
Black plate (159,1)
Type A/Type B
The power steering malfunction indicator
light/warning indication illuminates if
there is a malfunction with the power
steering while the engine is running.
If the indicator light/warning indication
illuminates, park the vehicle in a safe
place immediately and stop the engine.
If the indicator light/warning indication
does not turn off even if the engine is
restarted afterwards, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
lIf the indicator light/warning indication
illuminates, the power steering will not
operate normally. If this happens, the
steering wheel can still be operated,
however, the operation may feel heavy
compared to normal, and the steering
wheel could vibrate when turning.
lRepeatedly jerking the steering wheel left
and right while the vehicle is stopped or
moving extremely slowly will cause the
power steering system to go into protective
mode which will make the steering feel
heavy, but this does not indicate a problem.
If this occurs, park the vehicle safely and
wait several minutes for the system to
return to normal.
qAir Bag/Front Seat Belt
Pretensioner System Warning Light
If the air bag/front seat belt pretensioner
system is working properly, the warning
light illuminates when the ignition is
switched ON or after the engine is
cranked. The warning light turns off after
a specified period of time.
A system malfunction is indicated if the
warning light constantly flashes,
constantly illuminates or does not
illuminate at all when the ignition is
switched ON. If any of these occur,
consult an Authorized Mazda Dealer as
soon as possible. The system may not
operate in an accident.
WARNING
Never tamper with the air bag/
pretensioner systems and always have
an Authorized Mazda Dealer perform
all servicing and repairs:
Self-servicing or tampering with the
systems is dangerous. An air bag/
pretensioner could accidentally
activate or become disabled causing
serious injury or death.
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
4-35
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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 (176,1)
4. Move the selector lever.
5. Take the vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer to have the system
checked.
qManual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transaxle vehicle by operating the
selector lever and allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the drive wheels
much like a manual transaxle when more
control is desired.
To change to manual shift mode, shift the
lever from D to M.
NOTE
Changing to manual shift mode while driving
will not damage the transaxle.
To return to automatic shift mode, shift
the lever from M to D.
NOTE
lIf you change to manual shift mode when
the vehicle is stopped, the gear will shift to
M1.
lIf you change to manual shift mode without
depressing the accelerator pedal when
driving in D range, 5th gear/6th gear, the
gear will shift to M4/M5.
Indicators
Manual shift mode indicator
In manual shift mode, the“M”of the shift
position indicator in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indicator
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.
Manual shift mode indicator
Gear position indicator
NOTElIf the gears cannot be shifted down when
driving at higher speeds, the gear position
indicator will flash twice to signal that the
gears cannot be shifted down (to protect the
transaxle).
lIf the automatic transaxle fluid (ATF)
temperature becomes too high, there is the
possibility that the transaxle will switch to
automatic shift mode, canceling manual
shift mode and turning off the gear position
indicator illumination. This is a normal
function to protect the automatic transaxle.
After the ATF temperature has decreased,
the gear position indicator illumination
turns back on and driving in manual shift
mode is restored.
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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 (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.
4-62
When Driving
íSome models.
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (197,1)
Manual Type Climate Control
Indicator 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.
qMirror Defoggerí
To turn on the mirror defoggers, switch
the ignition ON and press the rear window
defogger switch (page 4-72).
Horn
To sound the horn, press themark on
the steering wheel.
When Driving
Switches and Controls
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L

Black plate (204,1)
NOTElIn the following cases, the radar sensor may not be able to detect vehicles ahead or obstructions.lThe rear surface of a vehicle ahead does not reflect radio waves effectively, such as an
unloaded trailer or an automobile with a loading platform covered by a soft top, vehicles with
a hard plastic tailgate, and round-shaped vehicles.
lVehicles ahead with low vehicle height and thus less area for reflecting radio waves.lVisibility is reduced due to a vehicle ahead casting off water, snow, or sand from its tires and
onto your windshield.
lThe trunk/luggage compartment is loaded with heavy objects or the rear passenger seats are
occupied.
lIce, snow, or soiling is on the front surface of the front emblem.lDuring inclement weather such as rain, snow, or sand storms.lWhen driving near facilities or objects emitting strong radio waves.lIn the following cases, the radar sensor may detect vehicles in the opposite lane or surrounding
obstructions, or it may not be able to detect vehicles ahead or obstructions.
lThe beginning and end of a curve.lRoads with continuous curves.lNarrow lane roads due to road construction or lane closures.lThe vehicle ahead enters the radar sensor's blind spot.lThe vehicle ahead is running abnormally due to accident or vehicle damage.lRoads with repeated up and down slopeslDriving on poor roads or unpaved roads.lThe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead is extremely short.lA vehicle suddenly comes close such as by cutting into the lane.lTo prevent incorrect operation of the system, use tires of the same specified size, manufacturer,
brand, and tread pattern on all four wheels. In addition, do not use tires with significantly
different wear patterns or tire pressures on the same vehicle. (Including the temporary spare tire)
lIf the battery power is weak, the system may not operate correctly.lWhen driving on roads with little traffic and few vehicles ahead or obstructions for the radar
sensor to detect,“Radar blocked”may be temporarily displayed, however, this does not indicate a
problem.
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When Driving
Radar Sensor
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Form No.8DQ8-EA-13L