Black plate (157,1)
Automatic Transmission Controls
Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Various Lockouts: Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal to shift (The ignition
must be switched to ACC or ON).
NOTE
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transmission giving the
driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transmission to shift gears. Even if
you intend to use the automatic transmission functions as a traditional automatic, you should also be
aware that you can inadvertently shift into manual shift mode and an inappropriate gear may be
retained as the vehicle speed increases. If you notice the engine speed going higher or hear the
engine racing, confirm you have not accidentally slipped into manual shift mode (page 5-15).
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (159,1)
qActive Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transmission
shift points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel.
If the driver accelerates rapidly, or
accelerates and decelerates rapidly by
operating the accelerator and brake pedal
for a certain period of time while the shift
lever is in the D position, AAS mode
could activate.
When cornering the vehicle, AAS mode
will hold the transmission in the gear the
vehicle was in before entering the curve,
allowing the vehicle to be accelerated
from the same gear after exiting the curve.
AAS mode will maintain the transmission
in the optimum gear and the driver may
sense that the transmission is not shifting,
however this does not indicate an
abnormality.
qShift-Lock System
The shift-lock system prevents shifting
out of P unless the brake pedal is
depressed.
To shift from P:
1. Depress and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Move the shift lever.
NOTE
lWhen the ignition is switched off, the shift
lever cannot be shifted from P.
lTo be sure the vehicle is in park, the
ignition key cannot be removed unless the
shift lever is in P.
l(With Advanced Key)
The ignition cannot be switched from ACC
to OFF when the shift lever is not in P.
q Manual Shift Mode
This mode gives you the feel of driving a
manual transmission vehicle by operating
the shift lever and allows you to control
engine rpm and torque to the rear wheels
much like a manual transmission 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 transmission.
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, the gear will
shift to M4.
lIf you change to manual shift mode without
depressing the accelerator pedal when
driving in D range, 6th gear, the gear will
shift to M5.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (169,1)
Your vehicle has a tap-down feature that
allows you to decrease your current speed
in decrements of 1.6 km/h (1 mph) by a
momentary tap of the cruise control SET/-
switch. Multiple taps will decrease your
vehicle speed 1.6 km/h (1 mph) for each
tap.
qTo Resume Cruising Speed at
More Than 30 km/h (19 mph)
If some other method besides the ON/
OFF switch was used to cancel cruising
speed (such as applying the brake pedal)
and the system is still activated, the most
recent set speed will automatically resume
when the cruise control RES/+ switch is
pressed up.
If vehicle speed is below 30 km/h (19
mph), increase the vehicle speed up to 30
km/h (19 mph) or more and press up the
cruise control RES/+ switch.
Cruise
control
switch
qTo Cancel
To cancel the system, use oneof these
methods:
lPress the ON/OFF switch.lSlightly depress the brake pedal.lDepress the clutch pedal (Manual
transmission only).
lPress the CANCEL switch.
The system turns off when the ignition is
switched off.
NOTE
Cruise control will cancel at about 15 km/h (9
mph) below the preset speed (such as may
happen when climbing a long, steep grade).
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (170,1)
Traction Control System
(TCS)
í
The Traction Control System (TCS)
enhances traction and safety by
controlling engine torque and braking.
When the TCS detects driving wheel
slippage, it lowers engine torque and
operates the brakes to prevent loss of
traction.
This means that on a slick surface, the
engine adjusts automatically to provide
optimum power to the drive wheels,
limiting wheel spin and loss of traction.
WARNING
Do not rely on the traction control
system as a substitute for safe driving:The traction control system (TCS)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident.
Use snow tires or tire chains and drive
at reduced speeds when roads are
covered with ice and/or snow: Driving without proper traction
devices on snow and/or ice-covered
roads is dangerous. The traction
control system (TCS) alone cannot
provide adequate traction and you
could still have an accident.
NOTE
To turn off the TCS, press the DSC OFF switch
(page 5-28).
q TCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON. If the TCS or DSC is operating, the
indicator light flashes.
If the light stays on, the TCS or DSC may
have a malfunction and they may not
operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
NOTE
lIn addition to the indicator light flashing, a
slight lugging sound will come from the
engine. This indicates that the TCS is
operating properly.
lOn slippery surfaces, such as fresh snow, it
will be impossible to achieve high rpm
when the TCS is on.
5-26
Driving Your Mazda
íSome models.
Starting and Driving
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (171,1)
Dynamic Stability Control
(DSC)
í
The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
automatically controls braking and engine
torque in conjunction with systems such
as ABS and TCS to help control side slip
when driving on slippery surfaces, or
during sudden or evasive maneuvering,
enhancing vehicle safety.
Refer to ABS (page 5-8) and TCS (page
5-26).
WARNING
Do not rely on the dynamic stability
control as a substitute for safe driving:The dynamic stability control (DSC)
cannot compensate for unsafe and
reckless driving, excessive speed,
tailgating (following another vehicle
too closely), and hydroplaning
(reduced tire friction and road
contact because of water on the road
surface). You can still have an
accident.
CAUTION
ØThe DSC may not operate correctly
unless the following are observed:
ØUse tires of the correct size
specified for your Mazda on all
four wheels.
ØUse tires of the same
manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern on all four wheels.
ØDo not mix worn tires.
Ø The DSC may not operate correctly
when tire chains are used or a
temporary spare tire is installed
because the tire diameter changes.
Ø If repair or replacement of the
steering or other surrounding
equipment is necessary, have it
done at an Authorized Mazda
Dealer. If the center position of the
steering deviates, the DSC may not
operate correctly because there is
a sensor in the steering which
detects driving conditions.
qTCS/DSC Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON. If the TCS or DSC is operating, the
indicator light flashes.
If the light stays on, the TCS or DSC may
have a malfunction and they may not
operate correctly. Take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-27íSome models.
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (172,1)
qDSC OFF Indicator Light
This indicator light stays on for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
It also illuminates when the DSC OFF
switch is pressed and TCS/DSC is
switched off (page 5-28).
If the light stays on when the TCS/DSC is
not switched off, take your vehicle to an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. The dynamic
stability control may have a malfunction.
NOTE
If the battery is disconnected or a fuse is
replaced, the DSC will be inoperable. In this
case, the DSC OFF indicator light flashes and
the TCS/DSC indicator light illuminates.
To make the DSC operable, do the following
procedure with the battery connected.
1. Switch the ignition ON.
2. Turn the steering clockwise fully, then turn
it counterclockwise fully.
3. Make sure the DSC OFF indicator turn off.
4. Switch the ignition off, then switch the ignition to ON again.
5. Make sure the TCS/DSC indicator light turns off.
If the TCS/DSC indicator light and the DSC
OFF indicator light remain illuminated even
after switching the ignition from ON to OFF,
and back to ON, attempt the procedure again.
If this still does not resolve the issue, consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
q DSC OFF Switch
Press the DSC OFF switch to turn off the
TCS/DSC. The DSC OFF indicator light
illuminates.
Press the switch again to turn the TCS/
DSC back on. The DSC OFF indicator
light turns off.
5-28
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (173,1)
NOTElWhen DSC is on and you attempt to free the
vehicle when it is stuck, or drive it out of
freshly fallen snow, the TCS (part of the
DSC system) will activate. Depressing the
accelerator will not increase engine power
and freeing the vehicle may be difficult.
When this happens, turn off the TCS/DSC.
lIf the TCS/DSC is off when the engine is
turned off, it automatically activates when
the ignition is switched ON.
lLeaving the TCS/DSC on will provide the
best stability. When the TCS/DSC is off, the
TCS/DSC does not activate but the brake
LSD (Limited Slip Differentials) function
remains.
lIf the DSC OFF switch is pressed and held
for a second or more, the TCS/DSC system
may become inoperative due to the system
detecting a switch problem. If the TCS/DSC
system becomes inoperative, the TCS/DSC
and the DSC OFF indicator lights
illuminate simultaneously. In this case, turn
off the engine and restart it to restore the
TCS/DSC.
lThe DSC only operates when the brake
pedal is depressed while driving and it is
determined that operation of the DSC is
required, even if the DSC OFF indicator
light illuminates by pressing the DSC OFF
switch.
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Starting and Driving
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F
Black plate (176,1)
qTire Pressure Monitoring System
Warning Light
This warning light illuminates for a few
seconds when the ignition is switched
ON.
Thereafter, the warning light illuminates
and a beep is heard when tire pressure is
too low in one or more tires, and flashes
when there is a system malfunction.
WARNING
If the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light illuminates or flashes, or
the tire pressure warning beep sound is
heard, decrease vehicle speed
immediately and avoid sudden
maneuvering and braking:
If the tire pressure monitoring system
warning light illuminates or flashes,
or the tire pressure warning beep
sound is heard, it is dangerous to
drive the vehicle at high speeds, or
perform sudden maneuvering or
braking. Vehicle drivability could
worsen and result in an accident.
To determine if you have a slow leak
or a flat, pull over to a safe position
where you can check the visual
condition of the tire and determine if
you have enough air to proceed to a
place where air may be added and
the system monitored again by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer or a tire
repair station.
Do not ignore the TPMS Warning Light: Ignoring the TPMS warning light is
dangerous, even if you know why it is
illuminated. Have the problem taken
care of as soon as possible before it
develops into a more serious
situation that could lead to tire
failure and a dangerous accident.
Warning light illuminates/Warning
beep sounds
When the warning light illuminates, and
the warning beep sound is heard (about 3
seconds), tire pressure is too low in one or
more tires.
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Form No.8DG6-EA-13F