)
5 to 6 70 km/h (43 mph)
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffi c
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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4–30
When Driving
Transaxle
Automatic Transaxle Controls
Lock-release button
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-rel\
ease
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Lockouts:
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transax\
le that
gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it\
to the transaxle to
shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transaxle functions\
as a traditional
automatic, you should also be aware that you can inadvertently shift into manual shift mode
and an inappropriate gear may be retained as the vehicle speed increases. If you notice the
engine speed going higher or hear the engine racing, confi rm you have not accidentally
slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-33 ).
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4–31
When Driving
Transaxle
Shift Position Indication
This indicates the selected shift position.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-22 .
Transaxle Ranges
 y The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-21 .
 y  The selector 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 selector lever to P and set
the parking brake: Only setting the selector 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


4–32
When Driving
Transaxle
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 selector
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 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position. Gears
can be shifted up or down by operating the
selector lever. Refer to Manual Shift Mode
on page 4-33 .
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transaxle shift
points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transaxle may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, or depressing the accelerator
pedal quickly while the selector lever is in
the D position. Depending on the driving
conditions and vehicle operations, the
transaxle may not shift gears, however,
this does not indicate a problem because
the AAS mode will maintain the optimum
gear position.
Shift-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 selector lever.
NOTE
 y When the ignition is switched to ACC
or the ignition is switched off, the
selector lever cannot be shifted from P.
 y The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.
Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the pedal.
1. Remove the shift-lock override cover using a cloth-wrapped fl at head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.
Cover
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
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4–38
When Driving
Transaxle
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these shift point\
s:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed *1
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)
*1 Always observe local speed limit regulations.
Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traffi c or on a steep upgrade, 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 prolong\
s brake life.
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4–40
When Driving
Transaxle
Driving Tips
WARNING
Do not let the vehicle move in a
direction opposite to the direction
selected by the selector lever: Do not let the vehicle move backward
with the selector lever in a forward
position, or do not let the vehicle
move forward with the selector lever
in the reverse position. Otherwise, the
engine may stop, causing the loss of
the power brake and power steering
functions, and make it diffi cult 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.
NOTE
(Some models)
The accelerator pedal feels heavy as it is
being depressed, but then lightens as it
is fully depressed. This change in pedal
force aids the engine control system in
determining how much the accelerator
pedal has been depressed for performing
kickdown, and functions to control
whether or not kickdown should be
performed.
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.
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4–47
When Driving
Switches and Controls
AFS OFF switch
Pressing the AFS OFF switch turns off the
AFS. The AFS OFF indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Pressing the AFS OFF switch again turns
off the switch illumination and turns on
the AFS operation. The AFS OFF indicator
light turns off.
Daytime Running Lights
Some countries require moving vehicles
to have their lights on (daytime running
lights) during the daytime.
Daytime running lights turn on
automatically when the ignition is
switched ON.
They turn off when the parking brake is
operated or the shift lever is shifted to the
P position (automatic transaxle vehicle).
NOTE
(Except Canada)
The daytime running lights can be
deactivated.
Refer to Personalization Features on
page 9-12 .
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