Black plate (171,1)
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.
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.
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.
ØDo 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.
ØMake 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.
When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (174,1)
qDisplay Indication
For vehicles with the type A instrument
cluster, check the vehicle condition or
have the vehicle inspected at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer according to
the indication.
qWarning Light
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-23.
qTransaxle Ranges
lThe shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on
page 4-23.
lThe 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.
ØShifting 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 3-47).
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.
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When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (177,1)
Shifting
You can shift gears up and down by
operating the selector lever or the steering
shift switches
í.
Manually Shifting up
(M1→M2→M3→M4→M5→M6)
To shift up to a higher gear, move the
selector lever back (
) once.
To shift up to a higher gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the UP switch
(
/OFF) toward you once with your
fingers.
UP switch (+/OFF)
WARNING
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers 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
lWhen 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.
lThe steering shift switch can be used
temporarily even if the selector lever is in
the D position while driving. In addition, it
returns to automatic shift mode when the
UP switch (
/OFF) is pulled rearward for
a sufficient amount of time.
When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (178,1)
Manually Shifting down
(M6→M5→M4→M3→M2→M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, move the
selector lever forward (
) once.
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, pull the DOWN
switch (
) toward you once with your
fingers.
DOWN switch (-)
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 fingers 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
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.
Second gear fixed mode
When the selector lever is moved back
(
) while the vehicle speed is about 10
km/h (6 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 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
fixed mode, the mode will be canceled.
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When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (180,1)
Recommendations for shifting (U.S.A.
and Canada)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration and cruising, we
recommend these shift points.
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
traffic or on a steepupgrade, downshift
before the engine starts to overwork. This
gives better acceleration when you need
more speed.
On a steepdowngrade, downshifting
helps maintain safe speed and prolongs
brake life.
qDirect 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
indicator lights illuminate and the gear
position in use is illuminated.
Direct mode is canceled (released) under
the following conditions.
lThe UP switch (/OFF) is pulled
rearward for a certain amount of time
or longer.
lThe vehicle is driven for a certain
amount of time or longer (time differs
depending on the driving conditions
while operating).
lThe vehicle is stopped or moving at a
slow speed.
Gear position indicator
Direct mode indicator
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.
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.
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When Driving
Transaxle
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (182,1)
Lighting Control
qHeadlights
lTurn the headlight switch to turn the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard
illumination on or off.
lFor vehicles with the type A instrument cluster, check the vehicle condition or have the
vehicle inspected at an Authorized Mazda Dealer according to the indication.
lA system malfunction or operation conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page 4-23.
NOTE
lIf 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 9-9.
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
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When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (185,1)
Xenon fusion headlight bulbsí
The low-beam bulbs of the headlights have xenon fusion bulbs that produce a bright white
beam over a wide area.
WARNING
Do not replace the xenon fusion bulbs yourself
Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs yourself is dangerous. Because the xenon fusion
bulbs require high voltage, you could receive an electric shock if the bulbs are
handled incorrectly. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer when the replacement is
necessary.
NOTE
If the headlights flicker, or the brightness weakens, the bulb-life may be depleted and a replacement is
necessary. Consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
qHeadlight High-Low Beam
Press the lever forward to turn on the high
beams.
Pull the lever back to its original position
for the low beams.
The headlight high-beam indicator light in
the instrument cluster illuminates while
the high beams are turned on.
High beam
Low beam
qFlashing the Headlights
To flash the headlights, pull the lever fully
towards you (the headlight switch does
not need to be on). The headlight high-
beam indicator light in the instrument
cluster illuminates simultaneously. The
lever will return to the normal position
when released.
OFF
Flashing
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L
Black plate (186,1)
qHeadlight Levelingí
The number of passengers and weight of
cargo in the luggage compartment change
the angle of the headlights.
The angle of the headlights will be
automatically adjusted when turning on
the headlights.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-23.
qAdaptive Front Lighting System
(AFS)í
The adaptive front lighting system (AFS)
automatically adjusts the headlight beams
to the left or right in conjunction with the
operation of the steering wheel after the
headlights have been turned on.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-23.
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.
qDaytime Running Lightsí
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 9-9.
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When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L