2016 MAZDA MODEL 3 HATCHBACK Owners Manual (in English)

4–25
When Driving
Instrument Cluster and Display
Wrench Indicator Light

When the ignition is switched ON, the
wrench indicator light is illuminated and
then turns off after a few seconds.

The wrench indicator light is illuminated
when the preset maintenance period
arrives. Verify the content and perform
maintenance.
Refer to Maintenance Monitor on page
6-20 .
Low Engine Coolant Temperature
Indicator Light (Blue)

The light illuminates continuously when
the engine coolant temperature is low and
turns off after the engine is warm.
If the low engine coolant temperature
indicator light remains illuminated after
the engine has been suf¿ ciently warmed
up, the temperature sensor could have
a malfunction. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
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4–26
When Driving
Transaxle
Manual Transaxle
Operation
Manual 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.

Always 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
 


¾ Keep 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.
 


¾ Do not apply any excessive lateral force
to the shift lever when changing from
5th to 4th gear. This could lead to the
accidental selection of 2nd gear, which
could result in damage to the transaxle.
 


¾ Make 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.

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4–27
When Driving
Transaxle
*Some models.
N O T E




y (For vehicles with type C instrument
cluster *1 )   If the engine speed is about to exceed
the permissible engine speed, the buzzer
sounds.
  Refer to Over Rev. Buzzer on page
7-39 .

*1 To determine which instrument
cluster is equipped on your Mazda,
Refer to Meters and Gauges on page
4-11 .
 


y If shifting to R is dif¿ cult, shift back into
neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try
again.

Gear Shift Indicator *
The gear shift indicator supports you to
obtain optimum fuel economy and smooth
driving. It displays the selected gear
position in the instrument cluster as well
as noti¿ es the driver to change to the most
suitable gear position corresponding to the
actual driving condition.


Selected gear position Suitable gear position
Indication Condition
Numeral The selected gear position is
displayed.

and numeral Shift up or down to the indicated
gear position is recommended.

CAUTION
Do not rely solely on the shift-up/
shift-down recommendations by
indications. The actual driving
situation might require shift operations
diff erent from indication. To avoid the
risk of accidents, the road and traffi c
conditions have to be judged correctly
by the driver before shifting.

N O T E
The gear shift indicator turns off when the
following operations are performed.
 


y The vehicle is stopped.



y The vehicle is put in neutral.



y The vehicle is driven in reverse.



y The clutch is not fully engaged when
accelerating from a stop.
 


y The clutch pedal remains depressed for
2 seconds or longer while driving.

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4–28
When Driving
Transaxle
Recommendations for Shifting (for
Vehicles without Gear Shift
Indication)
Upshifting
For normal acceleration, Mazda
recommends these shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)

Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 24 km/h (15 mph)
2 to 3 42 km/h (26 mph)
3 to 4 60 km/h (37 mph)
4 to 5 75 km/h (46 mph)
5 to 6 79 km/h (49 mph)

For cruising, Mazda recommends these
shift points:
(U.S.A. and Canada)
Gear Vehicle speed
1 to 2 13 km/h (8 mph)
2 to 3 29 km/h (18 mph)
3 to 4 49 km/h (30 mph)
4 to 5 63 km/h (39 mph)
5 to 6 70 km/h (43 mph)

Downshifting
When you must slow down in heavy traf¿ c
or on a steep upgrade , downshift before
the engine starts to overwork. This reduces
the chance of stalling and 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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4–29
When Driving
Transaxle
Automatic Transaxle Controls

Lock-release button
Indicates the shift lever can be shifted freely into any position.
Indicates that you must hold in the lock-release button to shift.
Indicates that you must depress the brake pedal and hold in the lock-release
button to shift (The ignition must be switched ON).
Various Lockouts:

N O T E
The Sport AT has an option that is not included in the traditional automatic transaxle that
gives the driver the option of selecting each gear instead of leaving it to the transaxle to
shift gears. Even if you intend to use the automatic transaxle 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, con¿ rm you have not accidentally
slipped into manual shift mode (page 4-32 ).

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4–30
When Driving
Transaxle
Shift Position Indication

The selector position is indicated when the
ignition is switched ON.
Gear position indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication illuminates and the
numeral for the selected gear is displayed.
Warning Light
The warning light turns on when the
system has a malfunction.
Refer to Warning Lights on page 4-21 .
Transaxle Ranges
 




y The shift position indicator light in the
instrument cluster illuminates. Refer to
Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-20 .
 


y The selector 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 selector lever to P and set
the parking brake:
Only setting the selector 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
 


¾ Shifting into P, N or R while the vehicle is
moving can damage your transaxle.
 


¾ Shifting 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 3-46 ).
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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4–31
When Driving
Transaxle
CAUTION
Do not shift into N when driving the
vehicle. Doing so can cause transaxle
damage.

N O T E
Apply the parking brake or depress the
brake pedal before moving the selector
lever from N to prevent the vehicle from
moving unexpectedly.

D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position. From a
stop, the transaxle will automatically shift
through a 6-gear sequence.
M (Manual)
M is the manual shift mode position. Gears
can be shifted up or down by operating the
selector lever. Refer to Manual Shift Mode
on page 4-32 .
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
Active Adaptive Shift (AAS)
automatically controls the transaxle shift
points to best suit the road conditions
and driver input. This improves driving
feel. The transaxle may switch to AAS
mode when driving up and down slopes,
cornering, driving at high elevations,
or depressing the accelerator pedal
quickly while the selector lever is in the
D position. Depending on the road and
driving conditions/vehicle operations, gear
shifting could be delayed or not occur,
however, this does not indicate a problem
because the AAS mode will maintain the
optimum gear position.
Shift-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. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.

N O T E
 


y When the ignition is switched to ACC or
the ignition is switched off, the selector
lever cannot be shifted from P.
 


y The ignition cannot be switched to OFF
if the selector lever is not in P.

Shift-Lock Override
If the selector lever will not move from P
using the proper shift procedure, continue
to hold down the brake pedal.

1. Remove the shift-lock override cover
using a cloth-wrapped À at head
screwdriver.
2. Insert a screwdriver and push it down.


Cover

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4–32
When Driving
Transaxle
3. Press and hold the lock-release button.
4. Move the selector lever.
Take the vehicle to an Authorized Mazda
Dealer to have the system checked.

Manual Shift Mode
The manual shift mode gives you the feel
of driving a manual transaxle vehicle by
allowing you to operate the selector lever
manually. This 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.



N O T E
 


y (For vehicles with type C instrument
cluster *1 )   If the engine speed is about to exceed
the permissible engine speed, the buzzer
sounds.
  Refer to Over Rev. Buzzer on page
7-39 .

*1 To determine which instrument
cluster is equipped on your Mazda,
Refer to Meters and Gauges on page
4-11 .
 


y 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.
N O T E
 


y If you change to manual shift mode
when the vehicle is stopped, the gear
will shift to M1.
 


y If 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 indication
In manual shift mode, the “M” of the shift
position indication in the instrument panel
illuminates.
Gear position indication
The numeral for the selected gear
illuminates.
Ty p e A


Manual shift mode indication
Gear position indication

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