2014 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK Owners Manual (in English)

4–36
When Driving
Transaxle
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.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fi ngers on the steering
shift switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver's air bag were to deploy
in a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
NOTE
 


y When driving at high speeds, the gear
may not shift down.
 


y During deceleration, the gear may
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
 


y When depressing the accelerator fully,
the transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Second gear fi xed mode
When the selector lever is moved back (
)
while the vehicle speed is about 10 km/h
(6.2 mph) or less, the transaxle is set in the
second gear fi xed mode. The gear is fi xed
in second while in this mode for easier
acceleration from a stop and driving on
slippery roads such as snow-covered
roads.
If the selector lever is moved back (
) or
forward (
) while in the second gear fi xed
mode, the mode will be canceled.
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4–37
When Driving
Transaxle
Shift gear (shifting) speed limit
For each gear position while in the manual mode, the speed limit is set as follows: When the
selector lever is operated within the range of the speed limit, the gear is shifted.
Shift up
The gear does not shift up while the vehicle speed is lower than the speed limit.
Shift down
The gear does not shift down while the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit.
If the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit and the gear does not shift down, the gear
position indication fl ashes 2 times to notify the driver that the gear cannot be shifted.
Kickdown
When the accelerator pedal is depressed fully while driving, the gear shifts down.
NOTE
The gear also shifts down using kickdown while in the second gear fi xed mode.
Auto-shift down
The gear shifts down automatically depending on the vehicle speed during deceleration.
NOTE
If the vehicle comes to a stop while in the second gear fi xed mode, the gear remains in
second.
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4–38
When Driving
Transaxle
Recommendations for shifting
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, Mazda recommends these shift points:
(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 prolongs brake life.
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4–39
When Driving
Transaxle
Direct Mode
Direct mode can be used for temporarily
switching gears by operating the steering
shift switch while the vehicle is being
driven with the selector lever in the D
range.
While in direct mode, the D and M
indication illuminate and the gear position
in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
 


y The UP switch is pulled rearward for a
certain amount of time or longer.
 


y The vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating).
 


y The vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Type A
Gear position indication
Direct mode indication
Type B
Gear position indication
Direct mode indication
Type C
Gear position indication
Direct mode indication
NOTE
Shifting up and down while in direct mode
may not be possible depending on the
vehicle speed. In addition, because direct
mode is canceled (released) depending
on the rate of acceleration or if the
accelerator is fully depressed, use of the
manual shift mode is recommended if you
need to drive the vehicle in a particular
gear for long periods.
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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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4–41
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Lighting Control
Headlights
Turn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
When the lights are turned on, the lights-on indicator light in the instrument cluster turns on.
NOTE
 


y If the light switch is left on, the lights will automatically switch off approximately 30
seconds after switching the ignition off.
  The time setting can be changed.
 Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-12 .



y To 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 illumination Off Off On On On On
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4–42
When Driving
Switches and Controls
With auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF
Headlights Off Off Auto *1 Off Off Off On On
Daytime running lights On Off Auto *1 Off On Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illumination Off Off Auto
*1 Off On On On On
*1 The headlight and other light settings switch automatically depending on the surrounding brightness detected by
the sensor.
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).
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4–43
When Driving
Switches and Controls
CAUTION
 


¾ Do not shade the light sensor by adhering a sticker or a label on the windshield. Otherwise
the light sensor will not operate correctly.
 




¾ The 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 fi ngers could be pinched or the wipers and wiper blades could be
damaged when the wipers activate automatically. If you are going to clean the windshield,
be sure the wipers are turned off completely when it is particularly tempting to leave the
engine running. This is particularly important when clearing ice and snow.
NOTE
 


y The 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 night time if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several
minutes such as inside long tunnels, traffi c jams inside tunnels, or in indoor parking lots.

 In this case, the lights turn off if the light switch is turned to the position.



y(Without auto headlight off function)
 When the headlight switch is in the position and the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switched off, the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination will turn off.
 


y The dashboard illumination can be adjusted by rotating the knob in the instrument
cluster. Also, the day/night mode can be changed by rotating the knob until a beep sound
is heard. To adjust the brightness of the dashboard illumination:
Refer to Dashboard Illumination on page 4-16 .
 

y The sensitivity of the AUTO lights may be changed by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-12 .
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