2014 MAZDA MODEL 3 5-DOOR Owners Manual

4–43
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger clears fog from
the rear window.
The ignition must be switched ON to use
the defogger.
Press the switch to turn on the rear
window defogger. The rear window
defogger operates for about 15 minutes
and then turns off automatically.
The indicator light illuminates when the
defogger is operating.
To turn off the rear window defogger
before the 15 minutes has elapsed, press
the switch again.
Manual Climate Control
I ndi c ator light
Automatic Climate Control
I ndi c ator light
Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
I ndi c ator light
CAUTION
Do not use sharp instruments or
window cleaners with abrasives to
clean the inside of the rear window
surface. They may damage the
defogger grid inside the window.
NOTE
This defogger is not designed for melting
snow. If there is an accumulation of snow
on the rear window, remove it before using
the defogger.
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*Some models.4–44
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Mirror Defogger *
To turn on the mirror defoggers, switch
the ignition ON and press the rear window
defogger switch (page 4-43 ).
Horn
To sound the horn, press the mark on
the steering wheel.
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4–45
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Hazard Warning Flasher
The hazard warning lights should always
be used when you stop on or near a
roadway in an emergency.
The hazard warning lights warn other
drivers that your vehicle is a traffi c hazard
and that they must take extreme caution
when near it.
Depress the hazard warning fl asher and
all the turn signals will fl ash. The hazard
warning indicator lights in the instrument
cluster fl ash simultaneously.
NOTE
 y  The turn signals do not work when the
hazard warning lights are on.
 y Check local regulations about the use of
hazard warning lights while the vehicle
is being towed to verify that it is not in
violation of the law.
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4–46
When Driving
Brake
Brake System
Foot Brake
This vehicle 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 , fi nd a safe place to stop: Coasting with the engine stalled or
turned off is dangerous. Braking will
require more eff ort, 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 aff ected.
CAUTION


4–47
When Driving
Brake
Parking Brake
CAUTION
Driving with the parking brake on
will cause excessive wear of the brake
parts.
NOTE
For parking in snow, refer to Winter
Driving (page 3-47 ) regarding parking
brake use.
Setting the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and then fi rmly
pull the parking brake lever fully upwards
with suffi cient force to hold the vehicle in
a stationary position.
Releasing the parking brake
Depress the brake pedal and pull the
parking brake lever upwards, then press
the release button. While holding the
button, lower the parking brake lever all
the way down to the released position.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-17 .
Brake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
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4–48
When Driving
Brake
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.
Brake 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 fi rmly.
NOTE
 y When the brake pedal is depressed hard
or depressed more quickly, the pedal
will feel softer but the brakes will apply
more fi rmly. This is a normal effect of
the brake assist operation and does not
indicate a malfunction.
 y When 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 a
malfunction.
 y The brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the
vehicle's main braking system.
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is a function
which assists the driver in accelerating
from a stop while on a slope. When
the driver releases the brake pedal and
depresses the accelerator pedal while
on a slope, the function prevents the
vehicle from rolling. The braking force is
maintained automatically after the brake
pedal is released on a steep grade.
For vehicles with a manual transaxle,
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the shift lever is in
the reverse (R) position, and on an upward
slope when the shift lever is in a position
other than the reverse (R) position.
For vehicles with an automatic transaxle,
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the shift lever is in
the reverse (R) position, and on an upward
slope when the shift lever is in a forward
gear.
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4–49
When Driving
Brake
WARNING
Do not rely completely on Hill Launch
Assist (HLA): Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is an auxiliary
device for accelerating from a stop
on a slope. The system only operates
for about two seconds and therefore,
relying only on the system, when
accelerating from a stop is dangerous
because the vehicle may move (roll)
unexpectedly and cause an accident.
The vehicle could roll depending on
the vehicle's load or if it is towing
something. In addition, for vehicles
with a manual transaxle, the vehicle
could still roll depending on how the
clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal is
operated.
Always confi rm the safety around the
vehicle before starting to drive the
vehicle.
NOTE
 y Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate on a gentle slope. In addition,
the gradient of the slope on which the
system will operate changes depending
on the vehicle's load.
 y Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate if the parking brake is applied,
the vehicle has not stopped completely,
or the clutch pedal is released.
 y While Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is
operating, the brake pedal may feel
stiff and vibrate, however, this does not
indicate a malfunction.
 y Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
operate while the TCS/DSC indicator
light is illuminated.
 Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-16 .
 y Hill Launch Assist (HLA) does not
turn off even if the DSC OFF switch is
pressed to turn off the TCS/DSC.
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4–50
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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.
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-17 .
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
 y Braking 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.
 y The 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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