2014 MAZDA MODEL 6 Owners Manual (in English)

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
4-53íSome models. Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page177
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
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.
4-54
When Driving
Transaxle
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page178
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (179,1)
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 flashes 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 fixed 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 fixed mode, the gear remains in second.
When Driving
Transaxle
4-55
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page179
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
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.
4-56
When Driving
Transaxle
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page180
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (181,1)
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
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.
When Driving
Transaxle
4-57
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page181
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
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
4-58
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page182
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (183,1)
With auto-light control
Switch Position
Ignition Position ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF
Headlights Off Off Auto*Off Off Off On On
Daytime running lights On Off Auto*Off On Off Off Off
Taillights
Parking lights
License lights
Side-marker lights
Dashboard illuminationOff Off Auto
*OffOnOnOnOn
* The headlight and other light settings switch automatically depending on the surrounding brightness detected by
the sensor.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
4-59
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page183
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (184,1)
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).
CAUTION
ØDo not shade the light sensor by adhering a sticker or a label on the windshield.
Otherwise the light sensor will not operate correctly.
ØThe 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 fingers could be pinched or the wipers
and wiper blades damaged when the wipers activate automatically. If you are
going to clean the windshield, be sure the wipers are turned off completely―this
is particularly important when clearing ice and snow―when it is particularly
tempting to leave the engine running.
NOTE
lThe 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
nighttime if the surrounding area is continuously dark for several minutes such as inside long
tunnels, traffic jams inside tunnels, or in indoor parking lots.
In this case, the lights turn off if the light switch is turned to the
position.lWhen the headlight switch is in theposition and the ignition is switched to ACC or the
ignition is switched off, the headlights, other exterior lights and dashboard illumination will turn
off.
lThe 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 4-13.
lThe sensitivity of the AUTO lights may be changed by an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Refer to Personalization Features on page 9-9.
4-60
When Driving
Switches and Controls
Mazda6_8DQ8-EA-13L_Edition3 Page184
Friday, June 13 2014 6:21 PM
Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L