Black plate (199,1)
CAUTION
ØDo not drive with your foot held
on the clutch pedal or brake pedal,
or hold the clutch pedal depressed
halfway unnecessarily. Doing so
could result in the following:
ØThe clutch and brake parts will
wear out more quickly.
ØThe brakes can overheat and
adversely affect brake
performance.
ØAlways depress the brake pedal
with the right foot. Applying the
brakes with the unaccustomed left
foot could slow your reaction time
to an emergency situation
resulting in insufficient braking
operation.
ØWear shoes appropriate for driving
in order to avoid your shoe
contacting the brake pedal when
depressing the accelerator pedal.
qElectric Parking Brake
The electric parking brake equipment
applies the parking brake using an electric
motor. The indicator light on the electric
parking brake switch turns on when the
switch is turned on.
Indicator light
WARNING
Do not drive the vehicle with the
electric parking brake applied:
If the vehicle is driven with the
parking brake applied, the brake
parts may generate heat and the
brake system may not operate,
leading to an accident.
Before driving, release the electric
parking brake and verify that the
brake system warning light is turned
off.
When Driving
Brake
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
Black plate (201,1)
Electric parking brake manual release
Securely depress the brake pedal and
press the electric parking brake switch.
Electric parking brake automatic
release
If the accelerator pedal is depressed with
the electric parking brake applied and all
of the following conditions met, the
parking brake is released automatically.
lThe engine is running.lThe driver's door is closed.lThe driver's seat belt is fastened.
(Manual transaxle)
lThe change lever is in a position other
than neutral.
lThe clutch pedal is depressed halfway
(Automatic transaxle)
lSelector lever is in the D, M, or R
position
NOTE
If something such as the driver's foot contacts
the accelerator pedal with the engine running
and the electric parking brake applied, the
parking brake may be released automatically.
If you do not intend to drive immediately, shift
the change lever (manual transmission) to the
neutral position, or shift the selector lever
(automatic transmission) to the P or N
position.
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
4-22.
qBrake Pad Wear Indicator
When the disc brake pads become worn,
the built-in wear indicators contact the
disc plates. This causes a screeching noise
to warn that the pads should be replaced.
When you hear this noise, consult an
Authorized Mazda Dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
Do not drive with worn disc pads:
Driving with worn disc pads is
dangerous. The brakes could fail and
cause a serious accident. As soon as
you hear a screeching noise consult
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
When Driving
Brake
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
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qBrake Assist
During emergency braking situations
when it is necessary to depress the brake
pedal with greater force, the brake assist
system provides braking assistance, thus
enhancing braking performance.
When the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the brakes apply
more firmly.
NOTE
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, the pedal will feel
softer but the brakes will apply more firmly.
This is a normal effect of the brake assist
operation and does not indicate a
malfunction.
lWhen the brake pedal is depressed hard or
depressed more quickly, a motor/pump
operation noise may be heard. This is a
normal effect of the brake assist and does
not indicate a malfunction.
lThe brake assist equipment does not
supersede the functionality of the vehicle's
main braking system.
Hill Launch Assist (HLA)
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) is a function
which assists the driver in accelerating
from a stop while on a slope. When the
driver releases the brake pedal and
depresses the accelerator pedal while on a
slope, the function prevents the vehicle
from rolling.
The braking force is maintained
automatically after the brake pedal is
released on a steep grade.
For vehicles with a manual transaxle, Hill
Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the shift lever is in
the reverse (R) position, and on an
upward slope when the shift lever is in a
position other than the reverse (R)
position.
For vehicles with an automatic transaxle,
Hill Launch Assist (HLA) operates on a
downward slope when the shift lever is in
the reverse (R) position, and on an
upward slope when the shift lever is in a
forward gear.
4-78
When Driving
Brake
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
Black plate (204,1)
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS control unit continuously
monitors the speed of each wheel. If one
wheel is about to lock up, the ABS
responds by automatically releasing and
reapplying that wheel's brake.
The driver will feel a slight vibration in
the brake pedal and may hear a chattering
noise from the brake system. This is
normal ABS system operation. Continue
to depress the brake pedal without
pumping the brakes.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
WARNING
Do not rely on ABS as a substitute for
safe driving:
The ABS cannot compensate for
unsafe and reckless driving, excessive
speed, tailgating (following another
vehicle too closely), driving on ice and
snow, and hydroplaning (reduced tire
friction and road contact because of
water on the road surface). You can
still have an accident.NOTE
lBraking distances may be longer on loose
surfaces (snow or gravel, for example)
which usually have a hard foundation. A
vehicle with a normal braking system may
require less distance to stop under these
conditions because the tires will build up a
wedge of surface layer when the wheels
skid.
lThe sound of the ABS operating may be
heard when starting the engine or
immediately after starting the vehicle,
however, it does not indicate a malfunction.
4-80
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
Black plate (205,1)
Traction Control System
(TCS)
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.
A system malfunction or operation
conditions are indicated by a warning.
Refer to Warning/Indicator Lights on page
4-22.
WARNING
Do not rely on the Traction Control
System (TCS) 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 4-82).
When Driving
ABS/TCS/DSC
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
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i-ELOOPí
On conventional vehicles, the kinetic energy that is generated when the vehicle is
decelerated by applying the brakes or during engine braking ends up being discarded as
heat. By utilizing this discarded kinetic energy to generate electricity and use it to power
the vehicle's electrical devices and accessories such as the A/C and audio, fuel
consumption can be reduced. Mazda's system for generating electricity from this kinetic
energy is called the Regenerative Braking System (i-ELOOP).
Electric components
Engine Components
Vehicle Systems:
Air-conditioning
Audio
Head-lights, etc
Accelerator OFF
Accelerator ONEnergy
regeneration
ChargeBattery
Battery Power
Power
Electric components
Engine Components
Vehicle Systems:
Air-conditioning
Audio
Head-lights, etc
Engine
Variable
Voltage
alternator
Variable
Voltage
alternator Engine
Tire TireCapacitor
CapacitorDC-DC converter
DC-DC converter
Kinetic energy
Electrical
4-84
When Driving
íSome models.
i-ELOOP
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
Black plate (241,1)
Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC)í
The Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system is designed to maintain headway
control*1 according to the vehicle speed using a radar sensor to detect the distance to a
vehicle ahead, and by presetting the vehicle speed between 30 km/h (19 mph) and 145
km/h (90 mph), the driver is freed from having to constantly use the accelerator or brake
pedals.
*1 Headway Control: Control of the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead
detected by the Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system.
Additionally, if your vehicle starts closing in on the vehicle ahead because, for example,
the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly, a warning sound and a warning indication in the display
are activated simultaneously to alert you to maintain a sufficient distance between the
vehicles.
Use the Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system on expressways and other highways
which do not require a lot of repeated acceleration and deceleration.
When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
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Form No.8EA2-EA-14K
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WARNING
Do not rely completely on the Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system and
always drive carefully:
The Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system is designed to reduce load on the
driver, and although it maintains a constant vehicle speed, or specifically, it
maintains a constant distance between your vehicle and the detected vehicle ahead
according to the vehicle speed, the system has detection limitations depending on the
type of vehicle ahead and its conditions, the weather conditions, and the road
conditions. Additionally, the system may be unable to decelerate sufficiently to avoid
hitting the vehicle ahead if the vehicle ahead applies the brakes suddenly or another
vehicle cuts into the driving lane, which could result in an accident. Always verify the
safety of the surrounding area and depress the brake pedal or accelerator pedal
while keeping a safer distance from vehicles ahead or on-coming vehicles.
Do not use the Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system in the following locations.
Otherwise, it could lead to an accident:
ØRoads with sharp curves and where vehicle traffic is heavy and there is insufficient
space between vehicles. Roads where frequent and repetitive acceleration and
deceleration occur (Driving under these conditions using the Mazda Radar Cruise
Control (MRCC) system is not possible).
ØWhen entering and exiting interchanges, service areas, and parking areas of
highways (If you exit a highway while headway control is in use, the vehicle
ahead will no longer be tracked and your vehicle may accelerate to the set speed).
ØSlippery roads such as ice or snow-bound roads (The tires could spin causing you
to lose vehicle control).
ØLong descending slopes (to maintain distance between vehicles, the system
automatically and continuously applies the brakes which could result in the loss
of brake power).
For the purposes of safety, switch the Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system off
when it is not being used.
CAUTION
If the vehicle is towed or you are towing something, switch the Mazda Radar Cruise
Control (MRCC) system off to prevent an incorrect operation.
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When Driving
i-ACTIVSENSE
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